Connecticut 2019 Regular Session

Connecticut House Bill HB07306 Compare Versions

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	7	+	General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 7306
	8	+	January Session, 2019
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4		-	Substitute House Bill No. 7306
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6		-	Public Act No. 19-178
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9		-	AN ACT CONCERNING RE COMMENDATIONS FROM T HE
10		-	~~SPEAKER~~ OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES' ~~BLUE~~
11		-	~~RIBBON~~ COMMISSION ON ~~TOURISM~~.
	14	+	AN ACT CONCERNING RE COMMENDATIONS FROM T HE SPEAKER
	15	+	OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES' BLU E RIBBON
	16	+	COMMISSION ON TOURIS M.
12	17		Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
13	18		Assembly convened:
14	19
15		-	Section 1. Subsection (b) of section 10-399 of the general statutes is
16		-	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from
17		-	passage):
18		-	(b) Within available appropriations, the following measures shall be
19		-	implemented to enhance the operation of visitor welcome centers:
20		-	(1) Each center shall make available space for listing events and
21		-	promoting attractions, by invitation to the Connecticut tourism
22		-	industry, including tourism districts, chambers of commerce and any
23		-	other tourism entities involved in Connecticut tourism promotion;
24		-	(2) The Department of Economic and Community Development, in
25		-	consultation with the Department of Transportation, shall develop
26		-	plans for (A) consistent signage for the visitor welcome centers, and (B)
27		-	highway signage regulations for privately operated centers. Signage
28		-	for visitor welcome centers shall indicate the hours during which the
29		-	visitor welcome centers are open; Substitute House Bill No. 7306
	20	+	Section 1. Section 10-399 of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
	21	+	following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 2
	22	+	(a) As used in this section: "Visitor welcome center" means the 3
	23	+	welcome centers, visitor centers and tourist information centers 4
	24	+	located in West Willington, Greenwich, Danbury, Darien, North 5
	25	+	Stonington and Westbrook, which have been established to distribute 6
	26	+	information to persons traveling in the state for the purpose of 7
	27	+	influencing such persons' level of satisfaction with the state and 8
	28	+	expenditures in the state and their planning for present and future 9
	29	+	trips to the state. 10
	30	+	(b) [Within available appropriations, the] The following measures 11
	31	+	shall be implemented to enhance the operation of visitor welcome 12
	32	+	centers: 13
	33	+	(1) Each center shall make available space for listing events and 14
	34	+	promoting attractions, by invitation to the Connecticut tourism 15
	35	+	industry, including tourism districts, chambers of commerce and any 16
	36	+	other tourism entities involved in Connecticut tourism promotion; 17 Substitute Bill No. 7306
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31		-	Public Act No. 19-178 2 of 5
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33		-	(3) The Department of Transportation and the Department of
34		-	Economic and Community Development shall establish an "Adopt A
35		-	Visitor Welcome Center" program, under which local civic
36		-	organizations may provide maintenance, gardening, including
37		-	wildflowers, and complimentary refreshments or any other type of
38		-	service at a visitor welcome center to enhance the operation of the
39		-	center;
40		-	(4) The Department of Economic and Community Development
41		-	shall place a full-time year-round supervisor and a part-time assistant
42		-	supervisor at the Danbury, Darien, North Stonington and West
43		-	Willington centers. The responsibilities of each supervisor shall
44		-	include, but not be limited to: (A) Maintaining a sufficient inventory of
45		-	up-to-date brochures for dissemination to visitors, (B) scheduling staff
46		-	so as to assure coverage at all times, (C) training staff, (D) compiling
47		-	and maintaining statistics on center usage, (E) serving as liaison
48		-	between the department, the Department of Transportation, the
49		-	tourism district in which the center is located and businesses in such
50		-	district, (F) maintaining quality tourism services, (G) rotating displays,
51		-	(H) evaluating staff, (I) problem-solving, and (J) computing travel
52		-	reimbursements for volunteer staff;
53		-	(5) Subject to available funds, the Department of Economic and
54		-	Community Development shall place a seasonal full-time supervisor
55		-	and a seasonal part-time assistant supervisor at the Greenwich and
56		-	Westbrook centers. The department shall discontinue staffing at the
57		-	Middletown, Plainfield and Wallingford centers, and shall, in
58		-	conjunction with the tourism industry, seek contract workers to
59		-	provide tourism services at the Westbrook center when not staffed by
60		-	the state;
61		-	(6) Subject to available funds, the Department of Economic and
62		-	Community Development, in conjunction with the tourism industry,
63		-	shall develop and implement initial staff training and conduct periodic Substitute House Bill No. 7306
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65		-	Public Act No. 19-178 3 of 5
	43	+	(2) The Department of Economic and Community Development, in 18
	44	+	consultation with the Department of Transportation, shall develop 19
	45	+	plans for (A) consistent signage for the visitor welcome centers, and (B) 20
	46	+	highway signage regulations for privately operated centers. Signage 21
	47	+	for the visitor welcome centers shall indicate the hours during which 22
	48	+	the visitor welcome centers are open; 23
	49	+	(3) The Department of Transportation and the Department of 24
	50	+	Economic and Community Development shall establish an "Adopt A 25
	51	+	Visitor Welcome Center" program, under which local civic 26
	52	+	organizations may provide maintenance, gardening, including 27
	53	+	wildflowers, and complimentary refreshments or any other type of 28
	54	+	service at a visitor welcome center to enhance the operation of the 29
	55	+	center; 30
	56	+	(4) The Department of Economic and Community Development 31
	57	+	shall place a full-time year-round supervisor and a part-time assistant 32
	58	+	supervisor at the Danbury, Darien, North Stonington and West 33
	59	+	Willington centers. The responsibilities of each supervisor shall 34
	60	+	include, but not be limited to: (A) Maintaining a sufficient inventory of 35
	61	+	up-to-date brochures for dissemination to visitors, (B) scheduling staff 36
	62	+	so as to assure coverage at all times, (C) training staff, (D) compiling 37
	63	+	and maintaining statistics on center usage, (E) serving as liaison 38
	64	+	between the department, the Department of Transportation, the 39
	65	+	tourism district in which the center is located and businesses in such 40
	66	+	district, (F) maintaining quality tourism services, (G) rotating displays, 41
	67	+	(H) evaluating staff, (I) problem-solving, and (J) computing travel 42
	68	+	reimbursements for volunteer staff; 43
	69	+	(5) [Subject to available funds, the] The Department of Economic 44
	70	+	and Community Development shall place a seasonal full -time 45
	71	+	supervisor and a seasonal part-time assistant supervisor at the 46
	72	+	Greenwich and Westbrook centers. The department shall discontinue 47
	73	+	staffing at the Middletown, Plainfield and Wallingford centers, and 48
	74	+	shall, in conjunction with the tourism industry, seek contract workers 49
	75	+	to provide tourism services at the Westbrook center when not staffed 50 Substitute Bill No. 7306
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67		-	training of full-time and part-time supervisors; [.]
68		-	(7) Subject to available funds, the restroom facilities located at each
69		-	visitor welcome center shall be open twenty-four hours a day.
70		-	Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) There is established within
71		-	the Department of Economic and Community Development, for
72		-	administrative purposes only, a Connecticut Tourism Council. The
73		-	council shall consist of (1) the Commissioner of Economic and
74		-	Community Development, or the commissioner's designee, (2) the
75		-	Commissioner of Transportation, or the commissioner's designee, (3)
76		-	the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection, or the
77		-	commissioner's designee, (4) twelve members appointed by the
78		-	Governor, (A) one of whom shall represent the lodging industry, (B)
79		-	one of whom shall represent a chamber of commerce, (C) one of whom
80		-	shall represent a tourist attraction, (D) one of whom shall represent the
81		-	arts, (E) one of whom shall represent a culturally diverse event or
82		-	attraction, (F) one of whom shall represent the heritage tourism
83		-	industry, (G) one of whom shall represent the airline industry, (H) one
84		-	of whom shall represent the Connecticut Airport Authority, (I) one of
85		-	whom shall represent a convention center and sports arena trade
86		-	organization, (J) one of whom shall represent a charter bus trade
87		-	organization, and (K) two of whom shall represent casino gaming
88		-	facilities, (5) fourteen members appointed as follows: (A) Three by the
89		-	president pro tempore of the Senate, one of whom shall represent the
90		-	agritourism industry, one of whom shall represent the convention
91		-	center and coliseum industry and one of whom shall represent the
92		-	eastern regional tourism district established pursuant to section 10-397
93		-	of the general statutes, (B) two by the majority leader of the Senate, one
94		-	of whom shall represent the events industry and one of whom shall
95		-	represent the western regional tourism district established pursuant to
96		-	section 10-397 of the general statutes, (C) two by the minority leader of
97		-	the Senate, one of whom shall represent the marine trades industry Substitute House Bill No. 7306
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101		-	and one of whom shall represent the outdoor recreation industry, (D)
102		-	three by the speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom
103		-	shall represent the destination shopping industry, one of whom shall
104		-	represent the restaurant industry and one of whom shall represent the
105		-	central regional tourism district established pursuant to section 10-397
106		-	of the general statutes, (E) two by the majority leader of the House of
107		-	Representatives, one of whom shall represent the attractions industry
108		-	and one of whom shall represent the lodging industry, and (F) two by
109		-	the minority leader of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall
110		-	represent the museum industry and one of whom shall represent the
111		-	tour and travel industry. All members appointed by the Governor
112		-	shall serve a term of four years. The terms of all members appointed
113		-	by members of the General Assembly shall be coterminous with the
114		-	terms of such members of the General Assembly. The Commissioner of
115		-	Economic and Community Development shall serve as chairperson of
116		-	the council.
117		-	(b) The council shall: (1) Adopt procedures for the operation of the
118		-	council; (2) review and approve or recommend changes to the strategic
119		-	marketing plan developed by the Department of Economic and
120		-	Community Development pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (b)
121		-	of section 10-392 of the general statutes; and (3) not later than January
122		-	1, 2021, and annually thereafter, submit a report describing tourism
123		-	promotion efforts by the state and evaluating the marketing plan,
124		-	developed by the Department of Economic and Community
125		-	Development pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of section
126		-	10-392 of the general statutes, to the joint standing committee of the
127		-	General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to commerce,
128		-	in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general
129		-	statutes.
130		-	Sec. 3. (Effective from passage) (a) For purposes of this section,
131		-	"wayfinding signage" includes, but is not limited to, signs on limited Substitute House Bill No. 7306
	82	+	by the state; 51
	83	+	(6) [Subject to available funds, the] The Department of Economic 52
	84	+	and Community Development, in conjunction with the tourism 53
	85	+	industry, shall develop and implement initial staff training and 54
	86	+	conduct periodic training of full-time and part-time supervisors; [.] 55
	87	+	(7) The restroom facilities located at each visitor welcome center 56
	88	+	shall be open twenty-four hours a day. 57
	89	+	Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) There is established within 58
	90	+	the Department of Economic and Community Devel opment, for 59
	91	+	administrative purposes only, a Connecticut Tourism Council. The 60
	92	+	council shall consist of (1) the Commissioner of Economic and 61
	93	+	Community Development, or the commissioner's designee, (2) the 62
	94	+	Commissioner of Transportation, or the commissioner's designee, (3) 63
	95	+	the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection, or the 64
	96	+	commissioner's designee, (4) twelve members appointed by the 65
	97	+	Governor, (A) one of whom shall represent the lodging industry, (B) 66
	98	+	one of whom shall represent a chamber of commerce, (C) one of whom 67
	99	+	shall represent a tourist attraction, (D) one of whom shall represent the 68
	100	+	arts, (E) one of whom shall represent a culturally diverse event or 69
	101	+	attraction, (F) one of whom shall represent the heritage tourism 70
	102	+	industry, (G) one of whom shall represent the airline industry, (H) one 71
	103	+	of whom shall represent the Connecticut Airport Authority, (I) one of 72
	104	+	whom shall represent a convention center and sports arena trade 73
	105	+	organization, (J) one of whom shall represent a charter bus trade 74
	106	+	organization, and (K) two of whom shall represent casino gaming 75
	107	+	facilities, (5) twelve members appointed as follows: (A) Two by the 76
	108	+	president pro tempore of the Senate, (B) two by the majority leader of 77
	109	+	the Senate, (C) two by the minority leader of the Senate, (D) two by the 78
	110	+	speaker of the House of Representatives, (E) two by the majority leader 79
	111	+	of the House of Representatives, and (F) two by the minority leader of 80
	112	+	the House of Representatives. The twelve members appointed 81
	113	+	pursuant to subdivision (5) of this subsection shall represent one of the 82
	114	+	following industries: (i) Agritourism, (ii) convention center and 83 Substitute Bill No. 7306
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133		-	Public Act No. 19-178 5 of 5
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135		-	access highways indicating attractions and services of lodging, food,
136		-	information and fuel.
137		-	(b) The Commissioner of Transportation shall conduct a study
138		-	relating to wayfinding signage in the state. Such study shall include,
139		-	but need not be limited to, an examination of the standards for or
140		-	regulation of advertising of local businesses on such signage. Not later
141		-	than February 1, 2020, the commissioner shall submit a report of the
142		-	results of such study, including recommended changes to the
143		-	standards for or regulation of advertising of local businesses on
144		-	wayfinding signage, to the joint standing committees of the General
145		-	Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to commerce and
146		-	transportation, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of
147		-	the general statutes.
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	121	+	coliseum, (iii) destination shopping, (iv) restaurant, (v) events, (vi) 84
	122	+	attractions, (vii) lodging, (viii) marine trades, (ix) outdoor recreation, 85
	123	+	(x) museum, or (xi) tour and travel. All members appointed by the 86
	124	+	Governor shall serve a term of four years. The terms of all members 87
	125	+	appointed by members of the General Assembly shall be coterminous 88
	126	+	with the terms of such members of the General Assembly. The 89
	127	+	Commissioner of Economic and Community Development shall serve 90
	128	+	as chairperson of the council. 91
	129	+	(b) The council shall: (1) Adopt procedures for the operation of the 92
	130	+	council; (2) review and approve or recommend changes to the strategic 93
	131	+	marketing plan developed by the Department of Economic and 94
	132	+	Community Development pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (b) 95
	133	+	of section 10-392 of the general statutes; and (3) not later than January 96
	134	+	1, 2021, and annually thereafter, submit a report describing tourism 97
	135	+	promotion efforts by the state and evaluating the marketing plan, 98
	136	+	developed by the Department of Economic and Community 99
	137	+	Development pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of section 100
	138	+	10-392 of the general statutes, to the joint standing committee of the 101
	139	+	General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to commerce, 102
	140	+	in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general 103
	141	+	statutes. 104
	142	+	Sec. 3. (Effective from passage) (a) For purposes of this section, 105
	143	+	"wayfinding signage" includes, but is not limited to, signs on limited 106
	144	+	access highways indicating attractions and services of lodging, food, 107
	145	+	information and fuel. 108
	146	+	(b) The Commissioner of Transportation shall conduct a study 109
	147	+	relating to wayfinding signage in the state. Such study shall include, 110
	148	+	but need not be limited to, an examination of the standards for or 111
	149	+	regulation of advertising of local businesses on such signage. Not later 112
	150	+	than February 1, 2020, the commissioner shall submit a report of the 113
	151	+	results of such study, including recommended changes to the 114
	152	+	standards for or regulation of advertising of local businesses on 115
	153	+	wayfinding signage, to the joint standing committees of the General 116 Substitute Bill No. 7306
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	160	+	Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to commerce and 117
	161	+	transportation, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of 118
	162	+	the general statutes. 119
	163	+	This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
	164	+	sections:
	165	+
	166	+	Section 1 from passage 10-399
	167	+	Sec. 2 from passage New section
	168	+	Sec. 3 from passage New section
	169	+
	170	+	CE Joint Favorable Subst.
	171	+	APP Joint Favorable
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