(1) (a) Any resident who displays on the resident's vehicle a Colorado disabled veteran's license plate pursuant to section 42-3-304 (3)(a) or a purple heart special license plate pursuant to section 42-3-213 (2) must be allowed free entrance to any state park or recreation area, not to include campgrounds, on any day of the year such park or area is open. For the purpose of this section, display of such license plates entitles the disabled veteran or purple heart recipient and passengers in such disabled veteran's or purple heart recipient's vehicle to enter such park or recreation area free of charge. (b) Any resident who presents the documents necessary to satisfy the requirements of section 42-3-304 (3)(a) at a regional office or the central office of the division, or at such other locations as may be determined by the division, may obtain a transferable annual parks pass free of charge from the division. (c) Any resident who presents the documents necessary to satisfy the requirements of section 42-3-213 (2) at a regional office or the central office of the division, or at such other locations as may be determined by the division, may obtain a transferable annual parks pass free of charge from the division. (2) Repealed. (2.3) The commission may promulgate rules to allow free entrance to any state park or recreation area, not to include campgrounds, yurts, or other amenities and services offered, for veterans on one day each year. The commission may determine by rule which day veterans are allowed free entrance to state parks and recreation areas. (2.4) (a) The commission shall promulgate a rule to allow veterans, including active duty personnel, free entrance to any state park or recreation area, not to include campgrounds, yurts, or other amenities and services, for the month of August each year. The commission may promulgate a rule setting evidence standards to show a person is a veteran and issue a sticker or other device that identifies a person as a veteran for future entrance. The commission may also charge a fee for issuing the sticker or other device that identifies a person as a veteran, but the fee must be based on the direct and indirect cost of issuing the sticker or other device. (b) The general assembly shall annually appropriate moneys to the division to implement this subsection (2.4). If the general assembly does not make the appropriation, the commission need not offer free entrance to veterans to state parks or recreational areas until the money is appropriated. (2.7) (a) (I) The general assembly hereby finds, determines, and declares that: (A) Service members returning from post-September 11, 2001, overseas contingency operations who have been injured during combat face a challenging period of rehabilitation upon their return to the United States; (B) Many of these service members are so severely injured that they require medical assistance for many years, or even the rest of their lives, as they reenter mainstream life; (C) Although the scope of care provided by the United States armed services wounded warrior programs varies with each service member, based on the needs of the individual, these service members may be assigned, upon return to Colorado, to a medical treatment facility such as Evans army hospital at Fort Carson, Colorado; (D) Wounded warrior programs are direct efforts by the United States armed services to care for service members during their long transition from combat-related injury to civilian life and to provide assistance to those service members in recovery, rehabilitation, and reintegration that is worthy of their service and sacrifice; and (E) For those wounded warriors who suffer injuries so severe that they will require intense, ongoing care or assistance for many years or the rest of their lives, a significant part of the healing process is enabling and encouraging these service members to experience some of the outdoor recreational activities they enjoyed prior to their service-related injuries. (II) The general assembly therefore recognizes the need to provide opportunities for Colorado's severely injured "wounded warriors" to enjoy the natural resources of the state as part of their rehabilitative care. Furthermore, offering free entrance to state parks and recreation areas to such recovering service members is a small, but recognizable, acknowledgment of their selfless service and sacrifice. (b) The commission may promulgate rules to allow free entrance to any state park or recreation area, not to include campgrounds, yurts, or other amenities or services offered, for participants in the United States armed services wounded warrior programs who are residents of, or stationed in, Colorado. Any such rules must also allow for free admission of persons accompanying the wounded warrior program participant in the same vehicle. (c) As used in this subsection (2.7), "United States armed services wounded warrior programs" means: (I) The Army wounded warrior (AW2) program; (II) The Air Force wounded warrior (AFW2) program; (III) The Navy safe harbor program; (IV) The Coast Guard wounded warrior regiment; and (V) Any successor program administered by a branch of the United States armed services to provide individualized support for service members who have been severely injured in overseas contingency operations undertaken since September 11, 2001. (3) Pursuant to section 33-10-115, a public or nonprofit backcountry search and rescue organization shall be allowed free entrance to any state park or recreation area on any day of the year such park or area is open, subject to availability.
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