Sec. 11.028. VOLUNTEER SERVICES. (a) The department may use the services of volunteers to help carry out the duties and responsibilities of the department, provided, however, that volunteers shall not be used to enforce provisions of this code or to carry out department duties and responsibilities on private property unless the landowner has consented to the activity.
(b) The department may accept funds raised by a volunteer or volunteer group to promote the work of the department and to help carry out its duties and responsibilities. The department may use the funds for the specific project or purpose for which the funds are intended.
(c) The director may waive park entrance fees and facility use fees for a volunteer to assist in the accomplishment of the volunteer's service to the department.
(d) The executive director may expend funds appropriated to the department from dedicated funding sources for:
(1) the establishment of an insurance program to protect volunteers in the performance of volunteer service;
(2) recognition of the services of a volunteer or volunteer groups.
(e) The commission shall authorize the administrator of a state park to provide passes to the state park to members of nonprofit youth groups who volunteer to help carry out the duties and responsibilities of the department at the park. For purposes of this subsection, "nonprofit youth group" means a nonprofit organization that:
(1) is chartered as a national or statewide organization;
(2) is organized and operated exclusively for youth recreational or educational purposes and that includes, as part of the group's program, components relating to:
(A) character development;
(B) citizenship training;
(C) physical and mental fitness; and
(D) prevention of drug abuse;
(3) has been in existence for at least 10 years; and
(4) has a membership of which at least 65 percent are younger than 22 years of age.
Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 910, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1991. Amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 257, Sec. 1, eff. May 28, 1999.