New law shifts off-road oversight to Game and Fish

Written by Associated Press

Wednesday, April 01, 2009

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - Governor Richardson has signed legislation shifting oversight of all-terrain and off-road vehicles from the Tourism Department to the New Mexico Game and Fish Department.

The new law also establishes a penalty structure for violations, with fees from those penalties going toward education and enforcement activities.

Off-roaders will be prohibited from interfering with agricultural practices and from harassing or chasing livestock in a way that could hurt animals, under the law.

And certified off-highway vehicle trainers will have to teach students to be responsible with respect to the environment, private property and rural lifestyles.

The governor says the bill provides a much-needed overhaul of New Mexico's off-highway vehicle program.

Source: http://www.kdbc.com/Global/story.asp?S=10114517&nav=menu608_2_3

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“Farmers as a group rarely tend to want more government regulation. But the growing problem of trespassing caused by illegal riders spurred our membership into action to pass common-sense visible identification and ORV enforcement measures. We are proud that we were able to work with rider groups to find a solution that all sides could agree to.”

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