(REPRINTED WITH ADOPTED AMENDMENTS)

 

Senate Bill No. 583–Committee on Finance

 

May 30, 2001

____________

 

Referred to Committee on Finance

 

SUMMARY—Establishes grant program for development of projects relating to tourism. (BDR 18‑1562)

 

FISCAL NOTE:    Effect on Local Government: No.

                                 Effect on the State: Yes.

 

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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

 

AN ACT relating to tourism; establishing a grant program for the development of projects relating to tourism; creating a committee to administer the grant program; prescribing the membership and duties of the committee; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

1-1    Section 1. Chapter 231 of NRS is hereby amended by adding thereto

1-2  the provisions set forth as sections 2 to 7, inclusive, of this act.

1-3    Sec. 2.  As used in sections 2 to 7, inclusive, of this act, unless the

1-4  context otherwise requires, the words and terms defined in sections 3, 4

1-5  and 5 of this act have the meanings ascribed to them in those sections.

1-6    Sec. 3.  “Committee” means the committee for the development of

1-7  projects relating to tourism created by section 6 of this act.

1-8    Sec. 4. “Development of projects relating to tourism” means the

1-9  development of publicly owned property, facilities and infrastructure

1-10  within this state to support and attract visitors to this state.

1-11    Sec. 5. “Grant program” means the grant program administered by

1-12  the committee for the development of projects relating to tourism.

1-13    Sec. 6.  1.  The committee for the development of projects relating to

1-14  tourism is hereby created within the commission on tourism. The

1-15  committee consists of:

1-16    (a) The lieutenant governor, who is an ex officio member of the

1-17  committee and shall serve as the chairman of the committee;

1-18    (b) Three members of the commission on economic development,

1-19  appointed by the lieutenant governor; and

1-20    (c) Three members of the commission on tourism, appointed by the

1-21  lieutenant governor.

2-1    2.  If an appointed member of the committee ceases to be a member of

2-2  the commission on economic development or the commission on tourism,

2-3  the appointed member becomes ineligible for membership on the

2-4  committee and the lieutenant governor shall appoint a replacement from

2-5  the commission on economic development or the commission on tourism,

2-6  respectively.

2-7    3.  The lieutenant governor may remove an appointed member from

2-8  the committee if the member neglects his duty or commits malfeasance in

2-9  office.

2-10    4.  The appointed members of the committee who are members of the

2-11  commission on economic development or the commission on tourism,

2-12  respectively, may be paid the per diem allowance and travel expenses

2-13  provided for state officers and employees generally by their respective

2-14  commissions, as the budgets of those commissions allow.

2-15    5.  The committee shall meet at the call of the lieutenant governor.

2-16    6.  The commission on tourism and the commission on economic

2-17  development shall jointly provide administrative support for the

2-18  committee.

2-19    Sec. 7.  1.  The committee may provide grants of money to counties,

2-20  cities, and local and regional organizations in this state for the

2-21  development of projects relating to tourism to the extent that:

2-22    (a) Money in the fund for the promotion of tourism created by NRS

2-23  231.250 is made available for that purpose. Not more than $200,000 of

2-24  revenue from taxes on the gross receipts from the rental of transient

2-25  lodging may be made available for that purpose in any biennium.

2-26    (b) Gifts, grants or other money is made available for that purpose.

2-27    2.  Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the state

2-28  controller shall, upon the request of the committee, transfer to the state

2-29  general fund all money made available for the use of the committee

2-30  pursuant to subsection 1. All such money must be accounted for

2-31  separately in the state general fund. The state controller shall not

2-32  transfer any revenue from taxes on the gross receipts from the rental of

2-33  transient lodging from the fund for the promotion of tourism to the state

2-34  general fund unless the transfer is approved by the interim finance

2-35  committee.

2-36    3.  The committee shall administer the account created pursuant to

2-37  subsection 2 and may make grants only from that account. Any interest

2-38  earned on the money in the account must be credited to the account

2-39  quarterly. The money in the account does not revert to the state general

2-40  fund at the end of any fiscal year and must be carried forward to the next

2-41  fiscal year.

2-42    4.  The committee shall:

2-43    (a) Develop and administer the grant program for the development of

2-44  projects relating to tourism;

2-45    (b) Establish guidelines for the submission and review of applications

2-46  to receive money from the grant program;

2-47    (c) Establish the criteria for eligibility to receive money from the grant

2-48  program; and

3-1    (d) Consider and approve or disapprove applications for money from

3-2  the grant program.

3-3    5.  Except as otherwise provided in subsection 6, as a condition of

3-4  eligibility for a grant from the committee pursuant to this section, an

3-5  applicant must provide an amount of money, at least equal to the amount

3-6  of the grant, for the same purpose.

3-7    6.  If an applicant for a grant is from a county whose population is

3-8  less than 100,000 and the committee determines that the applicant is

3-9  financially unable to provide the matching money otherwise required by

3-10  subsection 5, the committee may provide a grant with less than equal

3-11  matching money provided by the applicant.

3-12    Sec. 8.  NRS 231.220 is hereby amended to read as follows:

3-13    231.220  The executive director of the commission on tourism shall

3-14  direct and supervise all its administrative and technical activities, including

3-15  coordinating its plans for tourism and publications, scheduling its

3-16  programs, analyzing the effectiveness of those programs and associated

3-17  expenditures, and cooperating with other governmental agencies which

3-18  have programs related to travel and tourism. In addition to other powers

3-19  and duties, the executive director:

3-20    1.  Shall attend all meetings of the commission and act as its secretary,

3-21  keeping minutes of its proceedings.

3-22    2.  Shall report regularly to the commission concerning the

3-23  administration of its policies and programs.

3-24    3.  Shall serve as the director of the division of tourism.

3-25    4.  Shall appoint the administrator of the division of publications.

3-26    5.  May perform any other lawful acts which he considers necessary to

3-27  carry out the provisions of NRS 231.160 to 231.300, inclusive[.] , and

3-28  sections 2 to 7, inclusive, of this act.

3-29    Sec. 9.  On or before July 1, 2001, the state controller shall transfer to

3-30  the account created in the state general fund pursuant to subsection 2 of

3-31  section 7 of this act all money in the fund for the promotion of tourism

3-32  created by NRS 231.250 which has been granted by the commission on

3-33  tourism but not yet disbursed for the V. & T. Railroad reconstruction

3-34  project. The money so transferred must remain in the account until it is

3-35  disbursed by the commission on tourism for the V. & T. Railroad

3-36  reconstruction project.

3-37    Sec. 10.  1.  This section and section 9 of this act become effective

3-38  upon passage and approval.

3-39    2.  Sections 1 to 8, inclusive, of this act become effective on July 1,

3-40  2001.

 

3-41  H