S-3846.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 6508

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     2000 Regular Session

By Senators Morton and Stevens

Read first time 01/18/2000.  Referred to Committee on Natural Resources, Parks & Recreation.

Exempting off-road vehicles used on forest or park roads from use permit requirements.

    AN ACT Relating to off-road vehicles used on forest or park roads; and amending RCW 46.09.050.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

    Sec. 1.  RCW 46.09.050 and 1986 c 206 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

    ORV use permits and ORV tags shall be required under the provisions of this chapter except for the following:

    (1) Off-road vehicles owned and operated by the United States, another state, or a political subdivision thereof.

    (2) Off-road vehicles owned and operated by this state, or by any municipality or political subdivision thereof.

    (3) An off-road vehicle operating in an organized competitive event on privately owned or leased land:  PROVIDED, That if such leased land is owned by the state of Washington this exemption shall not apply unless the state agency exercising jurisdiction over the land in question specifically authorizes said competitive event:  PROVIDED FURTHER, That such exemption shall be strictly construed.

    (4) Off-road vehicles operated on lands owned or leased by the ORV owner or operator or on lands which the operator has permission to operate without an ORV use permit.

    (5) Off-road vehicles owned by a resident of another state that have a valid ORV permit or vehicle license issued in accordance with the laws of the other state.  This exemption shall apply only to the extent that a similar exemption or privilege is granted under the laws of that state.

    (6) Off-road vehicles while being used for search and rescue purposes under the authority or direction of an appropriate search and rescue or law enforcement agency.

    (7) Vehicles used primarily for construction or inspection purposes during the course of a commercial operation.

    (8) Vehicles which are licensed pursuant to chapter 46.16 RCW or in the case of nonresidents, vehicles which are validly licensed for operation over public highways in the jurisdiction of the owner's residence.

(9) Off-road vehicles used on forest or park roads.

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