2019 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 23 - Parks, Forests and Public Shade Trees
Chapter 447 - State Parks and Forests
Section 23-26 - Revenue from state parks and facilities. Motor vehicle parking passes. Lifetime passes for residents sixty-five years of age or older or disabled veterans.

(a) The commissioner may (1) provide for the collection of fees for parking, admission, boat launching and other uses of state parks, forests, boat launches and other state recreational facilities, (2) establish from time to time the daily and seasonal amount thereof, (3) enter into contractual relations with other persons for the operation of concessions, (4) establish other sources of revenue to be derived from services to the general public using such parks, forests and facilities, (5) employ such assistants as may be necessary for the collection of such revenue. The commissioner shall deposit such revenue derived therefrom with the State Treasurer in the Passport to the Parks account established pursuant to section 23-15h. On and after July 1, 1992, any increase in any fee or any establishment of a new fee under this section shall be by regulations adopted in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54. Not later than May 1, 2010, said commissioner shall establish the daily and seasonal amount of such parking, admission, boat launching and other use fees for residents of this state in amounts not greater than one hundred thirty-five per cent of the amounts charged for such fees by said commissioner as of April 1, 2009. Not later than May 1, 2010, said commissioner shall establish the daily and seasonal amount of such parking, admission, boat launching and other use fees for nonresidents of this state in amounts not greater than one hundred fifty per cent of the amounts charged for such fees by said commissioner as of April 1, 2009. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the commissioner may enter into an agreement with any municipality under which the municipality may retain fees collected by municipal officers at state boat launches when state employees are not on duty.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the commissioner may establish fees for the public use of the mansion at Harkness Memorial State Park in Waterford, the Ellie Mitchell Pavilion at Rocky Neck State Park in East Lyme and Gillette Castle State Park in East Haddam provided no fee shall be charged to any group organized as a nonprofit corporation under 26 USC 501(c)(3) for purposes of providing support to such parks or facilities and further provided the commissioner shall specify procedures and criteria for the selection of any private business which is engaged by the state to provide services during any such public use, including, but not limited to, catering services. Such fees, procedures and criteria shall be effective until June 30, 1999, or until regulations are adopted, whichever is sooner. Regulations implementing such fees, procedures and criteria shall be adopted in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 on or before July 1, 1999. Such fees shall be comparable with rents and charges of similar properties based on fair market rates.

(c) The commissioner shall issue to any nonresident of the state, upon payment of a fee established by said commissioner, a nontransferable Connecticut private passenger motor vehicle pass which permits free parking throughout the calendar year at any state park, forest, boat launch or other state recreational facility, provided the commissioner shall not be required to issue such a pass to any park, forest or facility which is wholly managed by a private concessionaire and may require payment of fees for special events. Not later than May 1, 2010, said commissioner shall establish the amount of such fee for nonresidents of this state in an amount not greater than one hundred fifty per cent of the amount charged for such fee by said commissioner as of April 1, 2009.

(d) The commissioner shall issue to any resident of the state who is sixty-five years of age or older and to any resident of this state who is a disabled veteran, as defined in section 14-254, or under federal law, without fee, upon application of such resident, a nontransferable lifetime pass which shall permit free admission and boat access parking for use at any state park, forest or state recreational facility, provided the commissioner shall not be required to issue such a pass for use of any park, forest or facility which is wholly managed by a private concessionaire and may require payment of fees for special events.

(e) Notwithstanding any provision of this section, any person with a valid Connecticut motor vehicle license plate shall not pay a parking fee at any state park, forest or other state recreational facility on and after January 1, 2018.

(1949 Rev., S. 3458; 1955, S. 1872d; 1971, P.A. 872, S. 189; P.A. 73-580; P.A. 77-614, S. 19, 610; P.A. 80-172; P.A. 84-96, S. 1, 2; P.A. 87-589, S. 40, 87; P.A. 92-217, S. 4, 5; P.A. 97-229, S. 2, 3; P.A. 98-149, S. 2, 3; P.A. 10-3, S. 65; P.A. 11-59, S. 11; 11-68, S. 2; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 17-2, S. 329.)

History: 1971 act replaced references to commission and its treasurer with references to environmental protection commissioner; P.A. 73-580 added reference to “daily and seasonal” parking fees and substituted “establish” for “fix”; P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner of finance and control with secretary of the office of policy and management; P.A. 80-172 added Subsec. (b) authorizing commissioner to issue annual parking passes; P.A. 84-96 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting the provision requiring approval by the secretary of the office of policy and management re parking fees, concessions and other revenue sources; P.A. 87-589 made technical changes; P.A. 92-217 amended Subsec. (a) to specify activities and facilities the use of which the commissioner may charge fees for under this section and to specify that fee increases or new fees be by regulations adopted in accordance with chapter 54, amended Subsec. (b) to expand the days on which motor vehicle parking passes may be valid at state parks and facilities and to specify certain facilities for which the commissioner may not be required to issue such passes and added a new Subsec. (c) re lifetime passes for residents 65 years of age or older; P.A. 97-229 amended Subsec. (a) to permit agreements between commissioner and municipality re municipal retention of fees, effective June 24, 1997; P.A. 98-149 added a new Subsec. (b) re fees for use of certain state facilities and related regulations and relettered the remaining Subsecs. accordingly, effective June 4, 1998; P.A. 10-3 amended Subsec. (a) by adding provisions requiring commissioner, not later than May 1, 2010, to establish daily and seasonal amounts of parking, admission, boat launching and other use fees for state residents in amounts not greater than 135% of amounts charged by commissioner as of April 1, 2009, and for nonresidents in amounts not greater than 150% of amounts charged by commissioner as of April 1, 2009, and amended Subsec. (c) by adding provisions requiring commissioner, not later than May 1, 2010, to establish fee for pass for state residents in amount not greater than 135% of amount charged by commissioner as of April 1, 2009, and for nonresidents in amount not greater than 150% of amount charged by commissioner as of April 1, 2009, effective April 14, 2010, and applicable to fees charged on and after May 1, 2010; P.A. 11-59 made a technical change in Subsec. (c), effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 11-68 amended Subsec. (d) by adding provision re disabled veterans, effective July 8, 2011; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 17-2 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing reference to the General Fund with reference to the Passport to the Parks account, amended Subsec. (b) by replacing “Gillette Castle” with “Gillette Castle State Park”, amended Subsec. (c) by replacing “resident of the state” with “nonresident of the state” and deleting provision re 135 per cent increase in fee for residents of the state not later than May 1, 2010, amended Subsec. (d) by deleting reference to parking, and added Subsec. (e) re person with valid Connecticut motor vehicle license plate not to pay parking fee on and after January 1, 2018, effective January 1, 2018.