CT HB05214

Establishes the "Passport to the Parks" account as a separate, nonlapsing fund within the General Fund to support state parks, campgrounds, Batterson Park, soil and water conservation districts, and environmental review teams.

Requires the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, City of Hartford, and Riverfront Recapture to enter into a memorandum of understanding for Riverfront Recapture to manage the care, maintenance, and operation of Batterson Park, with annual grant-in-aid funding from the state agency.

Creates a "Passport to the Parks Fee" added to motor vehicle registration: $15 for triennial registration, $10 for biennial registration, and $5 for annual registration for seniors 65 and older; applies to passenger, motorcycle, motor home, combination, and antique vehicles.

Mandates $100,000 annual payments from the Passport to the Parks account to each of five conservation districts, the Connecticut Environmental Review Team, and the Connecticut Council on Water and Soil Conservation, beginning July 1, 2018.

Increases the Passport to the Parks Fee by 50 cents starting July 1, 2025, with subsequent adjustments every two years based on consumer price index changes.