West Virginia Bill to Create Additional Opportunities for Off-Road Recreation Introduced

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• S.B. 317 empowers three or more contiguous counties to form a multicounty trail network authority to establish new recreational trail systems and recreation management programs tailored to the needs of their communities.
   
• S.B. 317 recognizes that there is interest within the state for additional well-managed trails and facilities for off-highway recreational vehicle enthusiasts and other recreational users.
   
• S.B. 317 finds that outdoor recreation is an increasingly vital part of the state’s economy and that outdoor recreation participants send billions of dollars in annually in the state and support a significant number of local jobs. 

Overview: Legislation (S.B. 317) has been introduced to empower three or more contiguous counties to form a multicounty trail network authority.  The bill would require that these authorities work with private landowners, county officials, community leaders, government agencies, recreational user groups and recreational entrepreneurs on these initiatives.  The bill will be considered by the Senate Judiciary Committee.  A similar version of this bill failed to pass during the 2018 session.