Tourism Alliance Legislative Update

www.tourismdevelopmentalliance.org

Monday, February 18, 2008

Mark Your Calendars

Please remember to mark your calendars for our Governor's Conference on Tourism September 10-12, 2008 in Albany. GACVB, GDEcD and TDAG have joined forces to produce a unified industry conference. There will be valuable content for each of you and I hope you will make plans to join us.

Gov. Perdue announces new GDEcD board members

On Friday, Feb. 15, Governor Sonny Perdue announced new executive appointments, including:

Board of Economic Development
Mell S. "Tee" Tolleson, Jr., 47, Elko, Member at large - Tolleson is owner and partner of Edgewood Development Group, Inc. He is also president of Tolleson Realty Corporation and owner of Elko Plantation, LLC. He currently serves as chairman of the board of trustees for The Westfield School, and the board of directors of both CB&T Bank of Middle Georgia and ComSouth, Inc. He also serves on the administrative board of Perry United Methodist Church, and the board of trustees of Epworth by the Sea. He and his wife, Marti, have two children.

D. Michael Cottrell, 55, Dahlonega, Member at large - Cottrell is chairman of Cottrell, Inc., a large over-the-road car-haul manufacturer. He previously served as president and chief executive officer of the company. He serves as chairman of the Lumpkin County Development Authority, a director on the board of the United Community Bank of Dahlonega, and a member of the North Georgia College & State University Foundation board of trustees and Business Advisory Council. Cottrell earned a bachelor's degree from Southern Polytechnic State University. He and his wife, Lynn, have three children, as well as three children from a previous marriage, and three grandchildren.

Recent Tourism Bills

SR 749 sponsored by Chairman Chip Pearson and Senators Chip Rogers, Nancy Schaefer, Judson Hill and Tommie Williams recognizes Tourism Day.

HB 1061 sponsored by Chairman Ron Stephens and Representatives Earl Ehrhart, Amos Amerson, Roger Williams, Steve Tumlin and Mark Burkhalter addresses the shipping difficulties for our Georgia Farm Wineries.

Last year's shipping bill, HB 393 is still "live" and we expect a committee substitute on that bill this week.

HB 1074 sponsored by Chairman Larry O'Neal is a place holder regarding hotel tax, but our hotel tax bill was introduced today as HB 1094, sponsored by Chairman James Mills and Representatives Ron Stephens, Butch Parrish, Mickey Channell, Richard Royal and Jay Shaw.

HB 1088 sponsored by Chairman Butch Parrish and Representatives Ron Stephens, Roger Williams, Vance Smith, Mickey Channell and Earl Ehrhart will provide DOT and GDEcD the ability to develop signage for agricultural tourism attractions. This is in response to your request over the last few years, so please thank our friends for their efforts to address the need for improved signage for our tourists. This bill passed the House 154-1 on Wednesday, Feb. 13.

SB 359 sponsored by Senators Tim Golden, Chip Pearson, Doug Stoner, Jeff Mullis, Don Thomas, Michael Meyer Von Bremen is another bill, similar to SB 343, addressing the importance of showcasing products that are made in Georgia.

HB 1059 and HB 1073 relate to motor vehicle rentals. As many of you know, rental car tax was originally intended for tourism promotion. The current language in Georgia law is almost identical to the original 3% hotel motel tax code section. In Florida, their state tourism office is funded by rental car tax.

HB 1059 sponsored by Chairman Charles Martin and Representatives Jeff Lewis, Mike Coan, Kevin Levitas and Earl Ehrhart

HB 1073 sponsored by Chairman Larry O'Neal

HB 1129, our Georgia Tourism Development Act from 2007, was introduced Friday, Feb. 8

SB 431, which provides for rights of first refusal to repurchase certain property acquired for purposes of Georgia Golf Hall of Fame, sponsored by Senators Ed Tarver and J.B. Powell.

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Past Alliance News

February 12, 2008
February 5, 2008
January 30, 2008
January 23, 2008
December 1, 2007

Please click here to view all past newsletters

Greetings everyone,

The General Assembly will reconvene on Tuesday for Day 19. Tax bills must be introduced by Day 20.

HB 1088 passed the House 154-1 on Wednesday. This bill, sponsored by Chairman Butch Parrish and Representatives Ron Stephens, Roger Williams, Vance Smith, Mickey Channell and Earl Ehrhart will provide GDOT and GDEcD the ability to develop signage for agricultural tourism attractions. This is in response to your request over the last few years, so please thank our friends for their efforts to address the need for improved signage for our tourists.

HB 1129, the Tourism Development Act, passed unanimously out of the House Ways & Means Sales Tax Subcommittee on Wednesday. We anticipate it will be on the agenda of the full Ways & Means Committee on Tuesday.

We expect a hearing in the House Public Finance & Policy Subcommittee (please click here for a list of members) this week on our hotel tax bill, HB 1094. Please contact the members of the Ways & Means Committee to voice your support.

There will be a hearing on Thursday in the House Regulated Industry Committee on HB 393 and HB 1061, which are intended to assist Georgia's farm wineries and put Georgia on a level playing field with other states. Please let the members of the committee know that this legislation is important to the tourism industry. Please click here to find a list of members.

SB 427 and SB 428, sponsored by Senator Jeff Chapman, intend to limit the ability of the Jekyll Island Authority and the Legislative Oversight Committee to move forward with a master plan for Jekyll. TDAG has a position of support on the revitalization of Jekyll Island. For details on the master plan, please visit www.rediscoverjekyll.com.

The Senate will vote on the FY-08 amended budget on Tuesday morning. The Senate version restores funding to GDEcD's budget. Please thank Chairman Chip Pearson for his leadership and support.

Additional legislation affecting tourism was introduced this week:

HB 1168 sponsored by Chairman Larry O'Neal revises paragraph four of the hotel motel tax code.

HB 1193 sponsored by Representative Mark Burkhalter provides a construction tax credit for the Georgia Aquarium. This bill passed the House and Senate last year, but was vetoed by the Governor.

SB 449 sponsored by Senators Bill Heath, Joseph Carter, Ross Tolleson, George Hooks, Jack Hill and John Bulloch provides liability protection for agritourism businesses. This bill is part of the Governor's legislative package. Below is the full release from the Governor's office:

Governor Perdue Announces Filing of the Landowners Protection Act

ATLANTA – Governor Sonny Perdue announced today that legislation has been filed that will limit liability for landowners who open their property to hunters and agri-tourists. Senate Bill 449, known as the Landowners Protection Act of 2008, is being carried by Senator Bill Heath, one of the Governor's Floor Leaders in the Senate.

"Georgia is a prime destination for hunters and tourists who want to enjoy our land and farms," said Governor Sonny Perdue. "This legislation will prevent liability concerns from discouraging landowners welcoming guests onto their property."

The proposal will protect landowners who allow individuals to hunt on their property from being sued for accidents arising during a hunt. Likewise, landowners operating an agri-tourism attraction would not be held liable for accidents or injuries that may occur on the visit. Property owners will continue to be held responsible for gross negligence, and they will be liable if they deliberately put people in danger. Governor Perdue announced the legislation during the Georgia Farm Bureau's annual legislative luncheon.

"We want to encourage landowners to open their hunting property and farms to visitors to enjoy Georgia's natural beauty as an agricultural and sportsman's paradise," said Senator Bill Heath. "The Georgia General Assembly is working to protect landowners and, again, stand up for the rights of private property owners."

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Also, please remember to mark your calendars for our Governor's Conference on Tourism September 10-12, 2008 in Albany. GACVB, GDEcD and TDAG have joined forces to produce a unified industry conference. There will be valuable content for each of you and I hope you will make plans to join us. In this right-hand column, you will also find Gov. Perdue's GDEcD executive appointments, a list of recent tourism bills and past Tourism Alliance News.

Thanks for all that you do to support out efforts to grow Georgia Tourism. The Tourism Alliance efforts would not be possible without your support. Please let us know if you have any questions.

Best Regards,

Joy Spears Walstrum

Tourism Development Alliance of Georgia

404-223-2264 (w)

404-358-5634 (m)

404-223-2290 (fax)

joy@tourismdevelopmentalliance.org

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