The problem:
In Lansing, Senate Bill 1191 (2022) proposes the following:
- Ban bikes from any trail that is open to horses
- Open trails to horses by default, unless horses are explicitly banned.
- Give a committee of horse owners the decision-making power to determine which trails are horse trails (instead of the Michigan DNR who does this now).
In other words, trails that are currently un-designated (e.g. state game areas, two tracks adjacent to Yankee Springs, state forest trails like the VASA, ) would immediately (by law) become open to horses and closed to bikes.
This bill is non-partisan, with some limited support from members of both parties. It’s relatively niche, so raising awareness can help prevent it from being passed without debate and alterations to protect our access to trails. This is not a party problem and it requires a bi-partisan solution, so no matter which senator represents your district, now is the time to take some action.
One-step to helping out:
- Contact your local State Legislator and State Senator and tel l them that the Right to Ride legislation passed in 2010 has always been bad, and the proposed amendment to it is about to make it worse. R2R and its proposed amendment, 1.) grants too much influence to the equestrians at the expense of other user groups, 2.) weakens DNR stewardship of trails, and 3.) presents a danger to cyclist access to nonmotorized trails across the state of Michigan. [Find your Senator] [Find your Rep]
Quick reference list of senators to speed this process:
| District | If you live here: | Your Senator is: |
| 29 | Ada, Caledonia, Cascade, East Grand Rapids, part of GR City, parts of Walker, Grand Rapids Twp, Lowell, parts of Wyoming | Winnie Brinks senwbrinks@senate.michigan.gov |
| 28 | Cedar Springs, Rockford, parts of Walker, Algoma, Cannon Twp, Courtland Twp, Oakfield Twp, Grattan Twp, Vergennes Twp, parts of Wyoming, Byron Twp | (Vacant! Please use the email below as it will go to Senate leadership) District28@senate.michigan.gov |
| 30 | Holland Twp, Zeeland, Park Twp, Jamestown, Hudsonville, Georgetown Twp, Port Sheldon, Olive, Tallmadge, Allendale, Robinson, Grand Haven, Ferrysburg, Spring Lake, Crockery, Polkton, Wright, Chester | Roger Victory SenRVictory@senate.michigan.gov |
| 34 | Muskegon County, Newaygo County, Oceana County | Jon Bumstead SenJBumstead@senate.michigan.gov |
Here’s a template for your email (updated 10/4/2022):
Dear <STATE SENATOR or REPRESENTATIVE>,
I am writing to ask you to oppose Senate Bill 1191 (2022), which unfairly amends the Right-2-Ride Act of 2010. The amendment was introduced to committee by Senator Jim Runstad, and despite assurances to the contrary, creates legal issues for mountain bikers wishing to continue to use trails we have used for the last twenty years.
My family participates in the statewide youth mountain biking league, MiSCA. The Michigan Scholastic Cycling Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that empowers communities to develop and grow K-12 youth mountain biking programs across the state. This organization serves 1,100 youth supported by 500 volunteer coaches that may not find success in traditional sports. I invite you to learn more about MiSCA at www.miscabike.org. The proposed amendment threatens the equitable trail access we depend on, as well as this growing youth fitness movement as a whole.
The amendment as currently described grants far too much influence to one special interest group (equestrians) at the expense of all other trail users. The creation and empowerment of the Equine Trails Subcommittee would grant undue influence to that single user group, while also stripping the MDNR of its authority to decide how to manage trails.
Challenges to the expanding mountain biking community, and especially the children that MiSCA serves include the loss of access to trails on public lands that riders have used for decades alongside multiple user groups. Furthermore, in cases where equine trails exist alongside other trails (e.g. Maybury, Proud Lake, Fort Custer, Yankee Springs, and across the Upper Peninsula) the law creates uncertainty and puts burdensome requirements on the MDNR if they wish to ban equine access (which becomes required by this amendment if they wish to allow cycling). The amendment proposes no such burdens for banning other user groups, again granting equine users favored access to public lands.
Please oppose the amendment to the R2R Act, and preserve the MDNR’s authority to manage our public lands without new restrictions that favor single user groups.
Thank you,
<SENDER NAME(S)>
<SENDER ADDRESS>
<SENDER PHONE>