Bill would add fee for off-road vehicles

State senators voted Tuesday to require owners of offroad vehicles to pay a new fee for the privilege of operating them anywhere on public lands or roads.

HB2443 would require offroad, recreational and all-terrain vehicles to have a license issued by the Arizona Department of Transportation. That would include “dirt bikes.’’

The department would set the fee, which is expected to cost no more than $25 a year. Legislative staffers estimate the fees would bring in $6.8 million a year once fully implemented in 2009.

The measure also would require those younger than 18 to have headgear that is properly fitted and fastened.

All vehicles would need to have mufflers, spark arresters and, when operated on sand dunes, flags. And those operated from twilight to sun-up also would need headlights and taillights.

The legislation also would make it a crime, punishable by 30 days in jail and a $500 fine, to drive on unmarked trails in a way that damages wildlife habitat or natural resources.

But the big debate Tuesday was over the fees.

State law already requires any vehicle operated on a public road to have a stateissued license. But Rep. Jerry Weiers, R-Glendale, said some people buy the vehicles and don’t get them licensed — or pay other state taxes — arguing they aren’t driving on public roads.

That results in less money in the state treasury, funds shared with the state parks and game and fish departments.

Sen. Ron Gould, R-Lake Havasu City, said the legislation would shift the burden of trail maintenance and other activities to young people who have smaller off-road vehicles that aren’t licensed. And he warned Republicans that is the wrong message to send to new voters.

“If you want to build a party, I would suggest that we don’t offend people that might be willing to join our party,’’ Gould said. He said the legislation goes against GOP goals of less government and taxes “even though it has a Republican sponsor.’’

But Sen. Meg Burton Cahill, D-Tempe, who bought an ATV for her son, said not everyone believes in no responsibility to help pay for state programs that maintain trails and police the rural areas to ensure riders don’t destroy habitat.

The measure would exempt vehicles driven only on private property. And lawmakers also altered the measure to spell out that the special plates are not required for off-road vehicles operated on American Indian lands.

A final Senate vote is needed before the measure returns to the House, which adopted a somewhat different version of the bill.