TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Kansas House members don’t think much of giving a state official the power to double the fee for registering a boat to use at state parks.
The House voted 82-29 on Tuesday against giving first-round approval to a bill allow the secretary of wildlife, parks and tourism the authority to increase the boating fee to $60 from $30.
Boat owners pay the fee once every three years. Supporters of the bill said that even if the fee is doubled, it will still be competitive with the fees charged in other states. They said the Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism can use more budget flexibility.
But critics worried about increasing fees or giving too much power to an administrative agency.