HB338 Alabama 2011 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Jim Barton

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2011

Title

Counties and municipalities authorized to establish public authority for promoting tourism, members, duties, powers

Summary

The bill would let counties and cities create a public tourism authority with a district to promote and develop tourism, governed by a board drawn from the area it serves.

What This Bill Does

It authorizes one or more municipalities or counties (or combinations) to form a public authority for tourism promotion and development. The authority would establish a tourism promotion and development district with defined boundaries. It grants the authority powers to run programs and events, contract with others, own and manage property, borrow money, accept gifts, and spend funds to attract tourists, while making sure contracts don’t bind the State. The board of directors is appointed from within the district, with seats allocated to municipalities based on lodging tax revenue and to the unincorporated areas by the county, along with term and residency rules, and a system for officers and governance.

Who It Affects

• Participating municipalities and counties: they may form the authority, set the district boundaries, appoint board members, and provide funding (often via lodging tax revenues) for tourism activities.
• Lodging businesses and other tourism-related venues within the district: they may be represented on the board, and stand to influence and benefit from tourism promotion and development efforts.

Key Provisions

• Section 1: Allows one or more municipalities or counties (or combinations) to form a public authority dedicated to promoting and developing tourism in the area it serves.
• Section 2: Creates a tourism promotion and development district with boundaries defined by participating municipalities/counties and requires resolutions specifying which geographic areas are included.
• Section 3: Grants the authority powers to run information programs and events, contract with others, own and manage property, solicit funds, and borrow money to carry out its tourism goals; contracts must bind only the authority, not the State or local governments.
• Section 4: Describes the board of directors, including how many seats come from each municipality and unincorporated areas, how seats are allocated based on lodging tax revenue, appointment rules, and term lengths with limits and residency requirements.
• Section 5: Outlines management of the authority, including employment, creation of officers (chair, treasurer, secretary), how contracts are executed, and fiduciary duties (treasurer acts as custodian and must obtain a fidelity bond).
• Section 6: Establishes the act’s effective date as immediate upon governor’s approval.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Counties