AB442: Bill Text

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2017 - 2018 LEGISLATURE

2017 Assembly BILL 442

July 14, 2017 - Introduced by Representatives Jacque, Ripp, Tranel, Tittl, Felzkowski, Swearingen, Edming, E. Brooks, Brostoff, Meyers, Novak and Spiros, cosponsored by Senators Cowles, Bewley, Harsdorf, Lasee and Marklein. Referred to Committee on Transportation.

AB442,1,3 An Act to renumber 23.33 (8) (e); to renumber and amend 23.33 (8) (b); and to create 23.33 (8) (b) 2., 23.33 (8) (e) 2., 23.33 (8) (e) 3. and 23.33 (8) (e) 4. of the statutes; relating to: all-terrain vehicle route signage.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill makes changes to requirements for signs placed to mark all-terrain vehicle (ATV) routes.

Under current law, a town, village, city, or county (political subdivision) may designate highways or sidewalks as ATV routes. In addition, it may authorize the operation of utility terrain vehicles (UTVs) on ATV routes. Rules promulgated by the Department of Natural Resources require that all ATV routes be marked by signs at the beginning of the route and at intervals along the route as needed to enable ATV operators to follow the route.

The bill provides that, if a political subdivision designates specific highways within its territorial boundaries as ATV routes, the political subdivision is required to erect a sign at each point on a highway where the ATV route begins and at each point where the ATV route intersects a highway that is not part of the route. Alternatively, the bill authorizes a political subdivision to designate all highways within its territorial boundaries as ATV routes and to erect signs at the entrances to the political subdivision alerting motorists of this designation. The bill also provides that if a political subdivision erects these entrance signs, DNR may not require it to erect or maintain additional signs along the ATV routes.

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:

AB442,1 Section 1. 23.33 (8) (b) of the statutes is renumbered 23.33 (8) (b) 1. and amended to read:

AB442,2,4 23.33 (8) (b) 1. A Subject to subd. 3., a town, village, city, or county may designate highways as all-terrain vehicle routes.

AB442,2,7 3. No state trunk highway or connecting highway may be designated as an all-terrain vehicle route unless the department of transportation approves the designation.

AB442,2 Section 2. 23.33 (8) (b) 2. of the statutes is created to read:

AB442,2,10 23.33 (8) (b) 2. Subject to subd. 3., a town, village, city, or county may designate all highways within its territorial boundaries as all-terrain vehicle routes.

AB442,3 Section 3. 23.33 (8) (e) of the statutes is renumbered 23.33 (8) (e) 1.

AB442,4 Section 4. 23.33 (8) (e) 2. of the statutes is created to read:

AB442,2,18 23.33 (8) (e) 2. Except as provided in subd. 3., if a town, village, city, or county designates specific highways within its territorial boundaries as all-terrain vehicle routes under par. (b) 2., the town, village, city, or county shall erect a sign at each point on a highway where the all-terrain vehicle route begins and at each point where the all-terrain vehicle route intersects a highway that is not designated as an all-terrain vehicle route.

AB442,5 Section 5. 23.33 (8) (e) 3. of the statutes is created to read:

AB442,3,4 23.33 (8) (e) 3. If a town, village, city, or county designates all highways within its territorial boundaries as all-terrain vehicle routes under par. (b) 2., the town, village, city, or county may erect a sign on each highway that crosses its territorial boundary in a position to be viewed by motorists as they enter the town, village, city, or county. The signs shall alert motorists that all highways within the town, village, city, or county have been designated as all-terrain vehicle routes.

AB442,6 Section 6. 23.33 (8) (e) 4. of the statutes is created to read:

AB442,3,9 23.33 (8) (e) 4. If a town, village, city, or county erects and maintains signs under subd. 3., the department may not require the town, village, city, or county to erect any additional signs marking the all-terrain vehicle routes within the town, village, city, or county.

AB442,3,10 (End)