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LEGISLATURE
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IDAHO
Sixty-eighth
Legislature
Second
Regular
Session
-
2026
IN
THE
HOUSE
OF
REPRESENTATIVES
HOUSE
BILL
NO.
861
BY
WAYS
AND
MEANS
COMMITTEE
AN
ACT
1
RELATING
TO
THE
DEPARTMENT
OF
COMMERCE;
AMENDING
SECTION
67
-
4703,
IDAHO
2
CODE,
TO
PROVIDE
FOR
CERTAIN
POWERS
AND
DUTIES
OF
THE
DEPARTMENT
OF
3
COMMERCE
AND
TO
MAKE
TECHNICAL
CORRECTIONS;
AMENDING
SECTION
67
-
4715,
4
IDAHO
CODE,
TO
REVISE
PROVISIONS
REGARDING
THE
DUTIES
AND
POWERS
OF
5
THE
TRAVEL
AND
CONVENTION
INDUSTRY
COUNCIL;
AMENDING
SECTION
67
-
4717,
6
IDAHO
CODE,
TO
REVISE
PROVISIONS
REGARDING
THE
REGIONAL
AND
STATEWIDE
7
GRANT
PROGRAM;
AND
DECLARING
AN
EMERGENCY
AND
PROVIDING
AN
EFFECTIVE
8
DATE.
9
Be
It
Enacted
by
the
Legislature
of
the
State
of
Idaho:
10
SECTION
1.
That
Section
67
-
4703,
Idaho
Code,
be,
and
the
same
is
hereby
1
1
amended
to
read
as
follows:
12
67
-
4703.
POWERS
AND
DUTIES.
The
department
of
commerce
shall
have
the
13
power
and
it
shall
be
its
duty
to
engage
in
advertising
the
state
of
Idaho,
14
its
resources,
both
developed
and
undeveloped,
its
tourist
resources
and
15
attractions,
its
agricultural,
mining,
lumbering
and
manufacturing
re
-
16
sources,
its
health
conditions
and
advantages,
its
scenic
beauty
and
its
17
other
attractions
and
advantages;
and
in
general
either
directly,
indi
-
18
rectly
or
by
contract
do
anything
and
take
any
action
which
will
promote
19
and
advertise
the
resources
and
products
of
the
state
of
Idaho,
develop
its
20
resources
and
industries,
promote
tourist
travel
to
and
within
the
state
of
21
Idaho,
and
further
the
welfare
and
prosperity
of
its
citizens.
22
The
department
shall
also
have
the
following
duties
when
it
deals
with
23
promoting
economic
development
and
tourism
within
the
state:
24
(1)
Survey
To
survey
and
investigate
the
social,
economic
and
physi
-
25
cal
resources
of
the
state,
including
land,
water,
minerals,
facilities
for
26
power,
transportation,
communications,
recreation,
health,
education
and
27
other
resources
and
facilities;
endeavor
to
aid
the
legislature
and
the
cit
-
28
izens
of
the
state
of
Idaho
in
formulating
a
program
for
the
development
and
29
utilization
of
these
resources
and
facilities,
and
for
balancing
our
agri
-
30
cultural,
timber
and
mining
economy
with
industrial
capacity.
It
shall
co
-
31
operate
with
local
and
regional
agencies
within
the
state.
It
shall
cooper
-
32
ate
with
like
agencies
of
other
states,
with
agencies
maintained
by
private
33
persons
or
corporations,
and
with
agencies
established
or
employed
by
the
34
United
States
to
promote
the
development
of
the
country
and
the
welfare
of
35
its
people.
36
(2)
To
develop
and
promote
a
comprehensive
international
marketing
37
plan
for
Idaho's
products.
38
(3)
To
collect
and
compile
reliable
data
for
general
dissemination
39
which
will
tend
to
the
development
of
the
state
of
Idaho
by
inducing
people
40
and
capital
to
come
within
our
borders.
41
2
(4)
Keep
To
keep
accurate
records
and
preserve
all
data
collected
by
it,
1
and
from
time
to
time
prepare
and
submit
to
the
governor
and
the
legislature,
2
reports,
programs,
recommendations
and
plans
for
the
comprehensive,
long
-
3
range
development,
conservation
and
use
of
all
the
resources
of
the
state
of
4
Idaho.
It
shall
make
such
special
investigations
as
to
resources,
facili
-
5
ties,
and
other
matters
as
may
be
required
by
the
governor
or
the
legisla
-
6
ture.
7
(5)
Coordinate
To
coordinate
those
activities
of
local,
state,
federal
8
and
private
agencies
and
departments
when
they
deal
with
the
promotion
of
9
Idaho's
economic
resources.
10
(6)
To
require
and
receive
from
the
various
executive
departments
and
1
1
public
officials
of
the
state
of
Idaho
such
information
as
may
be
required
by
12
the
division
to
enable
it
to
fulfill
its
functions
and
carry
out
the
purposes
13
of
this
act.
14
(7)
Administer
To
administer
and
perform
any
other
related
functions
or
15
activities
assigned
by
the
governor
or
the
legislature.
16
(8)
Enter
To
enter
into
interagency
agreements
with
other
state
agen
-
17
cies
in
developing
economic
and
community
plans
and
programs.
18
(9)
Provide
To
provide
technical
assistance
to
other
state
agencies
19
upon
request.
20
(10)
Contract
To
contract
with
universities,
consultants
and
other
pub
-
21
lic
and
private
agencies
to
develop
plans
and
programs.
22
(11)
Prepare
To
prepare
a
comprehensive
economic
development
strategy.
23
(12)
Petition
To
petition
for
and
receive
moneys
such
as
grants
or
24
gifts,
to
be
used
for
state
or
local
planning
and
economic
development
activ
-
25
ities.
26
(13)
To
award
grants
pursuant
to
section
67
-
4717,
Idaho
Code,
including
27
to
state
institutions
of
higher
education
as
defined
in
section
67
-
2332A,
28
Idaho
Code,
for
projects
or
programs
that
promote
economic
development
or
29
tourism
within
the
state.
30
SECTION
2.
That
Section
67
-
4715,
Idaho
Code,
be,
and
the
same
is
hereby
31
amended
to
read
as
follows:
32
67
-
4715.
DUTIES
AND
POWERS
OF
THE
COUNCIL.
(1)
Consistent
with
the
33
general
purposes
of
this
chapter,
the
council
shall
advise
the
department
34
upon
the
establishment
of
policies
to
be
followed
in
the
accomplishments
of
35
the
purposes
of
this
act.
36
(2)
In
the
administration
of
this
act,
the
council
shall
have
the
fol
-
37
lowing
duties,
authorities
and
powers:
38
(a)
To
review
and
recommend
acceptance
or
denial
of
local
grant
re
-
39
quests
submitted
by
nonprofit
groups
or
organizations
and
state
insti
-
40
tutions
of
higher
education
,
for
uses
consistent
with
the
purposes
of
41
this
act.
Such
power
shall
include
the
right
to
approve
disbursal
of
42
the
department
moneys
to
such
nonprofit
groups
and
state
institutions
43
of
higher
eduction
under
the
grant
program
created
by
section
67
-
4717,
44
Idaho
Code.
45
(b)
To
counsel
and
advise
the
department
on
matters
concerning
the
pro
-
46
motion
and
marketing
of
Idaho
tourism,
including,
but
not
limited
to
the
47
following:
(1)
the
type
of
promotion,
(2)
the
media
source
of
promo
-
48
3
tion,
(3)
market
areas
for
promotion
and
(4)
areas
for
travel
and
indus
-
1
try
emphasis.
2
(c)
To
encourage
and
assist
in
the
coordination
of
the
activities
of
3
persons,
firms,
associations,
corporations,
civic
groups
and
govern
-
4
mental
agencies
engaged
in
publicizing,
developing
and
promoting
the
5
scenic
attractions
and
tourist
advantages
of
the
state.
6
(d)
To
recommend
such
action
as
the
council
deems
necessary
and
advis
-
7
able
in
order
to
stabilize
and
promote
the
travel
industry
and
the
over
-
8
all
economic
development
of
the
state
so
as
to
benefit
the
health
and
9
welfare
of
the
public.
10
(e)
To
cooperate
with
any
local,
state,
or
national
organization
or
1
1
agency,
whether
voluntary
or
created
by
the
law
of
any
state
or
by
fed
-
12
eral
legislation,
engaged
in
activities
similar
to
the
work
of
the
13
council.
The
council
may,
through
the
department,
enter
into
contracts
14
and
agreements
with
such
organizations
or
agencies
for
carrying
on
a
15
joint
campaign
of
research,
education
and
publicity.
16
(f)
To
adopt,
rescind,
modify
and
amend
all
necessary
and
proper
or
-
17
ders,
resolutions
and
regulations
for
the
procedure
and
exercise
of
its
18
powers
and
the
performance
of
duties.
19
(g)
To
keep
books,
records
and
accounts
of
all
its
activities,
which
20
books,
records
and
accounts
shall
be
open
to
inspection
and
audit.
Such
21
books
shall
also
be
open
to
the
public.
22
(h)
To
report
annually
its
activities
and
expenditures
to
the
economic
23
advisory
council
created
by
section
67
-
4704,
Idaho
Code.
24
SECTION
3.
That
Section
67
-
4717,
Idaho
Code,
be,
and
the
same
is
hereby
25
amended
to
read
as
follows:
26
67
-
4717.
REGIONAL
AND
STATEWIDE
GRANT
PROGRAM.
(1)
There
is
hereby
es
-
27
tablished
within
the
state
of
Idaho
a
travel
and
convention
industry
grant
28
program.
Such
program
shall
be
administered
jointly
by
the
council
and
the
29
department.
The
source
of
funding
for
the
program
shall
be
from
the
assess
-
30
ment
imposed
by
section
67
-
4718,
Idaho
Code.
31
(2)
Fifty
percent
(50%)
of
all
funds
derived
from
this
act
,
less
32
one
-
half
(1/2)
of
the
administrative
costs,
shall
be
returned
to
local
33
nonprofit
organizations
having
as
their
primary
purpose
the
promotion
of
34
travel
and
conventions
within
a
planning
region,
to
expend
for
the
promotion
35
of
travel
and
conventions
within
their
area.
Each
planning
region
shall
36
be
awarded
grants
totaling
an
amount
equal
to
the
regional
proportion
of
37
one
-
half
(1/2)
the
total
sum
raised
by
the
assessment
imposed
by
section
38
67
-
4718,
Idaho
Code.
No
allocations
to
a
planning
region
shall
lapse,
but
39
shall
be
continuously
available
for
use
for
promotion
purposes
within
the
40
planning
region.
41
(3)
The
remaining
fifty
percent
(50%)
of
all
funds
derived
from
this
42
act,
less
one
-
half
(1/2)
of
the
administrative
costs,
shall
be
expended
by
43
the
department
for
the
promotion
and
development
of
statewide
travel
and
44
convention
programs
and
to
fund
state
institutions
of
higher
education
as
45
defined
in
section
67
-
2332A,
Idaho
Code,
to
promote
economic
development
46
within
the
state
.
The
department
shall
be
counseled
and
advised
in
its
cre
-
47
ation
and
execution
of
such
programs
by
the
council
as
provided
by
section
48
67
-
4712,
Idaho
Code.
49
4
SECTION
4.
An
emergency
existing
therefor,
which
emergency
is
hereby
1
declared
to
exist,
this
act
shall
be
in
full
force
and
effect
on
and
after
2
July
1,
2026.
3