The General Assembly may have complicated efforts in Anne Arundel County to license motorized minibikes.
County Council Member Pam Beidle said she has asked County Attorney Linda Schuett to review the legislature?s bill and determine the impact on the local effort.
Beidle drafted a bill requiring off-road vehicles to be licensed in the county and restricting their use, but delayed a final council vote when she learned the state might pass the responsibility off to the Maryland Motor Vehicle Association.
“They made it enabling legislation; we never needed enabling legislation,” Beidle said. “It would?ve been better to do nothing than do what they did.”
Beidle said Anne Arundel County Director of Inspections and Permits Spurge Eismeier has already told the council he would have to hire more staff to handle county registration of off-road vehicles.
The County Council is scheduled to take a final vote on Beidle?s legislation at its regular meeting Monday night.
The state bill gives local governments the authority to license and regulate motorized minibikes, which are defined as a vehicle with two or three wheels that is not subject to registration laws for motorcycles. The bill does not affect motor scooters, mopeds or farm tractors.
Residents throughout Anne Arundel County have complained to lawmakers about children on minibikes trespassing on private property or riding the bikes in the street. But since the bikes are not currently required to be licensed, law enforcement officials cannot cite the owner unless the operator is caught in the act.
