veterans; lifetime state park pass

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on how revenue loss will be managed or if there are plans to replace lost funds.

Lifetime State Park Pass for Arizona Veterans

This bill requires the Arizona State Parks Board to provide a free lifetime state park pass to eligible veterans who are retired or have a service-connected disability and have been residents of Arizona for at least one year.

What This Bill Does

• The bill creates a new law that allows the Arizona State Parks Board to give out free lifetime passes to certain veterans.
• Veterans must be residents of Arizona for at least one year and either retired from military service or have a service-connected disability.
• These passes allow veterans and up to three passengers in their vehicle to enter all state parks in Arizona without paying entrance fees.

Who It Names or Affects

• Arizona veterans who are retired or have a service-connected disability and have been residents of Arizona for at least one year
• The Arizona State Parks Board

Terms To Know

Service-Connected Disability

A medical condition that is caused by or made worse during military service.

Arizona State Parks Revenue Fund

The fund where money from park fees, donations, and other sources goes to support Arizona state parks.

Limits and Unknowns

• It is not clear how the reduction in revenue will be managed or if there are plans to replace lost funds.
• The bill does not specify what happens if a veteran moves out of Arizona after receiving their pass.
• There may be additional costs for administering and managing these passes.

Official Summary Text

SB1050 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet

Assigned to
GOV
& ATT���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� AS
PASSED BY COMMITTEE

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session

REVISED

AMENDED

FACT SHEET FOR
S.B. 1050

veterans;
lifetime state park pass

Purpose

Requires the
Arizona State Parks Board (ASPB) to issue a lifetime veteran's pass that grants
state park access for life at no charge to Arizona veterans who are retired or
have a

service-connected disability.

Background

The ASPB is responsible for managing the state parks system
and may levy and collect reasonable fees or other charges for the use of
privileges provided under the jurisdiction of the ASPB. The ASPB manages the
State Park Revenue Fund which consists of: 1) park merchandise; 2) monies
appropriated by the Legislature; 3) gifts and donations; 4) all monies derived
from state park user fees, concession fees and other revenue generating
activities; 5) surcharges on park reservations; and 6) the sale of park assets (A.R.S.
��
41-511.05
and
41-511.21
).

Arizona State Parks offers day use discounts to retired or
active-duty service members and veterans with a service-connected disability.
All retired or active-duty service members and veterans with a
service-connected disability rated at less than 100 percent receive 50 percent
off a day-use entrance pass. A veteran with a service-connected disability
whose disability rating is 100 percent receives a 100 percent free day-use pass
(
Arizona
State Parks
).

The Joint
Legislative Budget Committee fiscal note on S.B. 1050 estimates a decrease in
annual revenues to the State Parks Revenue Fund of at least approximately $200,000,
beginning in FY 2027, from day passes and annual passes that would have
otherwise been purchased by retired veterans or veterans with a service-connected
disability rated under 100 percent (
JLBC
Fiscal Note
).

Provisions

1.

Requires
the ASPB to issue a lifetime veteran's pass at no charge to a person who has
been an Arizona resident for at least the past 12 months who:

a)

submits satisfactory evidence that the person is a retired veteran of
the U.S. Armed Forces; or

b)

is a
veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces with a service-connected disability.

2.

Requires the lifetime veteran's pass to grant park entrance for life to
all state parks located in Arizona to the veteran and all passengers in the
same personal vehicle as the veteran for sites that charge per vehicle or the
veteran and up to three people at sites that charge per person.

3.

Becomes effective on the general effective date.

Amendments Adopted by the
Appropriations, Transportation & Technology Committee

�

Narrows the eligibility for a lifetime veteran's pass to only an
Arizona resident who is a retired veteran or an Arizona veteran with a
service-connected disability.�

Revisions

�

Updates the fiscal impact statement.

Senate Action

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Prepared by Senate Research

April 10, 2026

AN/TR/ci

Current Bill Text

SB1050 - 572R - S Ver

Senate Engrossed

veterans; lifetime
state park pass

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

SENATE BILL 1050

AN
ACT

Amending title 41, chapter 3, article
1.1, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 41-511.26; relating to
the arizona state parks board.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it
enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Title 41, chapter 3, article 1.1,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 41-511.26, to read:

START_STATUTE
41-511.26.

Lifetime veteran's pass

A. The arizona state parks board
shall issue a lifetime veteran's pass at no charge to a person who Is currently
a resident of this state and who has been a resident of this state for at least
the past TWELVE months
And who meets one of the
following:

1. Submits satisfactory evidence that
the person is a
retired veteran of the armed forces of
the united states.

2. is a veteran of the armed forces
of the United States with a service-connected disability.

B. The Lifetime veteran's pass shall
grant park ENTRANCE for life to all state parks located in this state to the
veteran and all passengers in the same personal vehicle as the veteran for
sites that charge per vehicle or the veteran and up to three people at sites
that charge per PERSON.
END_STATUTE