36-4-121. Permits to use state parks, recreation areas and historic sites.

(a) The department of state parks and cultural resources shall offer for sale permits that allow use of state parks, recreation areas, archeological sites and historic sites as designated by the department with the approval of the Wyoming parks and cultural resources commission. Permits may be subject to per person, per vehicle or time restrictions or any other restriction the director of the department deems appropriate. The director may waive any permit fee imposed pursuant to this section, offer discounts or offer at no charge complimentary permits or gift certificates for permits authorized by this section. Except as provided in subsection (n) of this section, the cost of the permits authorized under this section shall be approved by the commission and set in an amount not to exceed the following:

(i) Repealed by Laws 2017, ch. 12, § 2.

(ii) Repealed by Laws 2017, ch. 12, § 2.

(iii) Repealed by Laws 2017, ch. 12, § 2.

(iv) Repealed by Laws 2017, ch. 12, § 2.

(v) Repealed by Laws 2017, ch. 12, § 2.

(vi) Repealed by Laws 2017, ch. 12, § 2.

(vii) Repealed by Laws 2017, ch. 12, § 2.

(viii) Repealed by Laws 2017, ch. 12, § 2.

(ix) Repealed by Laws 2017, ch. 12, § 2.

(x) Repealed by Laws 2017, ch. 12, § 2.

(xi) Repealed by Laws 2017, ch. 12, § 2.

(xii) Repealed by Laws 2017, ch. 12, § 2.

(xiii) Repealed by Laws 2017, ch. 12, § 2.

(xiv) Repealed by Laws 2017, ch. 12, § 2.

(xv) Repealed by Laws 2017, ch. 12, § 2.

(xvi) Waived for the following:

(A) Persons needing to pass through a state park or historic site to access private property shall be exempt from the entrance permit requirements of this section;

(B) Persons needing access to a state park or historic site to conduct official business or only to access a private commercial business without further use of the state park or historic site shall be exempt from the entrance permit requirements of this section;

(C) School groups on school sanctioned events including events sanctioned by educational programs defined under W.S. 21-4-101(a)(iii), (iv) and (v), and residents and staff of publicly owned homes or institutions while on official agency functions shall be exempt from the entrance permit requirements of this section;

(D) Not for profit groups or organizations needing access to a state park or historic site to provide volunteer assistance or services that have been previously agreed upon by the department of state parks and cultural resources shall be exempt from the permit requirements of this section.

(xvii) Resident annual daily use permit $64.00

(xviii) Nonresident annual daily use permit $96.00

(xix) Resident daily use fee $8.00

(xx) Nonresident daily use fee $12.00

(xxi) Resident overnight camping permit $12.00

(xxii) Nonresident overnight camping permit $18.00

(xxiii) Annual resident overnight camping permit $96.00

(xxiv) Per person daily use bus fee for guided tours, which shall not be charged to persons under the age of eighteen (18) years $5.00

(xxv) Daily use lodge permit $300.00

(xxvi) Daily use group picnic shelter and adjacent ground permit $150.00

(b) The department or any selling agent of the department may issue additional vehicle annual daily use permits or additional vehicle annual overnight camping permits upon payment of a fee in an amount not to exceed fifty percent (50%) of the cost of the original annual permit.

(c) The department or any selling agent of the department may issue duplicate annual daily use permits or annual resident overnight camping permits upon the holder of the permit filing an affidavit showing the loss, mutilation or destruction of the original permit and upon payment of a fee in an amount not to exceed twenty-five percent (25%) of the cost of the original annual permit.

(d) Repealed by Laws 1992, ch. 50, § 3.

(e) The department through the division of state parks and historic sites shall in accordance with W.S. 36-4-123, appoint selling agents to sell annual daily use and annual camping permits authorized under this section. Each appointed selling agent shall retain ten percent (10%) of the cost of each permit sold under this section as his sales commission. Designated department employees may sell permits required by this section but no employee of the department shall receive any commission on permits sold.

(f) Repealed by Laws 1992, ch. 50, § 3.

(g) Repealed by Laws 1992, ch. 50, § 3.

(h) The funds received by the department from the sale of the permits shall be deposited into an account within the special revenue fund, hereby created as the state parks account, and, except as otherwise provided by this subsection, may be expended by the department for capital construction projects, major maintenance, and site interpretation such as exhibits, signage and displays as approved by the legislature. Interest on funds in the account shall accrue to the account. Not more than thirty percent (30%) of the funds in the account in any fiscal year may also be expended, with legislative approval, for maintenance of outdoor recreation areas and facilities provided that no amount shall be expended for additional full-time employees or increases in salaries or overtime pay for full-time employees.

(j) Any person using state parks, recreation areas, archeological sites and historic sites and failing to obtain a permit authorized by this section and any person otherwise violating this section is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), imprisonment for not more than six (6) months, or both.

(k) The department of state parks and cultural resources is authorized to contract with the town of Ranchester to implement a fee collection program at Connor Battlefield state historic site and to provide for park maintenance and operation. Notwithstanding subsection (h) of this section, fees collected for overnight camping at Connor Battlefield state historic site shall be deposited into a separate account and may be expended by the department pursuant to contracts entered into under this subsection.

(m) Repealed by Laws 2009, Ch. 168, § 207.

(n) Any resident disabled veteran who receives fifty percent (50%) or more service connected disability compensation from the United States department of veteran's affairs may apply to the department for a lifetime permit authorizing the use of state parks, recreation areas, archeological sites and historic sites without payment of any daily use, overnight or other fee authorized to be charged pursuant to this section. Only one (1) permit shall be issued to any qualified applicant under this subsection and shall be valid for the applicant and for all occupants of the applicant's vehicle. In addition to information and other application procedural requirements prescribed by rule and regulation of the department, application for the lifetime permit shall include proof of residency and certification of the service connected disability. The lifetime permit is valid as long as the holder is a Wyoming resident. A permit under this subsection shall be issued to an eligible applicant without the imposition of a fee.

(o) The department is authorized to sponsor special events and to contract with groups sponsoring special events at state parks, recreation areas, archeological sites or historic sites. A special event fee may be charged regardless of whether a daily use fee has been established by law and in addition to any other fee. All funds received from special events sponsored by the department shall be deposited in special events account. The funds deposited within the account are continuously appropriated to and may be expended by the department to conduct special events directly or pursuant to contracts entered under this subsection.

(p) Repealed By Laws 2008, Ch. 63, § 2.

(q) There is created the LX Bar Ranch challenge account. The department of state parks and cultural resources may accept gifts from any individual or entity to maintain and improve the LX Bar Ranch and deposit those funds to the account. State funds deposited to the account are continuously appropriated to the department of state parks and cultural resources for purposes of maintaining and improving the LX Bar Ranch, but shall only be expended from the account upon a dollar for dollar matching distribution of nonstate funds or a matching contribution of in kind gifts. Funds in the account shall not lapse at the end of any fiscal period.

(r) The department may establish methods whereby voluntary contributions may be accepted in support of state parks, historic sites, archeological sites or recreation areas. The department may suggest and solicit specific contribution amounts.

(s) The department may, with the approval of the commission, charge an amenities fee in addition to any other fee authorized under this section for services designated by the commission as added amenities. Funds collected from the amenities fee authorized by this subsection shall be deposited in a separate account and are continuously appropriated to the department to pay the utility fees and maintenance costs for the additional amenities offered. The remaining funds collected from the amenities fee authorized by this subsection at the end of the fiscal year may be deposited in the state parks account and expended in accordance with subsection (h) of this section. Revenues and expenditures under this subsection for each of the immediately preceding two (2) fiscal years shall be reported within the department's biennial budget request submitted under W.S. 9-2-1013.