‘An Act To Continue To Provide Group Exemption Passes to State Parks for Persons with Disabilities and To Ensure Transparency for Certain Fees’
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following:
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the summary and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §1819, first ¶, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 678, §13 and amended by PL 2011, c. 657, Pt. W, §7 and PL 2013, c. 405, Pt. A, §24, is further amended to read:
With the consent of the Governor and the commissioner, the bureau may charge reasonable fees for services, accommodations and use. The bureau shall post on its publicly accessible website by October 1st of each year the schedule of its fees for the next calendar year. A new or changed fee takes effect on January 1st following its posting.
Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §1819-C is enacted to read:
§ 1819-C. Day use passes for organizations that serve persons with disabilities
Notwithstanding section 1819, the bureau, in accordance with rules adopted under this section, shall issue a free group pass for day use at state parks and historic sites to eligible organizations that serve persons with disabilities. The rules must specify qualifications for eligible organizations and any limitations or restrictions on the use of a free group pass. The rules must allow admission free of charge to all state parks and historic sites to persons with disabilities and persons assisting them for visits arranged by an eligible organization issued a pass. Rules adopted under this section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 3. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made.
AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY, DEPARTMENT OF
Parks - General Operations Z221
Initiative: Provides funding to conduct rulemaking.
| GENERAL FUND | 2015-16 | 2016-17 |
|
All Other
|
$0 | $2,500 |
 |
|
|
| GENERAL FUND TOTAL | $0 | $2,500 |
summary
This amendment replaces the bill.
This amendment requires the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Bureau of Parks and Lands to adopt rules providing for the issuance of free group passes for day use at state parks and historic sites to eligible organizations that serve persons with disabilities.
This amendment also provides that the bureau's schedule of fees for services, accommodations and use must be posted on its publicly accessible website by October 1st of each year and that a new or changed fee takes effect on January 1st following its posting.
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)