Minnesota Session Laws - 1987, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1987 

                        CHAPTER 253-H.F.No. 554 
           An act relating to natural resources; changing certain 
          provisions relating to state park permits; authorizing 
          and assessing fees for state park permits for second 
          vehicles; authorizing a state park permit exemption 
          for Interstate Park under reciprocal agreement with 
          Wisconsin; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota 
          Statutes, chapter 85; repealing Minnesota Statutes 
          1986, section 85.05. 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
    Section 1.  [85.052] [SPECIAL USES OF STATE PARKS.] 
    Subdivision 1.  [RULES.] The commissioner may make rules 
for the use of state parks including: 
    (1) special parking space for automobiles or other 
motor-driven vehicles in a state park or state recreation area; 
    (2) special parking spurs, campgrounds for automobiles, 
sites for tent camping, and special auto trailer coach parking 
spaces, for the use of the individual charged for the space; 
    (3) improvement and maintenance of golf courses already 
established in state parks, and charging reasonable use fees; 
    (4) state park pageant areas that may be established in a 
state park to have historical or other pageants conducted by the 
commissioner of a state agency or other public agency; and 
    (5) providing water, sewer, and electric service to trailer 
or tent campsites and charging a reasonable use fee.  
    Subd. 2.  [STATE PARK PAGEANTS.] The commissioner may stage 
state park pageants in a state park, municipal park, or on other 
land near or adjoining a state park and charge an entrance or 
use fee for the pageant.  All receipts from the pageants must be 
used in the same manner as though the pageants were conducted in 
a state park.  
    Subd. 3.  [FEE FOR CERTAIN PARKING AND CAMPSITE USE.] (a) 
An individual using spaces in state parks under subdivision 1, 
clause (2), shall be charged daily rates determined and set by 
the commissioner in a manner and amount consistent with the type 
of facility provided for the accommodation of guests in a 
particular park and with similar facilities offered for tourist 
camping and similar use in the area.  
    (b) The fee for special parking spurs, campgrounds for 
automobiles, sites for tent camping, and special auto trailer 
coach parking spaces is one-half of the fee set in paragraph (a) 
on Sunday through Thursday of each week for: 
    (1) an individual age 65 or over who is a resident of the 
state and who furnishes satisfactory proof of age and residence; 
    (2) a physically handicapped person with a motor vehicle 
that has special plates issued under section 168.021, 
subdivision 1; or 
    (3) a physically handicapped person who possesses a 
certificate issued under section 169.345, subdivision 3.  
    Subd. 4.  [DEPOSIT OF FEES.] (a) Fees paid for special 
state park uses under this section shall be deposited in the 
state treasury and credited to the state park maintenance and 
operation account.  
    (b) Gross receipts derived from sales, rentals, or leases 
of natural resources within state parks, recreation areas, and 
waysides, other than those on trust fund lands, must be 
deposited in the state treasury and be credited to the state 
park maintenance and operation account. 
    Sec. 2.  [85.053] [STATE PARK PERMITS.] 
    Subdivision 1.  [FORM, ISSUANCE, VALIDITY.] (a) The 
commissioner shall prepare and provide state park permits for 
each calendar year that state a motor vehicle may enter and use 
state parks, state recreation areas, and state waysides over 50 
acres in area.  State park permits must be available and placed 
on sale by October 1 of the year preceding the calendar year 
that the permit is valid.  
    (b) A state park permit may be affixed when purchased and 
used from the time it is affixed until the end of the calendar 
year for which it is issued.  State park permits in each 
category must be numbered consecutively for each year of issue.  
    (c) State park permits shall be issued by employees of the 
division of parks and recreation as designated by the 
commissioner.  
    Subd. 2.  [REQUIREMENT.] Except as provided in section 3, a 
motor vehicle may not enter a state park, state recreation area, 
or state wayside over 50 acres in area, without a state park 
permit issued under this section.  The state park permit must be 
affixed to the lower right corner windshield of the motor 
vehicle and must be completely affixed by its own adhesive to 
the windshield.  
    Subd. 3.  [SECOND VEHICLE PERMITS.] The commissioner shall 
prescribe and issue second vehicle state park permits for 
persons who own more than one motor vehicle and who request a 
second permit for the second vehicle on a form prescribed by the 
commissioner.  The commissioner may issue an applicant only one 
second vehicle permit.  
    Subd. 4.  [TWO-DAY PERMITS.] The commissioner shall 
prescribe a special state park permit for use of state parks, 
state recreation areas, or state waysides up to two days under 
conditions prescribed by the commissioner. 
    Subd. 5.  [DAILY VEHICLE PERMIT FOR GROUPS.] The 
commissioner may authorize special daily vehicle state park 
permits for groups by rule.  
    Subd. 6.  [EMPLOYEE'S PERMIT.] (a) The commissioner shall 
prescribe and issue an employee's state park permit to state 
employees, peace officers, and contractors, that must enter 
areas where state park permits are required to perform official 
duties.  An employee, peace officer, or contractor must display 
the special permit on the motor vehicle in the same manner as 
state park permits are displayed. 
    (b) A motor vehicle displaying only an employee's state 
park permit may not enter a place where state park permits are 
required if the vehicle is used for purposes other than 
performing official duties.  
    Subd. 7.  [HANDICAPPED PERSONS AND PERSONS OVER AGE 65.] (a)
The commissioner shall prescribe and issue special state park 
permits for:  
    (1) an individual age 65 years or older who furnishes 
satisfactory proof of age and is a resident of the state;  
    (2) a physically handicapped person with a motor vehicle 
that has special plates issued under section 168.021, 
subdivision 1; and 
    (3) up to two days for a physically handicapped person who 
possesses a certificate issued under section 169.345, 
subdivision 3.  
    (b) The permit or the decal issued under this subdivision 
is valid only when displayed on a vehicle owned and occupied by 
the person to whom the permit is issued. 
    Sec. 3.  [85.054] [STATE PARK PERMIT EXEMPTIONS.] 
    Subdivision 1.  [STATE PARK OPEN HOUSE DAY.] (a) A state 
park permit is not required for a motor vehicle to enter a state 
park, state monument, state recreation area, or state wayside, 
on one day each calendar year, which the commissioner may 
designate as state park open house day.  The commissioner may 
designate two consecutive days as state park open house day, if 
the open house is held in conjunction with a special pageant 
described in section 1, subdivision 2.  
    (b) The commissioner shall announce the date of state park 
open house day at least 30 days in advance of the date it occurs.
    (c)  The state park open house day is to acquaint the 
public with state parks, recreation areas, and waysides.  
    Subd. 2.  [FORT SNELLING MEMORIAL CHAPEL ISLAND.] A state 
park permit is not required and a fee may not be charged for 
motor vehicle entry or parking at the Fort Snelling Memorial 
Chapel Island portion of Fort Snelling State Park.  
    Subd. 3.  [INTERSTATE PARK.] A Minnesota state park permit 
is not required at Interstate Park if a valid, current, 
Wisconsin state park permit or sticker authorizing entry of a 
motor vehicle into Wisconsin state parks is appropriately 
displayed on the vehicle and the commissioner has entered into 
an agreement with appropriate officials of the state of 
Wisconsin that authorizes motor vehicles displaying Minnesota 
state park permits free entry into Interstate State Park of 
Wisconsin on a reciprocal basis. 
    Sec. 4.  [85.055] [STATE PARK PERMIT FEES.] 
    Subdivision 1.  [FEES.] The fee for state park permits for: 
    (1) an annual use of state parks is $15; 
    (2) a second vehicle state park permit is one-half the 
annual state park permit fee in clause (1); 
    (3) a special state park permit valid up to two days is $3; 
    (4) a special daily vehicle state park permit for groups is 
as prescribed by the commissioner; 
    (5) an employee's state park permit is without charge; 
    (6) a special state park permit for handicapped persons and 
persons over age 65 under section 2, subdivision 7, clauses (1) 
and (2), is one-half the annual state park permit fee in clause 
(1) of this subdivision; and 
    (7) a special state park permit valid up to two days for 
handicapped persons and persons over age 65 under section 2, 
subdivision 7, clauses (1) and (3), is one-half of the special 
state park permit fee in clause (3) of this subdivision.  
    Subd. 2.  [FEE DEPOSIT AND APPROPRIATION.] The fees 
collected under this section shall be deposited in the state 
treasury and credited to the state park maintenance and 
operation account.  Appropriations from the account shall be for 
state park maintenance and operation.  
    Sec. 5.  [REPEALER.] 
    Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 85.05, is repealed.  
    Sec. 6.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
    This act is effective 30 days after final enactment. 
    Approved May 27, 1987