Officials with the California State Parks Foundation have expressed deep concern over the state legislature’s decision to eliminate $6.75 million in funding for the California State Library Parks Pass in the 2025-2026 budget agreement. Without restored support, this widely used and equity-focused program will end on Dec. 31, 2025.
“Cutting funding for this program sends the wrong message about California’s commitment to equity in outdoor access,” said Rachel Norton, Executive Director of California State Parks Foundation. “The California State Library Parks Pass is a proven and well-used program that’s reaching the people it was created to serve. Ending it now would waste years of investment and undermine meaningful progress in expanding access to nature.”
The California State Library Parks Pass gives library card holders free vehicle day-use entry to over 200 participating state parks. Since the start of the program, 38,000 passes have been distributed to more than 1,100 public libraries throughout the state. The program first started in 2021 with 5,000 available passes. Due to the popularity of the initiative, California State Parks expanded the program significantly in 2023. Library card holders can check out the passes and then return them to the library for others to use. Libraries report that these passes are one of their most checked-out items. At select library locations, participants can also check out a backpack along with the pass, with gear like binoculars, compasses, and wildlife guides.
The California State Library Parks Pass program is one of three equity-focused pilot programs introduced by Governor Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom in 2021 to support the state’s California for All vision. The initiative was part of the California Natural Resources Agency’s “Outdoors for All” framework, which outlines goals to expand parks in underserved communities, support access programs, and foster a sense of belonging for all Californians in the outdoors.
In 2023, California State Parks Foundation released compelling survey data highlighting the success of the California State Library Parks Pass program. The survey yielded these key insights, which show the impact and importance of the program:
Sixty-three percent cited cost as the primary barrier to visiting state parks.
Ninety percent said they now plan to visit parks more than seven times a year.
Nearly 70 percent reported household incomes below $60,000.
Over 63% percent identified as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color.
“This program didn’t appear overnight – it’s the result of years of investment, partnership, and public engagement,” said Norton. “Californians have embraced it because it meets a real need. It would be a mistake to walk away from something that’s clearly working.”
While the California State Library Parks Pass is currently funded through the end of 2025, the program will expire after that unless lawmakers act to restore funding. In contrast, the state has identified ongoing funding for the two other access programs launched in 2021: the California State Park Adventure Pass for fourth graders and the Golden Bear Pass for income-eligible households.
Last year, more than 5,000 Californians signed California State Parks Foundation’s petition urging lawmakers to preserve the California State Library Parks Pass.
California State Parks Foundation, an independent, member-supported nonprofit with over 50 years of history, is dedicated to protecting and preserving the California state park system for the benefit of all. Learn more at www.calparks.org, or find California State Parks Foundation @calparks on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter/X, and @californiaparks on Bluesky.
