May 7, 2004 - Submitted by Dale Amick - MTC Legislative Consultant

The Missouri General Assembly has passed and sent to the governor the largest budget in the history of the Division of Tourism, 17.8 million dollars. 

The Senate and House late this week approved a new state budget  hammered out by a joint conference committee over the last week. 

The Senate had approved full funding for the Division of Tourism ($17.8 million). The House had approved 15 million dollars, the funding level recommended by the governor and the same amount as this year’s division budget. The joint conference committee adopted the Senate version. 

Most of the funds added by the Senate above the governor’s recommendation will be used for direct tourism advertising.

The leaders in providing full funding for the Division were Sens. John Russell and Doyle Childers. Both senators worked hard to inform their colleagues about the importance of the tourism industry to the long-term, well-being of the state’s economy.

In fact, the legislature endorsed the economic value of tourism by putting in the budget that each added tourism advertising dollar above the governor’s recommendation (a total of $2.75 million) that was originally added by the Senate would generate $2.92 in new general revenue to help fund other state programs.  The net added revenue value of the new tourism money is estimated at 5 million dollars.

Thanks also should go to Rep. Carl Bearden, House budget chairman, for his support of the tourism budget. A full list of those who helped in this cause will come later.

The 2004 legislative session will end May 14.

CLICK HERE to download the Tourism Legislative Status Report

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