SB30 • 2026

STATE PARK PERMITS FOR DISABLED VETERANS

An Act making certain veterans eligible for a lifetime permit to access state park campsites and the parking and restrooms of developed facilities without charge; and providing for an effective date.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: SENATOR BJORKMAN
Last action: 2025-03-27
Official status: (S) FIN
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official text confirms the effective date is January 1, 2026, but does not specify when application processing begins.

Lifetime State Park Permits for Disabled Veterans

This law gives certain disabled veterans a free lifetime permit to use state park campsites and developed facilities in Alaska.

What This Bill Does

Requires the department to issue a free, lifetime parking, restroom, and campsite permit to eligible disabled veterans.
Allows these permits for using developed campsites without paying fees under specific sections of the law.
Mandates that the department automatically renew each permit every five years after confirming the holder's mailing address.
Requires the department to create an application form specifically for disabled veterans seeking this permit.
Orders the department to send a yearly report to the legislature showing how many permits were issued in the previous year.

Who It Names or Affects

Disabled persons whose disability happened or got worse while serving in U.S. military service.
Disabled persons whose disability happened or got worse while serving in the Alaska Territorial Guard.
The state department responsible for managing park permits and facilities.

Terms To Know

Developed facility: A place with built structures like parking lots, restrooms, or campsites that are ready for visitors to use.
Disabled veteran: A person who has a disability caused by their service in the U.S. military or the Alaska Territorial Guard.

Limits and Unknowns

The law does not say how much money is needed to pay for these free permits.
Veterans must still follow all other rules and laws about using state parks while holding this permit.
The specific date the department will start accepting applications after January 1, 2026, is not listed in this text.

Bill History

2025-03-27 Min
(S) Minutes (SFIN)
2025-03-27 Text
(S) Heard & Held
2025-03-27 Text
(S) FINANCE at 09:00 AM SENATE FINANCE 532
2025-02-19 298
(S) REFERRED TO FINANCE
2025-02-19 298
(S) FN1: (DNR)
2025-02-19 298
(S) NR: KAWASAKI, MYERS
2025-02-19 298
(S) DP: GIESSEL, HUGHES, DUNBAR, CLAMAN, WIELECHOWSKI
2025-02-19 298
(S) RES RPT CS 5DP 2NR SAME TITLE
2025-02-17 Min
(S) Minutes (SRES)
2025-02-17 Text
(S) Moved CSSB 30(RES) Out of Committee
2025-02-17 Text
(S) RESOURCES at 03:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
2025-02-03 Min
(S) Minutes (SRES)
2025-02-03 Text
(S) Heard & Held
2025-02-03 Text
(S) RESOURCES at 03:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
2025-01-22 34
(S) RES, FIN
2025-01-22 34
(S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
2025-01-22 34
(S) PREFILE RELEASED 1/10/25

Official Summary Text

STATE PARK PERMITS FOR DISABLED VETERANS
An Act making certain veterans eligible for a lifetime permit to access state park campsites and the parking and restrooms of developed facilities without charge; and providing for an effective date.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB0030B -1- CSSB 30(RES)
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

34-LS0293\G

CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 30(RES)

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION

BY THE SENATE RESOURCES COMMITTEE

Offered: 2/19/25
Referred: Finance

Sponsor(s): SENATOR BJORKMAN
A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

"An Act making certain veterans eligible for a lifetime permit to access state park 1
campsites and the parking and restrooms of developed facilities without charge; and 2
providing for an effective date." 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 4
* Section 1. AS 41.21.026(d) is amended to read: 5
( d ) T h e d e p a r t m e n t s h a l l i s s u e f r e e o f c h a r g e t o a disabled veteran 6
[VETERANS] of this country a [AN ANNUAL] state park developed facility 7
parking and restroom and developed campsite permit that is valid for the life of 8
the permit holder. The permit shall allow the [A] disabled veteran to use a state park 9
developed campsite and the parking and restrooms of a developed facility for 10
personal recreation use without a charge or fee under (a)(2) or (10) of this section. 11
The department shall automatically renew a permit issued under this subsection 12
every five years upon receiving confirmation of the permit hold er's mailing 13
address. While utilizing a developed campsite o r t h e p a r k i n g o r r e s t r o o m s o f a 14
34-LS0293\G
CSSB 30(RES) -2- SB0030B
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

developed facility without charge under this subsection, the disabled veteran sha ll 1
comply with all other statutes or regulations pertaining to the use of the developed 2
campsite or facility. The department shall provide a form for use by a disabled veteran 3
when applying for a permit under this section. Not later than F ebruary 1 of each year, 4
the department shall prepare a report on the number of permits issued to disabled 5
veterans under this subsection dur ing the previous calendar yea r and notify the 6
legislature that the report is available. 7
* Sec. 2. AS 41.21.026 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 8
(g) In this section, "disabled veteran" means a disabled perso n whose 9
disability was incurred or aggravated 10
(1) in the line of duty in the military service of the United States; or 11
(2) while serving in the Alaska Territorial Guard. 12
* Sec. 3. This Act takes effect January 1, 2026. 13