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New Legislation Drafted to Further
Assist Snowmobile Program in Iowa
By Cameron Hanson
Editor, Iowa Snowmobiler
As part of their annual legislative breakfast at the Statehouse in Des
Moines, ISSA officials met with state lawmakers March 22 to once
again lobby for new legislation friendly to snowmobiling in Iowa.
Introduced by the Natural Resources Committee, House File 725 and
756--among other objectives--call for increased fines for snowmobile
violations and support the move toward an electronic registration
system.
If passed, the bills also clean up language issues from last year’s
successful Senate File 297 and give the Iowa Department of Natural
Resources (IDNR) the authority to impose trail permits for out-of-state
riders if it so chooses.
“There is a lot of good stuff in this year’s legislation, and we have a lot
support for it,” said David Downing, snowmobile program coordinator
for the IDNR.
Downing said he particularly favors the increases in fines. Iowa lags
way behind its neighbors in penalties for failing to register a
snowmobile, and he hopes increasing the fine from $20 to $50 will
ensure greater compliance.
“It allows for a good stiff penalty,” he explained. “It is something that
will stick and that officers will be more willing to write a ticket for.”
While three times as much as the $15 registration fee, the proposed
increase remains substantially less than the $124.50 charged in
Wisconsin, for example. Downing still called the increases “realistic and
reasonable.”
This year's proposed legislation will also allow all-terrain vehicles on
snowmobile trails for trail maintenance purposes only.
The ISSA is asking Iowa snowmobilers to lend their support to the
bills. To stay updated, sign up today for the ISSA’s Calling Tree.
Assist Snowmobile Program in Iowa
By Cameron Hanson
Editor, Iowa Snowmobiler
As part of their annual legislative breakfast at the Statehouse in Des
Moines, ISSA officials met with state lawmakers March 22 to once
again lobby for new legislation friendly to snowmobiling in Iowa.
Introduced by the Natural Resources Committee, House File 725 and
756--among other objectives--call for increased fines for snowmobile
violations and support the move toward an electronic registration
system.
If passed, the bills also clean up language issues from last year’s
successful Senate File 297 and give the Iowa Department of Natural
Resources (IDNR) the authority to impose trail permits for out-of-state
riders if it so chooses.
“There is a lot of good stuff in this year’s legislation, and we have a lot
support for it,” said David Downing, snowmobile program coordinator
for the IDNR.
Downing said he particularly favors the increases in fines. Iowa lags
way behind its neighbors in penalties for failing to register a
snowmobile, and he hopes increasing the fine from $20 to $50 will
ensure greater compliance.
“It allows for a good stiff penalty,” he explained. “It is something that
will stick and that officers will be more willing to write a ticket for.”
While three times as much as the $15 registration fee, the proposed
increase remains substantially less than the $124.50 charged in
Wisconsin, for example. Downing still called the increases “realistic and
reasonable.”
This year's proposed legislation will also allow all-terrain vehicles on
snowmobile trails for trail maintenance purposes only.
The ISSA is asking Iowa snowmobilers to lend their support to the
bills. To stay updated, sign up today for the ISSA’s Calling Tree.