The new bill authored by State Rep. Barbara Dittrich in the Wisconsin Assembly seeks to clarify recognition and legal requirements for out-of-state registered all-terrain and utility terrain vehicles, according to the Wisconsin State Assembly.
According to the Wisconsin State Legislature’s official website, the bill was described as follows: “all-terrain vehicles and utility terrain vehicles with out-of-state registrations”.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill amends Wisconsin statutes to ensure that vehicles with out-of-state registration that meet the state’s definitions of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) or utility terrain vehicles (UTVs) are recognized as such and are subject to existing legal requirements for ATVs and UTVs, regardless of the designation on their out-of-state registration. Vehicles not meeting these definitions will not be considered ATVs or UTVs and will not be granted a nonresident trail pass for public operation on ATV trails. The bill also revises the definition of “public all-terrain vehicle corridor” to include ATV routes and hybrid trails, which connect ATV trails and allow both ATVs and motor vehicles to traverse the same surfaces. Additionally, the term “vehicle” will exclude UTVs unless specifically stated by statute. The effective date is not mentioned in the provided sections.
The bill was co-authored by Senator Howard L. Marklein (Republican-17th District), Representative Cindi Duchow (Republican-97th District), Representative Nate L. Gustafson (Republican-55th District), Representative Jerry L. O’Connor (Republican-60th District), and Representative Robert Wittke (Republican-63rd District). It was co-sponsored by Senator Rachael Cabral-Guevara (Republican-19th District), Senator Kristin Dassler-Alfheim (Democrat-18th District), and Senator Brad Pfaff (Democrat-32nd District).
Barbara Dittrich has authored or co-authored another 118 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with one of them being enacted.
Dittrich, a Republican, was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2025 to represent the state’s 99th Assembly district, replacing previous state representative Cindi Duchow.
In Wisconsin, the legislative process starts when a senator, constituent, group, or agency proposes an idea for a bill. After drafting, the bill is introduced, numbered, and referred to a committee for review and public input. If approved, it moves through three readings and votes in both the Senate and Assembly. Once both chambers pass the same version, the bill goes to the governor, who can sign it, veto it, or let it become law without a signature. Only a small share of bills introduced each session ultimately become law. You can learn more about the Wisconsin legislative process here.
| Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|
| AB221 | 04/23/2025 | All-terrain vehicles and utility terrain vehicles with out-of-state registrations |
| AB206 | 04/23/2025 | The procedure for adding federal newborn screening recommendations to the state-required newborn screenings, granting rule-making authority, and providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures. (FE) |
| AB195 | 04/15/2025 | Revoking a transfer of real property on death, obtaining evidence of the termination of a decedent’s property interests, disbursing deposits after rescission of real property wholesaler contracts, and filing satisfactions of judgment |
| AB141 | 03/17/2025 | Provisional social worker certificates and licenses |
| AB139 | 03/17/2025 | A tax credit for relocating to this state due to Hurricane Helene or the Los Angeles wildfires. (FE) |
| AB126 | 03/11/2025 | School bus back-up lamps |
| AB106 | 03/11/2025 | Exempting certain electric vehicle charging stations located at a residence from the electric vehicle charging tax. (FE) |
| AB103 | 03/04/2025 | School board policies related to changing a pupil’s legal name and pronouns |
| AB102 | 03/03/2025 | Designating University of Wisconsin and technical college sports and athletic teams based on the sex of the participants |
| AB100 | 03/03/2025 | Designating athletic sports and teams operated or sponsored by public schools or private schools participating in a parental choice program based on the sex of the participants |
| AB71 | 02/24/2025 | School district operating referenda |
| AB68 | 02/24/2025 | The prescription drug monitoring program. (FE) |
| AB63 | 02/24/2025 | Financing the operating costs and certain out-of-state projects of nonprofit institutions and compensation of employees of the Wisconsin Health and Educational Facilities Authority. (FE) |
| AB61 | 02/24/2025 | Injuring or killing a police or fire animal and providing a penalty |
| AB44 | 02/17/2025 | Allowing advanced practice nurse prescribers to pronounce the date, time, and place of a patient’s death for purposes of the preparation of death records |
| AB9 | 02/06/2025 | Allowing representatives of certain federally chartered youth membership organizations to provide information to pupils on public school property |
| AB5 | 02/03/2025 | Requiring school boards to make textbooks, curricula, and instructional materials available for inspection by school district residents |
