Authorized emergency vehicles
Under current law, “authorized emergency vehicle” is defined to include vehicles operated by various entities, such as law enforcement officers, fire departments, conservation wardens, and ambulance services. The bill expands the definition of “authorized emergency vehicle” to include ATVs, UTVs, and snowmobiles operated by these same entities and to include off-highway motorcycles operated by law enforcement officers and conservation wardens.
Patrol vehicles
The bill creates definitions for “patrol all-terrain vehicle,” “patrol utility terrain vehicle,” “patrol off-highway motorcycle,” and “patrol snowmobile,” which are ATVs, UTVs, OHMs, and snowmobiles that are owned or leased by a city, village, town, county, state agency, federal agency, federally recognized American Indian tribe, or public safety corporation, used for law enforcement, fire fighting, or emergency medical response, and equipped with required sirens and lights. The bill exempts patrol ATVs, UTVs, OHMs, and snowmobiles from certain operation limitations such speed and proximity to highways while responding to emergencies or violations of the law, subject to specified use of sirens and lights.
Revision to highway maintenance manual
Under current law, no state trunk highway or connecting highway may be designated as an ATV route without DOT approval. DOT standards for ATV route approval are detailed in DOT’s Highway Maintenance Manual (HMM), which includes policies, technical information, administrative direction, and operational information for administration of DOT’s highway maintenance program. The HMM currently provides that requests for ATV routes or trails to use short segments of state trunk highways for the purpose of connecting to businesses may not be approved. The bill requires DOT to revise the HMM to remove these provisions.
SB959,,44The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows: SB959,15Section 1. 23.33 (1) (ja) of the statutes is renumbered 23.33 (1) (ji). SB959,26Section 2. 23.33 (1) (jb) of the statutes is created to read: SB959,,7723.33 (1) (jb) “Patrol all-terrain vehicle” means an all-terrain vehicle that is owned or leased by a city, village, town, county, state agency, federal agency, federally recognized American Indian tribe, or public safety corporation, used for law enforcement, fire fighting, or emergency medical response, and equipped with a siren and one or more flashing, oscillating, or rotating red lights, or red and white lights or, if the all-terrain vehicle is operated by a law enforcement officer, a blue light or a blue and white light, and a red light or a red and white light, all of which are flashing, oscillating, or rotating. SB959,38Section 3. 23.33 (1) (jc) of the statutes is renumbered 23.33 (1) (jj). SB959,49Section 4. 23.33 (1) (jd) of the statutes is renumbered 23.33 (1) (jk). SB959,510Section 5. 23.33 (1) (je) of the statutes is renumbered 23.33 (1) (jL). SB959,611Section 6. 23.33 (1) (jf) of the statutes is created to read: SB959,,121223.33 (1) (jf) “Patrol off-highway motorcycle” means an off-highway motorcycle, as defined in s. 23.335 (1) (q), that is owned or leased by a city, village, town, county, state agency, federal agency, federally recognized American Indian tribe, or public safety corporation, used for law enforcement, fire fighting, or emergency medical response, and equipped with a siren and one or more flashing, oscillating, or rotating red lights, or red and white lights or, if the off-highway motorcycle is operated by a law enforcement officer, a blue light or a blue and white light, and a red light or a red and white light, all of which are flashing, oscillating, or rotating. SB959,713Section 7. 23.33 (1) (jg) of the statutes is created to read: SB959,,141423.33 (1) (jg) “Patrol snowmobile” means a snowmobile, as defined in s. 340.01 (58a), that is owned or leased by a city, village, town, county, state agency, federal agency, federally recognized American Indian tribe, or public safety corporation, used for law enforcement, fire fighting, or emergency medical response, and equipped with a siren and one or more flashing, oscillating, or rotating red lights, or red and white lights or, if the snowmobile is operated by a law enforcement officer, a blue light or a blue and white light, and a red light or a red and white light, all of which are flashing, oscillating, or rotating. SB959,815Section 8. 23.33 (1) (jh) of the statutes is created to read: SB959,,161623.33 (1) (jh) “Patrol utility terrain vehicle” means a utility terrain vehicle that is owned or leased by a city, village, town, county, state agency, federal agency, federally recognized American Indian tribe, or public safety corporation, used for law enforcement, fire fighting, or emergency medical response, and equipped with a siren and one or more flashing, oscillating, or rotating red lights, or red and white lights or, if the utility terrain vehicle is operated by a law enforcement officer, a blue light or a blue and white light, and a red light or a red and white light, all of which are flashing, oscillating, or rotating. SB959,917Section 9. 23.33 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read: SB959,,181823.33 (3) (a) In any careless way, reckless, or negligent manner so as to endanger impair the life, person, or property of another. SB959,1019Section 10. 23.33 (4) (d) 3. b. of the statutes is amended to read: SB959,,202023.33 (4) (d) 3. b. A person may operate an all-terrain vehicle or utility terrain vehicle on the roadway or shoulder of any highway to cross a bridge that is 1,000 feet in length or less if the operation is in compliance with a county ordinance adopted under sub. (11) (am) 3. that applies to that bridge and a city, village, or town ordinance adopted under sub. (11) (am) 3. that applies to that bridge. SB959,1121Section 11. 23.33 (4) (d) 8. of the statutes is created to read: SB959,,222223.33 (4) (d) 8. On any roadway if the operation is for emergency purposes during a period of emergency declared by the governmental agency having jurisdiction over the roadway. SB959,1223Section 12. 23.33 (11) (am) 3. (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read: SB959,,242423.33 (11) (am) 3. (intro.) A county, city, village, or town may enact an ordinance to authorize the operation of all-terrain vehicles and utility terrain vehicles on a highway bridge that is not part of the national system of interstate and defense highways, that is 1,000 feet in length or less, and that is located within the territorial boundaries of the county, city, village, or town regardless of whether the county, city, village, or town has jurisdiction over the highway. Any such ordinance shall require a person crossing a bridge to do all of the following: SB959,1325Section 13. 23.33 (11) (am) 3. c. of the statutes is repealed.