TO:  MTC Members

FROM:  Dale Amick - MTC Legislative Consultant

[ CLICK HERE to view the January 25, 2007 Legislative Status Report ]

Gov. Matt Blunt recommended the Missouri Division of Tourism be fully funded under the state's tourism supplemental funding mechanism in the next state budget. That would mean a budget for the Division of 20.6 million dollars in the next fiscal year if approved by the legislature.

That would be a 2.9 million dollar increase over the Division budget passed by the Missouri Legislature last year. If the governor's recommendation is approved, it will be the largest budget for the Division of Tourism in its history.

Thanks should go to Gov. Blunt for his leadership in promoting Missouri's tourism industry. And thanks should go to new Tourism Director Blaine Leutkemeyer for his work in helping to secure the fully funded budget recommendation for the Division.

The House Appropriations Committee for Economic Development will begin deliberations next week on crafting a new budget for the Department of Economic Development, which includes the Division. The Senate Appropriations Committee also is beginning review of the governor's proposed budget next week. Appropriation bills must be passed first by the House of Representatives.

House Speaker Rod Jetton has appointed several special committees to handle legislation he would like to see on a fast track this session. One of those bills is HB 205 that extends the sunset date to 2015 for the tourism supplemental fund. The bill has been assigned to the House Special Committee on Tourism chaired by Rep. B. J. Marsh, a strong voice for tourism in the legislature.

With the governor's "State of the State" address done and his budget proposed, committees in both chambers will get down to work over the next few weeks holding public hearings on the proposed budget and the hundreds of bills already filed in the 2007 session.