New AZ law fundamentally transforms how public lands are accessed

Senate Bill 1567 has passed the Republican-dominated legislature and has been signed into law by Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs. This new law will fundamentally transform how off-highway vehicles (OHVs) are used in the state of Arizona.

Here’s how OHV laws are changing in Arizona:

• Driver’s licenses are now required to operate an OHV. This means that children under the age of 16 will be prohibited from operating motorized vehicles above 50cc. This includes many go-karts, mini bikes, small pit bikes, and smaller 80cc motorcycles designed for young children.
• The new law makes one exception: a driver’s license is not required to operate an OHV on roads that are designated exclusively for off-highway vehicle use. This typically refers to roads and trails with width restrictions.
• It is now a crime to operate any “self-propelled vehicle” in the state of Arizona under the influence of alcohol. This includes electric scooters and electric mobility devices used by disabled individuals. Contrary to what has been floating around, this does not include vehicles that are operated on rails or water.
• Starting December 31, 2024, it will be required to complete an off-highway vehicle training course certified by the Arizona Game and Fish Department. Proof of completion of the course must be provided to the Arizona Department of Transportation before obtaining an OHV sticker. The safety education course will be available online and will apply to residents and non-residents. The Arizona Game and Fish Department will be required to submit a report before December 1, 2026, regarding the results of implementing the education requirements and make recommendations for administrative or legislative action.
• It changes the definition of “off-highway vehicle” under Arizona’s transportation laws to remove “utility vehicle” and insert “recreational or utility side-by-side vehicle.” It also removes “four-wheel drive vehicle” and inserts “dirt bike,” while providing a definition for dirt bike as “a lightweight motorcycle that is designed for use on rough terrain, including unsurfaced roads or tracks.”
• It places restrictions on parents allowing children to operate an off-highway vehicle or be an off-highway vehicle passenger without wearing a helmet unless the child is properly secured in a child restraint system or the off-highway vehicle is equipped with a rollover protective system.
• It imposes penalties on parents and minors who operate an off-highway vehicle or allow the operation of an off-highway vehicle in a destructive manner. For children under 12 years of age, citations will be issued to the parents. For children above 12 years of age, citations will be issued to the minor or the parent or legal guardian of the minor, but not to both. Penalties under Title 28, Article 20, are civil traffic violations.

Senate Bill 1567 was introduced by Republican Senator Sine Kerr from District 25 in response to the recently highly publicized and unproven OHV issues around Sedona.

In case you are not familiar, the Sedona City Council has declared war against the OHV community and OHV businesses in Sedona, implying that they should be regulated like adult sex shops and that non-DOT-approved equipment should be prohibited on Sedona streets. They have repeatedly expressed their strong opposition to motorized access to National Forest land around Sedona. They revealed their plans in multiple Sedona City Council meetings that were live-streamed on this page.

Sedona residents claim that OHVs are causing “zero visibility dust clouds” that are blocking photosynthesis and causing the trees to die. They further assert that the dust is destroying petroglyphs and Native American sites. And politicians are running with these talking points.

All of their claims are unproven and unfounded. Multiple studies from the U.S. Forest Service Coconino National Forest show no environmental impact from OHV use in the Sedona area. There have also been many targeted enforcement missions by law enforcement that recovered no results.

All they have are a few videos showing OHV users doing donuts captured by a game camera.

The city of Sedona has employed third-party facilitators to bring together politicians and bureaucrats at the federal, state, county, and city levels. They have established front groups that consist of politicians and bureaucrats, environmental organizations, OHV organizations, chambers of commerce, and businesses. They have pushed anti-access propaganda through the media, documentaries, newspapers, and magazines to smear the public perception of the motorized community.

The facilitators and their front groups are responsible for camping restrictions in the Verde Valley, camping restrictions around Sedona, and are involved with the city of Tucson’s 15-minute city climate action plan. They are responsible for placing obstructions to block campsites on National Forest land around Sedona, and their actions in the Sedona area are hailed by national environmental organizations as a groundbreaking achievement.

These actions are supported by highly revered members of the 4×4 community, special interest organizations, Democrat and Republican politicians, corporations, standards development organizations, lobbyists, and many others who stand to gain in one way or another.