ORV PROVISIONS; PEACE OFFICER H.B. 4021:
SUMMARY OF BILL
REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE
House Bill 4021 (as reported without amendment)
Sponsor: Representative Curtis VanderWall
House Committee: Judiciary
Senate Committee: Civil Rights, Judiciary, and Public Safety
CONTENT
The bill would amend Part 811 (Off-Road Recreation Vehicles) of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act (NREPA) to authorize a "peace officer", instead of a "law enforcement officer", to enforce provisions of NREPA concerning off-road vehicle (ORV) use.
MCL 324.81101
BRIEF RATIONALE
Law enforcement officers across the State patrol ORV trails and enforce the related laws; these officers must be fully certified under the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES). According to testimony, rural sheriff's offices are experiencing staffing issues, which reduces their number of fully certified MCOLES officers available to patrol ORV trails. Accordingly, it has been suggested that peace officers have the authority to patrol ORV trails and enforce related laws because peace officers do not have to be fully certified under MCOLES.
PREVIOUS LEGISLATION
(This section does not provide a comprehensive account of previous legislative efforts on this subject matter.)
The bill is a reintroduction of Senate Bill 1003 of the 2021-2022 Legislative Session. Senate Bill 1003 was reported from the House Committee on Judiciary but received no further action.
Legislative Analyst: Tyler P. VanHuyse
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.
Date Completed: 10-23-23 Fiscal Analyst: Bruce R. Baker
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.