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2021 - 2022 LEGISLATURE
May 25, 2021 - Introduced by Senators Petrowski, Felzkowski, Ballweg, Bewley,
Cowles, Erpenbach, Feyen, Jacque, Pfaff, Ringhand, Stroebel, Testin and
Wirch, cosponsored by Representatives Swearingen, Mursau, Callahan,
Edming, Hesselbein, Kitchens, Kurtz, B. Meyers, Milroy, Moses, Novak,
Oldenburg, Rozar, Spiros, Summerfield, Thiesfeldt, Tusler, VanderMeer,
Zimmerman and Spreitzer. Referred to Committee on Transportation and
Local Government.
SB364,1,5 1An Act to repeal 350.02 (2) (b) 4. a. and 350.02 (2) (b) 4. c.; to renumber and
2amend
350.02 (2) (b) 4. (intro.); and to amend 350.01 (17), 350.09 (1), 350.095
3(1) (b) and 350.095 (2) (d) 1. of the statutes; relating to: snowmobile noise and
4the operation of snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, and utility terrain vehicles
5near highways.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill makes several changes to operation restrictions for snowmobiles,
all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), and utility terrain vehicles (UTVs).
Under current law generally, a person may not operate a snowmobile on a
highway unless it is designated for snowmobile use but may operate a snowmobile
adjacent to a highway, subject to certain restrictions. A person operating a
snowmobile adjacent to any U.S. numbered highway or any state or county highway
must remain at least 10 feet from the roadway. In addition, a person operating a
snowmobile adjacent to a highway at night must travel in the same direction as the
vehicular traffic in the nearest lane unless the person is operating on a snowmobile
trail that is at least 40 feet from the roadway or is separated from the roadway by
a headlamp barrier.
The bill retains the 10-foot requirement, eliminates the 40-foot requirement,
and provides that a person operating a snowmobile adjacent to a highway at night
must travel in the same direction as the vehicular traffic in the nearest lane unless
the person is operating the snowmobile on a designated and marked snowmobile

trail. The bill also modifies the definition of “snowmobile trail” to include a marked
corridor in a highway right-of-way.
Current law requires a person who is operating an ATV, UTV, or snowmobile
during hours or darkness, or in a highway right-of-way during daylight hours, to
display a lighted head lamp. The bill requires the person, while operating an ATV,
UTV, or snowmobile during hours of darkness or adjacent to a roadway, to dim the
head lamp when an oncoming all-terrain vehicle, utility terrain vehicle,
snowmobile, or motor vehicle is within 500 feet.
Current law prohibits modifying a snowmobile to amplify or increase vehicle
noise above the level emitted by the snowmobile as originally manufactured. The bill
also prohibits operation of a snowmobile than has been so modified. Current law also
provides that snowmobile exhaust and engine noise may not exceed 88 decibels. The
bill lowers the noise limit to 82 decibels.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB364,1 1Section 1. 350.01 (17) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB364,2,62 350.01 (17) “Snowmobile trail" means a marked corridor on public property, in
3a highway right-of-way,
or on private lands subject to public easement or lease,
4designated for use by snowmobile operators by the governmental agency having
5jurisdiction, but excluding highways except those highways on which the roadway
6is not normally maintained for other vehicular traffic by the removal of snow.
SB364,2 7Section 2. 350.02 (2) (b) 4. (intro.) of the statutes is renumbered 350.02 (2) (b)
84. and amended to read:
SB364,2,119 350.02 (2) (b) 4. At night travel shall conform to the direction of vehicular traffic
10in the nearest lane unless: unless the snowmobile is operated on a designated and
11marked snowmobile trail.
SB364,3 12Section 3. 350.02 (2) (b) 4. a. of the statutes is repealed.
SB364,4 13Section 4. 350.02 (2) (b) 4. c. of the statutes is repealed.
SB364,5 14Section 5. 350.09 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB364,3,5
1350.09 (1) Any snowmobile operated during the hours of darkness or operated
2during daylight hours on any highway right-of-way shall display a lighted head
3lamp and tail lamp. A person operating a snowmobile during the hours of darkness
4or adjacent to a roadway shall dim their head lamp when an oncoming snowmobile,
5all-terrain vehicle, utility terrain vehicle, or motor vehicle is within 500 feet.
SB364,6 6Section 6. 350.095 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB364,3,117 350.095 (1) (b) No snowmobile may be modified by any person A person may
8not modify a snowmobile, or operate a snowmobile that has been modified,
in any
9manner that shall amplify amplifies or otherwise increase increases total vehicle
10noise above that emitted by the snowmobile as originally manufactured, regardless
11of date of manufacture.
SB364,7 12Section 7. 350.095 (2) (d) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB364,3,1713 350.095 (2) (d) 1. Except as provided in subd. 2., for every snowmobile
14manufactured on or after July 2, 1975, the noise level standard for exhaust and
15engine noise shall be 88 82 decibels as measured in accordance with the procedures
16established for the measurement of exhaust sound levels of stationary snowmobiles
17in the January 2004 2015 Society of Automotive Engineers Standard J2567.
SB364,3,1818 (End)
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