Ohio Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus
37 West Broad Street, Suite 480
Columbus, Ohio 43215
614-241-2226
1-888-505-9552
Bill Board
Issues and Legislation OACVB is monitoring
OACVB
Legislative Update March 26, 2007
House Bills
HB 16 HISTORICAL
SOCIETY (Rep. Kathleen Chandler, D – Kent) To allow taxpayers to contribute a
portion of their income tax refunds to the Ohio Historical Society
· House Ways and Means: 1st Hearing, 2/28/07
HB 119
BUDGET BILL (Rep. Matt Dolan, R – Novelty) To make operating appropriations for
the biennium beginning July 1, 2007 and ending June 30, 2009, and to provide
authorization and conditions for the operation of state programs.
·
State Budget Bill
·
Division of Travel and Tourism
Budget: Governor proposed a roughly $1 million dollar increase overall from
2007 (from $7.87 million to $8.81
million or 11% increase)
· “Cuyahoga County” (population over 1,200,000)
language allowing for a “local funding option” for raising and building a
convention center now also includes a county with a population of more than
400,000 but less than 500,000 (Lucas County)
·
House Finance and Financial
Institutions: 2nd Hearing, 3/28/07
Senate Bills
SB
45 LODGING TAXES (Sen. Larry Mumper, R – Marion) To authorize certain counties
to increase their lodging tax by one per cent for the purpose of acquiring real
estate to house the offices of a convention and visitors’ bureau.
OACVB and OH&LA have met with
Senator Mumper to recommend language that would remove “acquiring real estate
to house the offices of a convention and visitors bureau”
Proposed language would allow for
the use of the new one per cent to be used for “any expenses deemed necessary
for the promotion of travel and tourism by the convention and visitors bureau”
Limiting Language: requires a board
of commissioners to have already passed the resolution and passed or enacted a
prior tax in November 1984.
OACVB and OH&LA also suggested
limiting language based upon population (65,000 to 70,000)
·
Senate Way and Means: 1st
Hearing, 3/14/07
SB 52 MOTION PICTURE TAX CREDIT (Sen. Patti Clancy, R –
Cincinnati) To create a tax credit for individuals who invest in
state-certified motion picture productions and to create the Ohio Media
Production Advisory Committee to prepare a report about and make recommendations
for the growth of the electronic media production industry throughout the
state.
·
OACVB following; monitored for the
last 2 General Assemblies
·
Senate Ways and Means: Referred, 2/27/07
SB 77 COMMERCIAL FISHING (Sen. Tim Grendell, R –
Chesterland) To increase the license fees for commercial fishing, to
revise the penalties for violations of certain commercial fishing statutes, and
to make other changes to the law governing commercial fishing.
·
Bills from the last General
Assembly sought to revoke commercial fishing licenses; this is a more moderated
approach
·
Senate Environment and Natural
Resources: 2nd Hearing, 3/28/07
SB 89 SCHOOL CALENDAR (Sen. Randy Gardner, R – Bowling
Green) To prohibit public schools from
opening for instruction prior to Labor Day except in specified circumstances
·
Sponsor believes this is an issue
(school times generally) that needs to be debated
·
Believes would be best for the
2008 – 2009 School year
·
Senate Education Committee: 1st
Hearing, 3/13/07
