An Act to create 27.01 (9) (b) of the statutes; Relating to: waiver of fees for admission to state parks on Earth Day. (FE)
Summary
SB265 would require the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to waive any daily admission fee, including any issuing fee, for entry to a state park on April 22 of each year. The waiver would apply to the daily fee charged under current state park admission provisions and is tied specifically to Earth Day, which the bill notes was founded by Gaylord Nelson.
In practical terms, the bill creates a new statutory requirement in chapter 27 of the Wisconsin statutes directing DNR to forgo daily park admission revenue on Earth Day. It does not change annual passes or other park-related fees generally; its effect is limited to one day each year and to daily admission charges for state parks. The bill was introduced as a fee-exempt measure and was referred to the Senate Committee on Financial Institutions and Sporting Heritage, but it ultimately failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1.
Impact
The bill would add a new subsection to Wisconsin Statutes section 27.01 requiring DNR to waive daily state park admission fees on April 22 each year. This would temporarily reduce fee collections for the department on that date and would create a uniform statewide free-admission day for state parks in honor of Earth Day. The change would affect park visitors, DNR revenue, and any administrative processes tied to issuing daily admission receipts.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been broadly favorable in concept, as reflected by its large bipartisan and bicameral list of cosponsors and its symbolic connection to Earth Day and Wisconsin conservation history. The available record does not include committee testimony or recorded votes, so there is no detailed public debate in the provided materials. However, the bill’s introduction and sponsorship suggest support for promoting park access and environmental commemoration.
Contention
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided committee transcripts or votes, because none are available. The main policy tradeoff implied by the bill is between encouraging public access to state parks on Earth Day and foregoing daily admission revenue for that day. Any opposition would likely have centered on fiscal impact or the precedent of fee waivers, while supporters would likely emphasize conservation awareness, public access, and recognition of Earth Day and Gaylord Nelson.