MontanaSB 16569th Legislature, Regular Session (2025)SenateWALLET

Revise business laws relating to snowmobile rental and trail maintenance

Your PRIA Score

Score Hidden

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to start

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.

Trail pass funds grooming and safety

From each winter trail pass, $0.50 goes to search and rescue. If a private vendor sells the pass, the vendor gets $2. $1.50 funds enforcement of snowmobile laws. The rest funds the statewide snowmobile trail grooming program.

New $5 fee on snowmobile rentals

If you rent a snowmobile or other motorized equipment from a Montana-licensed rental business, you pay a $5 trail enhancement fee for each rental. The rental company must send $5 per unit rented to the state each month, due in the first week of the next month. The department uses 2% of these fees for grooming operations and repairs and gives the rest to local trail grooming and maintenance groups where rentals operate.

Trail pass rules, fees, and penalties

You must have a winter trail pass to use a snowmobile, dog sled, motorized equipment, or mechanical transport on groomed areas funded by the state. If your machine is registered in Montana or you are a Montana resident dog sled operator, the pass costs $20 and lasts up to 2 years, but not past June 30 of the second year. If your machine is exempt from Montana registration or you are a nonresident, the pass costs $35 and lasts up to 1 year, but not past June 30 of the next year. Put the pass in a visible spot on the machine; it cannot be moved to another one. If you sell a snowmobile with a pass, the buyer may use it until it expires. You do not need a pass if you rent a snowmobile registered under 61-3-321(11)(c) and carry proof of rental, if you are in a sanctioned dog sled race, or if the equipment is exempt under 61-3-321(14). An ATV is eligible only if it is under 50 inches wide at the wheel base and uses tracks on groomed trails. Apply on department forms with your name and street address; your personal ID is not public and may be used only for user studies by state agencies or the Montana university system. The rules cover any motorized equipment allowed by the area operator and include dealer demo snowmobiles. If you fail to affix a required pass or lie to get one, the fine is $40 to $100.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

Barry Usher
Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

Greg Oblander
Republican • House
Steve Fitzpatrick
Republican • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 286 • No: 12

Senate vote • 4/1/2025

Do Concur

Yes: 99 • No: 0

Senate vote • 3/28/2025

Do Concur

Yes: 99 • No: 0

Senate vote • 2/14/2025

Do Pass

Yes: 43 • No: 7

Senate vote • 2/4/2025