Revision: March 8, 2016, midnight
\t \t\tSB 441-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE
03/03/2016 0537s
2016 SESSION
\t16-2751
\t10/01
SENATE BILL\t441-FN
AN ACT\trelative to discounts and admission without charge at state parks.
SPONSORS:\tSen. Stiles, Dist 24; Sen. Little, Dist 8; Sen. D'Allesandro, Dist 20; Sen. Woodburn, Dist 1; Rep. Mullen, Straf. 1; Rep. C. Christensen, Hills. 21; Rep. Umberger, Carr. 2; Rep. Rosenwald, Hills. 30
COMMITTEE:\tWays And Means
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AMENDED ANALYSIS
\tThis bill modifies the authority for the division of parks and recreation to offer admission without charge to persons 65 years of age and older for state parks and other areas, and repeals an authority to issue coupon books for state parks in summer months.
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Explanation:\tMatter added to current law appears in bold italics.
\t\tMatter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
\t\tMatter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
03/03/2016 0537s\t16-2751
\t10/01
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Sixteen
AN ACT\trelative to discounts and admission without charge at state parks.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
\t1 State Parks; Admission Charges; Persons 65 Years of Age and Older. Amend RSA 218:5-c to read as follows:
\t218:5-c Admission Without Charge; Residents 65 Years of Age and Older. Any person who is a resident of this state and who has attained the age of 65 shall, upon proper identification, be admitted to any state recreation area, including but not limited to parks, historical sites, and beaches[, and state-operated ski areas,] without charge except on weekends and holidays. Persons qualifying under this section shall be allowed to use any state owned facility within the recreation area without charge for the use of the facility, except those facilities operated by third parties. Persons qualifying under this section [shall] may be charged up to 2/3 of the usual fee for the use of so-called "uphill devices'' on [Saturdays and Sundays] weekends and holidays, and up to 1/3 of the usual fee on weekdays. Provided further that other special charges at state owned recreation areas, such as fees charged for parking at parking meters, shall be charged persons qualifying under this section at the usual rates. The foregoing provisions of this section shall not apply to state owned campsites or camping areas or state-owned ski areas operated by a lessee. Additional discounts or admission without charge for persons qualifying under this section may be provided in accordance with RSA 216-A:3-g.
\t2 Repeal. RSA 218:5-b, relative to state parks coupon books issued by the division of parks and recreation, is repealed.
\t3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t16-2751
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t12/15/15
SB 441-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT\trelative to discounts and admission without charge at state parks.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Department of Resources and Economic Development states this bill, as introduced, will have an indeterminable impact on state revenue in FY 2017 and each year thereafter. There will be no impact on state, county and local expenditures or on county and local revenue.
METHODOLOGY:
The Department of Resources and Economic Development states current law grants New Hampshire senior citizens free admission to state park and historical site day-use areas, free parking at Hampton Beach-South and Wallis Sands State Beaches, free admission to the Flume on weekdays and weekday holidays and free admission to the Tramway on weekday holidays. The Department states the proposed bill would eliminate the statutory requirement of granting free admission and free parking to NH senior citizens and authorize the Department to propose special pricing for seniors in accordance with RSA 216-A:3-g. The Department states the bill also repeals the authority of the Department to issue discount coupon books during the summer months. The Department cannot project the impact on future revenue, but provides the following information from the 2015 season:
•\t19,840 NH senior citizens were granted free admission to state parks where fees are $4 at standard parks and $5 at high use parks for adults.
•\t7,704 NH senior citizens were granted free parking at two the state beaches where the parking fee is $15 per vehicle.
•\t1,574 NH senior citizens were granted free admission to the Flume on weekdays and weekday holidays where the admission price is $16.
•\t49 NH senior citizens were granted free admission to the Tramway on weekday holidays where admission is $17 in the summer and $59 in the winter.
•\t306 coupon books with a full admission value of $30 were sold for $24 totaling $7,344. The full value of admission would have been $9,180 therefore the discount was worth $1,836.
Information from 2015 Season | Visitors | Normal Admission | Admission Paid | Revenue Unrealized |
Free Admission | 10,401 | $4 | $0 | $41,604 |
Free Admission | 9,439 | $5 | $0 | $47,195 |
Free Parking | 7,704 | $15 | $0 | $115,560 |
Free @ the Flume M-F | 1,574 | $16 | $0 | $25,184 |
Free @ the Tramway Summer Holidays | 33 | $17 | $0 | $561 |
Free @ the Tramway Winter Holidays | 16 | $59 | $0 | $944 |
20% Discount Coupon Books @ $24 (Full Value of $30) | 306 | 306 x $30 = $9,180 | 306 x $24 = $7,344 | $1,836 |
Total Revenue not Realized: |
|
|
| $232,884 |
The Department states the bill also would permit the Department to offer discounts or free admission to seniors pursuant to RSA 216-A:3-g. The Department has not determined what such potential future discount offerings may be that would offset the reduction in revenue above.