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H.B. 197

             1     

OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLE AMENDMENTS

             2     
2002 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Sponsor: Brent H. Goodfellow

             5      This act modifies the Motor Vehicle Code by amending safety provisions relating to
             6      off-highway vehicles. The act increases the stipend paid to off-highway vehicle volunteer
             7      instructors.
             8      This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
             9      AMENDS:
             10          41-22-2, as last amended by Chapter 9, Laws of Utah 2001
             11          41-22-10.7, as last amended by Chapter 73, Laws of Utah 1999
             12          41-22-10.8, as last amended by Chapter 363, Laws of Utah 1997
             13          41-22-12.1, as enacted by Chapter 162, Laws of Utah 1987
             14          41-22-30, as last amended by Chapter 13, Laws of Utah 1998
             15          41-22-33, as last amended by Chapter 363, Laws of Utah 1997
             16      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             17          Section 1. Section 41-22-2 is amended to read:
             18           41-22-2. Definitions.
             19          As used in this chapter:
             20          (1) "Advisory council" means the Off-highway Vehicle Advisory Council appointed by
             21      the Board of Parks and Recreation.
             22          (2) "All-terrain type I vehicle" means any motor vehicle [50] 52 inches or less in width,
             23      having an unladen dry weight of 800 pounds or less, traveling on three or more low pressure tires,
             24      having a seat designed to be straddled by the operator, and designed for or capable of travel over
             25      unimproved terrain.
             26          (3) "All-terrain type II vehicle" means any other motor vehicle, not defined in Subsection
             27      (2), (9), or (20), designed for or capable of travel over unimproved terrain. This term does not


             28      include golf carts, any vehicle designed to carry a disabled person, any vehicle not specifically
             29      designed for recreational use, or farm tractors as defined under Section 41-1a-102 .
             30          (4) "Board" means the Board of Parks and Recreation.
             31          (5) "Dealer" means a person engaged in the business of selling off-highway vehicles at
             32      wholesale or retail.
             33          (6) "Division" means the Division of Parks and Recreation.
             34          (7) "Low pressure tire" means any pneumatic tire six inches or more in width designed for
             35      use on wheels with rim diameter of 12 inches or less and utilizing an operating pressure of ten
             36      pounds per square inch or less as recommended by the vehicle manufacturer.
             37          (8) "Manufacturer" means a person engaged in the business of manufacturing off-highway
             38      vehicles.
             39          (9) "Motorcycle" means every motor vehicle having a saddle for the use of the operator
             40      and designed to travel on not more than two tires.
             41          (10) "Motor vehicle" means every vehicle which is self-propelled.
             42          (11) "Off-highway vehicle" means any snowmobile, all-terrain type I vehicle, all-terrain
             43      type II vehicle, or motorcycle.
             44          (12) "Off-highway implement of husbandry" means every all-terrain type I vehicle,
             45      motorcycle, or snowmobile which is used by the owner or his agent for agricultural operations.
             46          (13) "Operate" means to control the movement of or otherwise use an off-highway vehicle.
             47          (14) "Operator" means the person who is in actual physical control of an off-highway
             48      vehicle.
             49          (15) "Organized user group" means an off-highway vehicle organization incorporated as
             50      a nonprofit corporation in the state under Title 16, Chapter 6a, Utah Revised Nonprofit
             51      Corporation Act, for the purpose of promoting the interests of off-highway vehicle recreation.
             52          (16) "Owner" means a person, other than a person with a security interest, having a
             53      property interest or title to an off-highway vehicle and entitled to the use and possession of that
             54      vehicle.
             55          (17) "Public land" means land owned or administered by any federal or state agency or any
             56      political subdivision of the state.
             57          (18) "Register" means the act of assigning a registration number to an off-highway vehicle.
             58          (19) "Roadway" is used as defined in Section 41-6-1 .


             59          (20) "Snowmobile" means any motor vehicle designed for travel on snow or ice and
             60      steered and supported in whole or in part by skis, belts, cleats, runners, or low pressure tires.
             61          (21) "Street or highway" means the entire width between boundary lines of every way or
             62      place of whatever nature, when any part of it is open to the use of the public for vehicular travel.
             63          Section 2. Section 41-22-10.7 is amended to read:
             64           41-22-10.7. Vehicle equipment requirements -- Rulemaking -- Exceptions.
             65          (1) Except as provided under Subsection (3), an off-highway vehicle shall be equipped
             66      with:
             67          (a) brakes adequate to control the movement of and to stop and hold the vehicle under
             68      normal operating conditions;
             69          (b) headlights and taillights when operated between sunset and sunrise;
             70          (c) a noise control device and except for a snowmobile, a spark arrestor device; and
             71          (d) a safety flag h [ [ ] , red or orange in color and [ ] ] h a minimum of h [ [ ] six by 12 [ ] ]
             71a      [ 36 square ] h inches,
             72      attached to the off-highway vehicle at least eight feet above the surface of level ground, when
             73      operated on sand dunes designated by the board.
             74          (2) In accordance with Title 63, Chapter 46a, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the
             75      board may make rules which set standards for the equipment [referred to in] and which designate
             76      sand dunes where safety flags are required under Subsection (1).
             77          (3) An off-highway implement of husbandry used only in agricultural operations and not
             78      operated on a highway, is exempt from the provisions of this section.
             79          Section 3. Section 41-22-10.8 is amended to read:
             80           41-22-10.8. Protective headgear requirements -- Owner duty -- Penalty for violation.
             81          (1) A person under the age of 18 may not operate or ride on all-terrain type I vehicles,
             82      snowmobiles, or motorcycles on public land unless the person is wearing a properly fitted[,] and
             83      fastened, United States Department of Transportation safety-rated protective headgear designed
             84      for motorized vehicle use.
             85          (2) The owner of an off-highway vehicle or any other person may not give permission to
             86      a person who is under 18 years of age to operate or ride on an off-highway vehicle in violation of
             87      this section.
             88          (3) [Operators] An operator and passengers of off-highway implements of husbandry
             89      operated in the manner prescribed by Subsections 41-22-5.5 (3) [through (5)] and (4) are exempt


             90      from the requirements of this section.
             91          (4) h [ [ ] Any [ ] ] [ A ] h person h [ [ ] convicted of violations of [ ] ] [ who violates ] h this section
             91a      is guilty of an
             92      infraction h [ [ ] and shall be fined not more than $50 per offense [ ] ] h .
             93          Section 4. Section 41-22-12.1 is amended to read:
             94           41-22-12.1. Restrictions on use of snowmobile trails.
             95          [No] A person may not operate a wheeled vehicle with a gross vehicle weight of [700] 800
             96      pounds or more on any snowmobile trail that the division has [been] marked, posted, designated,
             97      or maintained as a snowmobile trail [by the division].
             98          Section 5. Section 41-22-30 is amended to read:
             99           41-22-30. Supervision, safety certificate, or driver license required -- Penalty.
             100          (1) A person may not operate and an owner may not give that person permission to operate
             101      an off-highway vehicle on any public land, trail, street, or highway of this state unless the person:
             102          (a) is under the direct supervision of a certified off-highway vehicle safety instructor during
             103      a scheduled safety training course;
             104          (b) has in his possession the appropriate safety certificate issued by the division; or
             105          (c) has in his immediate possession a valid motor vehicle operator's license, as provided
             106      in Title 53, Chapter 3, Uniform Driver License Act.
             107          (2) (a) h [ [ ] Any [ ] ] [ A ] h person h [ [ ] convicted of a violation of [ ] ] [ who violates ] h this
             107a      section is guilty of
             108      an infraction h [ [ ] and shall be fined not more than $50 per offense [ ] ] h .
             109          (b) It is a defense to a charge under this section, if the person charged produces in court
             110      a license or an appropriate safety certificate that was:
             111          (i) valid at the time of the citation or arrest; and
             112          (ii) issued to the person operating the off-highway vehicle [and was valid at the time of
             113      the citation or arrest].
             114          (3) The requirements of this section:
             115          (a) apply only to Utah residents[.]; and
             116          (b) do not apply to an operator of an all-terrain type I vehicle with a properly displayed and
             117      current off-highway implement of husbandry sticker.
             118          Section 6. Section 41-22-33 is amended to read:
             119           41-22-33. Fees for safety and education program -- Penalty -- Unlawful acts.
             120          (1) A $2 fee shall be added to the registration fee required to register an off-highway


             121      vehicle under Section 41-22-8 to help fund the off-highway vehicle safety and education program.
             122      The division may also collect a fee not to exceed $10 from each person who receives the training
             123      and takes the knowledge and skills test, or a fee not to exceed $5 from each person who takes the
             124      knowledge and skills test for off-highway vehicle use.
             125          (2) (a) To help defray instructors' costs, the division may reimburse volunteer certified
             126      off-highway vehicle safety instructors up to [$3] $6 for each student who receives the training and
             127      takes the knowledge and skills test.
             128          (b) On or before the 10th day of each calendar month, volunteer off-highway vehicle safety
             129      instructors shall report to the division all fees collected and students trained and shall accompany
             130      the report with all money received for off-highway vehicle training.
             131          (c) If a volunteer off-highway vehicle safety instructor intentionally or negligently fails to
             132      pay the amount due, the division may assess a penalty of 20% of the amount due. All delinquent
             133      payments shall bear interest at the rate of 1% per month. If the amount due is not paid because of
             134      bad faith or fraud, the division shall assess a penalty of 100% of the total due together with
             135      interest.
             136          (d) All fees collected from students shall be kept separate and apart from private funds of
             137      the instructor and shall at all times belong to the state. In case of an assignment for the benefit of
             138      creditors, receivership, or bankruptcy, the state shall have a preferred claim against the instructor,
             139      receiver, or trustee for all money owing the state for training and shall not be stopped from
             140      asserting the claim by reason of commingling of funds or otherwise.
             141          (e) [The willful misdating of] A person may not:
             142          (i) willfully misdate an off-highway vehicle education safety certificate[, the issuance of];
             143          (ii) issue an [incompleted] incomplete certificate[,]; or [the issuance of]
             144          (iii) issue a receipt in lieu of a certificate [is unlawful].




Legislative Review Note
    as of 11-7-01 12:11 PM


A limited legal review of this legislation raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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