DENVER (KDVR)— Two laws go into effect Tuesday with the aim of improving accessibility to state parks for Colorado residents and veterans.
One law creates the Keep Colorado Wild Pass, a discounted parks and public lands access pass that will be added on to vehicle registration or registration renewal costs in the state beginning as soon as Jan. 1, 2023.
Residents who do not want to pay the pass fee, which is expected to be about $40, can opt out.
The fees will go towards rejuvenating all 42 state parks and other public lands that have seen surges in visitors since the beginning of the pandemic.
The second act, sponsored by Rep. David Ortiz, allows for free entry to state parks for any veterans who have received the Purple Heart medal. Ortiz himself is a Purple Heart recipient for his service in Afghanistan.
“While we can never repay the debt we owe to all of our nation’s Purple Heart recipients, this small token of gratitude honors our veterans and ensures that cost will never be a barrier for them to access and enjoy our state parks,” Ortiz said in a release about the new law.