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Franklin County Legislature urges state to raise ATV/UTV weight and width limits
Summary
The Franklin County Legislature on June 4 unanimously passed a resolution urging the New York State Legislature to enact S.7298 and A.7439 to raise the allowable registration weight for ATVs/UTVs to 2,000 pounds and increase allowable width, citing rural economic and safety benefits and projected additional registration revenue.
The Franklin County Legislature unanimously approved Resolution No. 130 on June 4 urging the New York State Legislature to enact Senate Bill S.7298 and Assembly Bill A.7439 to increase the allowable registration weight for all‑terrain and utility terrain vehicles to 2,000 pounds and to expand allowable machine width.
The resolution, offered by Legislators Greg Janisewski, Lauzon, Dumas, Lockwood, Dabiew, Sparks and Shoemaker, says Franklin County is a rural jurisdiction that relies on outdoor recreation, agriculture, forestry and utility vehicle use and that modern UTVs and ATVs often exceed current statutory weight limits. It states that aligning state law with current manufacturing standards would allow registration of newer vehicles while preserving safety, insurance and operational requirements under state law.
The text of the resolution cites market figures and revenue estimates included in the sponsors’ recital: it notes an annual sales estimate of about 20,000 ATVs/UTVs in New York and an estimated 250,000 operational units statewide, and projects that raising the registration weight to 2,000 pounds could yield roughly $700,000 to $1.2 million in additional registration fees annually. The resolution directs that certified copies be forwarded to Governor Kathy Hochul, Assemblyman Michael Cashman and Senator Daniel Stec.
Legislators who offered and supported the resolution said the change would reduce regulatory barriers for residents and businesses that use larger modern utility vehicles for farm, land‑management and recreation purposes. The body adopted the resolution by unanimous motion; the meeting record notes that all members present voted in the affirmative and that Legislator Lockwood was excused from the session.
The resolution is an expression of the Franklin County Legislature’s position and does not itself change state law; it requests action from state lawmakers and the governor.
