BILL NUMBER: AB 240	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


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 introduced, Wilk. Department of Parks and Recreation:
park passes.
   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 to a person who 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.
   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 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 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 units of the state park system for a period of time
coinciding with the validity of the vehicle registration. 

   (b) 
    (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.