Vehicle License Fee Law (VLF): state parks fee.

The Vehicle License Fee (VLF) Law establishes, in lieu of any ad valorem property tax upon vehicles, an annual license fee for any vehicle subject to registration in this state. Under the California Constitution and existing law, the fees are deposited into the Vehicle License Fee Account of the Local Revenue Fund in the State Treasury for allocation to cities, counties, and cities and counties. This bill would additionally impose an annual surcharge in the amount of $15 on every vehicle subject to the VLF to sustain the operation and maintenance of the state park system, among other things. The bill would create the State Parks Access Fund in the State Treasury and would require that the $15 surcharge be deposited in this fund to be used for specified purposes by the Department of Parks and Recreation upon appropriation by the Legislature. The bill would also require the department to provide free vehicle access to units of the state park system to those vehicles subject to the fee. The bill would define "free vehicle access" to mean free vehicle day use at all state parks, except as specified. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.