Video | Sen. Sampson Debates Govt. Funding for All-Terrain Wheelchairs at State Parks (5/24/2023)
May 25, 2023
Senator Sampson debates a bill that would use taxpayer funds to provide free all-terrain wheelchairs, valued at $25,000 each, at certain state parks. Under the bill, an “all-terrain wheelchair” is a battery-powered wheelchair with treads that can travel over trails, sand, gravel, and similar rugged terrain or ground cover. In the process, his questions reveal that there is little evidence of a compelling public interest to provide such devices, funded by taxpayers. He also uncovers an inconsistency in state policy as the bill’s proponent was unaware if these devices are permitted in state parks under current law.
