Existing law requires the Department of Parks and Recreation to issue to a veteran, as defined, who is a resident of this state, a pass entitling the bearer to the use of all facilities in units of the state park system, upon application therefor, presentation of proof of disability or being held prisoner of war, and of honorable discharge from service, upon the payment of a $3.50 fee. Existing law provides that, for purposes of those provisions, “veteran” means any member of the Armed Forces of the United States who has a 70% or greater service-connected disability or a service-connected disability rated at 100% for reasons of unemployability, or who was held as a prisoner of war by forces hostile to the United States, as certified by the Veterans’ Administration, and who was honorably discharged from service.

This bill would revise the definition of “veteran,” for purposes of those provisions, to mean any former member of the Armed Forces who has a 50% or greater service-connected disability, or who was held captive 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.

The bill would require the Department of Parks and Recreation to report, in writing, to the chairpersons of prescribed legislative committees regarding the frequency of the use of these passes.