ADVOCACY MATTERS

The Pennsylvania Senate Appropriation Committee hearings have concluded in Harrisburg, and there are about 115 days until the Pennsylvania budget deadline of June 30, 2018. Today, March 14, is the final day of session for the Pennsylvania House until April 9, 2018. The Pennsylvania Senate has scheduled session days through the end of March, and then has a break until April 16, 2018. That will leave legislators around 90 days to negotiate and agree upon a final state budget for FY2018-2019.

The Pennsylvania Museum Preservation Act remains in the House State Government Committee awaiting action. The committee met yesterday morning, and there was no discussion or action on the bill.

The House Tourism and Recreation Committee met on Monday, March 12, 2018 at noon to hear testimony from the Department of Community and Economic Dev elopment (DCED) Deputy Secretary for Marketing, Tourism and Film, Carrie Fischer Lepore and Melissa Bova, Vice President of Government Affairs with the Pennsylvania Restaurants and Lodging Association (PRLA). Their testimony encouraged higher funding levels and budgeting policy that adequately invests in tourism without putting the line item for tourism marketing in jeopardy annually in Pennsylvania's budget process. Pennsylvania is currently soundly outspent by neighboring states. New York, for example, spends $70 million in its statewide efforts to attract tourists. New Jersey spends $9 million, and Ohio spends $11 million. Industry leaders in this $40 billion business feel Pennsylvania's ideal investment would be around $35 million, and the House Tourism and Recreation Committee heard testimony that suggested Pennsylvania could fund tourism at that level. Carrie Fischer Lepore testified that there could be a 300% return on investments that would be measurable within 30 days of their being initiated.

PA Museums will join with our advocacy partners in Harrisburg for an Arts and Culture Advocacy Day on May 2, 2018 . We hope many of you will join us in this important work. Save the date!

The American Alliance of Museums' (AAM) recent reports, Museums as Economic Engines and Museums and Public Opinion, should prove to be excellent sources of data for advocacy work at the national, state, and local levels. You can download the reports at AAM's website. Here's a snapshot/infographic of Pennsylvania's data: