Cabin Fee Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-1341
Sponsor: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]
Introduced: 2013-07-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Forests, forestry, trees
Land use and conservation
Licensing and registrations
Outdoor recreation
User charges and fees

Summary:
action_date: 2013-07-23
text: 
 Cabin Fee Act of 2013 - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to set an annual fee in accordance with this Act for the issuance of a special use permit for the use and occupancy of National Forest System land for recreational residence purposes. 
 
Requires the Secretary to: (1) complete the current appraisal cycle for such residences within two years after enactment of this Act, and (2) assess an interim annual fee for them according to a specified formula.
 
Specifies the annual fee for each of 11 fee tiers, requiring annual adjustments to reflect the Implicit Price Deflator for the Gross Domestic Product of the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the Department of Commerce.
 
Requires the Secretary to report after ten years on: (1) these annual fees in order to ensure that they reflect fair value for the use of System land, and (2) any recommendations to modify the fee system. 
 
Directs the Secretary to establish a transfer fee of $1,200 for the issuance of a new recreational residence permit due to a change in ownership of the recreational residence. 
 
Permits the Secretary, beginning in FY2023, to: (1) retain and expend any fees collected under this Act (including interim annual fees), and (2) use them to administer the recreational residence program and other recreation programs carried out on System land.
 
Repeals the Cabin User Fees Fairness Act of 2000, effective on the date of the annual permit fees are first assessed under this Act.

action_date: 2014-05-22
text: 
 Cabin Fee Act of 2013 - (Sec. 2) Directs the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to set an annual fee for a special use permit for the use and occupancy of National Forest System land for recreational residence purposes. 
 
Requires the Secretary to complete the current appraisal cycle for the recreational residences within two years in accordance with the Cabin User Fees Fairness Act of 2000. Requires the assessment of an interim annual fee from January 1, 2014, until the current appraisal is completed. 
 
Instructs the Secretary to make a one-time adjustment to the value of each appraised lot on which a recreational residence is located to reflect any change in value occurring after the date of the most recent appraisal. Allows a permitee to arrange for a second appraisal of a lot. 
 
Specifies the annual fee for 11 fee tiers based on the value of the lot on which the recreational residence is located, and requires annual inflation adjustments. 
 
Allows the Secretary to suspend or reduce the annual fee if access to, or the occupancy of, the recreational residence is significantly restricted. 
 
Requires the Secretary to report after ten years on: (1) these annual fees in order to ensure that they reflect fair value for the use of the land for recreational residential purposes, and (2) any recommendations to modify the fee system. 
 
(Sec. 3) Directs the Secretary to establish a transfer fee of $1,200, adjusted annually for inflation, for the issuance of a new recreational residence permit due to a change in ownership of the recreational residence. 
 
(Sec. 4) Prohibits the Secretary from establishing or imposing a fee or condition under this Act for permits in Alaska that is inconsistent with provisions regarding the renewal or continuation of permits and leases for cabins, homesites, or similar structures on federal lands under the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. 
 
(Sec. 5) Permits the Secretary, beginning in FY2024, to retain and expend any fees collected under this Act without further appropriation. Requires the fees to be used to administer the recreational residence program and other recreation programs carried out on National Forest System land. 
 
(Sec. 6) Repeals the Cabin User Fees Fairness Act of 2000, effective on the date the annual permit fees are assessed under this Act. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 397.
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Landrieu with an amendment and an amendment to the title. With written report No. 113-171.
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Landrieu with an amendment and an amendment to the title. With written report No. 113-171.
action_date: 2013-12-19
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment favorably.
action_date: 2013-11-20
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 113-342.
action_date: 2013-07-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2013-07-23
text: Introduced in Senate