ENROLLED
ACT No. 618
2018 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 130
BY REPRESENTATIVE SCHEXNAYDER
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 56:109.1 and to enact R.S. 56:109.4, relative to use of vehicles
3 on wildlife management areas; to provide for the operation of airboats on the
4 Maurepas Swamp Wildlife Management Area; to provide for the establishment of
5 airboat trails; to provide for requirements; to provide for rules and regulations; to
6 provide for penalties; and to provide for related matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 56:109.1 is hereby amended and reenacted and R.S. 56:109.4 is
9 hereby enacted to read as follows:
10 §109.1. Use of all-terrain vehicle trails on wildlife management areas
11 The department shall keep at least one all-terrain vehicle trail on each
12 department-owned wildlife management area that has such a trail open throughout
13 the year. The department may temporarily close the year-round trail if weather or
14 other conditions render the use of the trail a public safety or an environmental
15 hazard. Access to the year-round trail shall be granted for use by all-terrain vehicles,
16 motorcycles, horses, and bicycles, under rules and regulations promulgated under the
17 Administrative Procedure Act. Persons using the year-round all-terrain vehicle trails
18 shall possess a WMA hunting permit.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
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1 A violation of the provisions of the this Section, or rules and regulations
2 promulgated pursuant thereto to this Section, shall constitute a class one violation.
3 * * *
4 §109.4. Use of airboats on the Maurepas Swamp Wildlife Management Area
5 A. Use of airboats on the Maurepas Swamp Wildlife Management Area shall
6 be limited to airboat trails. Such trails shall be established by rules and regulations
7 promulgated by the commission, pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act,
8 where airboat operation is feasible and in a manner to best protect public safety and
9 wildlife resources and habitats. An airboat trail shall be established only on trails or
10 rights of way existing as of February 1, 2018. Such rules and regulations shall also
11 include the following:
12 (1) Require the exhaust of any internal combustion engine used on any
13 airboat operated on airboat trails be equipped with an automotive-style factory
14 muffler, underwater exhaust, or other manufactured device capable of adequately
15 muffling the sound of the exhaust of the engine.
16 (2) Limit the size of the internal combustion engine of any airboat operated
17 on airboat trails to no greater than three hundred fifty-one cubic inches.
18 (3) Require every person using an airboat trail to possess a WMA hunting
19 permit, to notify the department annually of the airboat's registration number, and to
20 make such airboat available for inspection by department personnel.
21 (4) Prohibit the use of established airboat trails by airboats between
22 September first and the following January thirty-first.
23 B. A violation of the provisions of this Section, or rules and regulations
24 promulgated pursuant to this Section, shall constitute a class one violation.
25 Additionally, any person who violates the provisions of this Section, or rules or
26 regulations promulgated pursuant to this Section, three times within a ten-year period
27 shall be prohibited from operating an airboat on any wildlife management area.
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1 C. The provisions of this Section shall terminate and be null and void on
2 August 1, 2019, and thereafter.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.