36-4-121.  Permits to use state parks, recreation areas and historic sites.

(a)  The department of state parks and cultural resources shall offer for sale permits that allow use of the state parks, recreation areas, archeological sites and historic sites. Daily use permits shall be required at Glendo, Guernsey, Curt Gowdy, Edness Kimball Wilkins, Buffalo Bill, Boysen, Seminoe and Keyhole state parks and Fort Bridger, South Pass City, Trail End, Fort Fetterman and Fort Phil Kearney state historic sites, and Hawk Springs state recreation area.  The department may establish voluntary pay stations at Bear River and Hot Springs state parks to allow users of those parks to make voluntary contributions for the use of the state parks. Persons who enter or use Bear River or Hot Springs state park without paying daily use fees shall not be subject to the penalties provided for in subsection (j) of this section. Overnight camping permits shall be required at Boysen, Buffalo Bill, Curt Gowdy, Glendo, Guernsey, Keyhole, Seminoe and Sinks Canyon state parks, Connor Battlefield state historic site, Medicine Lodge state archeological site and Hawk Springs state recreation area by the department during the entire calendar year. The cost of the permits authorized under this section shall be:

(i)  Twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per calendar year for a resident annual bucking horse daily use permit and forty dollars ($40.00) for a nonresident annual bucking horse daily use permit to designated state parks, historic sites, archeological sites and recreation areas, valid for the holder and occupants of the holder's vehicle, provided resident permits purchased pursuant to this paragraph between January 1 through February 15 of each year shall cost twenty dollars ($20.00) and nonresident permits purchased during the same period shall cost thirty-five dollars ($35.00);

(ii)  Thirty dollars ($30.00) per calendar year for an annual resident overnight camping permit to designated state parks, historic sites, archeological sites and recreation areas to be issued to Wyoming residents only, valid for the holder and occupants of the holder's vehicle;

(iii)  Except as provided under paragraph (a)(v) of this section, two dollars ($2.00) for residents and five dollars ($5.00) for nonresidents for the daily use fee for designated state parks, archeological sites and recreation areas, valid for the date of purchase for the holder and occupants of the holder's vehicle and for the holder entering the park or area by bicycle, horseback or on foot;

(iv)  Except as provided under paragraph (a)(v) of this section, one dollar ($1.00) per person for residents and two dollars ($2.00) per person for nonresidents for the daily use fee for designated state historic sites, valid for the date of purchase for the holder only. The fee is not required for persons under the age of eighteen (18) years;

(v)  Two dollars ($2.00) per person for the daily use fee for buses used in guided tours at designated state parks, historic sites and recreation areas, valid for the date of purchase only. The bucking horse annual permit authorized under paragraphs (a)(i) and (ii) of this section is not valid for and shall not be issued to buses used for purposes specified under this paragraph. The fee imposed under this paragraph shall not apply to persons under the age of eighteen (18) years;

(vi)  Four dollars ($4.00) per night for residents and nine dollars ($9.00) for nonresidents for overnight camping at any designated state park, historic site, archeological site and recreation area valid for the date of purchase and the following day until 3:00 p.m. for the holder and occupants of the holder's vehicle;

(vii)  Five dollars ($5.00) for each additional vehicle annual bucking horse entrance permit issued under subsection (b) of this section;

(viii)  Five dollars ($5.00) for each additional vehicle annual resident overnight camping permit issued under subsection (b) of this section;

(ix)  Five dollars ($5.00) for each duplicate annual bucking horse entrance permit issued under subsection (c) of this section;

(x)  Five dollars ($5.00) for each duplicate annual resident overnight camping permit issued under subsection (c) of this section;

(xi)  Any group may be charged a fee of not more than seventy-five dollars ($75.00) for a twenty-four (24) hour period for the use of the lodges located at Curt Gowdy or Buffalo Bill State Parks;

(xii)  Any group may be charged a fee of not more than fifty dollars ($50.00) for a twelve (12) hour period for a group picnic shelter and adjacent grounds located at any department location;

(xiii)  Upon written request of a group sponsoring a special event, the director of the department may, with the approval of the parks and cultural resources commission, waive any fees required under this subsection;

(xiv)  Waived for the following:

(A)  Persons needing to pass through a state park or historic site to access private property shall be exempt from the entrance permit requirements of this section;

(B)  Persons needing access to a state park or historic site to conduct official business or only to access a private commercial business without further use of the state park or historic site shall be exempt from the entrance permit requirements of this section;

(C)  School groups on school sanctioned events including events sanctioned by educational programs defined under W.S. 21-4-101(a)(iii), (iv) and (v), and residents and staff of publicly owned homes or institutions while on official agency functions shall be exempt from the entrance permit requirements of this section;

(D)  Not for profit groups or organizations needing access to a state park or historic site to provide volunteer assistance or services that have been previously agreed upon by the department of state parks and cultural resources shall be exempt from the permit requirements of this section.

(b)  Any holder of an annual bucking horse entrance permit or an annual resident overnight camping permit may obtain additional vehicle annual bucking horse entrance permits or additional vehicle annual resident overnight camping permits from the department or any selling agent of the department upon payment of the fee prescribed under paragraph (a)(vii) or (viii) of this section, as applicable, and upon submission of proof satisfactory to the department that an original annual permit was purchased and that the additional vehicle is registered in the same name as the vehicle for which the original annual permit is obtained, or that the additional vehicle is operated by the person who purchased the original annual permit or a member of his family under duly granted authority from his employer.  The director shall determine the validity of the authority of an applicant to operate an employer-owned vehicle prior to issuance of an additional vehicle permit for that vehicle under this section.  Any vehicle in tow by another vehicle owned by the same person shall be considered a single vehicle for purposes of this section and only a single annual bucking horse daily use permit shall be required for entrance at state parks and a single annual resident overnight camping permit shall be required for overnight camping at state parks.

(c)  If an annual bucking horse daily use permit or an annual resident overnight camping permit is lost, mutilated or destroyed, the holder of the permit may obtain a duplicate annual permit from the department or any selling agent of the department upon filing an affidavit showing the loss, mutilation or destruction of the original permit and upon payment of the fee imposed under paragraph (a)(ix) or (x) of this section, as applicable.

(d)  Repealed by Laws 1992, ch. 50, § 3.

(e)  The department through the division of state parks and historic sites shall in accordance with W.S. 36-4-123, appoint selling agents to sell bucking horse permits authorized under this section. Each appointed selling agent shall retain ten percent (10%) of the cost of each permit sold under this section as his sales commission. Designated department employees may sell annual bucking horse daily use permits and other permits required by this section but no employee of the department shall receive any commission on permits sold.

(f)  Repealed by Laws 1992, ch. 50, § 3.

(g)  Repealed by Laws 1992, ch. 50, § 3.

(h)  The funds received by the department from the sale of the permits shall be deposited as follows:

(i)  Eighty percent (80%) shall be deposited in a capital construction account within the enterprise fund and may be expended by the division for capital construction projects subject to approval by the legislature;

(ii)  Twenty percent (20%) shall be deposited in the general fund.

(j)  Any person using state parks, recreation areas and historic sites and failing to obtain a bucking horse permit or the other permits required by this section and any person otherwise violating this section is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), imprisonment for not more than six (6) months, or both.

(k)  The department of state parks and cultural resources is authorized to contract with the town of Ranchester to implement a fee collection program at Connor Battlefield state historic site and to provide for park maintenance and operation. Notwithstanding subsection (h) of this section, fees collected pursuant to paragraphs (a)(ii) and (v) of this section for overnight camping at Connor Battlefield state historic site shall be deposited into a separate account within the earmarked revenue fund and may be expended by the department pursuant to contracts entered into under this subsection.

(m)  Notwithstanding subsection (h) of this section, fees collected at Keyhole state park by the department of state parks and cultural resources shall first be applied to expenses incurred by the department of state parks and cultural resources to implement and conduct the collection of such fees, and then shall be used to reimburse water development account I for the funds deposited in the Keyhole reservoir account established by W.S. 41-2-1001(a)(v) and funds expended to purchase water necessary to initially fill the recreation pool in Keyhole reservoir. Upon the repayment of the water development account, the fees shall be deposited in accordance with subsection (h) of this section. The game and fish department shall, from nonlicensure fees, reimburse water development account I in the amount of five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) per year until the water development account I is repaid.