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Legislature restores travel-approval oversight for Guam Visitors Bureau, adds reporting requirements
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Summary
The Guam Legislature advanced a bill returning travel-approval authority to the Guam Visitors Bureau board and adopted an amendment requiring the GVB general manager to file a written travel report with KPIs, participants and costs within five working days of the next board meeting.
Senator Rouhani, sponsor of bill 279-38 COR, told colleagues the measure "simply returns travel authorization authority back to the board of directors," saying the change restores historical oversight and aims to hold the Guam Visitors Bureau (GVB) accountable for use of public funds.
The bill, as amended on the floor, restores the board's authority to approve travel that promotes tourism, limits funded travel to certain participants paid from the Tourist Attraction Fund, and requires that "within five working days following the next duly convened meeting of the board of directors after completion of such travel, the Guam Visitors Bureau general manager shall submit a written travel report" to the legislative speaker. The sponsor said the report must include the trip's scope and purpose, key performance indicators used to measure outcomes, a list of participants and the total cost including airfare and per diem.
Rouhani framed the change as a response to oversight hearings and cited recent GVB trips to Taiwan, Japan and San Diego as reasons the body needs clearer accountability. "When this legislature granted the $10,000,000 to Guam Business Bureau for incentives, we specifically said to the bureau, you will be held accountable for every cent that we have given you," he said.
Supporters described the amendment as consistent with performance-based budgeting and a way to ensure return on investment from travel. A senator representing Tamuning said the amendment mirrors existing performance measures and welcomed sending the added reporting to the legislature and to finance offices for budgetary review. No senator objected to the amendment on the floor and the presiding officer announced it adopted.
Sponsor closing remarks said the bill grew out of repeated oversight and board meetings where board members reported they were unaware of certain trips. "This is what we are doing — restoring the authority to the board," Rouhani said, and members moved the bill as amended to the third-reading/voting file without objection.
The bill references amendments to section 1, part 1, chapter 13 of Public Law 38-60 and ties the travel authority and reporting to requirements for funds drawn from the Tourist Attraction Fund. The measure does not ban travel; its supporters said it re-establishes board review and creates a clear post-travel reporting obligation so the legislature can evaluate outcomes.
Next steps: the Legislature moved the bill as amended into the third-reading/voting file for further consideration.
