SESSION OF 2024
SUPPLEMENTAL NOTE ON HOUSE BILL NO. 2611
As Recommended by House Committee on
Commerce, Labor and Economic Development

Brief*
HB 2611 would make changes to the membership of the
Council on Travel and Tourism and a tourism matching grant
program.

Council on Travel and Tourism
The bill would expand the Council on Travel and Tourism
from 17 members to 20 members by adding three members
to be appointed by the Governor representing the National
Independent Venue Association, the Kansas Museums
Association, and the Kansas Sampler Foundation.
The appointments would be from a list of three
individuals submitted by the organizations. The individuals
submitted by the National Independent Venue Association
would be required to be Kansas residents.
The bill would also make technical changes to the
membership by updating the names of standing committees
of the Legislature.

Tourism Matching Grant Program
The bill would reduce from 75 percent to 50 percent the
minimum required amount of grants made under the Tourism
Development and Promotion Matching Grant Program to be
____________________
*Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research
Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental
note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at
http://www.kslegislature.org
allocated to public or not-for-profit entities and would remove
the requirement that a maximum of 20 percent of granted
moneys be granted to an individual entity.

Background
The bill was introduced by the House Committee on
Commerce, Labor and Economic Development at the request
of a representative of the Department of Commerce.
The House Committee did not hold a hearing on HB
2611 because the contents of the bill are substantially similar
to HB 2344, which the House Committee recommended for
passage during the 2023 Legislative Session. The contents of
HB 2344 were removed by the Senate Committee on
Commerce. The background for HB 2344, as introduced, is
included below.

House Committee on Commerce, Labor and Economic
Development
In the House Committee hearing on February 14, 2023,
proponent testimony was provided by representatives of the
Department of Commerce and the Travel Industry Association
of Kansas. The proponents generally stated the bill would
provide valuable additional resources to the Council on Travel
and Tourism and update grant allocations in accordance with
interest in grants.
The House Committee recommended HB 2611 be
placed on the Consent Calendar.

Fiscal Information
According to the fiscal note prepared by the Division of
the Budget on the bill, the Department of Commerce indicates
it would pay an additional $600 from existing resources for
the three additional council members added by the bill.
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Legislative Administrative Services and the Kansas
Department of Agriculture indicate the bill would not have a
fiscal effect. Any fiscal effect associated with the bill is not
reflected in the FY 2025 Governor’s Budget Report.
State government; Council on Travel and Tourism; membership; Tourism
Development and Promotion Matching Grant Program


3- 2611


Statutes affected:
As introduced: 32-1410, 32-1420