[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 568 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 568

     To allow the Department of the Interior and the Department of 
Agriculture to establish a fee system for commercial filming activities 
            in a site or resource under their jurisdictions.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 9, 1999

  Mr. Thomas introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
       referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To allow the Department of the Interior and the Department of 
Agriculture to establish a fee system for commercial filming activities 
            in a site or resource under their jurisdictions.

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

SECTION 1. COMMERCIAL FILMING ACTIVITIES.

    (a) Commercial Filming.--The Secretary of the Interior and the 
Secretary of Agriculture, hereinafter referred to as ``the 
Secretaries'', shall require a permit and shall establish a reasonable 
fee for commercial filming activities in a site or resource under their 
respective jurisdictions. Such fee shall provide a fair return to the 
United States and shall be based upon the following criteria, in 
addition to such other factors as the Secretaries deem necessary: the 
number of days the filming takes place within a site or resource, the 
size of the film crew, the amount and type of equipment present, and 
any potential impact on park resources. The Secretaries are also 
directed to recover any costs incurred as a result of filming 
activities, including but not limited to administration and personnel 
costs. All costs recovered are in addition to the assessed fee.
    (b) Still Photography.--(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), 
the Secretaries shall not require a permit or assess a fee for 
commercial or noncommercial still photography of sites, lands, or 
resources under their respective jurisdictions in any part of a site or 
resource where members of the public are generally allowed. In other 
locations, the Secretaries may require a permit, fee, or both, if the 
Secretaries determine that there is a likelihood of resource impact, 
disruption of the public's use and enjoyment of the site or resource, 
or if the activity poses health or safety risks.
    (2) The Secretaries shall require the issuance of a permit and the 
payment of a reasonable fee for still photography that utilizes models 
or props which are not a part of a site or resource's natural or 
cultural features or administrative facilities.
    (c) Proceeds.--(1) Fees collected within lands or sites under the 
jurisdiction of the Secretaries under this section shall be deposited 
in a special account in the Treasury of the United States and shall be 
available to the Secretaries, without further appropriation for high-
priority visitor service or resource management projects and programs 
for the unit or site in which the fee is collected.
    (2) All costs recovered under this section shall be retained by the 
Secretaries and shall remain available for expenditure in the site or 
resource where collected, without further appropriation.
    (d) Permits.--The Secretaries shall establish systems to insure 
that requests for permits are responded to in a timely manner.
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