Revision: May 10, 2012, midnight
SB 358-FN – AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE
02/08/12 0427s
9May2012… 1929h
2012 SESSION
09/04
SENATE BILL 358-FN
AN ACT relative to eligibility for free admission to the state park system for members of the armed forces.
SPONSORS: Sen. Sanborn, Dist 7; Sen. Lambert, Dist 13; Sen. Barnes, Jr., Dist 17; Sen. Boutin, Dist 16; Sen. Bradley, Dist 3; Sen. Carson, Dist 14; Sen. Forsythe, Dist 4; Sen. Gallus, Dist 1; Sen. Groen, Dist 6; Sen. Luther, Dist 12; Sen. Morse, Dist 22; Sen. Odell, Dist 8; Sen. White, Dist 9; Rep. Bettencourt, Rock 4; Rep. O'Brien, Hills 4; Rep. Baldasaro, Rock 3
This bill changes eligibility requirements for free admission to the state park system for members of the armed forces.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
02/08/12 0427s
9May2012… 1929h
12-2925
09/04
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twelve
AN ACT relative to eligibility for free admission to the state park system for members of the armed forces.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Free Admission to State Park System for Members of the Armed Forces. RSA 216-A:3-g, V is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:
V.(a) Upon presentation of military identification, any active member of the armed forces who meets the minimum requirements for satisfactory membership, 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.
(b) Any fees for the use of enterprise activities as described in paragraph II of this section shall be charged.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
LBAO
12-2925
Amended 02/21/12
SB 358 FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT relative to eligibility for free admission to the state park system for members of the armed forces.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Department of Resources and Economic Development states this bill, as amended by the Senate (Amendment #2012-0427s), will decrease state restricted revenue by an indeterminable amount in FY 2012 and each year thereafter. There is no fiscal impact on state, county and local expenditures, or county and local revenue.
METHODOLOGY:
The Department of Resources and Economic Development states this bill clarifies the fees charged to members of the US armed forces for entrance to state parks. The Department states it is not able to determine the number of active, retired, or honorable discharged members of the US uniformed services, who are residents of NH or their spouses and dependent children that would take advantage of the free admission to the state parks to determine by how much revenue would decrease. The Department does know that 2,277 NH National Guard and NH disabled vets received free admission to NH parks through September 29, 2011. The Department states, per the FY 2010 Department of Affairs annual benefits report, that there are 127,964 veterans in NH. The Department assumes a veteran is retired from active service. The Department estimates between 9,207 to 73,579 veterans in NH would be below the age of 65 and eligible for free admission to the state parks. Based on this estimate, state park fund revenue may decrease between $36,828 (9,207 veterans * $4 park day use fee) to $294,316 (73,579 veterans * $4 park day use fee).