Senate File 409 - Introduced SENATE FILE BY COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC GROWTH (SUCCESSOR TO SSB 1299) Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to the establishment of regional sports authority 2 districts by convention and visitors bureaus in certain cities 3 and making appropriations. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 TLSB 2698SV 82 6 tm/je/5 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 15E.321 REGIONAL SPORTS 1 2 AUTHORITY DISTRICTS == APPROPRIATION. 1 3 1. As used in this section, "district" means a regional 1 4 sports authority district certified under this section. 1 5 2. A convention and visitors bureau may apply to the 1 6 department for certification of a regional sports authority 1 7 district which may include more than one city and more than 1 8 one convention and visitors bureau within the district. The 1 9 department shall not certify more than ten such districts. 1 10 3. Each district shall actively promote youth sports, high 1 11 school athletic activities, the special olympics, and other 1 12 nonprofessional sporting events in the local area. 1 13 4. Each district shall be governed by a seven=member board 1 14 consisting of seven members appointed by the convention and 1 15 visitors bureau filing the application pursuant to subsection 1 16 2. At least three members of the board shall consist of city 1 17 council members of any cities located in the district. Each 1 18 board shall be responsible for administering programs designed 1 19 to promote the activities enumerated in subsection 3. 1 20 5. For each fiscal year there is appropriated from the 1 21 general fund of the state to the department of economic 1 22 development two million dollars to be distributed to all 1 23 regional sports authority districts certified by the 1 24 department as operating qualifying programs on an equal basis. 1 25 6. The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 1 26 17A necessary for administration of this section. 1 27 EXPLANATION 1 28 This bill relates to the establishment of regional sports 1 29 authority districts and makes appropriations. 1 30 The bill allows a convention and visitors bureau to apply 1 31 to the department of economic development for certification of 1 32 a regional sports authority district which may include more 1 33 than one city and more than one convention and visitors bureau 1 34 within the district. The bill provides that each district 1 35 shall actively promote youth sports, high school athletic 2 1 activities, the special olympics, and other nonprofessional 2 2 sporting events in the local area. The bill provides that 2 3 each district shall be governed by a seven=member board. Not 2 4 more than 10 districts can be certified under the bill. 2 5 The bill provides that each fiscal year the department of 2 6 economic development is appropriated $2 million from the 2 7 general fund of the state to be distributed to all regional 2 8 sports authority districts operating qualifying programs on an 2 9 equal basis. 2 10 LSB 2698SV 82 2 11 tm:rj/je/5