PRINTER'S NO. 519
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
554
Session of
2021
INTRODUCED BY RADER, STRUZZI, LONGIETTI, JOZWIAK, CIRESI,
ZIMMERMAN, DRISCOLL, FREEMAN AND WHEELAND, FEBRUARY 22, 2021
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TOURISM AND RECREATIONAL DEVELOPMENT,
FEBRUARY 22, 2021
AN ACT
Providing for the Visit Pennsylvania Grant Program; and making
an appropriation.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Visit
Pennsylvania Assistance Act.
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Department." The Department of Community and Economic
Development of the Commonwealth.
"Destination marketing organization." A nonprofit
corporation, organization, association or agency that is engaged
in tourism promotion or marketing on a regional or Statewide
basis to attract leisure or business travelers to this
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Commonwealth.
"Eligible loss." The net decrease between April 2019 and
April 2020 in total county hotel tax receipts received by the
county treasurer, minus any administrative fees, in those
counties served by a tourism promotion agency or destination
marketing organization.
"Grant." A grant awarded under the Visit Pennsylvania Grant
Program established under section 3.
"Program." The Visit Pennsylvania Grant Program established
under section 3.
"Tourism promotion agency." A recognized nonprofit
corporation, organization, association or agency that is engaged
in planning and promoting programs designed to stimulate and
increase the volume of tourist, visitor and vacation business
within counties served by the tourism promotion agency. The term
shall include a tourism promotion agency as that term is defined
in the act of July 4, 2008 (P.L.621, No.50), known as the
Tourism Promotion Act.
Section 3. Visit Pennsylvania Grant Program.
(a) Establishment.--The Visit Pennsylvania Grant Program is
established in the department for the purposes of providing
financial assistance to Pennsylvania tourism promotion agencies
and destination marketing organizations adversely impacted by
the novel coronavirus identified in the proclamation of disaster
emergency issued by the Governor on March 6, 2020, published at
50 Pa.B. 1644 (March 21, 2020), and any renewal of the state of
disaster emergency.
(b) Application.--A tourism promotion agency or destination
marketing organization that has an eligible loss may apply to
the department on a form and in a manner prescribed by the
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department.
(c) Submission.--Within 30 days of the effective date of
this section, the department shall establish a time period of
not less than 30 days for a tourism marketing agency or
destination marketing organization to submit an application for
a grant.
(d) Review.--Upon closure of the time period under
subsection (c), the department shall approve or disapprove all
applications and distribute all money made available to the
department to approved applicants as follows:
(1) If the total loss from all applicants equals
$15,000,000, all applicants shall receive the exact amount of
each applicant's eligible loss up to a maximum grant of
$1,000,000 for each applicant.
(2) If the total loss from all applicants is less than
or greater than $15,000,000, each applicant shall receive
each applicant's percentage of total loss from all
applicants, up to a maximum grant of $1,000,000 for each
applicant, not to exceed $15,000,000 for all applicants.
(3) The department may not award a grant under the
program that exceeds $1,000,000 to an eligible tourism
promotion agency or destination marketing organization.
(e) Use.--Grant funds may be used for any of the following:
(1) Operating costs, debt repayment, payroll and payroll
expenses.
(2) Marketing the area served as a leisure travel
destination.
(3) Marketing the area served as a business, convention
or meeting travel destination.
(f) Program guidelines.--The department shall develop and
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issue guidelines for the program. The department shall transmit
notice of completion of the guidelines to the Legislative
Reference Bureau for publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
Section 4. Funding.
The sum of $15,0000,000 is appropriated to the department
from the COVID-19 Response Restricted Account established under
section 110-C of the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.343, No.176),
known as The Fiscal Code, for the purpose of making grants under
this act.
Section 5. Expiration of authority.
The authority of the department to award grants under this
section shall expire when all available funds are disbursed for
grants provided under the program.
Section 6. Effective date.
This act shall take effect immediately.
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