Florida Senate - 2015 SB 1430
By Senator Abruzzo
25-00321B-15 20151430__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to discounts on public park entrance
3 fees and transportation fares; creating s. 125.029,
4 F.S.; requiring counties to provide a partial or a
5 full discount on park entrance fees to military
6 members, veterans, and the spouse and parents of
7 certain deceased military members, law enforcement
8 officers, and firefighters; requiring that individuals
9 seeking the discount present written documentation
10 satisfactory to the county department which evidences
11 eligibility; defining the term “park entrance fee”;
12 providing certain exclusions; creating s. 163.58,
13 F.S.; requiring regional transportation authorities to
14 provide a partial or a full discount on fares and on
15 other charges for certain disabled veterans; creating
16 s. 166.0447, F.S.; requiring municipalities to provide
17 a partial or a full discount on park entrance fees to
18 military members, veterans, and the spouse and parents
19 of certain deceased military members, law enforcement
20 officers, and firefighters; requiring that individuals
21 seeking the discount present written documentation
22 satisfactory to the municipal department which
23 evidences eligibility; defining the term “park
24 entrance fee”; providing certain exclusions; providing
25 an effective date.
26
27 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
28
29 Section 1. Section 125.029, Florida Statutes, is created to
30 read:
31 125.029 Military, law enforcement, and firefighter county
32 park entrance fee discounts.—
33 (1) A county park or recreation department shall provide a
34 partial or a full discount on park entrance fees to the
35 following individuals who present written documentation
36 satisfactory to the county department which evidences
37 eligibility for the discount:
38 (a) A current member of the United States Armed Forces, the
39 National Guard, or their reserve components.
40 (b) An honorably discharged veteran of the United States
41 Armed Forces, the National Guard, or their reserve components.
42 (c) An honorably discharged veteran of the United States
43 Armed Forces, the National Guard, or their reserve components,
44 who has a service-connected disability as determined by the
45 United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
46 (d) A surviving spouse and parents of a deceased member of
47 the United States Armed Forces, the National Guard, or their
48 reserve components, who died in the line of duty under combat
49 related conditions.
50 (e) A surviving spouse and parents of a law enforcement
51 officer, as defined in s. 943.10(1), or a firefighter, as
52 defined in s. 633.102, who died in the line of duty.
53 (2) As used in this section, the term “park entrance fee”
54 means a fee charged to access lands managed by a county park or
55 recreation department. The term does not include expanded
56 amenity fees for amenities, such as campgrounds, aquatic
57 facilities, stadiums or arenas, facility rentals, special
58 events, boat launching, golf, zoos, museums, gardens, or
59 programs taking place within public lands.
60 Section 2. Section 163.58, Florida Statutes, is created to
61 read:
62 163.58 Transportation fare discounts.—An authority shall
63 provide a partial or a full discount on fares and on other
64 charges for the use of a transportation system or a
65 transportation facility owned or operated by the authority to a
66 disabled veteran as described in s. 295.07(1)(a) who presents
67 written documentation satisfactory to the authority which
68 evidences eligibility for the discount.
69 Section 3. Section 166.0447, Florida Statutes, is created
70 to read:
71 166.0447 Military, law enforcement, and firefighter
72 municipal park entrance fee discounts.—
73 (1) A municipal park or recreation department shall provide
74 a partial or a full discount on park entrance fees to the
75 following individuals who present written documentation
76 satisfactory to the municipal department which evidences
77 eligibility for the discount:
78 (a) A current member of the United States Armed Forces, the
79 National Guard, or their reserve components.
80 (b) An honorably discharged veteran of the United States
81 Armed Forces, the National Guard, or their reserve components.
82 (c) An honorably discharged veteran of the United States
83 Armed Forces, the National Guard, or their reserve components,
84 who has a service-connected disability as determined by the
85 United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
86 (d) A surviving spouse and parents of a deceased member of
87 the United States Armed Forces, the National Guard, or their
88 reserve components, who died in the line of duty under combat
89 related conditions.
90 (e) A surviving spouse and parents of a law enforcement
91 officer, as defined in s. 943.10(1), or a firefighter, as
92 defined in s. 633.102, who died in the line of duty.
93 (2) As used in this section, the term “park entrance fee”
94 means a fee charged to access lands managed by a municipal park
95 or recreation department. The term does not include expanded
96 amenity fees for amenities, such as campgrounds, aquatic
97 facilities, stadiums or arenas, facility rentals, special
98 events, boat launching, golf, zoos, museums, gardens, or
99 programs taking place within public lands.
100 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2015.