Sec. 13.015. PARK USER FEES; CONCESSIONS. (a) The department may charge and collect park user fees for park services. The user fees shall be set by the commission.

(a-1) The commission may waive the park entrance fee for a person who is at least 70 years of age, a student enrolled in the fifth grade, or a child who is 11 years of age. The commission may not waive the fee for use of a park facility, including a hook-up fee for electricity or water.

(a-2) The department may promote visits and enhance revenue at parks, including amounts necessary for salaries, advertising, consumable supplies and materials, promotional products, fees, and related expenses.

(b) The department may operate or grant contracts to operate concessions in state parks or on causeways, beach drives, or other improvements in connection with state park sites. The department may make regulations governing the granting or operating of concessions. The department may establish and operate staff concessions, including salaries, consumable supplies and materials, operating expenses, rental and other equipment, and other capital outlays.

(b-1) The department may purchase products, including food items, for resale or rental at a profit.

(b-2) The department shall operate any resale concession program using standard business practice models to generate revenue and provide quality customer service while adhering to conservation principles.

(b-3) The department may recruit and select private service providers to enter into leased concession contracts with the department to provide necessary and appropriate visitor services.

(c) The department shall deposit any revenue received from the contracts, user fees, or operations authorized by this section in the state treasury to the credit of the state parks account.

Acts 1975, 64th Leg., p. 1405, ch. 545, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1975. Amended by Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 267, art. 1, Sec. 40, eff. Sept. 1, 1985; Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 679, Sec. 17, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.

Amended by:

Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1159 (H.B. 12), Sec. 25, eff. June 15, 2007.

Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1097 (H.B. 2065), Sec. 1, eff. June 14, 2019.