Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Georgetown business owner urges council to prepare for Senate Bill 63 allowing UTVs on public roads
Summary
Mark Smith of MLS Powersports told the council that Senate Bill 63, which would allow utility terrain vehicles (UTVs) on public roads under similar rules to motorcycles, is driving local customer demand and that local inspection and licensing processes will be needed soon.
During the public-comment period of the June 23 council meeting, Mark Smith, owner of MLS Powersports in Georgetown, asked the council to be aware of Senate Bill 63 and to prepare for its local impacts.
Smith summarized the bill as allowing off-road/all-terrain utility vehicles to be operated on public roads under a framework similar to motorcycles: operators must be licensed, vehicles inspected and insured, and safety equipment such as turn signals and seat belts must be present. "All the laws are the same as a motorcycle," Smith said, and he noted that inspections and special license plates would be available at the county level starting the coming Friday, although operation in Georgetown or Scott County would require a local ordinance to be accepted (transcript block starting 812.41).
Smith said his dealership has a large customer base and that this product line draws buyers from multiple states; he asked councilmembers to be prepared to answer constituent questions and to coordinate with county authorities to avoid enforcement confusion on borders. "Enforcement would be the harder question," Smith said, noting scenarios where one jurisdiction allows operation and an adjacent jurisdiction does not.
No council action on SB63 was taken during the meeting. Councilmembers and staff noted they would monitor county and state decisions and consider whether a city ordinance or local restrictions are needed if the state law allows local opt-in or requires local implementation.
Speakers (public comment): - Mark Smith, owner, MLS Powersports (business/citizen). First reference: 812.41
Authorities: none cited beyond a general reference to "Senate Bill 63"; the transcript does not provide a statutory citation or bill text. The clerk and mayor noted the county fiscal court was also reviewing related implementation steps; no city ordinance was introduced at the June 23 meeting.
Provenance: public comment block beginning 812.41 and follow-up discussion through the mayor's response at 999.28503.
Ending: Council staff said they would monitor the county'level process and the council may consider a local ordinance if state law requires city action to authorize operation on municipal streets.
