Amends existing law to increase fees for snowmobile use, to allocate such funds, and to establish a state snowmobile avalanche fund.

In order to snowmobile in Idaho, users are required to have a snowmobile use certificate, or sticker. Fees are primarily used to annually construct and maintain groomed snowmobile trails throughout Idaho, which are used and enjoyed by snowmobilers (who pay all the fees), dog sledders, cross-country skiers, snow-shoers, fat tire bicycles and others (who pay no fees). Funds are also used to maintain winter parking lots and toilets, which are used year-round by other users. Funds also support grooming huts and equipment purchases and labor. All fees are pay-to-play user fees that have not been increased since 2007. Increased fees will be used to support these programs, and to also add support to the state search and rescue fund and to assist Idaho Department of Lands with recreation management. $1 will also be set aside from each sticker to establish a statewide snowmobile avalanche fund. The avalanche fund will be used to support avalanche awareness education, avalanche forecasting, avalanche warning systems, and avalanche response throughout Idaho. This bill raises the resident use certificate fee to $45.50 (up from $32.50), the nonresident use certificate fee to $59.50 (up from $32.50), and the rental snowmobile use certificate fee to $75.50 (up from $62.50). This bill promotesthesafetyofwintersportsrecreation,whileitwillalsopromotes,enhancesandincreaseswintersports recreation opportunities. Snowmobiling’s economic impact to Idaho exceeds $197.5 million annually.