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Committee approves narrow bill allowing park-owned ATVs to cross roads during duties
Summary
House Bill 18 11 would permit Department of Parks and Tourism ATVs owned by the park system to cross streets or highways while performing official duties; sponsor Representative John Maddox said the change largely legalizes existing practice and passed the committee by voice vote.
The Senate committee approved House Bill 18 11, a short statutory amendment requested by the Department of Parks and Tourism to permit park-owned all-terrain vehicles to cross public roads while used for official duties.
Representative John Maddox (District 20) presented the measure and said it simply makes legal what parks staff likely already do in the course of their duties. He said the bill limits the authorization to ATVs owned by the park system and only while they are performing work duties.
Senators asked whether citizens enjoy similar crossing rights. Maddox described current ATV law exemptions for hunting, farming, and trailhead-to-trailhead travel and said Arkansas’s ATV laws include liberal trail exemptions used in his district. The bill does not alter those citizen exemptions; it applies only to park-owned vehicles used on duty.
Representative Maddox closed and the committee passed the bill by voice vote (motion by Senator Eads).
