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House rejects bill to add modest registration fee for search-and-rescue funding
Summary
Lawmakers debated a substitute version of HB89 proposing a $2.50 assessment on registered motorized recreational vehicles to fund county search-and-rescue supplements; supporters called it "cheap insurance" for volunteers, opponents raised equity and precedent concerns. The House voted 24-48 and the bill failed.
The Utah House of Representatives debated first substitute House Bill 89 for over an hour before rejecting the measure by a recorded vote of 24-48.
The bill would have created a state-administered fund, collected by the State Tax Commission, to provide supplemental payments to county search-and-rescue units. Sponsor Representative Yore described the proposal as intended to “pick up a small amount of money” to help volunteers with out-of-pocket expenses and said the plan would assess $2.50 at registration for snowmobiles, boats and other licensed off‑road motor vehicles and distribute funds to counties by a formula tied to hours and rescue incidents.
Backers emphasized mounting volunteer costs and declining ability of units to absorb expenses. Representative Valentine, who declared a conflict of interest as a 15‑year volunteer member of a county sheriff's search-and-rescue unit, told colleagues that in his county "every time we're on Bridalveil Falls, we use a rope... each one of those ropes costs new, about a hundred and $40" and that volunteers often pay these costs themselves.
Opponents raised fairness and precedent concerns. Several members said the fee would make many registered vehicle owners pay regardless of whether they ever used public lands; Representative Fox argued the proposal was a "convenient way to raise money" that might not target the true sources of rescue demand. Others suggested alternatives such as fines for reckless conduct, reallocating portions of gas or registration taxes, or allowing counties to designate tourism revenues for rescue costs.
The sponsor and supporters said the assessment was a modest, targeted source of revenue and called it "the cheapest insurance" for people who use motorized recreation in high-risk areas. Representative Yore said the fund was intended to "stay in that fund until it is used" and not revert to the general fund.
The House defeated the first substitute HB89 by voice-record: 24 yes, 48 no. The bill failed and was filed.
What's next: With the bill defeated, proponents and some members said they will continue to discuss alternative funding mechanisms for volunteer search-and-rescue units.
Quotes used in this article come from the session transcript and are attributed to speakers as identified on the record.
