An Act to amend 27.01 (7) (d); to create 25.40 (1) (a) 39., 341.08 (2) (g) and 341.37 of the statutes; Relating to: state parks vehicle admission receipts purchased with motor vehicle registration.
Summary
AB1019 would let Wisconsin drivers buy an annual state parks vehicle admission receipt at the same time they apply for original or renewal vehicle registration. The Department of Transportation would add a checkbox or similar option on registration applications, collect the park sticker fee and related issuing fee, and then send the money to the conservation fund. DOT would also provide the Department of Natural Resources a weekly list of purchasers, and DNR would issue the annual vehicle admission receipts to those applicants.
The bill also updates the statutes governing park admission receipts so that annual receipts can be issued to people identified through the DOT list, and it preserves the existing rules for daily receipts. It specifies the applicable fee structure for most applicants, for households that already have a current annual receipt, and for resident senior citizens. The bill would take effect on the first day of the 13th month after publication, giving agencies time to implement the new registration-based purchase process.
Impact
AB1019 would amend Wisconsin’s vehicle registration and state parks admission statutes by creating a new mechanism for purchasing annual park admission receipts through the motor vehicle registration process. It adds a new registration application field, creates a new fee section in the statutes, and directs fee revenue into the conservation fund for state parks and related recreation lands. The bill affects the Department of Transportation, the Department of Natural Resources, vehicle registrants, and park users, especially households that buy annual stickers and resident senior citizens eligible for a reduced rate.
Sentiment
The available record shows no committee transcript or recorded votes, so there is no detailed public debate to assess. The bill’s structure suggests a practical, administrative approach intended to make park sticker purchases more convenient and improve fee collection. Its introduction by a broad bipartisan group of Assembly members and Senators suggests at least some cross-party interest, but the bill ultimately failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1.
Contention
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. Potential issues implied by the bill itself include whether the new registration-based purchase system would create administrative burdens for DOT and DNR, how quickly stickers would be issued after registration, and whether the fee collection and data-sharing process would be efficient and accurate. The bill also preserves different fee categories for households and senior citizens, which could raise questions about fairness or implementation, but no explicit opposition is recorded here.
Crossfiled
An Act to amend 27.01 (7) (d); to create 25.40 (1) (a) 39., 341.08 (2) (g) and 341.37 of the statutes; Relating to: state parks vehicle admission receipts purchased with motor vehicle registration.