Daley named House Tourism & Economic & Recreational Development Committee majority chair

HARRISBURG, March 7 – State Rep. Mary Jo Daley, D-Montgomery, said she gratefully accepted appointment to the post of majority chair of the Pennsylvania House Tourism & Economic & Recreational Development Committee by Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton, D-Phila., for the 2023-24 legislative session.

The committee, previously named the Tourism & Recreational Development Committee, has been renamed the Tourism & Economic & Recreational Development Committee to reflect the industry’s impact on the economy.

In her role as chair, Daley will have the authority to set the schedule and choose legislation for the committee to consider on improving the tourism industry in Pennsylvania.

“The tourism industry generates more than $43.3 billion annually from visitor spending and provides for over half a million jobs,” Daley said. “As majority chair, I will promote legislation that fosters the development of Pennsylvania’s tourism industry to the benefit of its local businesses and communities.”

The committee has jurisdiction over the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. The committee’s subcommittees include Arts and Entertainment, Recreation, and Travel Promotion.

“Each year, Pennsylvania hosts over 204 million travelers from across the United States, nearly 1.3 million visitors from Canada, and 1 million from overseas markets,” Daley said. “Almost 10 million travelers visit Pennsylvania’s national park sites alone each year. These numbers translate into significant tourist spending, which in turn spurs economic development in terms of job creation across numerous industries and skill levels, and supports public programs like public safety, education, and other essential programs through tax revenue.”

“I am eager to work with my Democratic and Republican colleagues to spearhead the legislation that will best promote tourism and economic development in Pennsylvania,” Daley said.

Previously, Daley served as minority chair of the tourism committee in 2021. This will be Daley’s sixth term after initially being elected to represent the 148th Legislative District in 2012.