California Assembly Bill AB240 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 240AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 16, 2015 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Wilk (Coauthors: Assembly Members Bigelow and Olsen) FEBRUARY 5, 2015 An act to amend Section 5011.5 of the Public Resources Code, relating to parks and recreation. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 240, as amended, Wilk. Department of Parks and Recreation:  park passes.   free day use entry.  Existing law requires the Department of Parks and Recreation to issue a park pass for free use of all park facilities in the state park system to a veteran of war in which the United States has been, or may be, engaged, who is a resident of this state, who presents to the department proof of a disability, proof of being held captive as a prisoner of war, or proof of being a recipient of a Congressional Medal of Honor, as provided. This bill would additionally require the department to  issue a park pass   allow free day use entry to all units of the state park system  to a  person who   registered vehicle that  has been issued specialized license plates by the Department of Motor Vehicles under the Pearl Harbor Survivor, Legion of Valor, former prisoner-of-war, Congressional Medal of Honor, Purple Heart Veteran, or Gold Star Family license plate  programs, with the pass to be valid for the period of time coinciding with the validity of the vehicle registration associated with the license plates.   programs.  Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 5011.5 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read: 5011.5. (a) A veteran of a war in which the United States has been, or may be engaged, who is a resident of this state, upon presentation to the department of proof of disability, proof of being held captive as a prisoner of war, or proof of being a recipient of a Congressional Medal of Honor, and proof of an honorable discharge from service, upon application therefor, shall be issued a pass entitling the bearer to the use of all facilities, including boat launching facilities, in units of the state park system. (b)  In addition to the persons described in subdivision (a), a person who   A   vehi   cle that  has been issued license plates by the Department of Motor Vehicles pursuant to Section 5101.3, 5101.4, 5101.5, 5101.6, 5101.8, or subdivision (d) of Section 5156 of the Vehicle Code,  upon presentation to the department of evidence of   and that has  currently valid vehicle registration  associated with any one of those license plate programs and upon application therefor,  shall be  issued a pass entitling the bearer to the use of all facilities, including boat launching facilities, in   allowed free day use entry to all  units of the state park  system for a period of time coinciding with the validity of the vehicle registration.   system.  (c) As used in this section: (1) "Veteran" means a former member of the Armed Forces of the United States who has a 50 percent or greater service-connected disability, or who was held as a prisoner of war by forces hostile to the United States, as certified by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, and who was honorably discharged from service. (2) "War" means that period of time commencing when Congress declares war or when the Armed Forces of the United States are engaged in active military operations against a foreign power, whether or not war has been formally declared, and ending upon the termination of hostilities as proclaimed by the President of the United States.