SENATE BILL No. 1489

 

 

September 11, 2008, Introduced by Senator ALLEN and referred to the Committee on Hunting, Fishing and Outdoor Recreation.

 

 

 

     A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled

 

"Natural resources and environmental protection act,"

 

by amending sections 82103, 82105, and 82106 (MCL 324.82103,

 

324.82105, and 324.82106), section 82103 as added by 1995 PA 58,

 

section 82105 as amended by 2008 PA 145, and section 82106 as

 

amended by 2004 PA 587.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 82103. (1) Except as otherwise provided, a snowmobile

 

shall not be operated unless the owner first obtains a certificate

 

of registration and a registration decal. The certificate of

 

registration shall be secured at the time of purchase or transfer

 

of ownership. A certificate of registration or a registration decal

 

is not required for a snowmobile operated exclusively on lands

 

owned or under the control of the snowmobile owner or for a

 

snowmobile used entirely in a safety education and training program

 


conducted by a certified snowmobile safety instructor and

 

authorized pursuant to section 82108.

 

     (2) A person who is convicted of a violation of violates this

 

section shall be fined is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a

 

fine of not more than $50.00 $200.00.

 

     Sec. 82105. (1) Before operating a snowmobile requiring

 

registration in this state, the owner shall apply for registration

 

with the department of state on forms provided by the department of

 

state. If the snowmobile was purchased from a retail dealer in this

 

state, application for initial registration shall be made with the

 

dealer at the point of sale. The dealer shall issue a temporary

 

registration permit in a form received from and approved by the

 

department of state that is valid for 15 days after the date of

 

sale. Each retail dealer shall submit applications for

 

registrations and fees to the department of state not less than

 

once each week. The application shall include the new owner's

 

signature and, beginning July 1, 2009, the new owner's name ,

 

signature, and bona fide residence address and the names and

 

addresses of holders of any security interest in the snowmobile and

 

its accessories in the order of priority. The application shall be

 

accompanied by a fee of $22.00 $30.00. Upon receipt of the

 

application in approved form, the department of state shall enter

 

the application upon its records and issue to the applicant a

 

certificate of registration and decal. The certificate of

 

registration shall contain the number awarded to the snowmobile,

 

the name and address of the owner, the name and address of the

 

holders of secured interests, and other information the department

 


of state considers necessary, and, beginning July 1, 2009, the name

 

and address of the holders of secured interests. The certificate of

 

registration shall be pocket-size, shall accompany the vehicle,

 

shall be legible, and shall be made A person shall not operate a

 

snowmobile that is required to be registered in this state unless

 

the person possesses the certificate of registration in legible

 

form. The person shall make the certificate of registration

 

available for inspection upon demand by a peace officer.

 

     (2) If the secretary of state is not satisfied as to the

 

ownership of a snowmobile that is worth more than $2,500.00, before

 

registering the snowmobile and issuing a certificate of

 

registration, the secretary of state may require the applicant to

 

file a properly executed surety bond in a form prescribed by the

 

secretary of state and executed by the applicant and a company

 

authorized to conduct a surety business in this state. The bond

 

shall be in an amount equal to twice the value of the snowmobile as

 

determined by the secretary of state and shall be conditioned to

 

indemnify or reimburse the secretary of state, any prior owner, and

 

any subsequent purchaser of the snowmobile and their successors in

 

interest against any expense, loss, or damage, including reasonable

 

attorney fees, incurred as a result of the issuance of a

 

certificate of registration for the snowmobile or any defect in the

 

right, title, or interest of the applicant in the snowmobile. An

 

interested person has a right of action to recover on the bond for

 

a breach of the conditions of the bond, but the aggregate liability

 

of the surety to all persons shall not exceed the amount of the

 

bond. The bond shall be returned at the end of 3 years, or before 3

 


years if the snowmobile is no longer registered in this state and

 

the current valid certificate of registration is surrendered to the

 

secretary of state, unless the secretary of state has received

 

notification of the pendency of an action to recover on the bond.

 

If the secretary of state is not satisfied as to the ownership of a

 

snowmobile that is worth $2,500.00 or less, the secretary of state

 

shall require the applicant to certify that the applicant is the

 

owner of the snowmobile and entitled to register the snowmobile.

 

     (3) The certificate of registration and registration decal

 

authorizes the operation of the snowmobile for a 3-year period that

 

begins on October 1 and expires on September 30 of the third year.

 

The certificate of registration and registration decal may be

 

renewed by payment of a fee of $22.00 $30.00 beginning July 1 of

 

the expiration year. The registration decal shall be displayed as

 

prescribed by rule promulgated by the department of state.

 

     (4) The department of state may destroy a record of a

 

certificate of registration 7 years after expiration of the

 

certificate.

 

     Sec. 82106. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this part,

 

revenue received from the registration fees under this part shall

 

be deposited as follows:

 

     (a) Seventeen dollars of each registration fee shall be

 

deposited into the snowmobile registration fee subaccount. However,

 

if the balance of the snowmobile registration fee subaccount

 

exceeds $1,600,000.00 at any time, the state treasurer shall

 

transfer all amounts in excess of $1,600,000.00 to the recreational

 

snowmobile trail improvement subaccount. From the revenue deposited

 


in the snowmobile registration fee subaccount under this part, the

 

legislature shall make an annual appropriation as follows:

 

     (i) Not more than $3.00 from each registration fee collected

 

during each fiscal year shall be appropriated to the department of

 

state for administration of the registration provisions of this

 

part. At the close of each state fiscal year, any funds money

 

appropriated under this subparagraph but not expended shall be

 

credited to the recreational snowmobile trail improvement

 

subaccount. Additionally, if less than $3.00 from each registration

 

fee is appropriated to the department of state, the state treasurer

 

shall transfer the difference between $3.00 and the amount

 

appropriated from each registration fee to the recreational

 

snowmobile trail improvement subaccount.

 

     (ii) Fourteen dollars from each registration fee collected

 

during each fiscal year shall be appropriated to the department for

 

purposes set forth in section 82107, including financial assistance

 

to county sheriff departments and local law enforcement agencies

 

for local snowmobile programs. Any money appropriated but not

 

expended under this subparagraph shall be credited each year to the

 

snowmobile registration fee subaccount.

 

     (b) Five dollars from each registration fee shall be deposited

 

in the recreational snowmobile trail improvement subaccount and

 

shall be administered by the department for the purposes of

 

planning, construction, maintenance, and acquisition of trails and

 

areas for the use of snowmobiles, or access to those trails and

 

areas, and basic snowmobile facilities. Consideration shall be

 

given in This money may be used to purchase lands or secure

 


easements, leases, permits, or other appropriate agreements

 

authorizing use of private property for snowmobile trails and basic

 

snowmobile facilities. In planning the expenditures of the funds to

 

money from the recreational snowmobile trail improvement

 

subaccount, the department shall consider providing off-season

 

recreational opportunities for bicyclists, hikers, equestrians, and

 

other nonconflicting recreational trail users on snowmobile trails

 

as ancillary benefits of the program.

 

     (c) Eight dollars from each registration fee shall be

 

deposited into the permanent snowmobile trail easement subaccount

 

under section 82110a. This money is intended to supplement other

 

money expended for snowmobile-related activities of the department

 

and not as a replacement for those expenditures.

 

     (2) The department shall designate a state recreational trail

 

coordinator and shall maintain a comprehensive plan for

 

implementing a statewide recreational and snowmobile trails system.

 

The comprehensive plan shall be reviewed and updated each year by

 

the department.

 

     (3) The money appropriated under this section to the

 

department for snowmobile trails and areas, for access to those

 

trails or areas, and for basic snowmobile facilities may be

 

expended for the acquisition, development, and maintenance on any

 

land in the state. This money may be used to purchase lands or

 

secure easements, leases, permits, or other appropriate agreements

 

permitting use of private property for snowmobile trails, basic

 

facilities, and areas which may be used by bicyclists, hikers,

 

equestrians, and other nonconflicting off-season recreational trail

 


users, if the easements, leases, permits, or other agreements

 

provide public access to the trail, use areas, and support

 

facilities.

 

     (3) (4) Recreational trail facilities or major improvements

 

shall not be constructed on private land unless a written agreement

 

in the form of an easement, lease, or permit for a public trail

 

right-of-way having a term of not less than 5 years is made between

 

the owner of the land and the department.

 

     (4) (5) The money appropriated under this section shall be

 

expended in a manner and as part of the overall plan of the

 

department for an interconnecting network of statewide snowmobile

 

trails and use areas giving consideration to expected snowfall and

 

availability for use with adequate snow cover. Consideration shall

 

be given in the plan for alternative nonconflicting off-season

 

recreational trail uses of snowmobile trails.

 

     Enacting section 1. This amendatory act takes effect October

 

1, 2008.

 

     Enacting section 2. This amendatory act does not take effect

 

unless Senate Bill No. 1490                                  

 

            of the 94th Legislature is enacted into law.