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Committee lays over bill to raise ATV trail weight limit to 3,000 pounds amid safety and stewardship questions
Summary
The committee laid over House File 13‑27, which would raise the ATV/class‑2 vehicle weight limit on trails from 2,000 to 3,000 pounds and remove a reference to low‑pressure tires, after manufacturers, club leaders and dealers testified about industry changes and members raised safety and stewardship questions.
The committee laid over House File 13‑27, a bipartisan bill that would increase the statutory maximum allowable weight for class‑2 ATV/side‑by‑side vehicles on public trails from 2,000 to 3,000 pounds and remove a reference to low‑pressure tire language, after a day of extensive testimony from industry, clubs and manufacturers.
Advocates led by Ron Potter, president of ATV Minnesota, and JR Burke of Polaris argued the change reflects vehicle design evolution: enclosed cabs, doors and other features — and electrification with heavier batteries — have increased vehicle weights. Potter and Burke said most trails and maintenance equipment already accommodate these weights, that manufacturer tire and suspension advances distribute pressure over larger contact patches, and that Minnesota’s 2,000‑pound limit is more restrictive than many other states (testimony cited 3,500 pounds as a common limit elsewhere and that some states have no weight limit).
Industry representative Kyle Macarios of the Recreational Off‑Highway Vehicle Association reiterated manufacturers’ move toward enclosed and electric vehicles and said modern tire and suspension design can reduce trail compaction by increasing contact patch area.
Opponents and some members raised stewardship and safety questions. Representative Persaud (Representative Purcell in transcript) asked for historical context on why the 2,000‑pound limit was adopted and noted concerns about incremental increases over time. Representative Hansen asked about farm use and tax treatment when vehicles are used for work. Representative Purcell emphasized safety and sought assurances that increases in vehicle weight would be addressed with appropriate stewardship, signage and enforcement to protect resources beyond trails. Committee members discussed that the statute was last amended in 2014 and that raising the limit could affect trail design, ditches, and off‑trail use.
Supporters asked to preserve maximum vehicle width on trails at 65 inches and emphasized existing industry safety standards and federal non‑highway tire designs. The committee laid the bill over for possible inclusion in a future omnibus measure, allowing more time for follow‑up information and negotiation.
