Bill > H0700

This bill establishes an annual "Vermont Crafts Crawl," a weekend-long event designed to celebrate and promote Vermont-made crafts, which are defined broadly to include various art forms, food and beverage production, and artisanal goods. The event will feature a "Tax-Free day" on its Sunday, meaning sales of crafts during this specific day will be exempt from state sales tax, aiming to boost consumer spending. A key component of this initiative is the creation of an interactive mobile app, intended to serve as a central resource for both the Crafts Crawl and year-round navigation of Vermont's arts and crafts scene for visitors. The bill outlines the purpose of unifying and strengthening the existing arts and crafts market, creating partnerships between the state and various Vermont associations like the Arts Council, Brewers Association, Fruit Tree Growers Association, and Cheese Council, and showcasing Vermont-made products. The Commissioner of Tourism and Marketing will appoint a subcommittee to organize the event, and the Department of Taxes and the Department of Tourism and Marketing will be responsible for measuring sales benefits, maintaining business updates, and tracking the mobile app's activity. Significant funding is allocated for the promotion, development, and maintenance of the Crafts Crawl, its associated mobile app, and website, with $30,000 for initial promotion, $100,000 for web development and organizational services, and another $30,000 for ongoing annual maintenance and promotion.