Juneau -- The Alaska Senate Wednesday passed House Bill 420, sponsored by the House Finance Committee.

Senate Bill 107 (passed last year) eliminated the Alaska Tourism Marketing Council, calling instead, for a contract with a more broadly based trade organization for planning and executing a destination tourism marketing campaign. HB 420 moves-up the date that the Department of Community and Economic Development must enter into that contract from August 1 to April 1.

"HB 420 makes a change to legislation enacted last year that implements the New Millennium Plan to consolidate tourism marketing activities performed by the State of Alaska," said Representative Gene Therriault (R-North Pole), Co-Chair of the House Finance Committee. "This change is necessary to provide time to prepare a complete marketing plan. In addition, the lead time necessary for the production of print advertising for a campaign on this scale can be as long as 6-8 months.

"HB 420 times the negotiations between the trade association and the State so that small tourism-related businesses can participate in the process. The current August 1st date would require participation during the months of June and July, which is the height of the tourism season. Small businesses would be unable to participate fully in the process," Therriault said. "Moving the date up will enable smaller businesses in Alaska to take on a larger role within the trade organization. In addition, the new date will fall before the end of future Legislative sessions, enabling Legislators to see the final product before appropriating significant resources to the effort."

HB 420 passed the Senate unanimously.