Washington's legislature is in session and there are two bills affecting ATVs. I'll post information as I come across it.

On the good side, Representative Bill Hinkle (R-Cle Elum) introduced HB 1003 to allow ORVs (including ATVs) on nonhighway roads. This would let us ride on DNR and Forest Service roads! Hinkle and colleague Rep. Cary Condotta (R-Wenatchee, owner of Condotta Motorsports) are working hard to expand ORV opportunities and protect our rights.

On the worrisome side, HB 1029/SB 5031 would enact all sorts of new regulations on ATV use. New regulations would include mandatory safety training certificate to ride on WA public lands, minimum 12 years old to ride 70cc to 90cc ATV, minimum 16 years old to ride 90cc or greater, under 16 would have to be under direct adult supervision to ride on public lands, mandatory lights/brake lights/muffler/spark arrester, mandatory eye protection, mandatory helmet, ban carrying a passenger, ban sales of 70cc or greater ATVs for use by persons under 12 years, requirements around road crossings including having headlights on, BAN riding on public roads except for crossing, bans crossing limited access highways. So, parents of ATV riders will want to review this bill closely as will those who ride on public lands (i.e. all of us).

So, the fun has begun. It didn't take long for the new legislature (which is controlled in all branches by Democrats) to jump on ATV regulations. With Democrats running the show, likely we will see more bad bills introduced in the next few weeks. I encourage everyone from WA to pay close attention.

For more information go to http://www.leg.wa.gov/ and enter in the bill numbers (just the numbers not the HB or SB).

 

thanks for posting this. I agree- i think it would be great to have the forest service roads & DNR roads opened to us...
but the other bill sounds like a bad idea from every angle that i look at it.

 

Ever wonder how much riding area we could have "out west" if their were no liberals. Feeling your pain in Ca.

 

ATV Legislative Update

On Tuesday, January 18, there is a public hearing on Rep. Hinkle's bill (HB 1003) to allow ORVs on public roads before the House Natural Resources, Ecology & Parks Committee. The hearing is at 1:30 p.m. and will be held in the House Hearing Room D at the Capitol in Olympia.

If you have time, this is a good chance to voice your opinion on this subject before the legislature. It is very easy to testify.

If you want to send comments via e-mail, the chair of the Committee is Representative Brian Sullivan (D-Mukilteo, Sullivan_Br@leg.wa.gov) and the ranking Republican is Jim Buck (R-Port Angeles, Buck_Ji@leg.wa.gov). Both are good people. Buck is an avid outdoorsman and hunter, so is understanding of our issues.

For more information go to: www.leg.wa.gov. You can get e-mail information for committee members, details on the bill and committee hearing information.

 

Also, this week two bills were introduced on noise ordinances. SB 5089 by Senator Tim Sheldon (D-Shelton) prohibits riding "On lands zoned as residential within six hundred feet of another property owner's residence, or within six hundred feet of another property owner's barn, stable, penned area, or similar structure." This is likely the result of a property in Thurston County where they have set up a practice ATV racetrack. It has been the subject of press stories and neighbor complaints.

 

The other bill SB 5043 by Senator Mulliken (R-Ellensburg) clarifies state law to provide that "local governments retain primary responsibility for the enforcement of rules" associated with noise control. It also increases the fines from $100 to $300 for noise violations. On a positive note it requires the state Department of Ecology to update its noise rules based on "best available science" and to "clarify rules on low bass frequency decibel levels." Likely, the intent of the bill is to limit DOE's rulemaking on noise issues.

Stay tuned, this is just the beginning.

 

thanks for the link over here...I'll be sending a e-mail of support ......I hope Buck can get the job done....and fight off the greenie dem's........

Ragged

 

so let me get this right: in order to ride an atv on private land, they are attempting to make you have a 200 yard border around the area that you might ride in! that's insane! this needs to be forwarded to all track owners.

 

Gee I don't know if that sound restriction is going to go over well with farmers... I can see amaximum Db level, but come on.. how many barns are that close to another persons farm anyway? What about barns that are closer to the roads? DUH

As for the restriction bill, there isn't anything there I'd argue with other than the age vs size limit, and totally eliminating under 12 riding... that I'd have to take offense to... But wearing helmets, training programs, goggles etc, all good ideas that I think a lot of people have come to accept as being wise choices anyway.

However, if the state is going to impose a certification program, then they have to provide funding for it to... otherwise it is meaningless. Which all means a huge investment... and a level of committment that says they are looking at the sport as a long term thing, and not trying to get rid of them altogether as some states are threatening.

 

i agree that a rider certification program would require funds to support it... and I believe that's where our legislature will shoot it down.
the age limits only set it up for disaster & it sounds like a page right out of the 1980's CPSC arguments. the greatest problem with it is that many times it forces a rider to ride a machine too small for them, which is just as unsafe as a rider being on too large of a machine for thier ability.... and we all know it
the only way i would support a ceritification program for anyone would be eliminating the age limits in favor of rider size, skills and abilities dictating what size ATV they could ride. making it similar to the motorcycle liscence program... when a rider shows they can safely handle a larger machine; they can test & prove it. displacement stages could be 70, 90, 200 & open. if a child under 16 is found riding a machine larger than they are certified for the parents can get fined.
also, if a certificate is required to ride public areas, what's to be done about riders from out of state, where they don't have the same or any similar program? to me, it sounds like this would discourage tourism.