BOOST STATE NATURE/HERITAGE TOURISM INDUSTRY.

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View NCGA Bill Details2013-2014 Session
House Bill 1100 (Public) Filed Thursday, May 15, 2014
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO CREATE THE NATURE AND HERITAGE TOURISM ADVISORY BOARD AND TO DIRECT THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE TO HIRE A CONSULTANT TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE OPERATION OF STATE HISTORIC AND CULTURAL SITES.
Intro. by Presnell, McNeill, Dollar.

Status: Re-ref Com On Appropriations (House Action) (Jun 25 2014)

SOG comments (2):

Identical bill

Bill as filed is identical to S 769, filed 5/15/14. 

Long Title Change

House committee substitute to the 1st edition makes changes to the long title. The original title is as follows:

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO CREATE THE NATURE AND HERITAGE TOURISM ADVISORY BOARD; TO REQUIRE THE CREATION OF A STATE NATURE AND HERITAGE TOURISM GUIDE; AND TO REQUIRE CONTRACTING WITH A CONSULTANT TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE OPERATION OF STATE HISTORIC AND CULTURAL SITES, AS RECOMMENDED BY THE LRC COMMITTEE ON CULTURAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES.

H 1100

Bill Summaries:

  • Summary date: Jun 25 2014 - View Summary

    House committee substitute makes the following changes to the 1st edition.

    Deletes the requirement that the Department of Commerce work in conjunction with other specified state agencies to develop a guidebook on the state's nature and heritage tourism sites. Renumbers the bill sections accordingly. Makes conforming changes to the title to reflect the deletion.


  • Summary date: May 15 2014 - View Summary

    Enacts new Part 2L to Article 10 of GS Chapter 143B. Enacts new GS 143B-437.110, creating the nine member Nature and Heritage Tourism Advisory Board (Advisory Board), located in the Division of Tourism, Film, and Sports Development of the Department of Commerce but exercising its authority independently of that Department.  Requires appointed members to have knowledge and experience of the nature and heritage tourism industry. Three members are to be appointed by the Governor, three by the Speaker of the House, and three by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.  Sets out terms of office, filling of vacancies, quorum threshold, staffing and expenses, and meeting times. Establishes the Advisory Board’s powers, including making recommendations on methods for increasing nature and heritage tourism in the state and methods on advertising the state’s nature and heritage tourism industry.

    Directs the Department of Commerce, with the Department of Cultural Resources, the Wildlife Resources Commission, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to develop a guidebook on the State’s nature and heritage tourism sites. Sets out requirements for the guidebook and requires that it be available for free by October 1, 2015.

    Appropriates $100,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Commerce for the 2014-15 fiscal year to hire a consultant to perform specified tasks. Directs state agencies to cooperate with the consultant. Requires consultant to submit report to specified agencies by October 1, 2015. Report cannot contain recommendations to sell State properties or change the present use or character of State historic and cultural sites.  Requires report to at least address whether costs savings can be realized by allowing private entities to operate certain sites, and whether imposing certain cost saving measures should be adopted.

    Effective July 1, 2014.