Tourism promotion.

WORKING DRAFT
2014
STATE OF
WYOMING
14LSO-0410

HOUSE BILL
NO.

HB0157

Tourism promotion.

Sponsored by:
Representative(s) Blevins, Gingery, Krone, Northrup, Petroff and Piiparinen and Senator(s) Burns, Christensen, Coe and Driskill

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to
tourism; authorizing the
Wyoming awards card
program; authorizing agreements between the department of
state parks and cultural resources
and participating merchants; creating an account; providing for a continuous appropriation; providing for rulemaking;

providing an appropriation;
and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1.

W.S.
36
‑
4
‑
124
is created to read:

36
‑
4
‑
124
.

Wyoming awards card
program; creation; account.

(a)

There is created the
Wyoming awards card
program to encourage tourism in Wyoming. The program shall be administered by the
department
. The
department
shall develop a program consisting of the following elements:

(
i
)

Participating merchants may enter into agreements with the department offering discounts and promotions to perso
ns purchasing a
Wyoming awards card
issued by the board;

(ii)

The
department
shall sell the
Wyoming awards card
through its website and may sell the
Wyoming awards card
through any other selling agents;

(iii)

The department shall coordinate with the Wyoming game and fish department and the department of tourism to market and promote the program;

(iv
)

The

department
shall establish through rule and regulation a price for the
Wyoming awards card
, requirements for selling agents and requirements for participating merchants offering discounts and promotions through the program.

(b)

There is created the
Wyoming awards card
program account. Funds in the account are continuously
appropriated as
follows:

(
i
)

Ten percent (10%)
annually shall be credited to the
department
to be used for costs associated with creating and marketing the
Wyoming awards card
program; and

(ii)

Forty-five percent (45%)
annually
shall
be credited to the game and fish fund created under W.S. 23
‑
1
‑
501; and

(iii)

Forty-five percent (45%) annually shall be credited to the
capital construction account
created under W.S. 36-4-121(h).

Section 2.

W.S.
36
‑
4
‑
104 by creating a new subsection (g)
is amended to read:

(
g
)

The
department, in consultation with the commission
,

shall be responsible for implementing the
Wyoming award cards
program
developed under W.S. 36
‑
4
‑
124.

Section 3.

There is appropriated fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00) from the general fund to the department. This appropriation shall be for the period beginning with the effective date of this act and ending June 30, 2016. This appropriation shall only be expended for the purpose of establishing the Wyoming awards card program created by this act. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, this appropriation shall not be transferred or expended for any other purpose and any unexpended, unobligated funds remaining from this appropriation shall revert as provided by law on June 30, 2016. This appropriation shall not be included in the department's 2017-2018 standard biennial budget
request
.

Section
4
.

This act is effective July 1, 2014.

(END)

1
HB0157