Substitute House Bill No. 6893
          Substitute House Bill No. 6893

              PUBLIC ACT NO. 97-229


AN  ACT  CONCERNING   SHARING  CERTAIN  STATE  TAX
REVENUE  WITH  MUNICIPAL  AGENCIES  AND  MUNICIPAL
RETENTION OF REVENUES AT STATE BOAT LAUNCHES.


    Be it enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of
Representatives in General Assembly convened:
    Section 1. (NEW)  The  Commissioner of Revenue
Services  is authorized  to  pay  to  a  municipal
agency an amount  not  to exceed fifty per cent of
the tax actually  collected  as  the  result of an
assessment  made  under   section  12-416  of  the
general  statutes  against   the  purchaser  of  a
vessel, as defined  in subdivision (24) of section
12-407   of  the   general   statutes,   if   said
commissioner, in his  sole  discretion, determines
that  information  provided  by  such  agency  was
instrumental in the making of such assessment.
    Sec. 2. Section  23-26 of the general statutes
is repealed and  the  following  is substituted in
lieu thereof:
    (a) The commissioner  may  (1) provide for the
collection of fees  for  parking,  admission, boat
launching and other  uses of state parks, forests,
boat  launches  and   other   state   recreational
facilities, (2) establish  from  time  to time the
daily and seasonal  amount thereof, (3) enter into
contractual relations with  other  persons for the
operation  of  concessions,  (4)  establish  other
sources of revenue  to be derived from services to
the general public  using  such parks, forests and
facilities, [and] (5)  employ  such  assistants as
may  be  necessary  for  the  collection  of  such
revenue.  The  commissioner   shall  deposit  such
revenue derived therefrom with the State Treasurer
in the General  Fund.  On  and after July 1, 1992,
any increase in  any fee or any establishment of a
new fee under this section shall be by regulations
adopted  in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of
chapter 54. NOTWITHSTANDING THE PROVISIONS OF THIS
SECTION,  THE  COMMISSIONER   MAY  ENTER  INTO  AN
AGREEMENT WITH ANY  MUNICIPALITY  UNDER  WHICH THE
MUNICIPALITY   MAY  RETAIN   FEES   COLLECTED   BY
MUNICIPAL OFFICERS AT  STATE  BOAT  LAUNCHES  WHEN
STATE EMPLOYEES ARE NOT ON DUTY.
    (b)  The  commissioner   shall  issue  to  any
resident of the  state,  upon  payment  of  a  fee
established     by    said     commissioner,     a
nontransferable   Connecticut  private   passenger
motor  vehicle pass  which  permits  free  parking
throughout the calendar  year  at  any state park,
forest, boat launch  or  other  state recreational
facility provided the  commissioner  shall  not be
required to issue  such a pass to any park, forest
or facility which  is  wholly managed by a private
concessionaire and may require payment of fees for
special events.
    (c)  The  commissioner   shall  issue  to  any
resident of the  state  who is sixty-five years of
age or older,  without  fee,  upon  application of
such  resident, a  nontransferable  lifetime  pass
which shall permit  free  parking,  admission  and
boat access parking  for  use  at  any state park,
forest or state  recreational  facility,  provided
the commissioner shall  not  be  required to issue
such  a pass  for  use  of  any  park,  forest  or
facility which is  wholly  managed  by  a  private
concessionaire and may require payment of fees for
special events.
    Sec. 3. This  act  shall  take effect from its
passage.

Approved June 24, 1997