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House approves $3 million tourism marketing appropriation (first substitute SB127)
Summary
The House passed the first substitute to Senate Bill 127, allocating up to $3 million to the tourism marketing performance account to support media buys and marketing contracts; the measure passed 57-16 and advances to the Senate.
The Utah House on the floor approved the first substitute to Senate Bill 127, a one-year appropriation from the tourism marketing performance account that authorizes up to $3,000,000 to be made available for tourism marketing and related media buys. Representative Dave Clark, who presented the substitute under suspension of the rules, said the allocation corrects last year’s distribution and is time-sensitive because of pending advertising contracts.
Clark told colleagues the substitute restores the $3,000,000 allocated last year so the tourism board may fulfill contractual media purchases tied to spring and summer campaigns. He said performance measures will be used to determine eligibility for funds: the first 3 percent of growth is discounted as natural increase, and promotional activity above that threshold (capped at $3,000,000 in a single year) is measured against increases in sales-tax-related categories such as hotels and restaurants.
Representative Bigelow urged members to vote with knowledge that the appropriation has a $3,000,000 fiscal impact, while supporters including Representatives Allen and Fisher emphasized the return on investment from tourism promotion. After brief floor discussion and waived summations, the House passed first substitute SB127 on a recorded vote of 57 yes, 16 no, 2 absent; the bill will be transmitted to the Senate for further action.
Action and next step: First substitute SB127 passed the House and is referred to the Senate.
