Nevada off-roaders put brakes on titling plan

Nevada off-roaders on Thursday put the brakes on a bill that would require them to register and get permits for their four-wheelers, dune buggies or snowmobiles.

A room full of angry off-road enthusiasts behind him, the bill sponsor quickly conceded.

"I was looking only for the sales tax," Sen. Mike McGinness, R-Fallon, told the Senate Transportation Committee. "Is this bill a good vehicle? Probably not."

McGinness and several vehicle store owners said many off-roaders buy vehicles out of state to escape Nevada's sales tax.

If the quads or buggies are for use in Nevada, off-roaders should be paying Nevada taxes, but there is no enforcement because there's no registration.

Elko resident Mike Martsolf, head of a Nevada off-road group, agreed that should be fixed. He said SB117 was "a solid building block" for legislation acceptable to off-road enthusiasts.

But he called for major changes.

Martsolf and other off-roaders said they'd support a titling system -- common in other states -- if collected fees were used to benefit off-roaders in the form of trail system development, maintenance and mapping.

The current bill would funnel money to the state's general motor vehicle fund.

The measure was referred to a subcommittee. Transportation Chairman Ray Shaffer, R-North Las Vegas, indicated it was unlikely to pass without substantial changes.

McGinness' bill would require yearly registration -- including a $25 fee -- for all off-road vehicles. The Department of Motor Vehicles would also issue titles for an additional fee.

The measure also requires registration of off-road motorcycles, hovercraft, and amphibious devices.