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Ways and Means votes 12-0 to recommend ITL on bill to change state park fee rules
Summary
The Ways and Means committee recommended ITL (Inexpedient to Legislate) on SB 511, a proposal to alter state park fee discounts for residents, after members and the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources said the department already has rate-setting authority and cautioned against changes outside budget season.
The Ways and Means committee voted 12-0 to recommend ITL on SB 511, a bill that would change how the state sets discount fees for residents at New Hampshire state parks. Representative Breyer moved the ITL recommendation in executive session and Representative Elmi seconded the motion.
Committee members said the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources already has authority under statute and agency rules to set differentiated fees with fiscal-committee approval. "We do have the ability in our rules right now and under statute to differentiate if we would like to with approval from the fiscal committee," said Adam Crapo, interim commissioner at the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
Why it matters: Members expressed concern that the bill could make park access cost-prohibitive for some visitors. Crapo noted that New Hampshire charges per person rather than per vehicle, meaning a higher out-of-state fee could multiply quickly for families or groups. "One of the differentiators there is that a lot of other states charge per car, whereas we charge per person," Crapo said, warning that per-person pricing could raise costs substantially for multi-occupant vehicles.
Representative Breyer told the committee he was "leaning towards ITL," adding that the proposal should be considered as part of the budget process rather than in a non-budget year. Several members echoed that sentiment, saying the department could pursue a targeted analysis and other revenue options — such as expanded retail or partnerships — before increasing fees. "I think just all those facts is No," Breyer said when explaining why he favored ITL.
The committee conducted a roll-call vote after discussion. The clerk recorded 12 votes in favor and 0 opposed, with seven members not voting; Chairman Genigian announced the motion carried and that SB 511 will be placed on the consent calendar.
Next steps: The ITL recommendation moves with the committee report; no additional action on SB 511 was taken at the session, pending placement on the consent calendar.
