Indiana allows qualifying counties to impose a $1 state park entrance surcharge

Original title: Natural resource entrance fees.

Last action · February 16, 2026: Senator Schmitt added as cosponsorSponsors: Dave Hall and 13 others

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What This Bill Would Do

Eligible Indiana counties meeting specific criteria may adopt local ordinances to charge up to a $1 surcharge on state park and recreation area entrance fees starting July 1, 2026. Annual state park pass holders are exempt from paying this surcharge. The Department of Natural Resources must collect the surcharge, begin collection within 60 days of notice, and remit monthly payments to county treasurers.

Why it matters

Provides local governments with new discretionary revenue streams drawn from state park visitors, which must be allocated toward public safety services or infrastructure enhancements such as water quality improvements.

Background

Indiana state parks are managed at the state level by the Department of Natural Resources, while local municipal services like public safety and road upkeep are funded locally. context

Who It Would Affect

Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Annual state park pass holders

Exempt from paying the newly authorized local park entrance surcharge.

Directly affected

County treasurers

Receive monthly remittance payments of surcharge funds from the Department of Natural Resources.

Key Facts

Counties meeting certain criteria may adopt an ordinance to impose a surcharge of not more than $1 on entrance fees for state parks and recreation areas.
Annual state park pass holders are explicitly exempt from the surcharge.
The Department of Natural Resources must begin collecting the surcharge within 60 days after receiving notice of the ordinance adoption.
The Department of Natural Resources must pay the collected surcharge to the county treasurer no later than the end of the following month.

Show all 6 facts

If a state park or recreation area spans multiple counties that have all passed the ordinance, the department must prorate the surcharge among them.
Collected surcharge funds must be used for public safety or infrastructure, including water quality improvements, natural resource protection, or benefits to adjacent communities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who has to pay the new state park surcharge?

Visitors entering a state park or recreation area in a participating county will pay up to $1 extra per entrance fee, unless they hold an annual state park pass.

What can counties do with the money collected from the surcharge?

Counties must use the revenue for public safety or infrastructure projects, which can include water quality improvements and natural resource protection.

What else do you want to know?

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Where This Stands

Currently passed both. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Law.

Procedural history

19 actions

Feb 16, 2026Senate
Senator Schmitt added as cosponsor
Feb 10, 2026SenateFloor
Committee report: amend do pass adopted; reassigned to Committee on Appropriations
Feb 9, 2026Senate
Senator Maxwell added as cosponsor
Feb 5, 2026Senate
Senator Holdman added as cosponsor
Feb 5, 2026Senate
Senator Donato added as cosponsor
Feb 5, 2026Senate
Senator Charbonneau added as cosponsor

Show 13 earlier actions

Feb 5, 2026SenateIntroduced
First reading: referred to Committee on Natural Resources
Feb 3, 2026House
Referred to the Senate
Feb 2, 2026House
Cosponsors: Senators Deery, Yoder
Feb 2, 2026House
Senate sponsors: Senators Koch, Glick, Leising
Feb 2, 2026HouseFloor
Third reading: passed; Roll Call 174: yeas 71, nays 7
Jan 29, 2026House
Amendment #1 (Hall) prevailed; voice vote
Jan 29, 2026HouseFloor
Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed
Jan 27, 2026HouseFloor
Committee report: do pass, adopted
Jan 14, 2026House
Recommitted to Committee on Ways and Means pursuant to House Rule 126.3
Jan 14, 2026HouseFloor
Committee report: do pass, adopted
Jan 5, 2026HouseIntroduced
First reading: referred to Committee on Natural Resources
Jan 5, 2026House
Coauthored by Representatives Bartels, Patterson, Pierce M
Jan 5, 2026House
Authored by Representative Hall

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

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