04/16/02 3405eba

2002 SESSION

02-3125

05/01

SENATE BILL 398-FN

COMMITTEE: Wildlife and Recreation

ANALYSIS

This bill authorizes an increase in admission fees at the Seacoast Science Center at Odiorne Point state park in Rye, New Hampshire. The bill also removes references to the Audubon Society as the manager of the Center and permits the new managing organization to increase and reallocate admission fees with the approval of the division of parks and recreation.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

04/16/02 3405eba

02-3125

05/01

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Two

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

71:1 Seacoast Science Center; Increase in Admission Fee Authorized. Amend 1995, 264:2 to read as follows:

264:2 Increase in Admission Fee Authorized.

I. Notwithstanding the provisions of RSA 216-A:3-g, I, the commissioner of the department of resources and economic development shall authorize the [Audubon Society, during the period in which the Audubon Society] non-profit organization that is under contract with the state to manage the Center[,] to charge up to [$1] $3 per person admission to the Seacoast Science Center at Odiorne state park. The first $30,000 raised shall be used to support programs at the Seacoast Science Center and any directly associated costs.

II. Any sum in excess of the $30,000 raised by the admission fee to the Center shall be divided [equally] between the Center, the department of resources and economic development and the park fund. Half of the amount in excess of $30,000 shall be retained by the Center's operator, 1/4 shall be retained by the department of resources and economic development for the maintenance of the Center's building, and 1/4 shall be deposited in the park fund. The use of any funds granted to the Center shall be approved by the [executive director of] non-profit organization managing the Center and the regional park supervisor.

III. The [executive director of] non-profit organization managing the Center shall submit a complete financial statement on an annual basis, to the commissioner of the department of resources and economic development and the resources, recreation and development committee. The first report shall be submitted no later than September 1, 1996.

71:2 Seacoast Science Center; Administration and Funding of Programs. 1995, 264:2 is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:

264:2 Increase in Admission Fee Authorized.

I. Notwithstanding the provisions of RSA 216-A:3-g, I, the commissioner of the department of resources and economic development shall authorize the non-profit organization that is under contract with the state to manage the Center, hereinafter the Center operator, to charge an admission fee for entrance to the Seacoast Science Center at Odiorne state park.

II. The Center operator, with the approval of the division of parks and recreation, shall establish the amount and allocation of the admission fees. A portion of the revenue generated shall be used to support programs at the Seacoast Science Center and any directly associated costs. A portion of the revenue may also be divided between the Center operator, the department of resources and economic development for the maintenance of the Center's building, and the state park fund under RSA 216-A:3-i. The use of any funds granted to the Center shall be approved by the Center operator and the regional park supervisor.

III. The Center operator shall submit a complete financial statement on an annual basis to the commissioner of the department of resources and economic development and the house standing committee on resources, recreation and development.

71:3 Effective Date.

I. Section 2 of this act shall take effect July 1, 2003.

II. The remainder of this act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

(Approved: May 1, 2002)

(Effective Date: I. Section 2 of this act shall take effect July 1, 2003.