bill extends free state park entry to passport holders’ families

The text as introduced · 368 words

89R7668 MP-F

By: Bell of Montgomery
H.B. No. 2541

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the waiver of state park entrance, admission, and

vehicle entrance fees for certain holders of state parklands

passports and their immediate family members.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Sections 13.018(a) and (c), Parks and Wildlife

Code, are amended to read as follows:

(a) The following people may apply to the department for a

state parklands passport:

(1) a resident of this state who is 65 years old or

over who has resided in the state for six consecutive months

preceding the date of application for a parklands passport or any

other individual in a category that the commission by rule

designates as a resident of this state who is 65 years old or over;

(2) an honorably discharged veteran of the United

States armed services;

(3) an active duty [ a ] member of the United States

armed services or the Texas military forces as defined by Section

437.001, Government Code [ on active duty ];

(4) a surviving spouse, parent, child, or sibling of a

person who died while serving in the United States armed forces; and

(5) an individual who has a physical or mental

impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life

activities of the individual.

(c) The holder of a state parklands passport issued on or

before August 31, 1995, a person whose birth date is before

September 1, 1930, or a person described by Subsection (a)(2), (3),

or (4) is entitled to enter any state park without payment of an

entrance or admission fee. Each immediate family member

accompanying the holder of a state parklands passport described by

this subsection may enter the state park without payment of an

entrance or admission fee. When a fee is charged by the department

for entrance of a vehicle into a state park, the vehicle of the

holder of a state parklands passport described by this subsection

or an immediate family member of the holder is exempt from the fee

when accompanying the holder [ is present ].

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.