State of Michigan
JENNIFER M. GRANHOLM governor	DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES Lansing	REBECCA A. HUMPHRIES director

BILL ANALYSIS

BILL NUMBER: SENATE BILL 530, AS INTRODUCED

TOPIC: Snowmobiles; standard for noise emission compliance

SPONSOR: Senator Allen

CO-SPONSORS: Senators Clarke, Birkholz and Pappageorge

COMMITTEE: Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs

Analysis Done: June 8, 2007

POSITION

The Department supports this bill.

PROBLEM/BACKGROUND

Current Michigan snowmobile law states that each snowmobile manufactured after July 1, 1977, shall be equipped with a muffler that does not exceed 78 decibels of sound pressure at 50 feet, as measured by the 1974 SAE J-192a. The current drive-by test is not practical for field tests, it creates liability concerns and is difficult to enforce.

DESCRIPTION OF BILL

Senate Bill 530 would adopt new SAE stationary snowmobile sound test procedures and decibel levels.

SUMMARY OF ARGUMENTS

Pro

The proposed sound test procedures are safer, more practical to conduct and are more enforceable.

Con

None

FISCAL/ECONOMIC IMPACT

Are there revenue or budgetary implications in the bill to the --

(a) Department

Budgetary:

None

Revenue:

None

Comments:

None

(b) State

Budgetary:

None

Revenue:

None

Comments:

None

(c) Local Government

Comments:

None

OTHER STATE DEPARTMENTS

None

ANY OTHER PERTINENT INFORMATION

County Sheriff’s also conduct snowmobile enforcement patrols.

ADMINISTRATIVE RULES IMPACT

None

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Rebecca A. Humphries

Director

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Date

LED/FMFM