S.B. 304 - Visitor Impact Fee Program

• Establishes a visitor impact fee program administered by the Department of Land and Natural Resources requiring visitors age 15 and older to purchase a $50 annual license before accessing state parks, beaches, forests, hiking trails, and other natural areas on state land.

• Creates a visitor impact fee special fund to receive revenue from licenses and fines, which must be used for protecting, restoring, and managing natural resources impacted by visitors, including climate resilience projects and invasive species removal.

• Allows the department to award grants to nonprofit organizations and counties for environmental projects, with annual aggregate grants capped at 50% of annual fee revenue for each recipient type.

• Requires the department to place informational signs at state natural areas and establish convenient purchase options including a mobile application and internet website; exempts Hawaii residents and authorizes other entities to help collect fees.

• Effective July 1, 2050; penalties for visiting without a license cannot be assessed until at least five years after program establishment; requires annual legislative reporting on fund expenditures and environmental benefits.