Camping grounds; competition with private businesses. (SB571)

Introduced By

Sen. Bryce Reeves (R-Spotsylvania) with support from co-patron Del. Tom Garrett (R-Louisa)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Camping grounds; competition with private businesses.  Requires the Department of Conservation and Recreation, on or before March 1 of each year, to set its camping ground fees at or above the mean fee charged for the same service by private camping grounds in the same and adjoining counties. The bill prohibits the Department from constructing any new camping ground unless it concludes that private camping ground operators are not providing the area with adequate camping facilities. The bill also prohibits the Department from operating any restaurant, store, or other facility that competes with a private business in the same county or an adjoining county unless it makes a good-faith, unsuccessful effort to secure a private business to operate the facility every two years. Read the Bill »

Status

02/02/2012: Failed to Pass in Committee

History

DateAction
01/18/2012Presented and ordered printed 12103926D
01/18/2012Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources
02/02/2012Passed by indefinitely in Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (13-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)

Comments

Jesse Baldwin writes:

Many of the private campgrounds that have opened in the vicinity of State Parks, are there to capitalize on the attraction of the park itself and to exploit the lack of capacity for camping in those parks. Those operators who were in business prior to the opening of the park might have a claim but, those who started a business to compete with the parks for customers have no right to protection. A business model that fails to account for competition in this regard deserves no special treatment.