2018 -- S 2250

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LC004150

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2018

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- DEPARTMENT OF

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT--STATE BEACH, PARK AND RECREATION AREA

USER FEES

     

     Introduced By: Senators Lynch Prata, Felag, Gallo, and Gee

     Date Introduced: February 01, 2018

     Referred To: Senate Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 42-17.1-9.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-17.1 entitled

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"Department of Environmental Management" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     42-17.1-9.1. User fees at state beaches, parks, and recreation areas. User fees at state

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recreation areas.

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     (a) The department of environmental management in pursuance of its administrative

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duties and responsibilities may charge a user fee for any state beach, or recreational area under its

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jurisdiction, and fees for the use of its services or facilities; provided, however, no user fee may

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be charged for access to any state beach.

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      (b) The fee may be on a daily or annual basis, or both, and may be based on vehicle

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parking or other appropriate means. The fees may recognize the contribution of Rhode Island

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taxpayers to support the facilities in relation to other users of the state's facilities. The fee

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structure may acknowledge the need to provide for all people, regardless of circumstances.

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      (c) An additional fee for camping and other special uses may be charged where

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appropriate. Rates so charged should be comparable to equivalent commercial facilities.

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      (d) All such fees shall be established after a public hearing.

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      (e) All daily fees from beach parking, which shall also include fees charged and

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collected at Ninigret conservation area and Charlestown breachway, shall be shared with the

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municipality in which the facility is located on the basis of seventy-three percent (73%) retained

 

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by the state and twenty-seven percent (27%) remitted to the municipality; provided, further, from

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July 1, 2016, until October 1, 2016, the beach fees charged and collected under this subsection

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shall be equal to those in effect on June 30, 2011. Further, purchasers of season passes between

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May 14, 2016, and June 30, 2016, shall be eligible to receive a credit for the difference between

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the amount of the July 1, 2016, fee and the amount originally paid. Said credits may be applied

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against the purchase of a season pass in 2017.

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      (f) Fifty percent (50%) of all user and concession fees received by the state shall be

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deposited as general revenues. For the year beginning July 1, 1979, the proportion of user and

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concession fees to be received by the state shall be sixty-five percent (65%); for the year

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beginning July 1, 1980, eighty-five percent (85%); and for the year beginning July 1, 1981, and

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all years thereafter, one hundred percent (100%). The general revenue monies appropriated are

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hereby specifically dedicated to meeting the costs of development, renovation of, and acquisition

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of state-owned recreation areas and for regular maintenance, repair and operation of state owned

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recreation areas. Purchases of vehicles and equipment and repairs to facilities shall not exceed

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four hundred thousand dollars ($400,000) annually. Notwithstanding the provisions of ยง 37-1-1 or

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any other provision of the general laws, the director of the department of environmental

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management is hereby authorized to accept any grant, devise, bequest, donation, gift, or

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assignment of money, bonds, or other valuable securities for deposit in the same manner as

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provided above for user and concession fees retained by the state.

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      (g) No fee shall be charged to any school or other nonprofit organization provided that a

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representative of the school or other organization gives written notice of the date and time of their

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arrival to the facility.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- DEPARTMENT OF

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT--STATE BEACH, PARK AND RECREATION AREA

USER FEES

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     This act would eliminate user fees for access to any state beach.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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