SB 5390 revises Washington’s recreation access pass system for state-owned recreation sites and lands. The bill increases the cost of the Discover Pass to $30 and requires the Office of Financial Management to review the price every four years and recommend inflation-based adjustments if needed. It also creates a family Discover Pass option, clarifies pass validity and display requirements, and expands or refines several pass-related exemptions and alternatives, including complimentary passes for qualifying volunteers, senior citizen passes, disability passes, veteran passes, and foster home passes.
The bill also changes how recreation access pass revenue is handled and distributed. It creates a recreation access pass account in the state treasury, directs revenue from Discover Passes and day-use permits into that account, and sets a formula for distributing the first $71 million in revenue each biennium among the Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Department of Natural Resources, and the State Parks and Recreation Commission. Amounts above that threshold are split equally among those agencies. The bill further authorizes limited uses of the account for certain court costs and for a multi-agency review of recreation access fee systems.
In addition to fee and revenue changes, the bill directs agencies to improve administration and enforcement of access rules. It specifies when passes are required, when they are not, and what constitutes proper display. It also authorizes civil infractions and reduced penalties for people who later prove they purchased a pass or qualify for a lifetime disabled veteran pass. The bill includes provisions for waiving pass requirements in certain paid-access or special-event situations and allows reciprocal or discounted programs with other outdoor recreation agencies.
The bill’s broader policy impact is to amend multiple sections of Washington law governing state park and public lands access, especially RCW provisions related to Discover Passes, day-use permits, senior discounts, disability access, veteran benefits, and foster family access. It also adds a temporary work group requirement to study long-term funding for recreation and park functions across the State Parks and Recreation Commission, Fish and Wildlife, and Natural Resources, with a report due to the Legislature and the Governor. One section of the bill was vetoed by the governor, so the enacted law reflects a partial veto rather than full approval of every provision.
Overall sentiment appears mixed but generally supportive of maintaining recreation access while increasing funding. The bill passed both chambers, but several votes were relatively close, especially on final passage, suggesting some concern about higher fees and the scope of the changes. Supporters emphasized preserving access and keeping recreation programs funded in the face of rising costs, while opponents were more likely to object to the pass price increase, the revenue distribution changes, and the creation of a work group instead of a more immediate funding solution. The governor’s partial veto also indicates at least one notable point of disagreement about the work group section and whether it was the best use of limited resources.
SB 5390 amends Washington statutes governing access to state recreation sites and lands, including Discover Pass requirements, day-use permits, senior citizen passes, disability passes, veteran passes, and foster home passes. It raises the Discover Pass fee, adds a family pass option, changes enforcement and penalty provisions, and creates a new recreation access pass account with a statutory revenue distribution formula among state recreation agencies. It also establishes a temporary legislative-agency work group to study long-term funding for recreation and park functions, though one section was vetoed by the governor.
The bill’s overall sentiment was cautiously supportive, with enough bipartisan backing to pass both chambers but with notable opposition reflected in close floor votes. Supporters appeared focused on preserving public access to recreation lands and addressing inflation-driven funding shortfalls for parks and related agencies. Critics seemed concerned about higher user fees, the administrative burden of the new funding structure, and whether the work group would produce timely or practical solutions. The governor’s partial veto suggests agreement with the bill’s core access and funding changes but not with every policy mechanism included.
The main points of contention were the increase in the Discover Pass price, the redistribution of recreation fee revenue, and the creation of a work group to study long-term funding. Opponents likely viewed the fee hike as a burden on recreation users and questioned whether the new account structure and study process would solve funding problems quickly enough. Supporters argued that costs to maintain access had outpaced existing fee revenue and that the bill was needed to sustain parks and public-land access. The vetoed section indicates the executive branch also objected to at least one part of the bill, specifically the work group approach.