1. The Administrator, subject to the approval of the Director:

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph and NRS 407.066, may establish, name, plan, operate, control, protect, develop and maintain state parks, monuments and recreational areas for the use of the general public. The name of an existing state park, monument or recreational area may not be changed unless the Legislature approves the change by statute.

(b) Shall protect state parks and property controlled or administered by the Division from misuse or damage and preserve the peace within those areas. The Administrator may appoint or designate certain employees of the Division to have the general authority of peace officers.

(c) May allow multiple use of state parks and real property controlled or administered by the Division for any lawful purpose, including, but not limited to, grazing, mining, development of natural resources, hunting and fishing, in accordance with such regulations as may be adopted in furtherance of the purposes of the Division.

(d) Except as otherwise provided in this section, shall impose and collect reasonable fees for entering, camping and boating in state parks and recreational areas. The Division shall issue an annual permit for entering, camping and boating in all state parks and recreational areas in this State:

(1) Upon application therefor and proof of residency and age, to any bona fide resident of the State of Nevada who is 65 years of age or older.

(2) Upon application therefor and proof of residency and proof of status as described in subsection 5 of NRS 361.091, to a bona fide resident of the State of Nevada who has incurred a permanent service-connected disability of 10 percent or more and has been honorably discharged from the Armed Forces of the United States.

The permit must be issued without charge, except that the Division shall charge and collect an administrative fee for the issuance of the permit in an amount sufficient to cover the costs of issuing the permit.

(e) May conduct and operate such special services as may be necessary for the comfort and convenience of the general public, and impose and collect reasonable fees for such special services.

(f) May rent or lease concessions located within the boundaries of state parks or of real property controlled or administered by the Division to public or private corporations, to groups of natural persons, or to natural persons for a valuable consideration upon such terms and conditions as the Division deems fit and proper, but no concessionaire may dominate any state park operation.

(g) May establish such capital projects construction funds as are necessary to account for the parks improvements program approved by the Legislature. The money in these funds must be used for the construction and improvement of those parks which are under the supervision of the Administrator.

(h) In addition to any concession specified in paragraph (f), may establish concessions within the boundaries of any state park to provide for the sale of food, drinks, ice, publications, sundries, gifts and souvenirs, and other such related items as the Administrator determines are appropriately made available to visitors. Any money received by the Administrator for a concession established pursuant to this paragraph must be deposited in the Account for State Park Interpretative and Educational Programs and Operation of Concessions created by NRS 407.0755.

2. The Administrator:

(a) Shall issue an annual permit to a person who pays a reasonable fee as prescribed by regulation which authorizes the holder of the permit to enter each state park and each recreational area in this State and, except as otherwise provided in subsection 4, use the facilities of the state park or recreational area without paying the entrance fee; and

(b) May issue an annual permit to a person who pays a reasonable fee as prescribed by regulation which authorizes the holder of the permit to enter a specific state park or specific recreational area in this State and, except as otherwise provided in subsection 4, use the facilities of the state park or recreational area without paying the entrance fee.

3. The Administrator shall establish a program for the issuance of an annual permit, free of charge, to enter each state park and recreational area in this State to any pupil who is enrolled in the fifth grade at a school in this State. The program must:

(a) Specify the period for which the Administrator may issue an annual permit to a pupil pursuant to this subsection, including, without limitation, the date upon which the Administrator may issue an annual permit to a pupil who has completed fourth grade and who intends to enter the fifth grade after completing the fourth grade;

(b) Specify the circumstances under which a pupil and any person accompanying a pupil may use the annual permit to enter a state park or recreational area; and

(c) Include any other requirement which the Administrator determines is necessary to establish and carry out the program pursuant to this subsection.

4. An annual permit issued pursuant to subsection 2 or 3 does not authorize the holder of the permit to engage in camping or boating, or to attend special events. The holder of such a permit who wishes to engage in camping or boating, or to attend special events, must pay any fee established for the respective activity.

5. During each Public Lands Day observed pursuant to NRS 236.053, and upon proof of residency in this State, the Division shall allow a resident of this State to enter, camp and boat in any state park or recreational area without the payment of any fees for those activities. The free day of camping authorized pursuant to this subsection must include either the Friday night before Public Lands Day or overnight on the night of Public Lands Day, as determined by the Administrator for each state park and recreational area. A person is not entitled to receive more than one free night of camping during each Public Lands Day pursuant to this subsection.

6. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 1 of NRS 407.0762 and subsection 1 of NRS 407.0765, the fees collected pursuant to paragraphs (d), (e) and (f) of subsection 1 or subsection 2 must be deposited in the State General Fund.

(Added to NRS by 1961, 180; A 1963, 831; 1971, 2078; 1973, 247; 1977, 794, 1131; 1979, 108; 1985, 287; 1993, 217, 1029, 2532; 1999, 977; 2003, 1216, 3221; 2011, 2471; 2013, 2518, 2755; 2015, 561; 2017, 98, 1510; 2019, 581)