CHAPTER 465
S.P. 649 - L.D. 1695
An Act To Authorize the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife To Allow the Operation of Snowmobiles Registered outside the State at Special Events Occurring in the State
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, the law must be corrected so that it will be effective for this snowmobile season; and
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore,
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §13104, sub-§7, as repealed and replaced by PL 2005, c. 456, §1, is amended to read:
7. Snowmobiles of nonresidents; Maine-New Hampshire Cooperative Trails; special events. Except as specifically provided in this subsection and notwithstanding any other provision of law, a snowmobile belonging to a nonresident may be possessed or operated by any person in this State as long as the snowmobile is properly registered in this State in the name of a nonresident owner of the snowmobile. Nothing in this subsection authorizes the operation of a snowmobile in a manner contrary to this chapter.
A. A nonresident is ineligible to obtain a resident registration for a snowmobile owned by that nonresident. Snowmobiles and grooming equipment registered to federal or state entities, snowmobile clubs, municipalities or counties from bordering states or provinces and engaged in trail grooming may be operated without being registered under this subsection. Snowmobiles registered in either New Hampshire or Canada may be operated on any lake or pond that is partly in both the State and New Hampshire or Canada without being registered in the State.
B. A snowmobile registered in this State or in New Hampshire may be operated without further registration requirements on those portions of the Maine-New Hampshire Cooperative Trails located in Maine. For purposes of this paragraph, "Maine-New Hampshire Cooperative Trails" means:
(1) New Hampshire Trail 18 as identified in the Success Pond - Grafton Notch area; and
(2) Maine Trail ITS-80 as identified in the Evans Notch area of the White Mountain National Forest.
C. Snowmobiles registered in another state or in a Canadian province may be operated without a Maine registration at a special event or festival organized to occur in this State if such operation is approved by the commissioner. An event or festival organizer must submit a request in writing to the commissioner at least 60 days prior to the event or festival and shall include a map of trails where operation will be allowed.
The commissioner shall adopt rules regarding the grooming and maintenance of the Maine-New Hampshire Cooperative Trails and reimbursement or payment for those services. The rules must allow reimbursement for grooming and maintenance services to be through direct cash payments by users of the Maine-New Hampshire Cooperative Trails or through in-kind services. The costs of grooming and maintenance must be based on the average per mile costs to Maine and New Hampshire of providing these services. Rules adopted pursuant to this paragraph subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this Act takes effect when approved.
Effective February 1, 2006.
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