SB0114 creates and funds a veteran access program for Utah state parks. The bill directs the Division of State Parks to offer a discounted annual day-use pass to Utah veterans who are residents of the state and who were generally or honorably discharged from military service. The discount must be at least 25% off the regular annual day-use pass price, and the division may adopt rules to administer the program. The bill also preserves the existing free-admission provision for certain honorably discharged veterans with a current service-connected disability rating.
The bill appropriates $300,000 from the General Fund for fiscal year 2026, passed through the Department of Veterans and Military Affairs to the Division of State Parks to cover the cost of the discounted passes. It also extends the repeal date for the existing veteran-admission provision in state law, moving the sunset for the discounted veteran pass program to July 1, 2028. The measure takes effect May 7, 2025, and is structured as a temporary program subject to funding availability and automatic repeal.
Impact
SB0114 amends Utah Code sections 63I-2-279 and 79-4-1002 to expand veteran access to state parks by replacing a prior pilot free-admission program with a continuing discounted annual pass program. It creates a new state-administered benefit for resident veterans, authorizes rulemaking by the Division of State Parks, and establishes a dedicated General Fund appropriation to support implementation. The bill affects the Division of State Parks, the Department of Veterans and Military Affairs, and eligible Utah veterans, while also extending the statutory sunset for the veteran park-access provision to 2028.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have generally favorable support for its policy goal of improving benefits for veterans, as reflected by unanimous committee recommendations in the Senate and a favorable House committee recommendation. However, floor votes show the measure was more divisive in the Senate, with a narrow second-reading passage, a failed vote on February 5, and then passage on third reading the next day. Overall, the discussion and voting history suggest broad sympathy for the veteran benefit but some disagreement over cost, structure, or implementation.
Contention
The main points of contention appear to be the fiscal commitment and the design of the benefit. Some lawmakers likely preferred the earlier free-admission pilot for certain veterans, while the substitute bill shifts to a discounted annual pass for a broader group of resident veterans, funded only as money allows. The narrow and inconsistent Senate floor votes suggest concerns about the $300,000 appropriation, the use of General Fund dollars, and whether the program should be permanent or remain temporary with a sunset date. Supporters, by contrast, seem focused on expanding access and recognizing veterans through a tangible state parks benefit.