Wis. Park, Trail Fees To See Price Hike On Jan. 1

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Hikers, cyclists, cross-country skiers and other outdoor lovers will have to pay more to get into Wisconsin state parks and use state trails in the new year.

Republican-authored provisions in the state budget raising park admission and trail fees go into effect Jan. 1. The move is intended to help offset other language in the spending plan that ended funding state parks with tax dollars.

Under the new provisions, Wisconsin residents will have to pay $28 for an annual park pass, up from $25. They'll have to pay $8 for daily admission, up from $7. Out-of-staters will have to pay $38 for an annual park pass, up from $35. They'll have to pay $11 for a day pass, up from $10.

Annual trail passes, meanwhile, will cost $25, up from $20. Daily trail passes will cost $5; they now cost $4. The fees are the same for residents and non-residents.

A number of other laws go into effect on Jan. 1 as well, including:

— A measure that exempts materials contractors purchase to construct a project for a local government, school district or nonprofit organization from the state sales tax.

— A budget provision allowing researchers access to state Department of Children and Families databases containing information on participants in Milwaukee's voucher school program.

— Budget language transferring oversight of community-based juvenile justice programs from the Department of Corrections to the Department of Children and Families. The DCF will take over distributing funding for community intervention programs for first-time and chronic juvenile offenders, aid to counties for out-of-home placements and other services for juveniles, and reimbursements to American Indian tribes and counties for unexpected or unusually costly out-of-home placements for delinquent Indian juveniles.

— A budget plan that exempts farm-raised deer sold to hunting preserves and game farms from sales tax.

New laws in Wisconsin don't automatically go into effect on a set calendar day. Unless the law itself specifies an effective date, laws here take effect the day after the Legislative Reference Bureau publishes them. Publication occurs the day after the governor signs the bill into law.

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