Creates a one percent state sales and use tax in the Historic Triangle. Fifty percent of the revenues will be used to market, promote, and advertise the Historic Triangle as an overnight tourism destination and the other 50 percent will be distributed to the localities in which the revenues were collected. The revenues for tourism will be deposited into a fund to be administered by the Tourism Council of the Greater Williamsburg Chamber and Tourism Alliance (the Council), created by the bill. The Council will oversee an office of tourism and will report annually to the chief executive officer of each locality in the Historic Triangle and to the Chairmen of the House Committees on Finance and Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance. The bill defines the Historic Triangle as the City of Williamsburg and the Counties of James City and York, an area of historic significance that generates substantial employment and economic benefit for the Commonwealth. The bill removes the authority of these localities to impose the current $2 transient occupancy tax used to promote tourism in the area. The bill is contingent on the City of Williamsburg repealing recent ordinances raising the local transient occupancy, food and beverage, and admission taxes and will expire if any of the localities in the Historic Triangle raise or reinstate such taxes in the next seven years.
Sponsored bills
Reduces the penalties for possession of marijuana to a fine of not more than $500 and makes a first offense violation that has been deferred and dismissed under § 18.2-251 eligible for expungement. Under current law, possession of marijuana is punishable by confinement in jail for not more than 30 days and a fine of not more than $500, either or both. The bill provides that any person seeking expungement of such first offense violation shall be assessed a $300 fee, of which $150 shall be paid into the Heroin and Prescription Opioid Epidemic Fund, created by the bill, and $150 shall be paid into the state treasury and credited to the Department of State Police. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2019, except for the provisions related to the reduction of penalties for possession of marijuana, which shall become effective July 1, 2018. The provisions of the bill are contingent upon funding in a general appropriation act. The bill contains technical amendments.
Designates the bridge on Route 612 (Airport Road) over Interstate 64 at mile marker 209 in the County of New Kent the "Trooper Pilot Berke Bates Memorial Bridge."
The resolution is a recommendation of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Commission. The resolution is identical to