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OLR Bill Analysis
sHB 6603 (as amended by House "A")*
AN ACT CONCERNING TOURISM.
SUMMARY
This bill allows two or more municipalities to jointly appoint one
representative to a regional tourism board of directors. Under the bill,
the jointly appointed representative (1) is deemed present for each
appointing municipality for purposes of a quorum at a board meeting
and (2) may vote for each appointing municipality. By law, the state
has three regional tourism districts (Eastern, Central, and Western).
Regional tourism district boards consist of one representative from
each municipality within the district, appointed by the municipality’s
legislative body (or board of selectmen if the legislative body is a town
meeting).
The bill also adds a representative of the Connecticut Tourism
Coalition to the Connecticut Tourism Council, which increases the
council’s membership from 29 to 30. The bill requires that the
coalition’s representative be appointed by the governor and, as with
other gubernatorial appointees, serve a four-year term. By law, the
council is within the Department of Economic and Community
Development (DECD) for administrative purposes only. Among other
things, it must (1) evaluate DECD’s biennial strategic marketing plan
for culture and tourism and (2) annually report to the Commerce
Committee on the plan and the state’s tourism promotion efforts.
Lastly, the bill establishes a 15-member task force to study the
shortage of employees in various tourism-related businesses in the
state (e.g., shoreline businesses and marine trades). The task force must
report its findings and recommendations to the Commerce Committee
by January 1, 2022. It terminates on this date or when it submits its
report, whichever is later. 2021HB-06603-R01-BA.DOCX
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*House Amendment “A” adds four task force members whom the
House and Senate majority and minority leaders appoint.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage, except that the provision
allowing for joint appointments to regional tourism boards of directors
is effective October 1, 2021.
TASK FORCE
Under the bill, the task force consists of 15 members: (1) two
appointees each by the governor, House speaker, Senate president pro
tempore, and House and Senate majority and minority leaders and (2)
the DECD commissioner or his designee. Appointing authorities must
make their initial appointments within 30 days after the bill’s passage
and fill any vacancies. Members appointed by legislative leaders may
be legislators.
The bill requires the House speaker and Senate president pro
tempore to select the task force’s chairpersons from among its
members. The chairpersons must schedule the task force’s first
meeting, which must be held within 60 days after the bill’s passage.
The Commerce Committee’s administrative staff must serve as the task
force’s administrative staff.
The bill requires the task force to create an inventory and timeline of
tourism industry employment opportunities and a mechanism for
advertising these opportunities. It must also review the most efficient,
cost-effective, and reliable transportation available to individuals
seeking these opportunities. The task force must consult with (1)
tourism-related businesses about the inventory and timelines; (2)
public and private schools, local and regional chambers of commerce,
and the Connecticut Tourism Council about advertising; and (3) the
Department of Transportation about transportation availability.
BACKGROUND
Related Bill
sSB 3 (File 352, § 3), reported favorably by the Commerce
Committee, establishes a task force with a similar charge. 2021HB-06603-R01-BA.DOCX
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COMMITTEE ACTION
Commerce Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute
Yea 22 Nay 0 (03/16/2021)
Planning and Development Committee
Joint Favorable
Yea 25 Nay 0 (04/12/2021)