AB 166

Under current law, the State Trails Council (council) advises the Department

of Natural Resources regarding the planning, acquisition, development, and

management of state trails. The council consists of nine members, appointed by the

governor for four-year terms, who are knowledgeable in various recreational uses

of trails.

This bill expands the membership of the council from 9 to 15 members, and

requires four of the members to be nonvoting members. The bill requires the

secretaries, or their designees, of the Department of Transportation, the Department

of Tourism, and the Department of Natural Resources to serve as nonvoting members

of the council. The bill requires the fourth nonvoting member to be a person with

expertise with regard to accessibility challenges for individuals with physical

disabilities.

The bill also requires that the 11 voting members of the council each represent

a specific interest group. Those groups include snowmobile operators, all-terrain

vehicle operators, off-road motorcycle operators, equestrians, cross-country skiers,

and hikers.