SNOWMOBILE REGISTRATION; ORV.                                                                                               H.B. 4205:

                                                                                                                                                                                SUMMARY OF BILL

                                                                                                                                                REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE

House Bill 4205 (as reported without amendment)

Sponsor:   Representative Steven Johnson

House Committee:   Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation

Senate Committee:   Natural Resources

CONTENT

The bill would amend Part 821 (Snowmobiles) of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to require the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to designate, before the start of each snowmobile season, one weekend of each snowmobile season during which registration for a snowmobile would not be required to operate a snowmobile on snowmobile trails, notwithstanding a requirement under Part 821 for a snowmobile owner to obtain a certificate of registration and registration decal before operating a snowmobile.

MCL 342.82103                                                                                             Legislative Analyst:   Eleni Lionas

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would have an indeterminate fiscal impact on the DNR and no fiscal impact on local units of government. The magnitude of the impact is indeterminate and would depend on whether the bill caused a reduction in the number of snowmobile registrations. If there were a reduction in registration volume, the fiscal impact would be equal to the Department's loss in snowmobile registration revenue. In fiscal year 2020-21, the revenue from the $30 per snowmobile registration was over $2.0 million. Most of the registration revenue goes to the Snowmobile account and is divided by statute between three areas: the local snowmobile education and training programs ($19 per registration), the Permanent Snowmobile Trail Easement Fund ($8 per registration), and the Department of State for administration of the permit program ($3 per registration).

Date Completed:   3-18-22                                                                             Fiscal Analyst:   Ben Dawson

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.