Bill Text: NH HB1273 | 2020 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Waiving the admission fee to state parks for military dependents.

Sponsorship: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 5-3)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-02-19 - Inexpedient to Legislate: Motion Adopted DV 221-123 02/19/2020 House Journal 4 P. 70 [HB1273 Detail]

Download: New_Hampshire-2020-HB1273-Introduced.html

HB 1273-FN - AS INTRODUCED

 

 

2020 SESSION

20-2720

05/01

 

HOUSE BILL 1273-FN

 

AN ACT waiving the admission fee to state parks for military dependents.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. Lang, Belk. 4; Rep. Baldasaro, Rock. 5; Rep. Notter, Hills. 21; Rep. Panasiti, Hills. 22; Rep. Pearl, Merr. 26; Rep. Levesque, Straf. 4; Rep. Kenney, Straf. 6; Sen. D'Allesandro, Dist 20

 

COMMITTEE: Resources, Recreation and Development

 

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ANALYSIS

 

This bill waives the admission fee to state parks for military dependents.

 

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

20-2720

05/01

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty

 

AN ACT waiving the admission fee to state parks for military dependents.

 

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 

1  Fees for State Park System; Fee for Military Dependents Waived.  Amend RSA 216-A:3-g, V(a) to read as follows:

(a)  Upon presentation of military identification, any active member of the armed forces who meets the minimum requirements for satisfactory membership, and his or her dependents, as defined in federal regulations, shall not be charged a fee for admission to day-use areas of the state park system.  In this section, "armed forces" means armed forces as defined in RSA 21:50, II and includes active and reserve members of the New Hampshire national guard.

2  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

 

LBAO

20-2720

10/29/19

 

HB 1273-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

 

AN ACT waiving the admission fee to state parks for military dependents.

 

FISCAL IMPACT:      [ X ] State              [    ] County               [    ] Local              [    ] None

 

 

 

Estimated Increase / (Decrease)

STATE:

FY 2020

FY 2021

FY 2022

FY 2023

   Appropriation

$0

$0

$0

$0

   Revenue

Potential Decrease of $26,211

Potential Decrease of $26,211

Potential Decrease of $26,211

Potential Decrease of $26,211

   Expenditures

$0

$0

$0

$0

Funding Source:

  [    ] General            [    ] Education            [    ] Highway           [ X ] Other - State Park Fund (RSA 216-A:3-i)

 

METHODOLOGY:

This bill would provide an exemption from state park admission to day use areas for dependents of active duty military personnel and dependents of active and reserve members of the New Hampshire National Guard.  The Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation reports on average there are 3,094 active military and NH National Guard members receiving free admission to day use areas of state parks each year resulting in a decrease of approximately $13,835 in State Park Fund revenue annually. The Department assumes this amount will grow based on increased usage by military personnel and their families, but cannot determine the exact financial impact based on the unknown increase in attendance and utilization of the exemption.  Assuming that each eligible military individual utilizing the state parks attends with an adult and 2 children, the Department estimates State Park Fund revenue will decrease by an additional $26,211 each year (1 adult $13,835 + child 1 $6,188 + child 2 $6,188).  

 

Park Fee

Assumed Ave Annual Utilization

Assumed Ave Annual Loss of Revenue

Adult

$4/$5 depending on park

3,094

$13,835

Child 1

$2

3,094

$6,188

Child 2

$2

3,094

$6,188

Children under age 6 are already admitted for free.

 

The Department anticipates, but is not able to estimate, the number of military members and their families utilizing the free admission to state parks will increase further reducing State Park Fund revenue.  

 

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of Natural and Cultural Resources

 

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