6
63I-2-279
79-4-1002
VETERAN ACCESS TO STATE PARKS
2024 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Karen Kwan
House Sponsor: Matthew H. Gwynn
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill expands veteran access to state parks.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
renumbers a provision that expands the State Parks Honor Pass Program to all veterans
with any percentage of disability rating from the Veterans Administration; and
creates a one-year pilot program that expands free access to state parks on a limited
basis to veterans who have an Interagency Military-Lifetime Pass for national parks and are a
resident of the state.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2025:
to Department of Veterans and Military Affairs - DVMA Pass Through - DVMA Pass
Through as a one-time appropriation:
from the General Fund, One-time,
$200,000
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
63I-2-279, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2023, Chapters 33, 139 and 221
ENACTS:
79-4-1002, Utah Code Annotated 1953
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1, Section
63I-2-279 is amended to read:
63I-2-279. Repeal dates: Title 79.
(1)Section
79-2-206, Transition, is repealed July 1, 2024.
(2)Section
79-2-407, which directs the Department of Natural Resources to study funding
for water infrastructure costs, is repealed July 1, 2025.
(3)
Subsection
79-4-1002(2), which creates a pilot program for veteran free admission to
state parks, is repealed July 1, 2025.
(3)
(4)
Section
79-7-303 is repealed on July 1, 2024.
Section 2, Section
79-4-1002 is enacted to read:
79-4-1002. Veteran access to state parks.
(1)
The division shall make rules, in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah
Administrative Rulemaking Act, to grant free admission to state parks to an honorably
discharged veteran who:
(a)
is a resident of the state; and
(b)
has a current service-connected disability rating issued by the United States Veterans
Benefits Administration.
(2)
(a)
Beginning on July 1, 2024, and ending on June 30, 2025, the division shall offer a
pilot program that grants free admission to state parks to a veteran who:
(i)
is a resident of the state; and
(ii)
has an Interagency Military-Lifetime Pass for national parks and federal
recreational lands.
(b)
The division may make rules to establish the pilot program described in Subsection
(2)(a).
Section 3.
FY 2025 Appropriation.
The following sums of money are appropriated for the fiscal year beginning July 1,
2024, and ending June 30, 2025. These are additions to amounts previously
appropriated for fiscal year 2025.
Subsection 3(a)
Operating and Capital Budgets
Under the terms and conditions of Title 63J, Chapter 1, Budgetary Procedures Act,
the Legislature appropriates the following sums of money from the funds or accounts
indicated for the use and support of the government of the state of Utah.
Executive Appropriations
ITEM 1
Department of Veterans and Military Affairs - DVMA Pass Through
From General Fund, One-time
$200,000
DVMA Pass Through
$200,000
The Legislature intends that the Department of Veterans and Military Affairs pass
through the appropriation under this section to the Division of State Parks to pay for
free veteran admission to state parks in accordance with Subsection
79-4-1002(2).
Section 4.
Effective date.
This bill takes effect on May 1, 2024.