Bill Text: NH HB1179 | 2024 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relative to state park system fees for retired members of the armed forces.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 6-1)
Status: (Passed) 2024-07-26 - Signed by Governor Sununu 07/19/2024; Chapter 227; eff.09/17/2024 [HB1179 Detail]
Download: New_Hampshire-2024-HB1179-Enrolled.html
HB 1179-FN - VERSION ADOPTED BY BOTH BODIES
1Feb2024... 0192h
2024 SESSION
24-2153
12/08
HOUSE BILL 1179-FN
AN ACT relative to state park system fees for retired members of the armed forces.
SPONSORS: Rep. Horgan, Straf. 1; Rep. McGough, Hills. 12; Rep. Pauer, Hills. 36; Rep. Calabro, Hills. 45; Rep. J. Harvey-Bolia, Belk. 3; Rep. Creighton, Hills. 30; Rep. Porcelli, Rock. 19
COMMITTEE: State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs
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ANALYSIS
This bill amends state park fees for retired members of the armed forces.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
1Feb2024... 0192h 24-2153
12/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Four
AN ACT relative to state park system fees for retired members of the armed forces.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Fees for Park System. Amend RSA 216-A:3-g, V to read as follows:
V.(a) Upon presentation of military identification, any active member of the armed forces who meets the minimum requirements for satisfactory membership, or any retired member of the armed forces, or any spouse or unmarried surviving spouse of a retired member of the armed forces as defined in federal regulations, shall not be charged a fee for admission to day-use areas of the state park system provided that retired members of the armed forces and spouses or unmarried surviving spouses of a retired member of the armed forces provides proof of New Hampshire residency. In this section, "armed forces" means armed forces as defined in RSA 21:50, II and includes active, retired, and reserve members of the New Hampshire national guard.
[(b) Any New Hampshire national guard member who retired in pay grade E6 or below shall not be charged a fee for day-use admission to the state park system.]
[(c)] (b) Any fees for the use of enterprise activities as described in paragraph II of this section shall be charged.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
24-2153
Amended 2/29/24
HB 1179-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE (AMENDMENT #2024-0192h)
AN ACT relative to state park system fees for retired members of the armed forces.
FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ ] County [ ] Local [ ] None
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Estimated State Impact - Increase / (Decrease) | |||||||||
| FY 2024 | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | FY 2027 | |||||
Revenue | $0 | Indeterminable Decrease ($126,000+) to $0 | Indeterminable Decrease ($126,000+) to $0 | Indeterminable Decrease ($126,000+) to $0 | |||||
Revenue Fund(s) | State Park Fund | ||||||||
Expenditures | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |||||
Funding Source(s) | None | ||||||||
Appropriations | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |||||
Funding Source(s) | None | ||||||||
• Does this bill provide sufficient funding to cover estimated expenditures? [X] N/A • Does this bill authorize new positions to implement this bill? [X] N/A | |||||||||
METHODOLOGY:
This bill removes State park fees from being charged to any retired member of the armed forces, or any spouse or unmarried surviving spouse of a retired member of the armed forces who provides proof of NH residency. The Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) states the majority of state park visitors reside in NH. The day-use admissions to states parks is $4.00/adult and $5.00/adult at the popular, high use parks. In order to calculate a fiscal impact, the Department used a cost of a $5.00 admission fee to calculate the high end of the estimated impact. The Department states the average number of visits to NH state parks for active members of the armed forces, New Hampshire National Guard members, and disabled veterans is 2.65. Additionally, the total count of military retirees for NH is 9,533. When calculating these factors, the Department estimates a loss of revenue of $126,312 (NH Military retirees 9,533 x park admission $5 x average visits 2.65). This loss is not offset by the current RSA exemption for NH national guard members who have retired at pay grade E6 or below as the Department does not collect that information.
The estimated loss of $126,312 does not factor in spouses or unmarried surviving spouses as the DNCR does not have that data.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
