The Assembly Committee on Tourism, Recreation and State Properties took testimony on Senate Bill 266, which would create the council to advise the Legislature, governor, the Department of Natural Resources and Department of Transportation on improving and maintaining Wisconsin’s system of silent sports trails.
Speaking in favor of SB 266 were Joel Patenaude, editor of Silent Sports magazine and the special legislative committee that drafted the bill; and Robbie Webber, member of the Governor’s State Trails Council and the Bike Walk Madison Steering Committee.
SB 266 would direct the governor to assemble representatives of “water trails, pedestrian travel, equestrian trail riding, long-distance hiking, nature based activities (e.g. bird-watching, nature study, hunting, fishing), snow sports (e.g. cross-country skiing and snowshoeing), bicycling, local forests and parks, trail accessibility, tourism promotion and tribal lands,” according to the bill.
The council would be separate but compliment two existing motorsports councils and the state Trails Council, which consists of representatives of both motorized and nonmotorized trail users, and on occasion has difficulty serving both constituencies satisfactorily.
At the same committee meeting, public comment also was taken on SB 264, which would increase the penalties for trespassing via snowmobile, ATV and any other off-road vehicle.
NIt is now up to Rep. Terry Van Akkren, chairman of the committee, to call an executive committee meeting to vote on whether to forward the bills to the House Rules Committee. It would then be up to that committee to schedule the bill for a vote on the floor of the House.
top of page
Visitor Comments »
top of page