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Committee advances SB505 FN to eliminate 10‑day OHRV temporary registration and lift Fish and Game enforcement grant cap
Summary
A committee voted 12–0 to recommend SB505 FN as amended. The bill would remove the 10‑day nonresident OHRV temporary registration, end a $25,000 cap on Fish and Game grants to local law enforcement, and tighten access to guide‑license background checks, with sponsors saying the move will boost trail maintenance funding.
A legislative committee voted unanimously to recommend SB505 FN as amended, a bill that would eliminate the state’s 10‑day temporary nonresident OHRV (off‑highway recreational vehicle) registration, remove a $25,000 cap on Fish and Game grants to local law enforcement for trail enforcement, and tighten who may view required guide‑license background checks.
Senator David Roford, the bill’s prime sponsor, told the committee the 10‑day temporary registration was created in 2014 to encourage visitation to the North Country’s Ride the Wilds trail network. "The current 10‑day temporary registration is $34. With added fees, it makes it $42 and none of that money goes towards the grant and aid program to support trail maintenance," Roford said, arguing that converting short‑term visitors to annual registrants would increase funding for trail upkeep.
The sponsor and supporters said the temporary pass had outlived its purpose and imposed administrative costs. Rich Parsons of RP Grant Strategies, representing the New Hampshire Off‑Highway Vehicle Association, said producing and stocking decals in dozens of agent locations wastes money and that higher short‑term fees in neighboring jurisdictions have already pushed buyers toward annual passes. "Converting those folks to buying a full season pass hopefully gives them some more stake in the game," Parsons said.
Melissa Nemoth, legal and legislative liaison for the Fish and Game department, provided the committee’s revenue estimates. She said about 3,383 temporary registrations are sold annually, producing roughly $142,000 in revenue that currently does not go to trail maintenance. "If instead these folks were to purchase the year registration (about $108), that would be about $365,000, and about $74,000 of that would go directly to maintenance and support of the trail system," Nemoth said.
Committee members asked detailed questions about fee breakdowns, enforcement fines for unregistered riders (estimates cited around $240–$248), and whether rules had allowed the sale of multiple temporaries. Witnesses said rules were updated last June to limit one temporary per person and that detailed accounting for the $42 temporary fee would be clarified by Fish and Game staff.
Another provision in the bill removes a statutory $25,000 cap on how much Fish and Game may award to local law enforcement for enhanced enforcement along trails. Roford told the committee that partnering with local police boosts visible enforcement at trailheads and reduces unsafe behavior. The committee also considered and accepted a committee amendment (2026‑1336H) that narrows who may view FBI NYX background‑check materials for guide licenses, restricting access to NYX‑certified Fish and Game law enforcement personnel.
Representative Ulette moved the bill 'ought to pass' and Representative Aldrich seconded. The committee adopted amendment 2026‑1336H by roll call, 12 yes, 0 no, and then voted to report SB505 FN out of committee as ought to pass as amended by the same 12–0 margin. Representative Ulette will file the committee report.
The committee did not vote on changes to fines or cross‑state reciprocity; those topics were discussed but no formal changes were adopted in this session. The measure will proceed according to the legislative calendar after the committee report is filed.
