PARC Act

Legislative Summary: PARC Act (S. 1037)

Overview

The Protecting Access to Recreation with Cash (PARC) Act is a targeted piece of legislation designed to ensure that visitors to the United States National Park System can continue to use cash to pay for entrance fees. The bill seeks to prevent the transition to "cashless" payment systems at federal recreation sites.

Main Purpose and Intent

The primary intent of the PARC Act is to maintain accessibility to national parks for all citizens, regardless of their access to digital banking, credit cards, or electronic payment methods. By mandating the acceptance of cash, the bill aims to remove financial barriers that could potentially exclude "unbanked" or "underbanked" individuals from visiting national park units.

Key Provisions

The bill makes a specific amendment to Section 803(e) of the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (16 U.S.C. 6802(e)).

• Mandatory Cash Acceptance: The Secretary of the Interior is required to ensure that any unit of the National Park System that charges an entrance fee must accept cash as a valid form of payment.

Who is Affected?

• Visitors to National Parks: General public visitors, particularly those who prefer cash or do not have access to credit/debit cards, will be guaranteed the ability to pay for entry using currency.
• The Department of the Interior: The Secretary of the Interior and the National Park Service (NPS) will be legally obligated to maintain the infrastructure and staffing necessary to process cash transactions.
• National Park Units: Individual parks that charge fees must ensure their payment systems remain compatible with cash.

Procedural Status

• Introduced: March 13, 2025
• Current Status: The bill has been read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for further review.