Bill Text: IA HF73 | 2025-2026 | 91st General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A bill for an act requiring persons to pass a written test and obtain an education certificate prior to operating an all-terrain vehicle, off-road motorcycle, or off-road utility vehicle on certain land, ice, and trails, providing fees, and making penalties applicable.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2025-02-06 - Subcommittee recommends amendment and passage. [HF73 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2025-HF73-Introduced.html
House
File
73
-
Introduced
HOUSE
FILE
73
BY
MEGGERS
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
requiring
persons
to
pass
a
written
test
and
obtain
an
1
education
certificate
prior
to
operating
an
all-terrain
2
vehicle,
off-road
motorcycle,
or
off-road
utility
vehicle
on
3
certain
land,
ice,
and
trails,
providing
fees,
and
making
4
penalties
applicable.
5
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
6
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Section
1.
Section
321I.1,
subsection
1,
paragraph
b,
Code
1
2025,
is
amended
to
read
as
follows:
2
b.
Off-road
motorcycles
shall
be
considered
all-terrain
3
vehicles
for
the
purpose
of
registration.
Off-road
motorcycles
4
shall
also
be
considered
all-terrain
vehicles
for
the
purpose
5
of
titling
if
a
title
has
not
previously
been
issued
pursuant
6
to
chapter
321
.
An
operator
of
an
off-road
motorcycle
is
7
subject
to
provisions
governing
the
operation
of
all-terrain
8
vehicles
in
this
chapter
,
but
is
exempt
from
the
education
9
instruction
and
certification
program
requirements
of
sections
10
321I.25
and
321I.26
.
11
Sec.
2.
Section
321I.1,
subsection
11,
Code
2025,
is
amended
12
to
read
as
follows:
13
11.
“Education
certificate”
means
an
all-terrain
vehicle
14
education
certificate,
approved
by
the
commission,
which
is
15
issued
to
a
qualified
applicant
who
is
twelve
years
of
age
or
16
older
.
17
Sec.
3.
Section
321I.1,
subsection
17,
paragraph
b,
Code
18
2025,
is
amended
to
read
as
follows:
19
b.
The
operator
of
an
off-road
utility
vehicle
is
subject
20
to
provisions
governing
the
operation
of
all-terrain
vehicles
21
in
section
321.234A
,
this
chapter
,
and
administrative
rules
,
22
but
is
exempt
from
the
education
instruction
and
certification
23
program
requirements
of
sections
321I.25
and
321I.26
.
An
24
operator
of
an
off-road
utility
vehicle
shall
not
operate
the
25
vehicle
on
a
designated
riding
area
or
designated
riding
trail
26
unless
the
department
has
posted
signage
indicating
the
riding
27
area
or
trail
is
open
to
the
operation
of
off-road
utility
28
vehicles.
Off-road
utility
vehicles
are
subject
to
the
dealer
29
registration
and
titling
requirements
of
this
chapter
.
A
30
motorized
vehicle
that
was
previously
titled
or
is
currently
31
titled
under
chapter
321
shall
not
be
registered
or
operated
32
as
an
off-road
utility
vehicle.
33
Sec.
4.
Section
321I.25,
subsection
3,
Code
2025,
is
amended
34
to
read
as
follows:
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3.
Upon
completion
of
the
course
of
instruction,
the
1
commission
shall
provide
for
the
administration
of
either
a
2
written
test
or
the
demonstration
of
adequate
riding
skills
to
3
any
student
who
wishes
to
qualify
for
an
education
certificate.
4
Sec.
5.
Section
321I.26,
subsections
1
and
3,
Code
2025,
are
5
amended
to
read
as
follows:
6
1.
A
person
twelve
years
of
age
or
older
but
less
than
7
eighteen
years
of
age
shall
not
operate
an
all-terrain
vehicle
,
8
off-road
utility
vehicle,
or
off-road
motorcycle
on
public
9
land,
public
ice,
a
designated
riding
trail,
or
land
purchased
10
with
all-terrain
vehicle
registration
funds
in
this
state
11
without
obtaining
a
valid
education
certificate
approved
by
12
the
department
and
having
the
certificate
in
the
person’s
13
possession.
This
subsection
does
not
apply
if
the
operation
14
is
part
of
a
prescribed
education
training
course
and
the
15
operation
is
under
the
direct
supervision
of
a
certified
16
all-terrain
vehicle
education
instructor.
17
3.
Any
person
who
is
required
to
have
an
education
18
certificate
under
this
chapter
and
who
has
completed
a
course
19
of
instruction
established
under
section
321I.2,
subsection
20
1
,
paragraph
“i”
,
including
the
successful
passage
of
an
21
examination
which
includes
either
a
written
test
relating
to
22
such
course
of
instruction
or
the
demonstration
of
adequate
23
riding
skills
,
shall
be
considered
qualified
to
receive
an
24
education
certificate.
25
EXPLANATION
26
The
inclusion
of
this
explanation
does
not
constitute
agreement
with
27
the
explanation’s
substance
by
the
members
of
the
general
assembly.
28
Under
current
law,
a
person
12
years
of
age
or
older
29
but
less
than
18
years
of
age
is
required
to
obtain
a
valid
30
education
certificate
approved
by
the
department
of
natural
31
resources
(DNR)
prior
to,
and
have
the
certificate
in
the
32
person’s
possession
while,
operating
an
all-terrain
vehicle
33
(ATV)
on
public
land,
public
ice,
a
designated
riding
trail,
or
34
land
purchased
with
ATV
registration
funds
in
Iowa.
Persons
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operating
an
off-road
motorcycle
or
off-road
utility
vehicle
1
(UTV)
are
excepted
from
the
education
instruction,
certificate,
2
and
associated
fee
requirements.
3
This
bill
strikes
such
exceptions
for
off-road
motorcycles
4
and
UTVs
and
the
age
range
associated
with
education
5
certificates.
As
a
result,
the
bill
requires
every
person
to
6
obtain
a
valid
education
certificate
approved
by
DNR
prior
to,
7
and
have
the
certificate
in
the
person’s
possession
while,
8
operating
an
ATV,
off-road
motorcycle,
or
UTV
on
public
land,
9
public
ice,
a
designated
riding
trail,
or
land
purchased
with
10
ATV
registration
funds
in
Iowa.
A
person
is
not
required
to
11
possess
an
education
certificate
if
the
operation
is
part
of
a
12
prescribed
education
training
course
and
the
operation
is
under
13
the
direct
supervision
of
a
certified
ATV
education
instructor.
14
The
bill
does
not
amend
similar
education
certification
15
requirements
in
Code
chapter
321G
(snowmobiles)
for
persons
12
16
though
17
years
of
age
operating
a
snowmobile
in
Iowa.
17
Under
current
law,
the
fee
for
an
education
certificate
is
18
$5
and
an
education
certificate
must
be
issued
to
a
qualified
19
applicant
who
successfully
completes
an
education
course
and
20
pays
the
fee.
The
fees
are
credited
to
the
special
ATV
fund
21
and
must
be
used
for
educational
programs.
Any
person
who
22
has
completed
a
course
of
instruction
established
under
DNR
23
rules,
including
the
successful
passage
of
an
examination
which
24
includes
either
a
written
test
relating
to
such
course
of
25
instruction
or
the
demonstration
of
adequate
riding
skills,
is
26
considered
qualified
to
receive
an
education
certificate.
An
27
education
certificate
does
not
expire
and
remains
valid
until
28
the
certificate
is
suspended
or
revoked
by
the
DNR
director
as
29
a
result
of
a
Code
chapter
321I
(ATVs)
law
or
rule
violation.
30
The
bill
strikes
the
ability
of
a
person
who
wishes
to
obtain
31
an
education
certificate
to
do
so
by
demonstrating
adequate
32
riding
skills,
thus
requiring
all
such
persons
to
successfully
33
complete
a
written
test.
This
aligns
these
provisions
with
34
the
written
test
requirements
for
students
qualifying
for
a
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snowmobile
education
certificate
under
current
law.
1
A
person
who
is
required
to
have
a
valid
education
2
certificate
and
who
operates
an
ATV,
UTV,
or
off-road
3
motorcycle
without
a
valid
education
certificate
commits
a
4
simple
misdemeanor
punishable
by
a
$70
scheduled
fine.
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