Georgia Senate committee hears bill to waive state park fees for military and veterans

ATLANTA — The Georgia Senate Veterans Committee on Tuesday heard testimony on Senate Bill 190, the Military and Veterans State Park Fee Waiver Act, which would waive or reduce state park annual and day‑use parking fees for active duty service members, veterans and Gold Star families.

Sponsor Senator Wilkes presented the bill and said it is intended to "get back to our service members" by reducing barriers to parks that supporters say aid mental health and community reintegration. "This bill is about service to our country," one supporter said during testimony.

Supporters, including Sherman Neal, deputy campaign director for the Sierra Club’s Military Outdoors campaign and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, and Raquel Durden, a retired U.S. Army combat veteran and founder of Humble Warrior Wellness and Yoga, described parks as restorative spaces. Neal recounted relying on outdoor bonding after deployments and said parks programs can create jobs and community leadership opportunities. Durden said research shows regular time in nature can lower stress and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and argued the bill would bring Georgia closer to federal practice, where national park admission is free to veterans.

Vidya Barnett, a disabled U.S. Air Force veteran and founder of The Vetspace, framed the proposal as suicide‑prevention policy. "When I called the Veterans Crisis Hotline...one of the counselors suggested that I get outside," Barnett said, describing nature as interrupting a mental‑health crisis. She cited U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs figures discussed at the hearing — "more than 6,000 veterans die by suicide each year" — to argue the waiver is a modest preventative investment.

Trevor Santos, Service Deputy Commissioner at the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR), told the committee the state operates more than 60 park and historic properties across roughly 88,000 acres and described current discounts and revenues. He said the Board of Natural Resources recently doubled the parking pass price from $5 to $10 and that DNR maintains a 25% discount for active duty and veterans for annual and day passes (equating to about $7.50 for a $10 pass). Santos said park‑pass revenue is approximately $7,000,000 per year and is reinvested into park maintenance and operations.

Committee members pressed for fiscal detail. One senator asked whether the National Guard would be covered; sponsors confirmed Guard eligibility. Other members raised concerns about management costs tied to campgrounds, RV sites and cottage rentals and asked how many veterans currently use discounted passes and how waiving fees would affect DNR’s maintenance funding. Santos said DNR could follow up with additional data on cottage and RV usage and that identification or VA documentation is required to receive certain discounts.

Senator McLaren and other committee members expressed broad support but identified drafting language that may need a cleanup amendment (removing the word "disabled" in one line to reflect expanded eligibility). The committee made a motion and second to advance the bill but did not take a final vote; members asked the chair to request a fiscal note from the Office of Planning and Budget (OPB). The chair said SB190 would be placed at the top of the next meeting agenda and the committee would review fiscal analysis before further action.

The committee adjourned without a vote.