(a) The General Assembly finds and declares that culture, history, the arts and the digital media and motion picture and tourism industries contribute significant value to the vitality, quality of life and economic health of Connecticut. The Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation shall operate in conjunction with the Department of Economic and Community Development for purposes of joint strategic planning, annual reporting on appropriations and fiscal reporting. The department shall enhance and promote culture, history, the arts and the tourism and digital media and motion picture industries in Connecticut.

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(b) The department shall:

(1) Market and promote Connecticut as a destination for leisure and business travelers through the development and implementation of a strategic state-wide marketing plan and provision of visitor services to enhance the economic impact of the tourism, arts and culture industries;

(2) Promote the arts;

(3) Recognize, protect, preserve and promote historic resources;

(4) Interpret and present Connecticut’s history and culture;

(5) Promote Connecticut as a location in which to produce digital media and motion pictures and to establish and conduct business related to the digital media and motion picture industries to enhance these industries’ economic impact in the state;

(6) Establish a uniform financial reporting system and forms to be used by each regional tourism district, established under section 10-397, in the preparation of the annual budget submitted to the General Assembly; and

(7) Integrate funding and programs whenever possible.

(c) The Department of Economic and Community Development shall be a successor agency to the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism, State Commission on the Arts, the Connecticut Historical Commission, the Office of Tourism, the Connecticut Tourism Council, the Connecticut Film, Video and Media Commission and the Connecticut Film, Video and Media Office in accordance with the provisions of sections 4-38d and 4-39.