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Committee backs $1 park gate surcharge option to help counties fund public safety and infrastructure
Summary
The Senate Natural Resources Committee passed House Bill 1204 as amended, allowing county councils to adopt an ordinance to collect up to $1 per vehicle at state park gates (exempting annual pass holders) to fund public safety and park‑related infrastructure; the bill passed 5–3–1 and was recommitted to Appropriations amid concerns about inconsistent implementation and a call for clearer language to ensure funds benefit parks.
The Senate Natural Resources Committee passed House Bill 1204 as amended on April 10, advancing a plan that would let counties that host Indiana state parks, recreation areas or reservoirs collect up to $1 per vehicle at park gates to support public safety and park‑related infrastructure.
Representative Hall, the bill’s author, told the committee the measure responds to budget strains in counties that host state parks. He said the $1 surcharge — which would not apply to annual pass holders — would be set by county ordinance and could be used "for public safety or that infrastructure" that benefits state parks and adjacent communities. Hall said his spreadsheet estimates Brown County could raise roughly $100,000 at $1 given recent visitor counts.
Supporters included local officials and volunteer firefighters. Larry Curl, who represents nearly 13,000 volunteer firefighters, urged the committee to approve the bill, saying departments need specialized rescue equipment for incidents at parks and that volunteer departments currently fund that equipment locally.
The Department of Natural Resources, represented by deputy director Chris Smith, expressed concerns about uneven implementation. Smith noted the bill only affects sites that charge gate fees and warned it could produce a "patchwork" across properties; he also said the department already returns some forest‑management revenue to counties for fire protection and that not all state properties would be eligible for the surcharge.
Environmental and conservation voices had mixed reactions. Delaney Barber Quan of Indiana Conservation Voters supported the bill’s aim to help local responders. Catherine Kenny of Save the Dunes said her group is neutral but asked for clearer language to ensure revenues are directed to state parks and surrounding communities rather than being spent on unrelated local projects.
Opponents in the committee raised equity and practicality concerns. Sen. Byrne called a user fee "a tax" and said starting with a $1 surcharge raises questions about where it could go in future sessions; others said a small per‑vehicle fee may not cover the scale of needs in some rural counties.
After debate, a member moved to pass HB 1204 as amended and recommit it to Senate Appropriations. The committee vote recorded 5 yays, 3 nays and 1 excused; the bill was recommitted to Appropriations for further consideration.
The committee record documents stakeholder concerns about implementation consistency and calls for narrower language to ensure funds benefit parks and immediate communities; the transcript does not include the Appropriations committee’s next action.
