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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, Second Regular Session
AMENDED
veterans; lifetime state park pass
Purpose
Requires the
Arizona State Parks Board (ASPB) to issue a lifetime veteran's pass that grants
state park access for life at no charge to Arizona veterans who are retired or
have a
service-connected disability.
Background
The ASPB is responsible for managing the state parks system and may levy and collect reasonable fees or other charges for the use of privileges provided under the jurisdiction of the ASPB. The ASPB manages the State Park Revenue Fund which consists of: 1) park merchandise; 2) monies appropriated by the Legislature; 3) gifts and donations; 4) all monies derived from state park user fees, concession fees and other revenue generating activities; 5) surcharges on park reservations; and 6) the sale of park assets (A.R.S. §§ 41-511.05 and 41-511.21).
Arizona State Parks offers day use discounts to retired or active-duty service members and veterans with a service-connected disability. All retired or active-duty service members and veterans with a service-connected disability rated at less than 100 percent receive 50 percent off a day-use entrance pass. A veteran with a service-connected disability whose disability rating is 100 percent receives a 100 percent free day-use pass (Arizona State Parks).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the State General Fund associated with this legislation. However, if issuing veterans a state park pass at no charge results in a change to the amount of monies derived from state park fees, there may be a fiscal impact to the State Park Revenue Fund.
Provisions
1. Requires the ASPB to issue a lifetime veteran's pass at no charge to a person who has been an Arizona resident for at least the past 12 months who:
a) submits satisfactory evidence that the person is a retired veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces; or
b) is a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces with a service-connected disability.
2. Requires the lifetime veteran's pass to grant park entrance for life to all state parks located in Arizona to the veteran and all passengers in the same personal vehicle as the veteran for sites that charge per vehicle or the veteran and up to three people at sites that charge per person.
3. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by the Appropriations, Transportation & Technology Committee
· Narrows the eligibility for a lifetime veteran's pass to only an Arizona resident who is a retired veteran or an Arizona veteran with a service-connected disability.
Senate Action
GOV 1/28/26 DP 4-3-0
ATT 2/24/26 DPA 7-1-2
Prepared by Senate Research
February 24, 2026
AN/TR/ci