News

On Monday, October 23, 2017, Governor Andrew Cuomo approved A1584C/S4542 which is now Chapter 341 of the Laws of 2017. The legislation was sponsored by Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner and Senator Betty Little, two legislators who have received “Legislator of the Year” awards from the Association in the past. Our Thanks to the Governor and the legislators for understanding that when someone does not register, they are freeloading on all those who do. To look up the text of the new law you can go here and put in the bill number. http://public.leginfo.state.ny.us/navigate.cgi The new law takes effect January 1, 2018.

The new law accomplished several tasks:

First, it makes clear that the minimum fine for operating without a valid registration is $200.   The law also provides a maximum fine of $500 should the court have reason to believe a higher fine would be appropriate. The law also decouples other registration violations such as failure to place the registration properly on the sled from this minimum fine requirement allowing the court to use its discretion up to $200.  Previously some courts had imposed the same penalty as failure to register.  Half of the fine goes to the Trail Development and Maintenance Fund.

Second, the bill makes clear what a snowmobile is by inserting language into the present definition that the equipment must have been originally designed to travel on snow and ice.   In many areas permission to use private land extends only to snowmobiles.

Lastly, the bill provides increased support for local law enforcement to undertake snowmobile patrols.  Over the past several years sheriff deputy patrols have had to be cut back while county budgets have been strained to make ends meet.  Our hope is that in the snowmobile destination areas, this funding will help restore those patrols back to historic levels.

Thank you to all those who wrote the Governor and the Legislature in support of this proposal.   The revisions take effect January 1, 2018.