House Bill 1384, Access to Parks for Washington Veterans (2023 Regular Session)

Summary

House Bill 1384 of the 68th Legislature, 2023 Regular Session, State of Washington, an act relating to providing access to parks to all Washington veterans and amending RCW 79A.05.065. The sponsors are Representatives Shavers, Eslick, Doglio, Ramel, Gregerson, and Leavitt, and the bill was read first time on January 17, 2023 and referred to the Committee on Innovation, Community & Economic Development, & Veterans. Section 1 sets out RCW 79A.05.065, including the senior citizen's pass and the disability pass issued by the commission. Subsection (3) concerns a lifetime veteran's pass at no cost to the holder for a resident who is a veteran.

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Full text

     H-0555.1

                                  HOUSE BILL 1384


     State of Washington         68th Legislature           2023 Regular Session

     By Representatives    Shavers,   Eslick,   Doglio,   Ramel,   Gregerson,   and
     Leavitt

     Read first time 01/17/23.      Referred to Committee          on   Innovation,
     Community & Economic Development, & Veterans.




 1       AN ACT Relating to providing access to parks to all Washington
 2   veterans; and amending RCW 79A.05.065.


 3   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:


 4       Sec. 1. RCW 79A.05.065 and 2011 c 171 s 115 are each amended to
 5   read as follows:
 6       (1)(a) The commission shall grant to any person who meets the
 7   eligibility requirements specified in this section a senior citizen's
 8   pass which shall: (i) Entitle such a person, and members of his or
 9   her camping unit, to a ((fifty)) 50 percent reduction in the campsite
10   rental fee prescribed by the commission; and (ii) entitle such a
11   person to free admission to any state park.
12       (b) The commission shall grant a senior citizen's pass to any
13   person who applies for the senior citizen's pass and who meets the
14   following requirements:
15       (i) The person is at least ((sixty-two)) 62 years of age;
16       (ii) The person is a domiciliary of the state of Washington and
17   meets reasonable residency requirements prescribed by the commission;
18   and
19       (iii) The person and his or her spouse have a combined income
20   that would qualify the person for a property tax exemption pursuant
21   to RCW 84.36.381. The financial eligibility requirements of this
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 1   subsection (1)(b)(iii) apply regardless of whether the applicant for
 2   a senior citizen's pass owns taxable property or has obtained or
 3   applied for such property tax exemption.
 4       (c) Each senior citizen's pass granted pursuant to this section
 5   is valid as long as the senior citizen meets the requirements of
 6   (b)(ii) of this subsection. A senior citizen meeting the eligibility
 7   requirements of this section may make a voluntary donation for the
 8   upkeep and maintenance of state parks.
 9       (d) A holder of a senior citizen's pass shall surrender the pass
10   upon request of a commission employee when the employee has reason to
11   believe the holder fails to meet the criteria in (b) of this
12   subsection. The holder shall have the pass returned upon providing
13   proof to the satisfaction of the director that the holder meets the
14   eligibility criteria for obtaining the senior citizen's pass.
15       (2)(a) Any resident of Washington who is disabled as defined by
16   the social security administration and who receives social security
17   benefits for that disability, or any other benefits for that
18   disability from any other governmental or nongovernmental source, or
19   who is entitled to benefits for permanent disability under RCW
20   71A.10.020(((3))) (6) due to unemployability full time at the minimum
21   wage, or who is legally blind or profoundly deaf, or who has been
22   issued a card, decal, or special license plate for a permanent
23   disability under RCW 46.19.010 shall be entitled to receive,
24   regardless of age and upon making application therefor, a disability
25   pass at no cost to the holder. The pass shall: (i) Entitle such a
26   person, and members of his or her camping unit, to a ((fifty)) 50
27   percent reduction in the campsite rental fee prescribed by the
28   commission; and (ii) entitle such a person to free admission to any
29   state park.
30       (b) A card, decal, or special license plate issued for a
31   permanent disability under RCW 46.19.010 may serve as a pass for the
32   holder to entitle that person and members of the person's camping
33   unit to a ((fifty)) 50 percent reduction in the campsite rental fee
34   prescribed by the commission, and to allow the holder free admission
35   to state parks.
36       (3) Any resident of Washington who is a veteran ((and has a
37   service-connected disability of at least thirty percent)) shall be
38   entitled to receive a lifetime veteran's ((disability)) pass at no
39   cost to the holder. The pass shall: (a) Entitle such a person, and
40   members of his or her camping unit, to free use of any campsite
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 1   within any state park; (b) entitle such a person to free admission to
 2   any state park; and (c) entitle such a person to an exemption from
 3   any reservation fees.
 4       (4)(a) Any Washington state resident who provides out-of-home
 5   care to a child, as either a licensed foster family home or a person
 6   related to the child, is entitled to a foster home pass.
 7       (b) An applicant for a foster home pass must request a pass in
 8   the manner required by the commission. Upon receipt of a properly
 9   submitted request, the commission shall verify with the department of
10   social and health services that the applicant qualifies under (a) of
11   this subsection. Once issued, a foster home pass is valid for the
12   period, which may not be less than one year, designated by the
13   commission.
14       (c) When accompanied by a child receiving out-of-home care from
15   the pass holder, a foster home pass: (i) Entitles such a person, and
16   members of his or her camping unit, to free use of any campsite
17   within any state park; and (ii) entitles such a person to free
18   admission to any state park.
19       (d) For the purposes of this subsection (4):
20       (i) "Out-of-home care" means placement in a foster family home or
21   with a person related to the child under the authority of chapter
22   13.32A, 13.34, or 74.13 RCW;
23       (ii) "Foster family home" has the same meaning as defined in RCW
24   74.15.020; and
25       (iii) "Person related to the child" means those persons referred
26   to in RCW 74.15.020(2)(a) (i) through (vi).
27       (5) All passes issued pursuant to this section are valid at all
28   parks any time during the year. However, the pass is not valid for
29   admission to concessionaire operated facilities.
30       (6) The commission shall negotiate payment and costs, to allow
31   holders of a foster home pass free access and usage of park
32   campsites, with the following nonoperated, nonstate-owned parks:
33   Central Ferry, Chief Timothy, Crow Butte, and Lyons Ferry. The
34   commission shall seek state general fund reimbursement on a biennial
35   basis.
36       (7) The commission may deny or revoke any Washington state park
37   pass issued under this section for cause, including but not limited
38   to the following:
39       (a) Residency outside the state of Washington;


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 1       (b) Violation of laws or state park rules resulting in eviction
 2   from a state park;
 3       (c) Intimidating, obstructing, or assaulting a park employee or
 4   park volunteer who is engaged in the performance of official duties;
 5       (d) Fraudulent use of a pass;
 6       (e)   Providing  false   information  or   documentation  in   the
 7   application for a state parks pass;
 8       (f) Refusing to display or show the pass to park employees when
 9   requested; or
10       (g) Failing to provide current eligibility information upon
11   request by the agency or when eligibility ceases or changes.
12       (8) This section shall not affect or otherwise impair the power
13   of the commission to continue or discontinue any other programs it
14   has adopted for senior citizens.
15       (9) The commission may engage in a mutually agreed upon
16   reciprocal or discounted program for all or specific pass programs
17   with other outdoor recreation agencies.
18       (10) The commission shall adopt those rules as it finds
19   appropriate for the administration of this section. Among other
20   things, the rules shall prescribe a definition of "camping unit"
21   which will authorize a reasonable number of persons traveling with
22   the person having a pass to stay at the campsite rented by such a
23   person, a minimum Washington residency requirement for applicants for
24   a senior citizen's pass, and an application form to be completed by
25   applicants for a senior citizen's pass.

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