A BILL to amend and reenact § 46.2-915.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to all-terrain vehicles and off-road motorcycles; operation in the Southwest Regional Recreation Authority.
HB302 amends Virginia’s ATV and off-road motorcycle law to create and clarify a limited exception for operation on certain highways within the Southwest Regional Recreation Authority area. The bill specifically authorizes all-terrain vehicles to operate on designated roads and crossings in Buchanan County and Tazewell County, including routes connected to the Pocahontas Trail, if local governing bodies approve the use, warning signs are posted, the vehicles are operated only in daylight, riders wear helmets, and speeds do not exceed 25 miles per hour. The bill also makes clear that these highway crossings are limited in distance and must comply with applicable rules of the road and trail rules of the Authority.
The bill would amend § 46.2-915.1 of the Code of Virginia, which generally prohibits ATV operation on public highways and public property, by adding a targeted carve-out for the Southwest Regional Recreation Authority region. It would also update related requirements for local approval, signage, helmet use, and retailer disclosure decals, while preserving existing civil liability rules, farm-use exemptions, and local authority to seize or impound unlawfully operated vehicles. In practical terms, the measure would affect ATV riders, local governments in the affected counties, the Southwest Regional Recreation Authority, and retailers selling ATVs.
The available context suggests the bill was not controversial enough to generate recorded debate in the provided materials, but it also did not advance out of committee and was continued to the next session by voice vote. That indicates at least some level of committee interest or support for further consideration, but not enough consensus to move it forward during the session. Overall sentiment appears cautious or neutral rather than strongly favorable or opposed, based on the absence of recorded floor votes or transcript discussion.
The main policy issue is the balance between recreational access and highway safety. Supporters would likely favor the bill as a way to connect off-road trails and support recreation and tourism in the Southwest Regional Recreation Authority area, while opponents or cautious members may worry about mixing ATVs with regular traffic, even with limits such as daylight-only operation, helmet requirements, and low speed caps. Another point of potential contention is the bill’s reliance on local approval and signage, which may raise questions about administrative burden, enforcement, and whether the exception should be limited to the named counties and routes or expanded more broadly.