2019 -- H 5607

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LC000170

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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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, and Vella-Wilkinson

     Date Introduced: February 27, 2019

     Referred To: House Finance

     WHEREAS, Rhode Island hosted 24.8 million visitors in 2017, and that year, the tourism

economy reached $6.5 billion dollars in our state; and

     WHEREAS, That year, 13.1 percent of all jobs in the state were sustained by the tourism

economy, with 83,913 jobs supported by the industry either directly, indirectly, or through

induced impacts; and

     WHEREAS, Visitor spending has increased 23% over the past five years; and

     WHEREAS, Tourism generated $775 million in state and local taxes in 2017, offsetting

the average Rhode Island household burden by $1890 per household; and

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

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

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

in the State of Rhode Island" be and the same is hereby created consisting of twenty (20)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

one of whom shall be the President of the Rhode Island Airport Corporation (RIAC), or designee;

one of whom shall be a representative of Rhode Island's recreation industry, to be appointed by

the Speaker; one of whom shall be a representative of Rhode Island's retail industry, to be

appointed by the Speaker.

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

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

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

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

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

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

     Creating and promoting policies which enhance a coordinated tourism and visitor

industry within the state;

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

state's tourism management and oversight structure;

     Exploring the economic impact of environmental quality and climate change for

developing a sustainable tourism industry;

     Exploring the potential vocational education courses relative to the tourism industry;

     Exploring current and future methods to enhance medical tourism;

     Exploring a third-party hosting platform on the industry's strategic planning and impact

on state and local policy;

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

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

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

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

structures and provides equitably;

     Examining the rules and operations of all Rhode Island Airports in supporting the tourism

economy; and

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

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tourism on Rhode Island's tourism economy.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

for said commission; and be it further

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

House of Representatives no later than January 5, 2021, and said commission shall expire on

March 5, 2021.

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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 a twenty (20) member "Growing Tourism in the State of

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

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

back to the House no later than January 5, 2021, and whose life would expire on March 5, 2021.

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