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Committee adopts amendment limiting state-park 15% discount to veterans, sends bill to the floor
Summary
The Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee unanimously adopted an amendment narrowing a proposed 15% state-park discount to veterans and advanced House Bill 1342 to the full House.
Representative Stender offered Amendment 1336 to House Bill 1342 to specify that a 15% discount at state parks apply only to "prices for picnic pavilions, picnic groves, overnight campsites, cabins, cottages, lodge rooms, and all other roofed overnight facilities" and to limit eligibility to active duty members, reserve components including the National Guard, and former members whose last discharge was under conditions other than dishonorable. The committee adopted the amendment unanimously.
Representative Armanini, the bill sponsor, described HB 1342 as "a simple bill" to provide a 15% discount on state park activities, fees and charges for "active duty, retired and disabled military personnel" and said the bill is intended as "a small way of giving back" for service. Representative Haddock asked whether the amendment extended benefits to family members; Stender and the sponsor clarified the amendment restricts the discount to veterans themselves and would override family provisions in the underlying bill.
After adoption of the amendment, the committee moved the bill, as amended, to the House floor with no negative votes recorded in committee. No budget appropriation or implementation detail was decided in committee; the bill will proceed through the regular legislative process for further consideration.
