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Committee considers bills to waive recreation passport fee for Gold Star families
Summary
House Bills 4672 and 4673 would exempt Gold Star families—those who lost an immediate family member in U.S. military service—from the $14 vehicle recreation passport fee. Sponsors and witnesses described the change as a modest, symbolic benefit. The Department of Natural Resources would administer the exemption under HB 4673; no vote was taken.
The House Committee on Natural Resources and Tourism took testimony on House Bills 4672 and 4673, a tied package sponsored by Representative Matt Markkanen to provide free recreation passport access to Gold Star families — those who lost an immediate family member in U.S. military service.
Representative Markkanen told the committee the bills are ‘‘not about handing out perks or special favors. This is about respect. It’s about recognition.’’ He said the exemption would eliminate the $14 per-vehicle fee (or $7 for a motorcycle) charged at vehicle renewal and allow families to access state parks without purchasing the recreation passport.
The sponsor and supporters noted the measure mirrors provisions in other states and federal programs and that, based on historical casualty counts, the annual fiscal cost to the passport program would be modest. Committee discussion referenced a 2019 figure of 230 Michigan service members killed in action in Iraq and Afghanistan to give scale to the affected group; the sponsor said a one-vehicle-per-household assumption would imply roughly $3,200 in lost passport revenue annually in that example.
Representative Markkanen said qualifying families would not have to display a specialty license plate to receive the benefit and that the exemption could be administered through existing DNR processes under companion House Bill 4673. He suggested outreach would be coordinated with veterans’ organizations, including the American Legion and VFW, to help Gold Star families learn about the benefit.
No formal committee vote occurred on the bills at the Aug. 20 hearing; committee members expressed support and questions but left further action for future consideration.
