Bill Description: House Bill 568 increases registration fees for boaters, snowmobilers, winter recreationalists, and off-highway vehicle drivers. 

Rating: -4

Analyst Note: The statement of purpose for House Bill 568 argues in favor of these fee increases by saying that vendors who sell the various stickers and certificates do not get to keep a large enough portion of the fee. This situation could easily be remedied either by the state taking less or by eliminating the requirements to obtain the stickers and certificates.

Does it directly or indirectly create or increase any taxes, fees, or other assessments? Conversely, does it eliminate or reduce any taxes, fees, or other assessments?

House Bill 568 amends more than a dozen sections of code to increase fees for boaters, snowmobilers, winter recreationalists, and off-highway vehicle drivers.

For boaters, these increases include a $1.50 increase for certificates of number, increasing the $20.00 base fee to $21.50, a 7.5% increase. 

An additional fee levied on boaters, for a "protection against invasive species sticker," would increase from $7.00 to $8.50 for small nonmotorized vessels, and from $30.00 to $31.50 for larger vessels, increases of 21% and 5% respectively. 

Vendors would see their share of the fees double from $1.50 per sticker or certificate to $3.00 each. 

(-1)

Snowmobilers would see similar increases under House Bill 568, with certificate of number fees increasing by $1.50 each for both residents and nonresidents.

It is worth remembering that snowmobile fees were increased substantially just last year through House Bill 229. Fees for residents increased by $14.50, and fees for nonresidents increased by $28.50. If vendors deserve a larger cut, a small percentage of last year's increase could be used for this purpose without requiring yet another fee increase.

(-1)

In Idaho, parking permits are required to park a motor vehicle on state land designated as a "winter recreational parking location." The current fees are $30 for an annual permit or $10 for a temporary permit. House Bill 568 would increase those fees by $2.00, increases of 6.7% and 20% respectively. 

(-1)

Resident off-highway vehicle drivers would see a 25% increase in the cost for a certificate of number, with fees increasing from $12.00 to $15.00. Despite the $3.00 increase, vendors would receive an increase of just $1.50 per certificate, meaning the state too would receive additional revenue from this fee increase. 

Non-resident off-highway vehicle drivers would be hit with 67% fee increases as their certificates increase from $12.00 to $20.00. Once again, vendors get an extra $1.50 and the state takes the rest. 

(-1)