Counties could form museum authorities and seek voter-approved property taxes

A county may establish a public history museum authority with a board of directors. The authority may support history museums whose main collection and facility are owned by a city with more than 500,000 residents, and may also support certain local historical museums in the county. The county board of commissioners must prepare and approve articles of incorporation. The authority may not acquire an interest in real property or take part in a history museum's governance. Board members would not receive pay for board service but could receive reimbursement for reasonable job-related expenses. The authority's articles take effect when the county clerk files them with the secretary of state.

A history museum authority may ask county voters to approve a property tax of up to 0.2 mills for up to 10 years. The tax would apply to taxable property throughout the county and would fund history museum services through one or more service providers. A majority of county voters voting on the proposal must approve it at an eligible regular election. The authority may not put the proposal to a vote before January 1, 2027. The board must approve and timely certify the ballot proposal, and no more than two elections on the proposal may occur in one calendar year. The authority may submit the tax proposal for a vote on or after January 1, 2027; the tax may be levied only after voter approval.

An authority may provide contract funding to museum service providers and grants to local historical museums. Tax revenue must support the history museums served by the contracted providers; providers must use authority funds only for history museum services. If more than one provider receives a contract, the providers must agree in writing on how to share the tax revenue. If voters approve the tax, the provider contract must include free museum admission and programming for schools, students, and senior citizens. The authority may require that funds not be used for endowments, capital improvements, or deferred maintenance. The provider must sign the required funding contract before the tax vote, or before money is transferred to a replacement provider; approved tax funds generally must be transferred within 10 business days after collection, subject to required reimbursements.