We are closing in on the home stretch for the 60th Session with only one week remaining.  This past week we saw action on several tourism related bills including two major bills we’ve been closely monitoring: HB 40 - Film Incentive Bill and SB 284 - Tourism Partners Place – Best Place First Bill. . 

SB 284 (Moss/Perry) Revise allocation of bed tax and taxes on rental cars – “The Best Place First Bill”, Tourism Partners Plan.  This legislation, with the house amendments, passed second reading in the Senate (43-6).  This bill will have a final vote (third reading) and if the vote is positive, the bill will go to the Governor for his consideration. 

HB 40 (Gallik) Revise state movie incentive laws – “Big Sky on the Big Screen Act”. 
This bill passed third reading in the Senate (29-21) and is on its way to the Governor for his consideration.  

Additional Highlights from this past week:

SB 299 (Moss): Revise laws on historic preservation and cultural tourism, this bill has been signed by the Governor.  This bill authorizes state agencies to lease state-owned historic buildings to parties who will preserve and use them, or exchange them for other comparable properties.  It also authorizes the creation of heritage preservation & cultural tourism commissions. 

HB 299 (Milburn):  Revise laws governing ski areas and passenger ropeways. This bill passed third reading (66-34) and is on its way to the Governor for his consideration.

HB 480 (Lake) Fund restoration and maintenance of Daly mansion.  This bill passed out of the House on third reading (59-40) and is on its way to the Governor for his consideration. It was amended to appropriate general funds through Commerce of $25,000 per year for FY 08 and FY 09 to be used for direct maintenance and restoration.

HB 519 (Kasten) Fund Montana cowboy hall of fame.  This bill, as amended, passed third reading in the Senate (41-9) and is on its way to the Governor for his consideration.  This bill provides $100,000 of general fund through the Department of Commerce for the site development in Wolf Point.

HB 539 (Groesbeck) Appropriate funds for Butte-Silver Bow cultural development.  This bill was tabled in Senate Finance and Claims. 

HB 574 (Hiner) Assist Deer Lodge in rebuilding the Rialto Theater.  This bill passed third reading in the Senate (32-18) and it on its way to the Governor for his consideration. As amended this bill appropriates $50,000 from the general fund to Commerce for grants to assist in the restoration and renovation of cultural and historical arts centers.  

HB 830 (Kasten) Appropriate money for construction & maintenance of public buildings and systems.  This bill has been referred to a free conference committee.  This bill as amended includes $3 million for the Montana Heritage Commission.

The Montana Promotion Division is monitoring a number of bills that effect administration of state programs, as well as various aspects of the tourism and film industry.  The chart below is for introduced bills that may have a direct impact on the accommodation tax or issues important to the tourism and film industry. 

When looking at the status of a bill on this chart, here are some helpful hints:

• Referred to committee means the bill has been assigned to the committee, but the hearing date has not been set.
• Hearing means a hearing is scheduled.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.  Remember, the legislature has now set up a system for contacting representatives by e-mail. 
http://leg.mt.gov/css/sessions/60th/default.asp

Until next week…

Bill Type - Number	Primary Sponsor	Status	Status Date	Short Title
HB 9	Dave Kasten	(H) Returned from Enrolling	04/19/2007	Cultural and aesthetic grants
HB 40	Dave Gallik	(H) Sent to Enrolling	04/19/2007	Revise state movie incentive laws
HB 106	Douglas Cordier	Chapter Number Assigned	03/22/2007	Remove Commerce as ombudsman regarding Flathead Lake management
HB 235	Ernie Dutton	(H) Transmitted to Governor	04/16/2007	Business improvement district law
HB 284	Shannon Augare	Chapter Number Assigned	04/05/2007	Improve Giant Springs state park - agreement with Little Shell Tribe
HB 299	Mike Milburn	(H) Transmitted to Governor	04/17/2007	Revise laws governing ski areas and passenger ropeways
HB 348	Jim Keane	(H) Transmitted to Governor	04/12/2007	Increase out-of-state snowmobile fees
HB 480	Bob Lake	(H) Sent to Enrolling	04/19/2007	Fund restoration and maintenance of Daly mansion
HB 519	Dave Kasten	(S) Returned to House with Amendments	04/19/2007	Fund Montana cowboy hall of fame
HB 531	Carol Lambert	Chapter Number Assigned	03/30/2007	Designate warrior trail
HB 539	George G Groesbeck	(S) Tabled in Committee -- (S) Finance and Claims	04/13/2007	Appropriate funds for Butte-Silver Bow cultural development
HB 574	Cynthia Hiner	(H) Returned from Enrolling	04/17/2007	Assist Deer Lodge in rebuilding Rialto theater
HB 759	Gordon R Hendrick	(H) Transmitted to Governor	04/17/2007	Revise fee system funding search & rescue
HB 830	Dave Kasten	(S) Conference Committee Appointed	04/18/2007	Appropriate money for construction & maintenance of public buildings and systems
HJ 3	John L Musgrove	(H) Filed with Secretary of State	02/12/2007	Urge port of Wild Horse be kept open 24 hours
SB 29	Frank Smith	Chapter Number Assigned	03/27/2007	Establish Robert E. Ewing Jr. memorial highway
SB 76	Kim Gillan	Chapter Number Assigned	03/27/2007	Revise law on agency access to tax and revenue information
SB 78	Lane L Larson	(H) Tabled in Committee -- (H) Fish, Wildlife and Parks	04/04/2007	Clarify stream access from bridges
SB 88	Bob Hawks	Chapter Number Assigned	03/30/2007	Extend indefinitely funding to heritage preservation and development account
SB 100	Larry Jent	(S) 3rd Reading Passed as Amended by House	04/19/2007	Revise outfitter laws/ felony outfitting without license
SB 174	Jim Elliott	(H) Tabled in Committee -- (H) Taxation	04/13/2007	Revise laws on revenue administration
SB 233	Jim Elliott	(H) Returned to Senate with Amendments	04/04/2007	Allow multiple counties to create museum districts
SB 284	Lynda Moss	(S) Scheduled for 3rd Reading	04/20/2007	Revise allocation of bed tax and taxes on rental cars
SB 299	Lynda Moss	(S) Signed by Governor	04/17/2007	Revise laws on historic preservation and cultural tourism
SB 301	Lynda Moss	(H) Tabled in Committee -- (H) Appropriations	04/14/2007	Authorize bond issuance for historic preservation
SB 318	Jim Peterson	(S) Transmitted to Governor	04/17/2007	Extend recreational use immunity to aircraft
SB 418	Dan Weinberg	(H) Tabled in Committee -- (H) Taxation	03/29/2007	Revise distribution of lodging facility use taxes
SB 431	Greg Lind	(S) Signed by President	04/18/2007	Revise standards for hot springs
SB 525	Jim Elliott	(H) Returned to Senate with Amendments	04/04/2007	Clarify duties of state treasurer regarding deposit of tax and fees
SJ 3	Dan Weinberg	(S) Scheduled for 2nd Reading	04/20/2007	Urge funding for restoration of parks, battlefields, and monuments