LANSING (WWJ) — Michigan residents may soon see a change in the way they renew their annual state park passes.
Currently, Michiganders have to opt in and pay $14 at the time of renewing their license plate in order to get the Michigan recreation passport, which allows entry to any state park without paying admission.
New legislation in the Michigan House of Representatives, however, could bring quite the change.
A package of bills that passed through the House Natural Resources, Environment, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Committee on Thursday would roll in the $14 fee as part of the state’s vehicle registration process.
Those who do not want the recreation passport would be required to opt out to avoid paying the fee.
Currently, just under 40% of Michigan drivers choose to purchase the recreation passport, according to a report from MLive.
Nichole Fisher, Executive Director of the Michigan State Parks, said during Thursday’s committee hearing that such a move would help raise “badly needed” revenue for park maintenance.
“It’s not just about the opt-out vs. the opt-in. A proposed revision to the funding formula highlights the importance of local parks in promoting community health and wellbeing,” Fisher said.
Michigan DNR Director Scott Bowen said during Thursday’s hearing the growing number of Michiganders visiting our state parks since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has put “additional strain on the more than 100-year-old system,” according to the MLive report.
The DNR believes requiring residents to opt out of the recreation passport would create even more participation in the parks system, per the report. Rep. Julie Brixie, an Okemos Democrat who sponsored the legislation, said bringing that number to 60% could generate an additional $17 million a year in funding for parks.
Republican Rep. Dave Prestin was among those to oppose the legislation, saying the DNR is "lined with wasteful spending, inefficient employees, and failing programs."
"Yet, instead of looking internally to find ways to cut costs and fund park improvements, DNR leadership is trying to sneak through increased fees and policy changes to pay for their own shortcomings,” Prestin said, per a press release. “We need to encourage more people to get out of the house and into the woods. Forcing people to pay more to do something they already were hesitant to do will not boost outdoor recreational participation – it will only make the problem worse.”
After passing through the committee Thursday, the legislation is now on its way to the "lame duck" full house in Lansing for possible consideration.
More info on the current recreation passport system is available on the DNR website.