Bill > LD1051

This bill modifies funding mechanisms for All-terrain Vehicle (ATV) trail maintenance by establishing a new distribution formula for registration fees. Specifically, of the $37 collected from each ATV registration fee, 20% will now be annually distributed to the municipality where the ATV owner resides (or to the unorganized territory fund of the county of residence if the owner lives in an unorganized area). These funds are to be used specifically for maintaining ATV trails within those local jurisdictions. The bill amends existing Maine state law (12 MRSA §1893 and §13155) to create this new funding mechanism, which aims to provide more localized support for trail maintenance and potentially incentivize better trail upkeep by giving municipalities a direct financial stake in ATV trail conditions. This changes the previous system where all trail maintenance funds were centrally managed, and instead creates a more decentralized approach that directs a portion of registration fees back to the local communities where ATV owners live.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?LD=1051&snum=132