 |  |  |  |
ATVs Allowed on Snowmobile Trails for
Maintenance Only; Fine Increase Fails
By Cameron Hanson
Managing Editor, Iowa Snowmobiler
Securing the use of ATVs on snowmobile trails for maintenance purposes
only was one of several key legislative objectives the ISSA had outlined in
early January and discussed in March with legislators at the Statehouse at
the Iowa Motorized Coalition Breakfast. Unfortunately, it was the only
successful one in 2006.
ISSA leaders and paid lobbyists Mike Heller and Paula Feltner had also
pushed for additional trail grant income through the Rebuild Iowa
Infrastructure Fund (RIIF) and, for the second year in a row, supported
an increase in fines for snowmobile violations, the latter being an attempt
to encourage responsible behavior on the trails.
As for the former, Durby first met with Gov. Vilsack’s staff a year ago
and requested RIIF money be set aside for recreational trail
improvements for both motorized and non-motorized user groups. When
the Legislature convened five months later, however, the proposal never
gained momentum, and as Heller put in a legislative update in early
February, “we are not even on the radar screen as of yet<\#201>and are
not gaining any traction.”
The reports on the fine increase front were equally depressing. Rep.
Steven Lukan, R-New Vienna--considered a friend of snowmobiling in
Iowa--introduced legislation in February that bumped the penalties for
most violations from the 1970s-era $20 to as much as $100 in certain
cases. His bill was referred to the House Transportation Committee but
never saw the light of day.
As they had been in 2005, most legislators, according to Heller, said they
were reluctant to support such a measure because their constituents
would not look favorably upon it. Lukan’s bill, numbered House File
2222, missed the funnel deadline and later attempts to add the fine
increases to other legislation failed.
For continued reading, see the September 2006 issue of the Iowa Snowmobiler.
Maintenance Only; Fine Increase Fails
By Cameron Hanson
Managing Editor, Iowa Snowmobiler
Securing the use of ATVs on snowmobile trails for maintenance purposes
only was one of several key legislative objectives the ISSA had outlined in
early January and discussed in March with legislators at the Statehouse at
the Iowa Motorized Coalition Breakfast. Unfortunately, it was the only
successful one in 2006.
ISSA leaders and paid lobbyists Mike Heller and Paula Feltner had also
pushed for additional trail grant income through the Rebuild Iowa
Infrastructure Fund (RIIF) and, for the second year in a row, supported
an increase in fines for snowmobile violations, the latter being an attempt
to encourage responsible behavior on the trails.
As for the former, Durby first met with Gov. Vilsack’s staff a year ago
and requested RIIF money be set aside for recreational trail
improvements for both motorized and non-motorized user groups. When
the Legislature convened five months later, however, the proposal never
gained momentum, and as Heller put in a legislative update in early
February, “we are not even on the radar screen as of yet<\#201>and are
not gaining any traction.”
The reports on the fine increase front were equally depressing. Rep.
Steven Lukan, R-New Vienna--considered a friend of snowmobiling in
Iowa--introduced legislation in February that bumped the penalties for
most violations from the 1970s-era $20 to as much as $100 in certain
cases. His bill was referred to the House Transportation Committee but
never saw the light of day.
As they had been in 2005, most legislators, according to Heller, said they
were reluctant to support such a measure because their constituents
would not look favorably upon it. Lukan’s bill, numbered House File
2222, missed the funnel deadline and later attempts to add the fine
increases to other legislation failed.
For continued reading, see the September 2006 issue of the Iowa Snowmobiler.