House File 826 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE 826
BY COMMITTEE ON NATURAL
RESOURCES
(SUCCESSOR TO HSB 263)
A BILL FOR
1 An Act relating to snowmobile user permits and registration
2 fees.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
TLSB 2777HV (1) 89
js/rn
 H.F. 826
1 Section 1. Section 321G.3, Code 2021, is amended to read as
2 follows:
3 321G.3 Registration and user permit required —— penalties.
4 1. Each snowmobile used by a resident on public land, public
5 ice, or a designated snowmobile trail of this state shall be
6 currently registered in this state pursuant to section 321G.4.
7 A resident shall not operate, maintain, or give permission
8 for the operation or maintenance of a snowmobile on public
9 land, public ice, or a designated snowmobile trail unless the
10 snowmobile is registered in accordance with this chapter.
11 The owner of a snowmobile must also obtain a user permit in
12 accordance with section 321G.4A.
13 2. A violation of subsection 1 is punishable as a scheduled
14 violation under section 805.8B, subsection 2, paragraph “a”.
15 When the scheduled fine is paid, the violator shall submit
16 proof to the department that a valid registration and user
17 permit have has been obtained by providing a copy of the
18 registration and user permit to the department within thirty
19 days of the date the fine is paid. A person who violates this
20 subsection is guilty of a simple misdemeanor.
21 Sec. 2. Section 321G.4, subsection 2, paragraph a, Code
22 2021, is amended to read as follows:
23 a. The owner of the snowmobile shall file an application for
24 registration with the department through the county recorder
25 of the county of residence in the manner established by the
26 commission. The application shall be completed by the owner
27 and shall be accompanied by a fee of fifteen thirty dollars and
28 a writing fee as provided in section 321G.27. A snowmobile
29 shall not be registered by the county recorder until the
30 county recorder is presented with receipts, bills of sale,
31 or other satisfactory evidence that the sales or use tax has
32 been paid for the purchase of the snowmobile or that the
33 owner is exempt from paying the tax. A snowmobile that has
34 an expired registration certificate from another state may be
35 registered in this state upon proper application, payment of
LSB 2777HV (1) 89
-1- js/rn 1/4
 H.F. 826
1 all applicable registration and writing fees, and payment of a
2 penalty of five dollars.
3 Sec. 3. Section 321G.4B, Code 2021, is amended to read as
4 follows:
5 321G.4B Nonresident requirements —— penalties.
6 1. A nonresident wishing to operate a snowmobile on public
7 land, public ice, or a designated snowmobile trail of this
8 state shall obtain a user permit in accordance with section
9 321G.4A from the department. A user permit shall be issued for
10 use on only one snowmobile and is not transferable. A user
11 permit shall be valid for the calendar year or time period
12 specified in the permit. In addition to obtaining a user
13 permit, a nonresident shall display a current registration
14 decal or other evidence of registration or numbering required
15 by the owner’s state of residence unless the owner resides in a
16 state that does not register or number snowmobiles.
17 2. A violation of subsection 1 is punishable as a scheduled
18 violation under section 805.8B, subsection 2, paragraph “a”.
19 When the scheduled fine is paid, the violator shall submit
20 proof to the department that a user permit has been obtained
21 and provide evidence of registration or numbering as required
22 by the owner’s state of residence, if applicable, to the
23 department within thirty days of the date the fine is paid.
24 A person who violates this section is guilty of a simple
25 misdemeanor.
26 3. A county recorder or a license agent designated by the
27 director pursuant to section 483A.11 may issue user permits.
28 The fee for a user permit shall be fifteen dollars plus an
29 administrative fee established by the commission. A county
30 recorder or a license agent shall retain a writing fee from the
31 sale of each user permit as provided in section 321G.27.
32 Sec. 4. Section 321G.5, Code 2021, is amended to read as
33 follows:
34 321G.5 Display of registration and user permit decals.
35 The owner of a snowmobile shall display the registration
LSB 2777HV (1) 89
-2- js/rn 2/4
 H.F. 826
1 decal and user permit decal, if applicable, on the snowmobile
2 in the manner prescribed by the rules of the commission.
3 Sec. 5. Section 321G.6, subsections 1 and 4, Code 2021, are
4 amended to read as follows:
5 1. Every snowmobile registration certificate and
6 registration decal issued expires at midnight December 31
7 unless sooner terminated or discontinued in accordance with
8 this chapter or rules of the commission. After the first
9 day of September each year, an unregistered snowmobile
10 may be registered and a registration may be renewed in one
11 transaction. The fee is five dollars for the remainder of the
12 current year, in addition to the registration fee of fifteen
13 thirty dollars for the subsequent year beginning January 1, and
14 a writing fee as provided in section 321G.27.
15 4. A county recorder or a license agent designated by the
16 director pursuant to section 483A.11 may issue snowmobile
17 registration renewals electronically pursuant to rules adopted
18 by the commission. The fee for a registration renewal issued
19 using an electronic system is fifteen thirty dollars plus an
20 administrative fee established by the commission and a writing
21 fee as provided in section 321G.27.
22 Sec. 6. Section 321G.7, subsection 2, Code 2021, is amended
23 to read as follows:
24 2. The department shall remit the fees, including user
25 permit fees collected pursuant to section 321G.4A 321G.4B, to
26 the treasurer of state, who shall place the money in a special
27 snowmobile fund. The money is appropriated to the department
28 for the snowmobile programs of the state. The programs shall
29 include grants, subgrants, contracts, or cost-sharing of
30 snowmobile programs with political subdivisions or incorporated
31 private organizations or both, which may include the purchase,
32 ownership, and maintenance of trail grooming equipment, in
33 accordance with rules adopted by the commission. Snowmobile
34 fees may be used to support snowmobile programs on a usage
35 basis. At least seventy percent of the special fund shall be
LSB 2777HV (1) 89
-3- js/rn 3/4
 H.F. 826
1 available for political subdivisions or incorporated private
2 organizations or both. Moneys from the special fund not
3 used by the political subdivisions or incorporated private
4 organizations or both shall remain in the fund and may be used
5 by the department for the administration of the snowmobile
6 programs. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys in the special
7 fund shall not revert to the general fund of the state at
8 the end of a fiscal year. Notwithstanding section 12C.7,
9 subsection 2, interest or earnings on moneys in the special
10 fund shall remain in the fund.
11 Sec. 7. Section 331.602, subsection 16, Code 2021, is
12 amended to read as follows:
13 16. Issue snowmobile and all-terrain vehicle registrations
14 and user permits as provided in sections 321G.4, 321G.4A
15 321G.4B, 321G.6, 321G.21, 321I.4, 321I.5, 321I.7, and 321I.22.
16 Sec. 8. Section 331.605, subsection 1, paragraph d, Code
17 2021, is amended to read as follows:
18 d. For the issuance of snowmobile registrations and user
19 permits, the fees specified in sections 321G.4 and 321G.4A
20 321G.4B.
21 Sec. 9. REPEAL. Section 321G.4A, Code 2021, is repealed.
22 EXPLANATION
23 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
24 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
25 This bill relates to snowmobile user permits and
26 registration fees. The bill eliminates a requirement that a
27 resident snowmobile operator must obtain a user permit from
28 the department of natural resources in addition to registering
29 the snowmobile to operate a snowmobile on public land, public
30 ice, or a designated snowmobile trail of the state. The
31 requirements to purchase a user permit and display registration
32 of the snowmobile are still applicable to a nonresident
33 snowmobile operator.
34 The bill raises the annual registration fee for a snowmobile
35 from $15 to $30.
LSB 2777HV (1) 89
-4- js/rn 4/4


Statutes affected:
Introduced: 321G.3, 805.8B, 321G.4B, 321G.6, 321G.4A, 321G.4