Florida Senate - 2014                              CS for SB 378
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs, Space, and
       Domestic Security; and Senator Abruzzo
       
       
       
       
       583-01865-14                                           2014378c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to county and municipal parks;
    3         creating ss. 125.028 and 166.0447, F.S.; requiring
    4         counties and municipalities to provide partial or full
    5         discounts on park entrance fees to military members,
    6         veterans, and the spouses and parents of certain
    7         deceased military members, law enforcement officers,
    8         and firefighters; requiring that individuals seeking
    9         the discount present written documentation
   10         satisfactory to the county or municipality which
   11         evidences eligibility; defining the term “park
   12         entrance fee” and providing certain exclusions;
   13         providing an effective date.
   14          
   15  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   16  
   17         Section 1. Section 125.028, Florida Statutes, is created to
   18  read:
   19         125.028 Military, law enforcement, and firefighter county
   20  park fee discounts.—
   21         (1) A county park or recreation department shall provide a
   22  partial or a full discount on park entrance fees to the
   23  following individuals who present written documentation
   24  satisfactory to the county department which evidences
   25  eligibility for the discount:
   26         (a) A current member of the United States Armed Forces or
   27  its reserve components, or the National Guard.
   28         (b) An honorably discharged veteran of the United States
   29  Armed Forces or its reserve components, or the National Guard.
   30         (c) An honorably discharged veteran of the United States
   31  Armed Forces or its reserve components, or the National Guard,
   32  who has a service-connected disability as determined by the
   33  United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
   34         (d) A surviving spouse or parent of a deceased member of
   35  the United States Armed Forces or its reserve components, or the
   36  National Guard, who died in the line of duty under combat
   37  related conditions.
   38         (e) A surviving spouse or parent of a law enforcement
   39  officer, as defined in s. 943.10(1), or a firefighter, as
   40  defined in s. 633.102, who died in the line of duty.
   41         (2) As used in this section, the term “park entrance fee”
   42  means a fee charged to access lands managed by a county park or
   43  recreation department. The term does not include expanded
   44  amenity fees for amenities such as, campgrounds, aquatic
   45  facilities, stadiums or arenas, facility rentals, special
   46  events, boat launching, golf, zoos, museums, gardens, or
   47  programs taking place within public lands.
   48         Section 2. Section 166.0447, Florida Statutes, is created
   49  to read:
   50         166.0447 Military, law enforcement, and firefighter
   51  municipal park fee discounts.—
   52         (1) A municipal park or recreation department shall provide
   53  a partial or a full discount on park entrance fees to the
   54  following individuals who present written documentation
   55  satisfactory to the municipal department which evidences
   56  eligibility for the discount:
   57         (a) A current member of the United States Armed Forces or
   58  its reserve components, or the National Guard.
   59         (b) An honorably discharged veteran of the United States
   60  Armed Forces or its reserve components, or the National Guard.
   61         (c) An honorably discharged veteran of the United States
   62  Armed Forces or its reserve components, or the National Guard,
   63  who has a service-connected disability as determined by the
   64  United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
   65         (d) A surviving spouse or parent of a deceased member of
   66  the United States Armed Forces or its reserve components, or the
   67  National Guard, who died in the line of duty under combat
   68  related conditions.
   69         (e) A surviving spouse or parent of a law enforcement
   70  officer, as defined in s. 943.10(1), or a firefighter, as
   71  defined in s. 633.102, who died in the line of duty.
   72         (2) As used in this section, the term “park entrance fee”
   73  means a fee charged to access lands managed by a municipal park
   74  or recreation department. The term does not include expanded
   75  amenity fees for amenities such as, campgrounds, aquatic
   76  facilities, stadiums or arenas, facility rentals, special
   77  events, boat launching, golf, zoos, museums, gardens, or
   78  programs taking place within public lands.
   79         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2014.