HR 743 IH

To eliminate the fees associated with Forest Service special use permits authorizing a church to use structures and improvements on National Forest System lands for religious or educational purposes.

To eliminate the fees associated with Forest Service special use permits authorizing a church to use structures and improvements on National Forest System lands for religious or educational purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. ELIMINATION OF FEES FOR FOREST SERVICE SPECIAL USE PERMITS ISSUED TO CHURCHES.

(a) FEES PROHIBITED- After the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture may not impose or collect any fee in connection with the issuance to a church of a special use permit described in subsection (b). Nothing in this subsection shall affect those fees collected by the Secretary on or before that date.

(b) COVERED SPECIAL USE PERMITS- A special use permit referred to in subsection (a) is a special use permit in effect after the date of the enactment of this Act that--

(1) authorizes a church to occupy and use any structure or improvement located on National Forest System lands for religious or educational purposes; and

(2) was issued by the Forest Service before that date, or is issued by the Forest Service on or after that date, under the authority of any special use permit law.

(c) DEFINITIONS- In this section:

(1) CHURCH- The term `church' means a church, a convention or association of churches, or an elementary or secondary school that is controlled, operated, or principally supported by a church or a convention or association of churches.

(2) SPECIAL USE PERMIT LAW- The term `special use permit law' includes--

(A) the last paragraph under the heading `FOREST SERVICE' in the Act of March 4, 1915 (16 U.S.C. 497);

(B) section 4(c) of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 460l-6a(c));

(C) section 7 of the Act of April 24, 1950 (16 U.S.C. 580d; commonly known as the Granger-Thye Act); and

(D) any other law authorizing the issuance of special use permits by the Forest Service.