Requires the department of parks, recreation and historic preservation to issue identification cards for access to New York state parks and recreational facilities

Title of bill

An act to amend the parks, recreation and historic preservation law, in relation to identification badges for access to recreational facilities

Purpose

This bill would remove the requirement that the empire passport decal be affixed to the passholder's vehicle

Summary of provisions

Section 1 amends subdivision two of section 13.16 of the parks, recreation and historic preservation law to state that the empire passport shall be an identification card. The card would permit such person, his or her vehicle, and all its occupants access to any state park or recreational facility for which there is a vehicular access fee.

Section 2 is the effective date.

Justification

Currently, individuals who purchase an Annual Empire Passport or Multiple Year Empire Passport must affix a decal to their vehicle. However, for people who rent cars or use car sharing programs, this process can be burdensome. The Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation's (OPRHP) guidelines state that, like all other vehicles, leased and rented cars must also have the decal affixed each time the passholder wants to use it, then the passholder must order a replacement. In order to receive a replacement decal, you must provide OPRHP with "a letter requesting replacement and explaining the circumstances of the loss; the decal, or its fragments or scrapings (whenever possible, but always for a vehicle that has been sold or a leased vehicle that has been returned); and proof of loss, sale or damage acceptable to the Office, such as a police report, insurance report, repair invoice, DMV report, bill of sale, etc. whenever possible, but always when the decal or fragments are not available."

Not only is this burdensome for people who use rented and leased cars, but it provides no flexibility to families with more than one car or people borrowing a car from a friend. In addition to the Annual and Multiple Year Empire Passports, the Office also offers a Lifetime Empire Passport. When a person chooses this option, an icon is placed on the passholder's driver's license or non-driver ID. In providing this option, the Office has made clear that the Empire Passport follows the passholder, not the vehicle.

Legislative history

New bill.

Fiscal implications

None to state.

Effective date

This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment, and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the timely implementation of this act on its effective date is authorized to be made on or before such date.