veterans; lifetime state park pass

Plain English Breakdown

The specific calendar date for when this law takes effect is not listed in the provided text; it states 'general effective date' instead.

Lifetime State Park Pass for Arizona Veterans

This law requires the Arizona State Parks Board to give a free lifetime park pass to retired veterans or veterans with service-connected disabilities who have lived in Arizona for at least one year.

What This Bill Does

• Requires the Arizona State Parks Board to issue a lifetime veteran's pass at no cost.
• Grants free entrance for life to all state parks located in Arizona.
• Allows the pass holder and passengers in their personal vehicle to enter sites that charge per car.
• Allows the pass holder and up to three other people to enter sites that charge by person.

Who It Names or Affects

• Retired veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces who are Arizona residents for at least 12 months.
• Veterans with a service-connected disability who are Arizona residents for at least 12 months.
• The Arizona State Parks Board, which must issue these passes.

Terms To Know

Service-connected disability

A condition linked to a veteran's time in the armed forces that qualifies them for this pass under state law.

Arizona State Parks Board (ASPB)

The group responsible for managing Arizona state parks and issuing these passes.

Limits and Unknowns

• Applicants must have lived in Arizona as a resident for at least the past 12 months.
• Veterans must provide satisfactory proof of their retirement status or service-connected disability.
• The law becomes effective on the general effective date, but no specific calendar date is listed.

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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ATT�������� 2/24/26������� DPA������ 7-1-2

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