2017 -- H 6278

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LC002782

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO BE KNOWN AS "GROWING

TOURISM IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND"

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Carson, Fogarty, Marshall, Filippi, and Quattrocchi

     Date Introduced: June 02, 2017

     Referred To: House Small Business

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     WHEREAS, Rhode Island hosted 24.1 million visitors in 2015, and that year, the tourism

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economy reached $6 billion dollars in our state; and

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     WHEREAS, One in eight Rhode Island jobs were sustained by the tourism economy and

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over 80,000 direct and indirect jobs were supported by the industry; and

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     WHEREAS, The tax revenues generated by tourism offset the average Rhode Island

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household burden by $1750 per household and every 500 visitors to Rhode Island supported the

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education of one Rhode Island student for one year; and

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     WHEREAS, Visitor spending has increased 21 percent cumulatively since 2010, and the

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lodging and recreation sectors have exhibited the strongest growth with 39 percent and 29 percent

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growth respectively since 2010; and

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     WHEREAS, Tourism is and continues to be an essential component to the economic

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stability, success, and growth of our state; now, therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That the special legislative commission to be known as "Growing Tourism

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in the State of Rhode Island" be and the same is hereby created consisting of eighteen (18)

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members: five (5) of whom shall be members of the Rhode Island House of Representatives, not

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more than three (3) from the same political party, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House;

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one of whom shall be the Director of the Rhode Island Department of Revenue, or designee; one

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of whom shall be the President of the Rhode Island Hospitality Association, or designee; one of

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whom shall be the President and CEO of the Providence Warwick Convention and Visitors

 

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Bureau, or designee; one of whom shall be the President and CEO of Discover Newport, or

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designee; one of whom shall be the Executive Director of the Block Island Tourism Council, or

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designee; one of whom shall be the President and CEO of the South County Tourism Council, or

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designee; one of whom shall be the President and CEO of the Blackstone Valley Tourism

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Council, or designee; one of whom shall be the Director of the Warwick Department of Tourism,

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Culture and Development, or designee; one of whom shall be the Chair of the Providence

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Tourism Council, or designee; three (3) of whom shall be representatives of Providence, South

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County, and Newport private sector tourism, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; and

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one of whom shall be the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Rhode Island Airport Corporation

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(RIAC), or designee.

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     In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a permanent advisory

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commission, a legislative study commission, or any commission created by a General Assembly

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resolution, the appointing authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in lieu

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of a legislator, provided that the Majority Leader or the Minority Leader of the political party

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which is entitled to the appointment, consents to the member of the general public.

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     The purpose of said commission shall be to examine and focus on:

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     • Creating and promoting policies which enhance a coordinated tourism and visitor

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industry within the state;

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     • Utilizing a statewide coordination of efforts and information to evaluate modifying the

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state's tourism management and oversight structure;

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     • Exploring the economic impact of environmental quality on the tourism industry;

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     • Developing a comprehensive and unified metrics framework for the state and local

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regions in order to make evaluations for all future state government tourism investments;

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     • Re-evaluating the formula used for the distribution of the Hotel and Lodging tax in

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order to reflect a 21st century tourism model that strategically fits the state's tourism management

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structures and provides equitably;

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     • Analyzing and evaluating the impact, sustainability, and expansion of international

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tourism on Rhode Island's tourism economy.

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     Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at

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the call of the Speaker of the House and organize and shall select a chairperson.

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     Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment.

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     The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services.

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     All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information,

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documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or

 

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desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution.

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     The Speaker of the House is hereby authorized and directed to provide suitable quarters

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for said commission; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the

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House of Representatives no later than January 5, 2019, and said commission shall expire on

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March 5, 2019.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO BE KNOWN AS "GROWING

TOURISM IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND"

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     This resolution would create an eighteen member "Growing Tourism in the State of

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Rhode Island" commission whose purpose it would be to examine, evaluate and provide

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recommendations to manage and grow Rhode Island's tourism economy, and who would report

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back to the House no later than January 5, 2019, and whose life would expire on March 5, 2019.

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