HARRISBURG – Legislation by Rep. Parke Wentling (R-Crawford/Erie/Lawrence/Mercer) provides Pennsylvania with the ability to adapt to federal ATV guidelines was signed into law.
The bill was amended in the Senate with a provision to aid and support the Commonwealth’s logging industry.
“This straight-forward legislation will aid Pennsylvania to more easily comply with federal guidelines for ATVs and to support our state’s logging industry,” Wentling said.
“My legislation received widespread support from the General Assembly and the ATV and logging industries.”
Act 115 of 2018, formerly House Bill 1936, makes vital technical changes to provisions included in current ATV law. The changes would ensure the state follows the most current version of the federal guidelines for youth safety regarding riding ATVs.
In 2016, language was added to the law to implement federal requirements regarding age and the governed speed of ATVs for riders under 16 years old.
Wentling’s bill would allow Pennsylvania law to comply with future changes to these requirements.
“As a long-time member and past executive director of the PA Off-Highway Vehicle Association, I applaud the Legislature’s foresight to pass Rep. Wentling’s bill,” said Dick Lepley.
“The bill will make it easier for young riders to get involved in ATVing in a safe and responsible manner.”
House Bill 1936 was amended in the Senate to extend the sunset date of the weight and size exemptions for logging and other forest product vehicles from Dec. 31, 2018, to Dec. 31, 2023.
“Those of us who work in Pennsylvania’s forest products sector continue to battle in a challenging global market. The 2018 sunset date would have been yet one more hurdle for the industry to leap over,” said Burt Craig, immediate past chairman of the Pennsylvania Forest Products Association.
“I want to express my appreciation and the gratitude of our industry to the Legislature for advancing this extension.”
