Washington House Bill HB1914

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/10/25
• Refer: 2/10/25

Caption

AN ACT Relating to updating the cost of the discover pass and day-use permits;

Summary

HB1914 updates Washington’s recreation access fee structure by increasing the price of the Discover Pass and the day-use permit and by requiring periodic review of those fees for inflation. The bill states legislative findings that state-owned public lands and parks provide important recreational opportunities, that user fees have helped support access and maintenance, and that costs have risen faster than the existing fee levels. It amends the statutes governing the Discover Pass and day-use permits and adds a new section expressing the Legislature’s intent to preserve recreational access while aligning fees with the cost of operating state recreation programs. Under the bill, the Discover Pass cost is raised from $30 to $45, and the day-use permit cost is raised from $10 to $15 per day. The Office of Financial Management must review both fees every four years and recommend any inflation-based adjustment to the Legislature. The bill also retains existing rules on pass validity and sales, while continuing to allow a family Discover Pass option, a complimentary pass for qualifying volunteers, and a one-day day-use permit. In effect, the bill changes the revenue structure for access to state recreation lands and may increase costs for visitors who use state parks and other covered sites. The general sentiment reflected in the bill text is supportive of maintaining public access to recreation lands while ensuring the state can keep up with rising maintenance and program costs. The findings emphasize that the fee increases are intended to be commensurate with inflation and necessary to sustain recreational access for residents and visitors. No committee transcript or vote record was provided, so there is no additional recorded debate or formal vote sentiment to assess. The main point of contention implied by the bill is the balance between affordability and funding: users of state parks and other recreation sites may face higher entry costs, while the state argues that current fees have not kept pace with the cost of providing access and maintaining facilities. The bill preserves several fee-relief features, such as volunteer passes and the family pass option, which suggests an effort to soften the impact on frequent users and families. Because no hearing testimony or vote history is included, specific objections or supporters cannot be identified from the provided materials.

Impact

The bill amends Washington statutes governing the Discover Pass and day-use permits, increasing the statutory fee amounts and adding a recurring inflation review requirement by the Office of Financial Management. It affects state recreation agencies that sell or administer these passes, visitors who access state-owned recreation lands and parks, and volunteers eligible for complimentary passes. The bill also creates a new legislative finding section supporting user-fee funding for state recreation access and maintenance.

Sentiment

The bill’s stated purpose and findings reflect a generally supportive, pragmatic sentiment: preserve access to public lands while updating fees to match rising costs. The text frames the increase as a maintenance and inflation adjustment rather than a policy shift away from public access. No committee discussion or voting record was provided, so there is no documented opposition or bipartisan split to characterize beyond the bill’s own framing.

Contention

The likely contention is the higher cost to the public versus the need to fund recreation access and maintenance. Supporters would emphasize that the Discover Pass and day-use permit fees have remained unchanged for years despite rising costs, while critics may view the increases as a burden on park users and families. The bill partially addresses affordability concerns by retaining a family pass option and volunteer pass credits, but the fee increases themselves remain the central policy tradeoff.