Legislation

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Your resource for Pennsylvania travel.

PATT’s Position Statements

Travel and Tourism Platform

Local Room Tax Position

2015 – 2016 Legislation

PA Tourism Partnership

Tourism Funding Proposals

PATT Initiatives Presentation
PATT Supported Legislation

HB 794 – Representative Gillespie: York

Legislation that will give 54 (53) counties the option to increase the maximum county hotel room tax from three percent to five percent.  These counties currently are authorized to impose the tax under two sections of the County Code. This bill is a response to requests from our counties and local visitor bureaus that need the additional authority to address their tourism funding needs.

Legislation enables but does not require any of these counties to increase the rate. Rather, it provides the discretion our local governments need to address their local tourism issues.

The bill, has the full support the County Commissioners Association (CCAP), the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association (PRLA) and PATT.

Passed on Final Passage in the House of Representatives on 6/29/15 by a vote of 136 -57.  Now goes to the State Senate for their approval.

HB 641 – Representative Boback:  Lackawanna, Luzerne and Wyoming County

Dedicated Funding For Tourism Marketing, Museums and the Arts: Re-introducing House Bill 1635 (Stern) from last session, which dedicates a portion of the 6 percent state hotel occupancy tax to support tourism marketing, museums and the arts.
This legislation will dedicate the revenue from 1 percentage point of the 6 percent state tax on hotel stays to bring more tourists to Pennsylvania.  Sixty percent of the revenue would go to promote and market Pennsylvania to out-of-state visitors, with the remaining 40 percent earmarked to fund established state grant programs for the many local museums and arts and cultural organization that tourists come to see.  Basically, the bill leverages the money generated by tourists to further promote and market tourism in the state while at the same time creating and maintaining jobs.

PATT supports the concepts of HB 641 with the monies going to the Pennsylvania Tourism Partnership.

SB 676 – Senator Ward (Westmoreland) – Tourism Tax Credit

Senator Ward (Westmoreland County) has introduced SB 676, which would amend the Tax Reform Code of 1971 by providing for the Statewide Tourism Marketing and Promotion Tax Credit to taxpayers that make a contribution (i.e., cash, personal property, in-kind contributions, tourism and travel marketing and promotion services, etc.) to the Pennsylvania Tourism Partnership (PTP).

This tax credit would provide the Pennsylvania Tourism Partnership (PTP), a public-private collaboration, with a source of funding by which to undertake the important task of statewide marketing and promotion of tourism and travel in Pennsylvania.  Tourism is a competitive industry.  Therefore, statewide marketing is an important and necessary tool in terms of ensuring the Commonwealth maximizes and promotes the growth of its tourism and travel industry, which is a significant generator of economic development, job creation and revenues.

The mission of PTP is to create a consistent, world-class and inspirational brand, as well as to facilitate the direction, funding and execution of a research and data-based marketing communications plan for the Pennsylvania tourism industry.  Team PA Foundation is currently incubating PTP until it can be independently established as a nonprofit 501(c) organization.

PATT supports this legislation.

Currently in the Senate Finance Committee

HB 47 – Rep. Godshall (Montgomery)

Post Labor School Start:  Amends Public School Code, changing provisions relating to school schedules, opening schools after Labor Day.

PATT supports this legislation.

Currently in the House Tourism & Recreational Development Committee

HB 204 – Rep. Murt (Montgomery & Philadelphia)

Tourism Tax Credit:  Establishes a $15 million tax credit to fund the marketing and promotion of travel and tourism in Pennsylvania.

PATT Supports this concept, but the bill does call for the monies to go to a Pennsylvania Commission which we do not support.  We would like the language switched to provided funding for the Pennsylvania Tourism Partnership (PTP).

Voted out of the House Tourism & Recreational Development Committee on May 5th. 
Pennsylvania Tourism Partnership

Visit the Partnership’s Website

PTP Talking Points

PTP Presentation

PTP Briefing 6-10-15
2015 Appropriation Committee Budget Hearings

House Appropriations – DCED

Senate Appropriations – DCED
House Tourism and Recreational Development Committee

February 24th – Hearing – PATT – Testify, PA Partnership

April 1st – Hearing – Secretary Lepore Testimoney

April 21st – Hearing on HB 794 (Local Room Tax Bill)

May 5th – HB 204 (Murt) – Tourism Tax Credit was voted out of Committee.  There were two changes made.

1. The amount of the tax credit that can be deducted was changed from 100% to 55%.

2. Language was added that the funding could go to 501 c(3) entity.

See PATT’s position above.

May 6th @ 10:00 AM – Hilton Harrisburg – The House Tourism & Recreational Development Committee held an informal hearing as a part of our Pennsylvania Tourism Summit.  They Committee heard from Red House Communications, the firm hired by the Pennsylvania Tourism Partnership.

June 10th @ 9:  AM – Room B31 Main Capitol – Informal meeting to hear a presentation by VisitPhily, the leisure travel destination marketing organization for Philadelphia.

Senate Committee on Community, Economic and Recreational Development

June 3rd @ 9:00 AM – The subject of the hearing was Pennsylvania Tourism and the impact and status of marketing/promoting PA travel and tourism both locally and statewide.

June 10th @ 9:00 AM – The subject of the hearing was discussion about the Pennsylvania Casino Gaming Industry, including Internet gaming.
Governor’s Proposed Budget

Governor’s Proposal – $4.26 million for the Marketing to Attract Tourism line item (state tourism office funding).  Last year’s budget was $7.264 in total, but only about $2.5 million to the tourism office, about $5 million for other projects.  This year’s proposal is reflective of the fact that, that $5 million in other projects where one time investments.
PATT’s 2013-2014 Legislative Accomplishments