Committee advances bill allowing retail sales at state fair campus

Senator Pote told the committee that SB 18-60, an administration bill, follows the state fair's move to Wilson County and authorizes the Department of General Services to operate a retail store on the fair campus offering branded merchandise and other items. "What this 1 does is...the state fair [has] moved to Wilson County," Pote said, explaining the bill merges state and county board responsibilities and permits the department to offer items such as hats, T-shirts, mugs and other merchandise.

Committee members asked no substantive questions and the motion carried. The clerk recorded eight ayes and the bill will move to the Senate calendar. The presentation included staff explanation of necessary authority changes for campus operations but contained no amendment that made the bill fail; the committee approved it for the next procedural step.