LRB-1268/1
MGG:bjk:jf
2009 - 2010 LEGISLATURE
September 23, 2009 - Introduced by Representatives Mursau, Brooks, Gunderson,
Kaufert, Knodl, Nass, Nerison, Nygren, A. Ott, Suder, Townsend, M.
Williams
and Ballweg, cosponsored by Senators Holperin, Hansen, Olsen
and Schultz. Referred to Committee on Transportation.
AB435,1,7 1An Act to renumber and amend 23.33 (5) (a); to amend 23.33 (4) (b), 23.33 (5)
2(b) 1., 23.33 (5) (b) 2., 23.33 (5) (c), 23.33 (5) (d), 23.33 (11) (b), 23.33 (11m) (e)
32., 23.50 (1), 23.50 (3), 23.53 (1), 23.56 (1), 23.57 (1) (intro.), 23.58, 23.62 (1)
4(intro.) and 800.02 (2) (b); and to create 23.33 (1) (im), 23.33 (4) (f), 23.33 (5)
5(a) 2. and 23.33 (11r) of the statutes; relating to: the operation of all-terrain
6vehicles on highways for the purpose of certain types of access and granting
7rule-making authority.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, a person may not operate an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) on
the roadway of a highway, street, or road except under certain limited circumstances.
This bill specifically authorizes the operation of ATVs, on a portion of a roadway and
shoulder of a highway, street, or road if the highway, by operators who are at least
16 years old, street, or road is within the jurisdiction of a county, town, city, or village
(municipality) that has enacted an ordinance that allows the operation of ATVs for
the purposes of residential access or access to and from a lodging establishment or
a campground. A municipality may not enact an ordinance for access to and from a
lodging establishment unless it has also enacted an ordinance for residential access.
For a state trunk highway (STH), the portion of the highway that may be open
to this access must be the shortest distance between the residence or lodging

establishment and the ATV route or trail. For distances on a STH that are more than
one-quarter mile, the Department of Transportation (DOT) must approve the access.
For distances on a STH that are one-quarter mile or less, a municipality may enact
such an ordinance unless the portion of the STH to be affected has been closed to
ATVs based on DOT's finding that it is unsafe to operate ATVs on that portion of the
STH. For any highway other than a STH, the distance open for ATV access may not
be more than five miles.
The bill prohibits a municipality from enacting an ordinance that allows the
operation of ATVs for residential or lodging access on the roadway or shoulder of any
freeway or interstate and on any highway that is located in a state park or state forest
if ATV operation is prohibited in the park or forest. Under the bill, an access
ordinance must impose a speed limit of 25 miles per hour and must require that the
ATV be operated as far on the right as possible.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be
printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB435, s. 1 1Section 1. 23.33 (1) (im) of the statutes is created to read:
AB435,2,22 23.33 (1) (im) "Lodging establishment" means any of the following:
AB435,2,33 1. A bed and breakfast establishment, as defined in s. 254.61 (1).
AB435,2,44 2. A hotel, as defined in s. 254.61 (3).
AB435,2,55 3. A tourist rooming house, as defined in s. 254.61 (6).
AB435,2,66 4. A campground.
AB435, s. 2 7Section 2. 23.33 (4) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB435,2,118 23.33 (4) (b) Other highways; operation restricted. No person may operate an
9all-terrain vehicle on a highway except as authorized under pars. (d) and (e) to (f)
10or as authorized by rules promulgated by the department and approved by the
11department of transportation.
AB435, s. 3 12Section 3. 23.33 (4) (f) of the statutes is created to read:
AB435,3,313 23.33 (4) (f) Operation for purpose of access. A person may operate an
14all-terrain vehicle on a portion of the roadway or shoulder of a highway for the

1purpose of residential access or for the purpose of access to and from a lodging
2establishment if the operation is in compliance with an ordinance enacted under sub.
3(11r).
AB435, s. 4 4Section 4. 23.33 (5) (a) of the statutes is renumbered 23.33 (5) (a) 1. and
5amended to read:
AB435,3,176 23.33 (5) (a) 1. No person under 12 years of age may operate an all-terrain
7vehicle unless he or she is operating the all-terrain vehicle for an agricultural
8purpose and he or she is under the supervision of a person over 18 years of age or
9unless he or she is operating a small all-terrain vehicle on an all-terrain vehicle trail
10designated by the department and he or she is accompanied by his or her parent. No
11person who is under 12 years of age may operate an all-terrain vehicle which is an
12implement of husbandry on a roadway under any circumstances. No person who is
13under 12 years of age may operate an all-terrain vehicle on a roadway under the
14authorization provided under sub. (4) (d) 6. under any circumstances. No person who
15is under 12 years of age may rent or lease an all-terrain vehicle. For purposes of this
16paragraph subdivision, supervision does not require that the person under 12 years
17of age be subject to continuous direction or control by the person over 18 years of age.
AB435, s. 5 18Section 5. 23.33 (5) (a) 2. of the statutes is created to read:
AB435,3,2119 23.33 (5) (a) 2. No person who is under 16 years of age may operate an
20all-terrain vehicle on a roadway or a shoulder of a highway as authorized under sub.
21(4) (f) under any circumstances.
AB435, s. 6 22Section 6. 23.33 (5) (b) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB435,4,223 23.33 (5) (b) 1. No person who is at least 12 years of age and who is born on or
24after January 1, 1988, may operate an all-terrain vehicle unless he or she holds a

1valid safety certificate issued by this state or another state or by a province of
2Canada
.
AB435, s. 7 3Section 7. 23.33 (5) (b) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB435,4,94 23.33 (5) (b) 2. Any person who is required to hold an all-terrain vehicle safety
5certificate while operating an all-terrain vehicle shall carry the certificate on the
6all-terrain vehicle and shall display the certificate to a law enforcement officer on
7request. Persons enrolled in a safety certification program approved by the
8department may operate an all-terrain vehicle in an area designated by the
9instructor.
AB435, s. 8 10Section 8. 23.33 (5) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB435,4,1511 23.33 (5) (c) Exceptions. Paragraphs (a) and (b) do not apply to a person who
12operates an all-terrain vehicle exclusively on land under the management and
13control of the person's immediate family. Paragraphs (a) and (b) do not apply to a
14person at least 12 years of age but under 16 years of age who holds a valid certificate
15issued by another state or a province of Canada.
AB435, s. 9 16Section 9. 23.33 (5) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB435,5,617 23.33 (5) (d) Safety certification program established. The department shall
18establish or supervise the establishment of a program of instruction on all-terrain
19vehicle laws, including the intoxicated operation of an all-terrain vehicle law,
20regulations, safety and related subjects. The department shall establish by rule an
21instruction fee for this program. The department shall issue certificates to persons
22successfully completing the program. An instructor conducting the program of
23instruction under this paragraph shall collect the fee from each person who receives
24instruction. The department may determine the portion of this fee, which may not
25exceed 50%, that the instructor may retain to defray expenses incurred by the

1instructor in conducting the program. The instructor shall remit the remainder of
2the fee or, if nothing is retained, the entire fee to the department. The department
3shall issue a duplicate certificate of accomplishment to a person who is entitled to a
4duplicate certificate of accomplishment and who pays a fee of $2.75. Persons enrolled
5in a safety certification program approved by the department may operate an
6all-terrain vehicle in an area designated by the instructor.
AB435, s. 10 7Section 10. 23.33 (11) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB435,5,138 23.33 (11) (b) If a county, town, city, or village adopts an ordinance regulating
9all-terrain vehicles, its clerk shall immediately send a copy of the ordinance to the
10department, to the state traffic patrol, and to the office of any law enforcement
11agency of the municipality or county, town, city, or village having jurisdiction over
12any highway designated as an all-terrain vehicle route of the highways to which the
13ordinance is applicable
.
AB435, s. 11 14Section 11. 23.33 (11m) (e) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB435,5,1615 23.33 (11m) (e) 2. Subsections (3), (3g), (4) (a) to (e), (4c) to (4x), (6), (7), (10),
16(12), and (13).
AB435, s. 12 17Section 12. 23.33 (11r) of the statutes is created to read:
AB435,5,1918 23.33 (11r) Ordinances for access to residences and lodging. (a) Definition.
19In this subsection, "municipality" means county, town, city, or village.
AB435,5,2520 (b) On state trunk highways. 1. Subject to subds. 3. and 4. and pars. (cm) and
21(cr), a municipality may enact an ordinance allowing the operation of all-terrain
22vehicles on a roadway and shoulder of a state trunk highway for any portion of the
23highway that is within the jurisdiction of the municipality for the purpose of
24traveling the shortest distance that is necessary to go between a residence and the
25all-terrain vehicle route or all-terrain vehicle trail that is closest to that residence.
AB435,6,7
12. Subject to subds. 3. and 4. and pars. (cm) and (cr), a municipality may enact
2an ordinance allowing the operation of all-terrain vehicles on a roadway and
3shoulder of a state trunk highway for any portion of the highway that is within the
4jurisdiction of the municipality for the purpose of traveling the shortest distance that
5is necessary to go between a lodging establishment and the all-terrain vehicle route
6or all-terrain vehicle trail that is closest to that lodging establishment if the
7municipality also enacts or has in effect an ordinance enacted under subd. 1.
AB435,6,138 3. A county or town may not enact an ordinance under subd. 1. or 2. that will
9allow the operation of all-terrain vehicles on a roadway and shoulder of a portion of
10a state trunk highway that is more than one-quarter mile in length unless the county
11or town has first received specific authorization from the department of
12transportation to allow the operation of all-terrain vehicles on the roadway and
13shoulder of that portion of the state trunk highway.
AB435,6,1914 4. A county or town may enact an ordinance under subd. 1. or 2. that will allow
15the operation of all-terrain vehicles on a roadway and shoulder of a portion of a state
16trunk highway that is one-quarter mile in length or less if the operation of
17all-terrain vehicles on the roadway and shoulder has not been prohibited by rule by
18the department of transportation based on a finding by the department of
19transportation that such operation is unsafe.
AB435,6,2520 (c) On other highways. 1. Subject to pars. (cm) and (cr), a municipality may
21enact an ordinance allowing the operation of all-terrain vehicles on a roadway and
22shoulder of a highway that is not a state trunk highway for any portion of the
23highway that is within the jurisdiction of the municipality for the purpose of
24traveling a distance of not more than 5 miles to go between a residence and the
25all-terrain vehicle route or all-terrain vehicle trail that is closest to that residence.
AB435,7,7
12. Subject to pars. (cm) and (cr), a municipality may enact an ordinance
2allowing the operation of all-terrain vehicles on a roadway and shoulder of a
3highway that is not a state trunk highway for any portion of the highway that is
4within the jurisdiction of the municipality for the purpose of traveling a distance of
5not more than 5 miles to go between a lodging establishment and the all-terrain
6vehicle route or all-terrain vehicle trail that is closest to that lodging establishment
7if the municipality also enacts or has in effect and ordinance enacted under subd. 1.
AB435,7,128 (cm) On highways in state parks and forests. A municipality may not enact an
9ordinance under par. (b) or (c) that will allow the operation of all-terrain vehicles on
10roadways or shoulders of highways that are located within a state park or state forest
11if the operation of all-terrain vehicles is prohibited within the state park or state
12forest.
AB435,7,1613 (cr) On interstates and freeways. A municipality may not enact an ordinance
14under par. (b) or (c) that will allow the operation of all-terrain vehicles on a roadway
15or shoulder of a freeway that is a part of the federal system of interstate and defense
16highways or on a roadway or shoulder of any other freeway.
AB435,7,1917 (ct) Speed limits. An ordinance enacted under par. (b) or (c) shall limit the speed
18of an all-terrain vehicles being operated as authorized under this subsection to speed
19limits not in excess of 25 miles per hour.
AB435,7,2220 (cv) Right side of roadway. An ordinance enacted under par. (b) or (c) shall
21require that the operation of all-terrain vehicles as authorized under this subsection
22be as far on the right of the roadway or shoulder as is practicable.
AB435,7,2523 (d) Model ordinances. The department and the off-the-road vehicle council
24shall jointly prepare model ordinances as examples of ordinances that a municipality
25may enact under this subsection.
AB435, s. 13
1Section 13. 23.50 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB435,8,112 23.50 (1) The procedure in ss. 23.50 to 23.85 applies to all actions in circuit
3court to recover forfeitures, plus costs, fees, and surcharges imposed under ch. 814,
4for violations of ss. 77.09, 90.21, 134.60, 167.10 (3), 167.31 (2), 281.48 (2) to (5),
5283.33, 285.57 (2), 285.59 (2), (3) (c) and (4), 287.07, 287.08, 287.81 and 299.64 (2),
6subch. VI of ch. 77, this chapter, and chs. 26 to 31, ch. 169, and ch. 350, and any
7administrative rules promulgated thereunder, violations specified under s. 280.98
8(2) or 285.86, violations of ch. 951 if the animal involved is a captive wild animal,
9violations of rules of the Kickapoo reserve management board under s. 41.41 (7) (k),
10violations to which s. 299.85 (7) (a) 2. or 4. applies, or violations of local ordinances
11enacted by any local authority in accordance with s. 23.33 (11) (am) or (11r) or 30.77.
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