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Panel Weighs HB 174 to Raise OHRV Weight Limit; Enforcement, landowner and bridge concerns raised
Summary
HB 174 would change the statutory dry weight definition for off‑highway vehicles to accommodate heavier modern UTVs and electric models. Supporters, including NOVA and manufacturers, said the change reflects vehicle evolution; opponents — timberland owners, Fish and Game and local landowners — raised enforcement, trail damage and bridge‑safety
The committee heard testimony on HB 174, which would raise the statutory dry weight limit used to define certain off‑highway recreational vehicles (OHRVs). The bill’s sponsor said the change would accommodate heavier modern side‑by‑sides, permit battery‑powered electric models and reduce technical noncompliance for machines that now include comforts such as heaters, windshields and spare tires.
Representative John Ouellette (prime sponsor) said the OHRV fleet has evolved from utilitarian 4x4 work units to larger recreational models and that manufacturers increasingly build heavier vehicles or electric platforms. “These vehicles are getting a little more fancy, a little more sophisticated,” he told the committee, adding the change is meant to keep those machines legal for trail systems that limit width but not the proposed adjusted weight.
Supporters’ view: Steven Wilke, representing the New Hampshire…
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