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It’ s not all fun and games when it comes to local and state park policy in Florida’s capitol. As Matt Galka tells us, some lawmakers want to make them more accessible at a local level, while state officials are trying to figure out how to get state parks to make more money.

Giving veterans, their families, and law enforcement and first responders better access to local parks that may charge a fee is gaining steam in the Florida capitol. Representative Kevin Rader’s bill would give them discounted rates.

“It already is law on the state side, our state parks already have it, this bill mimics is on the city and county level,” said Rep. Kevin Rader (D-Boca Raton).

Florida’s Department of Veteran’s Affairs supports the plan.

“We have folks who served all over the globe, they come back home to Florida, they establish residency, they become part of the fabric of our communities and it’s a way of saying thanks,” said Executive Director Col. Mike Prendergast.

The bill is moving while Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection Secretary is trying to get state parks to be self sustaining.

DEP secretary Jon Steverson came under fire in the last year after proposing to open up some state parks to grazing and timber harvesting in an effort to boost revenue. Here’s what he said in 2015:

“I want to say hey what can we do to make our state parks the most beneficial to the citizens of the state, the visitors of the state, and to the environment that we’re serving.”

The local parks bill sponsor says his proposal wouldn’t have an impact on the controversial idea.

“It really does not, this is allowing our service folks who protect us every day to enjoy our city and county parks at a discount,” said Rader.

Environmentalists have heavily opposed the idea of opening up the parks in an effort to make more money.