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_ 142 Item Details($) Appropriations($) ITEM 114. First Year Second Year First Year Second Year FY2025 FY2026 FY2025 FY2026 Welcome Centers. B. Upon authorization of the Governor, the Virginia Tourism Authority may transfer funds appropriated to it by this act to a nonstock corporation. C. Prior to July 1 of each fiscal year, the Virginia Tourism Authority shall provide to the Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees and the Director, Department of Planning and Budget a report of its operating plan. Prior to September 1 of each fiscal year, the authority shall provide to the Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees and the Director, Department of Planning and Budget a detailed expenditure report and a listing of the salaries and bonuses for all authority employees for the prior fiscal year. All three reports shall be prepared in the formats as previously approved by the Department of Planning and Budget. D. The State Comptroller shall disburse the first and second year appropriations in twelve equal monthly installments. The Director, Department of Planning and Budget may authorize an increase in disbursements for any month, not to exceed the total appropriation for the fiscal year, if such an advance is necessary to meet payment obligations. E.1. Out of the amounts in this Item, $5,050,000 $5,695,000 the first year and $4,250,000 the second year from the general fund is provided for grants to regional and local tourism authorities and other tourism entities to support their efforts. From the grants provided from the amounts included in this paragraph, priority consideration shall be given to funding for the Daniel Boone Visitor Center, as well as $450,000 $700,000 the first year and $450,000 the second year to the Heart of Appalachia Tourism Authority, and $50,000 the first year and $50,000 the second year for events sponsored by Special Olympics Virginia, and $2,900,000 $3,295,000 the first year and $2,100,000 the second year to the Southwest Virginia Regional Recreation Authority for the Spearhead Trails initiative. From the amounts provided for the Heart of Appalachia Tourism Authority, $250,000 the first year is provided to support the development of the Three Rivers Destination – Discover Center in St Paul, Virginia. 2. Out of the amounts in this paragraph provided for the Southwest Virginia Regional Recreation Authority, up to $25,000 the first year and up to $25,000 the second year from the general fund, shall be provided to support a peer-support program for Virginia veterans in partnership with the Spearhead Trails initiative. The Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and the Virginia Department of Veterans Services shall provide assistance in establishing such program upon the request of the board of the Southwest Regional Recreation Authority. 3. It is the intent of the General Assembly that the amounts in this paragraph provided for the Southwest Virginia Regional Recreation Authority in the second year to support the Spearhead Trails initiative shall be provided in its entirety in the first quarter of the fiscal year. The Southwest Virginia Regional Recreation Authority shall submit annual financial statements to the Virginia Tourism Authority by September 1 each year. F. The Virginia Tourism Authority shall place a high priority on marketing rural areas of the state. G. Out of the amounts in this Item, $3,100,000 in the first year and $3,100,000 in the second year from the general fund is provided to supplement appropriations to promote Virginia's tourism industries through an enhanced advertising campaign. Of these amounts, at least $1,000,000 the first year and $1,000,000 the second year shall be used to support a cooperative advertising program to partner with private sector tourism businesses and regional tourism entities to advertise Virginia as a tourism destination. The state dollars shall be used to incentivize private and regional tourism marketing funds on a $1.00 for $1.00 basis whereby the Virginia Tourism Corporation shall enter into agreements to undertake joint advertising purchases to promote Virginia and specific facilities with private sector and regional partners. H. Out of the amounts in this Item, $150,000 the first year and $150,000 the second year from the general fund is provided to support a tourism development initiative in the County of Henrico. I. Out of the amounts in this Item, $25,000 the first year and $25,000 the second year from the