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Veterans‑passport bill stalls after fiscal concerns about state parks funding
Summary
HB 270 proposed a veterans passport granting free admission and parking and discounts at state parks for veterans; DCR estimated roughly $1,000,000 fiscal impact assuming proportional veteran usage, but the motion to refer to appropriations failed for lack of a second and the bill did not advance.
Delegate Wright presented HB 270, a constituent-sponsored bill that would require the Department of Conservation and Recreation to establish a veterans passport entitling veterans (other than dishonorably discharged) to free admission and parking at state parks and a 50% discount on other activities.
Nikki Robner, director of DCR, said staff were working on a fiscal impact statement and provided a preliminary estimate that, assuming veterans represent 9% of visitors, the fiscal impact to the park system could be about $1,000,000. She noted state parks rely in part on parking and admissions revenue and that parks face a large maintenance backlog.
Committee members asked whether state parks receive general funds (DCR corroborated they do receive some general funds but emphasized fees are important) and how a large uptake among veterans would affect operations and maintenance funding. A motion to report the bill and refer it to appropriations was made, but a second did not materialize and the bill failed to move forward.
The hearing closed noting the routine historic difficulty of advancing such fee‑relief proposals without appropriations or offsetting revenue.
