HB488: relative to state park campground reservations for New Hampshire residents.

HB 488-FN - AS INTRODUCED

2023 SESSION

23-0363

10/04

HOUSE BILL 488-FN

AN ACT relative to state park campground reservations for New Hampshire residents.

SPONSORS: Rep. Post, Hills. 42

COMMITTEE: Resources, Recreation and Development

ANALYSIS

This bill requires the division of parks and recreation to allow New Hampshire residents a time period to reserve a state park campsite prior to allowing out-of-state reservations to commence.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

23-0363

10/04

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Three

AN ACT relative to state park campground reservations for New Hampshire residents.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 New Paragraph; State Park System; Reservation Procedures. Amend RSA 216-A:3-c by inserting after paragraph III the following new paragraph:

III-a. The state park strategic plan uniform standards for reservation procedures under subparagraph III(k) shall include the requirement that each year the division of parks and recreation shall allow a 2-day window for New Hampshire residents to reserve a state park campsite prior to allowing out-of-state reservations to commence. New Hampshire residents must provide a valid New Hampshire driver’s license or other official government photo identification at the time of the campsite reservation and when checking into the state park campground.

2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

LBA

23-0363

1/9/23

HB 488-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

AN ACT relative to state park campground reservations for New Hampshire residents.

FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ ] County [ ] Local [ ] None

Estimated Increase / (Decrease)

STATE:

FY 2023

FY 2024

FY 2025

FY 2026

Appropriation

$0

$0

$0

$0

Revenue

$0

Indeterminable Decrease

Indeterminable Decrease

Indeterminable Decrease

Expenditures

$0

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Funding Source:

[ ] General [ ] Education [ ] Highway [ X ] Other - State Park Fund

METHODOLOGY:

This bill requires the division of parks and recreation to allow New Hampshire residents a time

period to reserve a state park campsite prior to allowing out-of-state reservations to commence.

The Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation indicates that it contracts with ReserveAmerica for online and call center camping reservations. Reservations may be made 11 months in advance of check-in. Because reservations are made on a rolling basis, it may not be possible to implement a 2-day advance window for reservations to be open to NH residents only. A field to enter a valid NH driver’s license or other official government ID would need to be added to the ReserveAmerica system. The validity of the driver’s license or other ID could not be confirmed unless the system is interfaced with NH Division of Motor Vehicles. Software changes would be required by ReserveAmerica and may carry an additional fee if an application interface is required. If the 2-day window change is possible, the time necessary to make software changes is unknown and therefore, the amount of additional expenditures to the State Park is indeterminable.

Regarding revenue to the State Park Fund, the Division reports in recent years approximately 65% of state park camping reservations are from out-of-state campers. The Division assumes there may be a decrease in revenue to the State Park Fund and from out-of-state campers who decide to make camping reservations elsewhere. If, upon check-in, staff find that the camper is not a valid NH resident and is in violation of the advance 2-day window reservation procedure for NH residents, the reservation would be void. Because, at the point in time, the Division may not be able to re-book the site, there would be a loss revenue to the State Park Fund. Any such loss cannot be determined.

It is assumed that any fiscal impact would occur after FY 2023

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of Natural and Cultural Resources