Senate Bill No. 148

(By Senators Rowe, Caldwell, Kessler and Hunter)

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[Introduced February 16, 2001; referred to the Select Committee on Economic Development; and then to the Committee on Finance.]
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A BILL to amend article two, chapter five-b of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated section twelve-a, relating to creating the heritage preservation and tourism development fund; and providing that the fund is used by the division of tourism to promote various industrial and tourism projects in the state.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That article two, chapter five-b of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated section twelve-a, to read as follows:
ARTICLE 2. WEST VIRGINIA DEVELOPMENT OFFICE.

§5B-2-12a. Heritage preservation and tourism development fund created; use of funds.

There is hereby created in the state treasury the special revenue fund known as the "heritage preservation and tourism development fund" which shall be funded by appropriations from the Legislature. Moneys from the fund shall be expended with the approval of the director of the division of tourism to effectively promote and market the state's tourism as well as its industrial heritage, including the state industries associated with salt production, chemical production and processing, food production and traditional state culinary offerings, coal, oil and gas production, timber production, glass manufacture and transportation. The director is authorized to utilize direct advertising as defined in subsection (a), section twelve of this article to promote state tourism and industry.



NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to provide for the creation of the "heritage preservation and tourism development fund" to be used to promote state tourism and state industry.

This section is new; therefore, strike-throughs and underscoring have been omitted.