LRB-1708/1
EHS:skw
2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE
March 1, 2023 - Introduced by Senators Quinn,
Cowles, Felzkowski, Jacque,
James, Marklein, Nass, Pfaff, Spreitzer and Testin, cosponsored by
Representatives Green, Armstrong, Edming, Knodl, Kurtz, Magnafici,
Moses, Mursau, Oldenburg, Spiros, Steffen, Summerfield, Swearingen and
Schraa. Referred to Committee on Transportation and Local Government.
SB109,1,3
1An Act to amend 23.33 (4) (c) 1. of the statutes;
relating to: operation of an
2all-terrain vehicle or utility terrain vehicle owned by an electric cooperative on
3a highway.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Current law prohibits the operation of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) or utility
terrain vehicles (UTVs) on any freeway that is part of the federal system of interstate
and defense highways and on any part of any other freeway unless the Department
of Transportation authorizes that use. Current law also generally prohibits
operation of an ATV or UTV on all other highways, with various exceptions. Under
current law a “highway” includes all public ways and thoroughfares and all bridges
on those public ways and thoroughfares, and a “freeway” is a highway with full
control of access and with all crossroads separated in grade from the pavements for
through traffic.
Current law exempts from these freeway and highway prohibitions the
operator of an ATV or UTV owned by a municipality, state agency, or public utility,
or by the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, while engaged in an
emergency or if the operation is directly related to the functions of that entity, unless
safety requires strict adherence to the restrictions. This bill adds the operator of an
ATV or UTV owned by an electric cooperative to this exemption.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB109,1
1Section
1. 23.33 (4) (c) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB109,2,92
23.33
(4) (c) 1. Paragraphs (a) and (b) do not apply to the operator of an
3all-terrain vehicle or utility terrain vehicle owned by a municipality, state agency,
4or public utility,
or electric cooperative, or by the Great Lakes Indian Fish and
5Wildlife Commission, while the operator is engaged in an emergency or in the
6operation of an all-terrain vehicle or utility terrain vehicle directly related to the
7functions of the municipality, state agency,
or public utility,
or electric cooperative, 8or of the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, if safety does not require
9strict adherence to these restrictions.
