(1) In order to implement the state policies declared in this article, there is hereby created within the office of the governor the Colorado tourism office. The office shall be governed by a board of directors.
(2) (a) The board shall consist of fifteen members. It is the intent of the general assembly that members on the board shall represent diverse geographic areas, statewide associations, and small business owners who can show a direct correlation between the success of the statewide efforts of the office and the economic support of their community and the industry they represent.
(b) Eleven members shall be appointed by the governor and confirmed by the senate. Two of such members shall represent small business owners and two shall be residents of a small community. For the purposes of this subsection (2), "small business" shall be defined for each representative industry by the association that represents that industry and "small community" shall mean a city or town with fewer than fifty persons employed full-time in tourism-based industries in such city or town or a permanent population of less than fifteen thousand people. The governor shall appoint the initial members of the board on or before August 1, 2000. Of the members appointed by the governor, two shall be appointed at large from tourism-based industries and one member shall be appointed from each of the following industries and groups from lists submitted by such industries and groups:
The hotel, motel, and lodging industry;
The food, beverage, and restaurant industry;
The ski industry;
Private travel attractions and casinos;
Other outdoor recreation industries;
Tourism-related transportation industries;
The tourism-related retail industry;
The destination marketing industry; and(IX) Cultural event and facility groups.
(c) Two members shall be from the house of representatives to be appointed as follows: One member shall be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, and one member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives. Two members shall be from the senate to be appointed as follows: One member shall be appointed by the president of the senate, and one member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the senate. The four legislative members shall be appointed as soon as practicable after the convening date of the first regular session of each general assembly; except that the initial four legislative members appointed from the sixty-fifth general assembly shall be appointed no later than August 1, 2005. Terms of members appointed pursuant to this paragraph (c) shall expire on the convening date of the first regular session of each general assembly. Subsequent appointments or reappointments shall be made as soon as practicable after such convening date, and members shall continue in office until the member's successor is appointed. Legislative members may be appointed for succeeding terms as long as they are serving as members of the general assembly. The person making the original appointment shall fill any vacancy by appointment for the remainder of an unexpired term.
The term of each member appointed by the governor shall be four years; except that,of such members initially appointed, two shall be appointed for a term of one year, three shall be appointed for a term of two years, three shall be appointed for a term of three years, and three shall be appointed for a term of four years. A member appointed by the governor to fill a vacancy arising other than by expiration of a member's term shall be appointed for the unexpired term of the member whom he or she is to succeed and any such appointment shall be made within ninety days after the vacancy occurs. Any member appointed by the governor shall be eligible for reappointment for one additional four-year term.
A member shall serve at the pleasure of his or her appointing authority. The chairperson of the board shall be elected annually by members of the board at their first meeting held after the commencement of each state fiscal year. A majority of the members of the board shall constitute a quorum for conducting the business of the board. If a quorum is present, the affirmative vote of the majority of the members present at the meeting shall be the act of the board.
The board shall meet quarterly or at such other times as the chairperson may determine.
Except as otherwise provided in section 2-2-326, C.R.S., members shall serve without compensation but shall be entitled to reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. The board shall adopt such rules governing its procedure as it may consider necessary or advisable and shall keep a record of its proceedings, which record shall be open to inspection by the public at all reasonable times.
Source: L. 2000: Entire article added, p. 664, § 1, effective May 22. L. 2005: (2)(a) and (2)(c) amended, p. 24, § 1, effective March 2. L. 2007: (2)(c) amended, p. 183, § 17, effective March 22. L. 2014: (6) amended, (SB 14-153), ch. 390, p. 1963, § 18, effective June 6.