The bill amends the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Act to enhance registration enforcement and address the evolving needs of off-highway motor vehicle users in New Mexico. Key changes include updated definitions for various types of off-highway vehicles, such as "recreational off-highway vehicle," which now specifies an unladen dry weight of under three thousand five hundred pounds and includes a requirement for a seventeen-character vehicle identification number. Additionally, the bill modifies the registration and nonresident permit fees, maintaining a base fee of seventeen dollars while allowing for an off-highway user fee of up to forty dollars, which will be distributed to the trail safety fund.

Furthermore, the bill introduces new safety requirements for operators under the age of eighteen, including the necessity of wearing eye protection and a safety helmet, and outlines conditions under which they may carry passengers. It also empowers the department to develop and implement a comprehensive safety training program, establish criteria for off-highway motor vehicle safety training organizations, and create an enforcement strategy to minimize the impact of off-highway vehicle use on agricultural practices and non-motorized recreationalists. The department is tasked with collaborating with various agencies to ensure effective implementation of these provisions and to address environmental and safety concerns associated with off-highway motor vehicle use.

Statutes affected:
introduced version: 66-3-1001.1, 66-3-1004, 66-3-1010.3, 66-3-1018