Senator Jay Harris presented Senate Bill 201 on the Meiji events incentive fund program and the committee adopted an amendment before reporting the bill favorable.

The bill, as amended, keeps the statute's existing itemized list of major events and adds a separate, smaller events fund so events not on the named list can apply for incentives. "We're going back to the original bill as it the law currently states," Senator Jay Harris said, and the amendment "creates a separate events fund so that smaller events could also have an opportunity to apply for funding." Harris added that an event "won't exceed the amount of economic impact or the amount of money that we put to the event. So we're not giving an event more money than what the state would, would receive back." (Sen. Jay Harris)

Chad, a staff member who spoke in committee, clarified the spending limitation included in the amendment: "The contract can be no larger than either the amount of the economic impact or, for example, if it is to bid on an event, the amount to bid on that event that's in the future." (Chad, staff member)

Senator Boudreau moved to adopt the amendment; the motion passed with no objections. Boudreau later moved to report the bill favorable with the adopted amendment; the committee reported Senate Bill 201 favorable.

The fiscal note discussion acknowledged that an earlier version of the bill — which would have removed the named-event list — drew a $25 million impact estimate at LED's request, but because the committee kept the existing list and only added a separate events fund, the sponsor said the fiscal note "is pretty much the way that it should have been last year." (Sen. Jay Harris)

The committee did not hold a roll-call vote in the transcript excerpt; the clerk reported the bill as "will be reported favorable." The sponsor and staff indicated the amendment was made at the request of LED and intended to preserve appropriations discipline by tying payout limits to expected economic impact.

The bill will proceed to the next step in the legislative process as reported favorable by the Senate Finance Committee.

Ending details: The committee made no changes to the named-event list and added the separate events fund to create a path for smaller, non‑listed events to apply. The fiscal note will be revisited consistent with the amended statutory approach.