SB275: Bill Text

LRB-2882/1

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2021 - 2022 LEGISLATURE

2021 Senate BILL 275

April 5, 2021 - Introduced by Senators Marklein, Bernier, Felzkowski, Ballweg and Darling, cosponsored by Representatives Dallman, Kurtz, Cabral-Guevara, Callahan, Duchow, Edming, Krug, Moses, Oldenburg, Plumer, Rozar, Snyder, Swearingen, Tranel, Vorpagel, Wittke and Zimmerman. Referred to Joint Committee on Finance.

SB275,1,1 An Act relating to: tourism industry grants.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Tourism promotion and development organization grants

This bill requires the Department of Tourism to award grants to nonprofit organizations whose primary purpose is the promotion and development of tourism in Wisconsin to assist those organizations to remain operational in the wake of the COVID-19 global pandemic. The bill further requires Tourism to award grants to such nonprofit organizations and to certain governmental organizations also having that same primary purpose for purposes of tourism marketing in connection with Wisconsin's recovery from the COVID-19 global pandemic.

A nonprofit or governmental organization receiving a grant under the bill, as specified above, may not receive grants totalling more than $1,000,000 or 50 percent of the organization's average annual tourism marketing budget over the previous three years, not including 2020. The bill requires the governor to allocate $50,000,000 of the funds accepted under the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 for the grants.

Amusement industry grants

This bill requires the Department of Tourism to award grants to organizations that own or operate amusement or theme parks in Wisconsin for purposes of short-term tourism marketing in connection with the organization's recovery from the COVID-19 global pandemic. The bill limits each grant to 50 percent of the organization's average annual tourism marketing budget over the previous three years, not including 2020. The bill requires the governor to allocate $25,000,000 of the funds accepted under the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 for the grants.

For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB275,9143 Section 9143. Nonstatutory provisions; Tourism.

SB275,2,2 (1) Tourism promotion and development organization grants.

SB275,2,3 (a) Definitions. In this subsection:

SB275,2,5 1. “Governmental organization” means a department or a subunit of a county, city, village, town, or federally recognized American Indian tribe or band in this state.

SB275,2,9 2. “Tourism promotion and development organization” means a nonprofit organization or a governmental organization whose primary purpose is the promotion and development of tourism to or within this state or a particular region in this state.

SB275,2,14 (b) Continuation of operations grants. From the moneys allocated under par. (e), the department of tourism shall award grants to tourism promotion and development organizations, other than governmental organizations, adversely affected by the COVID-19 global pandemic to assist those organizations to remain operational.

SB275,2,18 (c) Tourism marketing grants. From the moneys allocated under par. (e), the department of tourism shall award grants to tourism promotion and development organizations for purposes of short-term tourism marketing in connection with this state's recovery from the COVID-19 global pandemic.

SB275,2,20 (d) Grant limits. No organization may receive grants under pars. (b ) and (c) that in the aggregate exceed the lesser of the following:

SB275,3,1 1. $1,000,000.

SB275,3,3 2. Fifty percent of the organization's average annual tourism marketing budget for the preceding 3 years, not including 2020.

SB275,3,7 (e) Allocation of moneys. Of the moneys the governor accepts from the federal government under s. 16.54 pursuant to section 602 of the federal Social Security Act as amended by the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, P.L. 117-2, the governor shall allocate $50,000,000 for the grants under pars. (b) and (c ).

SB275,3,8 (2) Amusement industry tourism marketing grants.

SB275,3,12 (a) Grants. From the moneys allocated under par. (c ), the department of tourism shall award grants to organizations that own or operate amusement or theme parks in this state for purposes of short-term tourism marketing in connection with the organization's recovery from the COVID-19 global pandemic.

SB275,3,15 (b) Grant limit. No organization may receive a grant under par. (a ) that exceeds 50 percent of the organization's average annual tourism marketing budget for the preceding 3 years, not including 2020.

SB275,3,19 (c) Allocation of moneys. Of the moneys the governor accepts from the federal government under s. 16.54 pursuant to section 602 of the federal Social Security Act as amended by the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, P.L. 117-2, the governor shall allocate $25,000,000 for the grants under par. (a).

SB275,3,20 (End)