§ 216-A:3-g — Fees for Park System

New Hampshire § 216-A:3-g

• Jurisdiction: New Hampshire
• Title XIX: PUBLIC RECREATION
• Ch. 216-A: EXPANSION OF STATE PARK SYSTEM

Text

The commissioner of the department of natural and cultural resources, in consultation with the director of parks and recreation, shall establish fees for access to and use of the state park system. The fees approved by the commissioner, after prior approval of the fiscal committee, shall not be subject to the provisions of RSA 541-A, so as to provide the department with the ability to maximize revenues and to adjust fees according to market conditions and trends as is the common practice in private industry. Any change to the fees for access to or use of the state park system proposed by the commissioner shall take effect no later than 60 days after such change is proposed, unless the fee change is denied by the fiscal committee of the general court. Said fees shall be consistent with the following criteria:
I. Fees for the use of park areas shall be designed to recover a reasonable portion of budget expenses consistent with the purposes of RSA 216-A:1 and 216-A:3. The general court does not intend that all park facilities be self-supporting.
II. Fees for the use of campgrounds and ski lifts shall be comparable with the fees for use of similar privately owned facilities. The operation of all enterprise functions within the park system, including ski lifts, food service, retail facilities, campgrounds, and other concession activities, shall be as profitable as possible, within the purposes of the park system.
III. [Repealed.]
IV. No disabled veteran of this state, upon providing satisfactory proof of a service-connected disability, shall be charged a fee for day-use admission to the state park system. Special number plates issued to disabled veterans pursuant to RSA 261:86 or a letter issued by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs certifying that the veteran suffers from a service-connected disability shall constitute satisfactory proof under this section. Any fees for the use of enterprise activities as defined in paragraph II shall be charged.
V. (a) Upon presentation of military identification, any active member of the armed forces who meets the minimum requirements for satisfactory membership, or any retired member of the armed forces, or any spouse or unmarried surviving spouse of a retired member of the armed forces as defined in federal regulations, shall not be charged a fee for admission to day-use areas of the state park system provided that retired members of the armed forces and spouses or unmarried surviving spouses of retired members of the armed forces provide proof of New Hampshire residency. In this section, "armed forces" means armed forces as defined in RSA 21:50, II and includes active, retired, and reserve members of the New Hampshire national guard.
(b) Any fees for the use of enterprise activities as described in paragraph II of this section shall be charged.
VI. No admission fee shall be charged for day use of the state park system to the occupants of a vehicle with a number plate bearing a special registration plate symbol authorized by RSA 261:75-c. Any fees for: (a) enterprise activities as defined in paragraph II, (b) metered parking after June 15 and before September 16, (c) metered parking on weekends and holidays on or before June 15 and on or after September 16, (d) more than 6 consecutive hours of metered parking, or (e) metered parking for residential use or business employee use, shall be charged to occupants of such vehicles.
VII. (a) The commissioner shall periodically review all fees paid for entrance into and use of state parks.
(b) The commissioner may immediately begin to accept donations for the use and maintenance of Jericho Mountain state park and shall require fees for the entrance into and use of Jericho Mountain state park beginning on or before January 1, 2011. All fees generated by Jericho Mountain state park shall be deposited into the state park fund established in RSA 216-A:3-i. Such fees shall be based on revenue projected in the master plan and shall be in addition to registration fees for vehicles, all terrain vehicles as defined in RSA 215-A:1, I-b, and off highway recreational vehicles as defined in RSA 215-A:1, VI.
(c) [Repealed.]
VIII. The commissioner may adopt parking fees or charges within the state park system that assess an increased rate for parking on holidays and weekend days with high traffic rates unless such plan for parking fees and charges is denied by the fiscal committee of the general court as provided by this section.

Legislative History

1985, 389:6. 1991, 355:62. 1993, 358:24. 1995, 308:127, X. 1996, 210:6. 2003, 153:1; 282:1. 2010, 373:1, eff. Jan. 1, 2011; 374:6, eff. July 26, 2010. 2011, 184:2, eff. June 14, 2011. 2012, 274:2, eff. June 20, 2012 at 12:01 a.m.; 276:1, eff. Aug. 18, 2012; 276:4, eff. June 20, 2012 at 12:02 a.m.; 277:1, eff. June 20, 2012. 2016, 191:1, 2, eff. July 1, 2016. 2017, 156:14, I, eff. July 1, 2017. 2024, 227:1, eff. Sept. 17, 2024.