Summary#
This bill would change how fee-free days work for federal recreational lands and waters. It requires the agencies that run national parks and other federal recreation sites to offer free entry on six named days each year. The bill’s stated goal is to increase public access and tie fee-free days to dates that encourage national pride and volunteer service.
- Main change: Agencies must offer a free admission day or free use on each of these days every year: Martin Luther King Jr. Day (third Monday in January); the first day of National Park Week in April; Juneteenth (June 19); Great American Outdoors Day (August 4); National Public Lands Day (fourth Saturday in September); and Veterans Day (November 11).
- The bill keeps the existing option for the Secretary to add other fee-free days.
- It replaces language that currently lets the Secretary provide fee-free days with language that requires those six specific days.
What it means for you#
- Visitors to national parks and federal recreation sites: On the six named days each year you would not have to pay the usual entrance or day-use fee to enter or use those federal recreation sites that normally charge such fees.
- People planning trips: Expect more visitors on those fee-free days. Popular sites may be more crowded.
- Volunteers and community groups: The bill ties fee-free days to dates that the bill says should encourage community service and volunteer activities, so events and volunteer opportunities may be scheduled to coincide with those days.
- Park and recreation staff / federal land managers: Agencies must include these six fee-free days in their fee schedules and public notices. They still can set other fee-free days beyond these.
- Annual pass holders or people with other fee waivers: The bill does not clearly say how these days affect existing passes, permits, or other fees (for example, camping, special use permits, or amenity fees). This is unclear.
Expenses#
No publicly available information.
- The bill does not include a fiscal note or estimate in the materials provided.
- Likely financial effects (inferred from the change): fee revenue could fall on those six days each year, which could slightly reduce money used for visitor services, maintenance, or improvements that come from recreation fees.
- There could be administrative costs to update signs, websites, and fee systems and to staff parks on busier free days.
- It is unclear how lost revenue would be covered or whether agencies would shift fees to other days or activities.
Proponents' View#
- The bill appears intended to increase access to federal parks and public lands by guaranteeing several free-entry days each year.
- The bill links fee-free days to dates that promote national pride and civic engagement, which could encourage volunteerism and community service.
- Guaranteeing specific days provides predictability for planning events and outreach tied to those dates.
- Keeping the Secretary’s authority to add days preserves flexibility for agencies to designate more fee-free days.
Opponents' View#
- One concern is that requiring free entry on set days could reduce fee revenue that agencies use for visitor services, maintenance, and projects funded by recreation fees.
- The bill does not clearly say which fees are waived (for example, entrance vs. amenity fees like camping, boat launches, guided tours, or commercial permits), leaving room for confusion.
- Sites may see higher crowding on free days, which can strain staff and facilities and affect visitor experience.
- The bill provides no fiscal plan for covering any revenue losses or added staffing and operational costs on busier days.
- It is unclear how this change would interact with existing pass programs, local fee policies, or state and tribal arrangements.