State parks-user fee program.

WORKING DRAFT
2011
STATE OF
WYOMING
11LSO-0075

HOUSE BILL
NO.
HB0047

State parks-
user fee program
.

Sponsored by:
Joint Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources Interim Committee

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to
state parks; providing for
user
fees to be collected
at the time of
vehicle registrations; providing for a waiver of
the additional fee
;
providing for rulemaking
;
providing for distribution
and use of additional fee
; eliminating collection of daily use fees at state parks
, historic sites, state recreation areas and state archeological sites
for Wyoming
residents
;
and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of
Wyoming
:

Section 1.
W.S. 31
‑
3
‑
101(a) by creating a new
paragraph
(
i
v
), 31
‑
3
‑
103 by creating a new subsection (m) and
36-4
‑
121(a)
(intro), (i), (iii), (iv),
by creating a new paragraph (xvii)
, (h) and (n)
are amended to read:

31
‑
3
‑
101.

Registration fees; exemptions.

(a)

Except as otherwise provided, the following fees shall accompany each application for the registration of a vehicle:

(i
v
)

A state parks
, historic sites, recreation area and archeological site
user fee of five dollars ($5.00) shall be collected for all passenger
cars registering under
sub
paragraph (ii)(A) of this subsection and noncommercial vehicles registering under
sub
paragraph (ii)(E) of this subsection
at the time of registration.
A person who registers
such
a vehicle
may, at the time of annual registration make a written election not to pay
the
five dollar ($5.00)
state parks user fee
authorized under this paragraph
. If a written election is made, the fee required in
this paragraph
shall
not be collected.
The department shall, by rule and regulation, prescribe a system to be implemented by county treasurers that will clearly notify the applicant of his right to check a box and thereby elect not to pay the fee.

31
‑
3
‑
103.

Distribution of fees; refunds.

(m)

T
he fees collected pursuant to W.S. 31
‑
3
‑
101(a)(
i
v
)
shall be
distributed
to a special revenue fund to be
deposited

as follows:

(i)

Fifty percent (50%) shall be deposited in an operation and maintenance account
within the special revenue fund
for purposes
of providing for operation and maintenance at state parks, recreation areas, archaeological sites and historic sites; and

(ii)

Fifty percent (50%) shall be
deposited in the capital construction account created by W.S. 36
‑
4
‑
121(h).

36
‑
4
‑
121.

Permits to use state parks, recreation areas and historic sites.

(a)

The
department of state parks and cultural resources shall offer for sale permits that allow use of the state parks, recreation areas, archeological sites and historic sites.

Except as otherwise provided by law, d
aily use permits shall be required at Glendo, Guernsey, Curt Gowdy, Edness Kimball Wilkins, Buffalo Bill, Boysen, Seminoe and Keyhole state parks and Fort Bridger, South Pass City, Trail End, Fort Fetterman and Fort Phil Kearney state historic sites, and Hawk Springs state recreation area. The department may establish voluntary pay stations at Bear River and
Hot Springs
state parks to allow users of those parks to make voluntary contributions for the use of the state parks. Persons who enter or use Bear River or
Hot Springs
state park without paying daily use fees shall not be subject to the penalties provided for in subsection (j) of this section. Overnight camping permits shall be required at Boysen, Buffalo Bill, Curt Gowdy, Glendo, Guernsey, Keyhole, Seminoe and Sinks Canyon state parks, Connor Battlefield

and Fort Fetterman
state historic
site

sites
, Medicine Lodge state archeological site and Hawk Springs state recreation area by the department during the entire calendar year. Except for the lifetime permit issued without cost pursuant to subsection (n) of this section

or as otherwise provided by law
, the cost of the permits authorized under this section shall be:

(i)

Thirty-three dollars ($33.00) per calendar year for a resident annual daily use permit and
F
ifty-three dollars ($53.00) for a nonresident annual daily use permit to designated state parks, historic sites, archeological sites and recreation areas, valid for the holder and occupants of the holder's vehicle, provided
resident permits purchased pursuant to this paragraph between January 1 through February 15 of each year shall cost twenty-seven dollars ($27.00) and
nonresident permits purchased
during the same period

pursuant to this paragraph between January 1 through February 15 of each year
shall cost forty-six dollars ($46.00);

(iii)

Except as provided under paragraph (a)(v) of this section,
four dollars ($4.00) for residents and
six dollars ($6.00) for nonresidents for the daily use fee for designated state parks, archeological sites and recreation areas, valid for the date of purchase for the holder and occupants of the holder's vehicle and for the holder entering the park or area by bicycle, horseback or on foot;

(iv)

Except as provided under paragraph (a)(v) of this section,
two dollars ($2.00) per person for residents and
four dollars ($4.00) per person for nonresidents for the daily use fee for designated state historic sites, valid for the date of purchase for the holder only. The fee is not required for persons under the age of eighteen (18) years;

(xvii)

Residents

shall
not be required to pay a da
ily
use fee for access to state parks
, historic sites, recreation areas or archeological sites
. Other fees for the use of state parks, such as overnight camping fees, are still chargeable and may be collected by the department.

(h)

The funds received by the department from the sale of the permits

under this section and
received
pursuant to W.S. 31
‑
3
‑
103(m)(ii)
shall be deposited in a capital construction account and may be expended by the department for capital construction projects, major maintenance,
and
site interpretation such as exhibits, signage and displays

and for the administration of the fee program including the cost of purchasing permits, fee envelopes, signs and administering reservations
as approved by the legislature.

(n)

Any resident disabled veteran who receives fifty percent (50%) or more service connected disability compensation from the United States department of veteran's affairs may apply to the department for a lifetime permit authorizing the use of state parks, recreation areas, archeological sites and historic sites without payment of any
daily use,
overnight

camping
or other fee authorized to be charged pursuant to this section. Only one (1) permit shall be issued to any qualified applicant under this subsection and shall be valid for the applicant and for all occupants of the applicant's vehicle. In addition to information and other application procedural requirements prescribed by rule and regulation of the department, application for the lifetime permit shall include proof of residency and certification of the service connected disability.

The lifetime permit is valid as long as the holder is a
Wyoming
resident. A permit under this subsection shall be issued to an eligible applicant without the imposition of a fee.

Section 2.
This act is effective J
anuary
1, 201
2
.

(END)

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HB0047