The bill mandates that the commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Natural and Cultural Resources set state park entry fees for New Hampshire residents at no more than 50 percent of the fees charged to nonresidents. Additionally, the commissioner is authorized to establish different fee schedules for residents and nonresidents for specific services within state parks, such as camping, facility rental, parking, or boat rental. However, even with separate fee schedules, residents cannot be charged more than 90 percent of the fee charged to nonresidents. Residency can be proven through various forms of identification, including state-issued ID, utility or tax bills, vehicle registrations, student identification, or vehicle license plates. The act is set to take effect on April 1, 2025.

The fiscal note attached to the bill indicates that the financial impact on the State Park Fund is indeterminable but is expected to result in a decrease in revenue. This decrease is due to anticipated lost income from reduced fees for residents, potential reduced revenue from non-resident visitors opting for other recreational activities, and the costs associated with modifying the state park reservation and point-of-sale systems. The Department of Natural and Cultural Resources has provided an analysis with assumptions based on FY 2023 visitation data, estimating a potential range of fiscal impact to State Park Fund revenue from a loss of $860,735 to an increase of $1,366,076. This estimate does not account for the effective date of the bill or the potential loss of non-resident visitors due to increased fees.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 216-A:3-g
As Amended by the Senate: 216-A:3-g