MISORVA WORKS FOR YOU AT THE STATE CAPITOL

MISORVA.ORG

Written By: Mike Keith, MISORVA Board of Directors

On April 19, 2023, several MISORVA volunteers traveled to Michigan’s state capitol and met up with many other snowmobile and ORV riders. MISORVA hosted a luncheon for legislators and their staff so we could educate them about our passion and the benefits recreational motorsports provide to Michigan’s economy.

A legislative ride would have been preferred, but Mother Nature was fickle this season, so hosting a luncheon was the best replacement option. Funding for this event was obtained via a grant from ISMA (International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association).

At the luncheon, we handed out an informational page on MISORVA’s proposed legislation and discussed snowmobile safety and a few ORV needs.

Groomed snowmobile trails, snowmobile trail sponsors, and riders have voiced the dangers of the mixed traffic on the snowmobile trails in such a limited season. Ruts from wheeled traffic make trails unsafe for snowmobile riders and the extra width of a UTV makes it unsafe to share trails with snowmobiles from December 1, to March 31.

The sunset, currently written in the law governing ORV permits, was also discussed. When the ORV trail permit legislation was introduced, including a sunset, or end date, was customary. In previous years, the legislation was renewed, but MISORVA Legislative Committee worked with the ORV Advisory Workgroup (ORVAW) and DNR to agree that it was time for this caveat to be removed. ORV is here to stay, and like the snowmobile fund, there is no reason to include a sunset.

Future meetings are being planned, and conversations have started for new legislation to include one sticker for ORV use and to purchase trail maintenance equipment from the ORV Trail Improvement Fund.

The DNR would like to include a consumer price index increase; however, MISORVA representatives feel the decision is premature and will only serve to raise rates, but there is currently a large amount of unused money in the fund, MISORVA is fighting for you.

Equipment is needed to groom the dirt; funds must be set aside for such. Stay tuned for more on that soon!

This luncheon was paid for with a snowmobile-related grant, but MISORVA is equally working on snow and ORV interest.

We need to unite our groups and work on issues as a group, not just one side or the other – United We Stand, and Divided We Fail. MISORVA is working with legislators for both groups not to let one item totally blind and separate the association. Safety for both groups is the number one concern.