New Hampshire Revised Statutes 216-A:3-g – Fees for Park System
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The commissioner of the department of natural and cultural resources, in consultation with the director of parks and recreation, shall establish fees for access to and use of the state park system. The fees approved by the commissioner, after prior approval of the fiscal committee, shall not be subject to the provisions of RSA 541-A, so as to provide the department with the ability to maximize revenues and to adjust fees according to market conditions and trends as is the common practice in private industry. Any change to the fees for access to or use of the state park system proposed by the commissioner shall take effect no later than 60 days after such change is proposed, unless the fee change is denied by the fiscal committee of the general court. Said fees shall be consistent with the following criteria:
I. Fees for the use of park areas shall be designed to recover a reasonable portion of budget expenses consistent with the purposes of N.H. Rev. Stat. § 216-A:1 and 216-A:3. The general court does not intend that all park facilities be self-supporting.
II. Fees for the use of campgrounds and ski lifts shall be comparable with the fees for use of similar privately owned facilities. The operation of all enterprise functions within the park system, including ski lifts, food service, retail facilities, campgrounds, and other concession activities, shall be as profitable as possible, within the purposes of the park system.
III. [Repealed.]
IV. No disabled veteran of this state, upon providing satisfactory proof of a service-connected disability, shall be charged a fee for day-use admission to the state park system. Special number plates issued to disabled veterans pursuant to N.H. Rev. Stat. § 261:86 or a letter issued by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs certifying that the veteran suffers from a service-connected disability shall constitute satisfactory proof under this section. Any fees for the use of enterprise activities as defined in paragraph II shall be charged.
V. (a) Upon presentation of military identification, any active member of the armed forces who meets the minimum requirements for satisfactory membership, as defined in federal regulations, shall not be charged a fee for admission to day-use areas of the state park system. In this section, “armed forces” means armed forces as defined in N.H. Rev. Stat. § 21:50, II and includes active and reserve members of the New Hampshire national guard.
(b) Any New Hampshire national guard member who retired in pay grade E6 or below shall not be charged a fee for day-use admission to the state park system.
(c) Any fees for the use of enterprise activities as described in paragraph II of this section shall be charged.
VI. No admission fee shall be charged for day use of the state park system to the occupants of a vehicle with a number plate bearing a special registration plate symbol authorized by N.H. Rev. Stat. § 261:75-c. Any fees for: (a) enterprise activities as defined in paragraph II, (b) metered parking after June 15 and before September 16, (c) metered parking on weekends and holidays on or before June 15 and on or after September 16, (d) more than 6 consecutive hours of metered parking, or (e) metered parking for residential use or business employee use, shall be charged to occupants of such vehicles.
VII. (a) The commissioner shall periodically review all fees paid for entrance into and use of state parks.
(b) The commissioner may immediately begin to accept donations for the use and maintenance of Jericho Mountain state park and shall require fees for the entrance into and use of Jericho Mountain state park beginning on or before January 1, 2011. All fees generated by Jericho Mountain state park shall be deposited into the state park fund established in N.H. Rev. Stat. § 216-A:3-i. Such fees shall be based on revenue projected in the master plan and shall be in addition to registration fees for vehicles, all terrain vehicles as defined in N.H. Rev. Stat. § 215-A:1, I-b, and off highway recreational vehicles as defined in N.H. Rev. Stat. § 215-A:1, VI.
(c) [Repealed.]
VIII. The commissioner may adopt parking fees or charges within the state park system that assess an increased rate for parking on holidays and weekend days with high traffic rates unless such plan for parking fees and charges is denied by the fiscal committee of the general court as provided by this section.
I. Fees for the use of park areas shall be designed to recover a reasonable portion of budget expenses consistent with the purposes of N.H. Rev. Stat. § 216-A:1 and 216-A:3. The general court does not intend that all park facilities be self-supporting.
Terms Used In New Hampshire Revised Statutes 216-A:3-g
- Armed forces: means the United States Army, Army Reserve, Navy, Naval Reserve, Marine Corps, Marine Corps Reserve, Air Force, Air Force Reserve, Space Force, Coast Guard, Coast Guard Reserve, Army National Guard, and the Air National Guard. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 21:50
- following: when used by way of reference to any section of these laws, shall mean the section next preceding or following that in which such reference is made, unless some other is expressly designated. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 21:13
- state: when applied to different parts of the United States, may extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories, so called; and the words "United States" shall include said district and territories. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 21:4
- United States: shall include said district and territories. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 21:4
- Veteran: means any person who:
(1) Served in the United States armed forces for more than 4 years and continues to serve; or
(2) Has been discharged or released from duty in the United States armed forces with:
(A) An honorable discharge; or
(B) An uncharacterized discharge based on a service-connected injury, illness, or disability. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 21:50
II. Fees for the use of campgrounds and ski lifts shall be comparable with the fees for use of similar privately owned facilities. The operation of all enterprise functions within the park system, including ski lifts, food service, retail facilities, campgrounds, and other concession activities, shall be as profitable as possible, within the purposes of the park system.
III. [Repealed.]
IV. No disabled veteran of this state, upon providing satisfactory proof of a service-connected disability, shall be charged a fee for day-use admission to the state park system. Special number plates issued to disabled veterans pursuant to N.H. Rev. Stat. § 261:86 or a letter issued by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs certifying that the veteran suffers from a service-connected disability shall constitute satisfactory proof under this section. Any fees for the use of enterprise activities as defined in paragraph II shall be charged.
V. (a) Upon presentation of military identification, any active member of the armed forces who meets the minimum requirements for satisfactory membership, as defined in federal regulations, shall not be charged a fee for admission to day-use areas of the state park system. In this section, “armed forces” means armed forces as defined in N.H. Rev. Stat. § 21:50, II and includes active and reserve members of the New Hampshire national guard.
(b) Any New Hampshire national guard member who retired in pay grade E6 or below shall not be charged a fee for day-use admission to the state park system.
(c) Any fees for the use of enterprise activities as described in paragraph II of this section shall be charged.
VI. No admission fee shall be charged for day use of the state park system to the occupants of a vehicle with a number plate bearing a special registration plate symbol authorized by N.H. Rev. Stat. § 261:75-c. Any fees for: (a) enterprise activities as defined in paragraph II, (b) metered parking after June 15 and before September 16, (c) metered parking on weekends and holidays on or before June 15 and on or after September 16, (d) more than 6 consecutive hours of metered parking, or (e) metered parking for residential use or business employee use, shall be charged to occupants of such vehicles.
VII. (a) The commissioner shall periodically review all fees paid for entrance into and use of state parks.
(b) The commissioner may immediately begin to accept donations for the use and maintenance of Jericho Mountain state park and shall require fees for the entrance into and use of Jericho Mountain state park beginning on or before January 1, 2011. All fees generated by Jericho Mountain state park shall be deposited into the state park fund established in N.H. Rev. Stat. § 216-A:3-i. Such fees shall be based on revenue projected in the master plan and shall be in addition to registration fees for vehicles, all terrain vehicles as defined in N.H. Rev. Stat. § 215-A:1, I-b, and off highway recreational vehicles as defined in N.H. Rev. Stat. § 215-A:1, VI.
(c) [Repealed.]
VIII. The commissioner may adopt parking fees or charges within the state park system that assess an increased rate for parking on holidays and weekend days with high traffic rates unless such plan for parking fees and charges is denied by the fiscal committee of the general court as provided by this section.