SECTION 49 - P280 - DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, RECREATION, AND TOURISM

49.1. (PRT: Tourism and Promotion) The funds appropriated in this act for Regional Promotions shall be distributed equally to the eleven Regional Tourism groups, except that the Grandstrand Tourism Regions funds shall be divided, with $50,000 distributed to the Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce, $115,000 distributed to the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce, $30,000 distributed to the City of Georgetown, and $30,000 distributed to the Williamsburg Chamber of Commerce for tourism related activities. In addition, $50,000 shall be distributed to the Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce. The Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce shall submit a report to the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee by December first each year describing how these funds were expended in the prior fiscal year.

49.2. (PRT: Destination Specific Tourism Marketing) The minimum grant awarded by the Destination Specific Tourism Program shall be $250,000. Each state dollar must be matched with two dollars of private funds. An organization receiving a state grant must certify that, as of the date of the application: (i) the private funds are new dollars specifically designated for the purpose of matching state funds; (ii) the private funds have not been previously allocated or designated for tourism-related destination marketing; (iii) the organization has on hand or has an approved line of credit of not less than the amount of private funds needed to provide the required match. Organizations applying for a grant must include in the grant application, information on how the organization proposes to measure the success of the marketing and public relations program, including the estimated return on investment to the state. Promotional programs proposed by an applicant must be based on research-based outcomes. Grants must be made only to organizations that have a proven record of success in creating and sustaining new and repeat visitation to its area and must have sufficient resources to create, plan, implement, and measure the marketing and promotional efforts undertaken as a part of the program. The department must award a grant only to one qualified destination marketing organization within their tourism region where the organizations private funds are raised. An organization receiving a grant must use the public and private funds only for the purpose of destination specific marketing and public relations designed to target international and/or domestic travelers outside the state to destinations within the state. All grants that qualify under the program must be funded if funds are available. Funding of all qualified grants will be on a first come first served basis with such basis retained throughout the term of this proviso. No organization shall receive in the first quarter more than fifty percent of the state dollars allocated to the program. If by the end of the third quarter matching funds are still available with no other organizations meeting the criteria for funding, the funds will be distributed to the organization or organizations that have and can meet all of the requirements of this proviso. Grant recipients shall provide an annual report by November first, to the Chairmen of the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee and the director of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism on the expenditure of the grants funds and on the proposed outcome measures.

49.3. (PRT: Advertising Funds Carry Forward) The Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism may carry forward any unexpended funds appropriated on the Advertising line within Program II. A. Tourism Sales and Marketing from the prior fiscal year into the current fiscal year to be used for the same purposes which include the Tourism Partnership Fund, Destination Specific Marketing Grants and the agency advertising fund.

49.4. (PRT: Film Marketing) From the funds authorized to the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism in Section 49, Part IA of this Act for the South Carolina Film Commission, the department may use the film marketing funds for the following purposes: (1) to allow for assistance with recruitment and infrastructure development of the film industry; (2) to develop a film crew base; (3) to develop ally support in the film industry; (4) marketing and special events; and (5) to allow for assistance with the auditing and legal service expenses associated with the Motion Picture Incentive Act.

49.5. (PRT: Motion Picture Administration Application Fee) The Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism may charge an application fee for the Motion Picture Incentive programs and may retain and expend these funds for the purposes of meeting administrative, data collection, credit analysis, cost-benefit analysis, reporting and auditing, and other statutory obligations. A fee schedule must be established and approved by the Director of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism.

49.6. (PRT: Gift Shops) At the discretion of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, the State House Gift Shop may close on weekends.

49.7. (PRT: PARD Interest) The department is hereby prohibited from utilizing the interest generated in the PARD program for anything other than the uses authorized by the law creating PARD. Should the PARD account not reach the required amount of $920,000 to activate the minimum $20,000 per county distribution, the department shall carry forward the funding until such time as the funds are sufficient to distribute as originally intended.

49.8. (PRT: Wage and Supplier Rebate Funds) From the funds set aside pursuant to the Motion Picture Incentive Act, any funds committed to film projects shall be carried forward from the prior fiscal year and used for the same purpose. Any uncommitted funds shall be carried forward from the prior fiscal year and must be used solely for wage and supplier rebate funds pursuant to the Motion Picture Incentive Act and may not be used for any other purpose.

49.9. (PRT: Funds Exempt from Budget Cut) In the calculation of any across the board cut mandated by the Executive Budget Office or the General Assembly, any amounts appropriated for pass through, special items, or other items specified in any general proviso, which are exempt from reduction, shall be excluded from the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourisms base budget.

49.10. (PRT: PARD) The Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism shall be authorized to expend restricted funds for the Parks and Recreation Development Fund (PARD) in accordance with the Section 51-23-20 of the 1976 Code, Regulations, and generally accepted accounting standards. The department is allowed to reimburse PARD grantees from current year funds for prior year expenditures for a period of three years as allowed in Section 51-23-30 of the 1976 Code.

For the current fiscal year, funds placed in a County Area account as allowed in Section 51-23-30 of the 1976 Code may remain unexpended in the account indefinitely, any regulation or provision to the contrary notwithstanding. However, once an application is approved by a county delegation, the project must be completed and funds expended within three years of the approved application.

49.11. (PRT: Admission Fees and Charges) The department may impose reasonable fees and charges for admission to and/or use of park and recreational facilities and the revenues from such fees and charges must be used for park and recreational uses.

49.12. (PRT: Vending Services) The State Park Service, an office within the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism shall be granted an exemption requiring the State Park Service to use the Commission for the Blind for vending services. All revenues earned by vending and retail operations at the State Parks shall be retained by the department to support the operational costs of the South Carolina State Parks. These funds may be carried forward from the prior fiscal year and must be used for the same purpose. This exemption does not apply to vending services at the State Welcome Centers.

49.13. (PRT: State Funded Grant Programs) Any unexpended general funds appropriated for the PARD Grants, Undiscovered SC, and Sports Marketing Grants Programs shall be carried forward from the prior fiscal year into the current fiscal year and used for the same purpose.

49.14. (PRT: Beach Access) Of the funds appropriated for state parks, the department shall utilize such funds to open pedestrian, non-motorized vehicular and golf cart ingress and egress to Myrtle Beach State Park at the intersection of US Highway 17 and Center South Road in Myrtle Beach, and/or at other location(s) which legally and safely affords such ingress and egress. Said access shall be subject to the rules and regulations of the department governing uniform closure of park ingress during periods of peak usage.

49.15. (PRT: SC Film Office Rebate Funds) From the funds authorized pursuant to the Motion Picture Incentive Act, any rebates awarded by the SC Film Office may be paid without distinction of the source of funds.

49.16. RESERVED

49.17. (PRT: Compensatory Payment) In the event the Governor declares a State of Emergency, employees of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism may be paid for actual hours worked in lieu of accruing compensatory time, at the discretion of the agency director, and providing funds are available.

49.18. (PRT: State Parks Maintenance) The Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism shall utilize the $1,000,000 appropriated in Act No. 91 of 2015, by proviso 118.14, Item (41)(h) and the $3,000,000 appropriated in Act No. 284 of 2016, by proviso 118.16, Item (39)(g) for the Medal of Honor Museum for state parks maintenance needs.