SB 5005-S2 - DIGEST
(DIGEST OF PROPOSED 2ND SUBSTITUTE)

Finds that there is general agreement among the hospitality industry, tourism interests, local governments, and watchable wildlife organizations that owners of working farms, woodlands, and rural open space lands provide a significant portion of the key areas for the wildlife which in turn attract the nature-based tourists.

Declares that, while tourism promotion interests seek to provide incentives to these landowners to maintain these key areas in a manner that benefits wildlife, and to assist them in managing the tourists that seek to appreciate this wildlife, there is a need to create options for local governments seeking to provide monetary incentives to these landowners.

Declares it is the purpose of this act to provide local governments, at their option, an additional source of lodging tax revenue that may be used to provide monetary incentives to landowners who agree to undertake activities that promote nature-based tourism.