Citizen Portal
Sign In

Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!

Get email alerts on the Legislation topic

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Board hears update on SB 138, HB 105; members told bills have not advanced out of committee

Bay State Park Citizens Advisory Board · May 28, 2025
AI-Generated Content: All content on this page was generated by AI to highlight key points from the meeting. For complete details and context, we recommend watching the full video. so we can fix them.

Summary

Board members discussed Senate Bill 138 (and House Bill 105) that would impose a rental tax on certain vehicle rentals; speakers said SB138 remains in Senate resources and noted opposition from hunting and outdoor groups while explaining how revenue could be split between parks and DOT if enacted.

Board members discussed two bills that could affect park funding pathways during the May 14 meeting. The chair summarized the board's understanding of Senate Bill 138 and House Bill 105 and the bills' current status in the legislature.

The chair said SB 138—described in the discussion as a proposal to tax certain vehicle rentals—"has not moved out of Senate resources" and staff do not expect it to advance this year. Board members noted the bill was submitted by the governor and that hunting and outdoor groups have raised objections. The chair said some bill versions discussed a 9% rental tax and that current practice designates part of such revenue to State Parks (DPOR) and part to the Department of Transportation for roads.

Members discussed that the draft bill language was confusing in places and that the measure's reach (which vehicle types or private camper rentals it would affect) was unclear from the description available at the meeting. No formal motion or board position was taken on the legislation during the session.

Next steps: board members said they will stay informed of legislative movement and share updates if SB 138 or HB 105 advance out of committee.