Title 17 — Visitor's Bureau and Cultural Institutions

There is created an American Samoa historical commission, which shall consist of 6 members who shall serve for 3-year terms and who may be reappointed. History: 1970, PL 11-97, 1971, PL 12-8 § 1.

The Governor of American Samoa shall appoint 3 members of the commission and shall name 1 of the members so appointed chairman. The district governors of each district shall each appoint 1 member. History: 1970, PL 11-97; 1971, PL 12-8 § 1.

Any vacancy on the commission shall be filled by appointment by the official authorized to make the original appointment, and any member so appointed shall serve for the remainder of his predecessor’s unexpired term. History: 1970, PL 11-97; 1971, PL 12-8 § 1.

Persons appointed to serve as members of the commission shall be knowledgeable in the history, customs, and traditions of the people of American Samoa. History: 1970, PL 11-97; 1971, PL 12-8 § 1.

The commission shall meet at such times as the chairman may designate, in order to consider and recommend to the Governor programs to promote the study of American Samoa history and culture, to disseminate knowledge and understanding of these subjects to the people of American Sa…

(a) With the exception of the Feleti Barstow Public Library, the Department of Education of the government shall be responsible for developing and maintaining free library services for all people residing in American Samoa. These services shall include an extension service to all…

The Treasurer of the government shall receive and keep all funds appropriated by the government of the United States under any law providing funds for public and school libraries. He is authorized to make whatever provisions are necessary for keeping the funds, as well as their d…

The library building located at the village of Utulei shall serve as the central library for the Territory of American Samoa and shall be known as the Feleti Barstow Public Library. History: 1998, PL 25-23.

There is established, as an agency within the Executive branch of government, the Feleti Barstow Public Library. History: 1999, PL 26-3.

The Feleti Barstow Public Library: (a) may sue and be sued; (b) may adopt and use a seal; (c) may make contracts, as authorized in this chapter; (d) may adopt, amend, and repeal bylaws; (e) may purchase or lease and hold personal property it considers necessary or convenient in t…

(a) The public library board is established. The board shall consist of eight members. The director of education or his designee, one additional member from the Department of Education, two members from the staff of the American Samoa Community College and at least two members fr…

The public library board, in addition to other provisions of this chapter: (a) shall employ a competent and qualified Territorial Librarian; (b) shall select its chairman, vice chairman and secretary-treasurer from among its own membership; (c) shall develop and adopt written byl…

The public library board shall recommend to the Governor a list of three to five candidates, in the order of descending priority, who have received the highest consideration of the board. The Governor shall appoint the Territorial Librarian only from the proffered list of recomme…

All employees of the Feleti Barstow Public Library, except for the Territorial Librarian, are appointed or hired and compensated in accordance with the government employee laws A.S.C.A., 7.0101 et seq., except that the public library board may adopt administrative rules, pursuant…

The public library board shall assume, upon approval of this act, full responsibility and right to operate all items of property, including any construction, equipment or material purchases in progress, equipment, and machinery used under the previous status of operation by the g…

(a) The basic source of financing the public library is the government through its regular budget process. The government shall provide an initial appropriation from local revenues for the FY-1999 operation and programs of the public library. (b) The public library board shall su…

The Feleti Barstow Public Library is responsible for the management and operation of its fiscal affairs. It shall establish procedures based on principles of sound bookkeeping and fiscal management, with the approval of the board, for the administration of all accounting systems,…

(a) The public library board shall employ a firm of independent certified public accountants to examine and report each year upon the status of financial records and accounts, and may renew that employment annually. Copies of these reports shall be furnished by the board to the G…

There is established within the executive branch of the government, under the direction of a board of trustees, the Museum of American Samoa, which shall constitute a nonprofit instrumentality of the government. History: 1971, PL 12-30 § 2; 1999, PL 26-3.

The purposes of the museum shall be to: (1) Establish, maintain, acquire and supervise the collection, study, preservation, interpretation and exhibition of fine art and objects, and such relics, documents, paintings, artifacts and other historical and related materials as will e…

The Legislature of American Samoa hereby states its intention to appropriate such local revenue as may be reasonably necessary to operate the museum of American Samoa. History: 1971, PL 12-30 § 5; 1999, PL 26-3.

The museum of American Samoa is authorized, acting through the board of trustees, to perform the following functions: (1) acquire by purchase, lease, gift, loan, or otherwise, and hold, manage and administer, all such property, real or personal, as it deems necessary to carry out…

(a) The Museum of American Samoa shall be managed by a board of trustees consisting of 5 persons, who shall serve for a term of 1 year and be appointed by the Governor. (b) The Governor shall appoint 1 of the trustees as chairman. (c) The presence of 3 persons shall be necessary …

Nothing in this chapter may be deemed to authorize the museum of American Samoa to obligate the government for expenditures or other amounts in excess of such sums as may be appropriated by the Legislature, or are available through contributed funds or federal funds, nor may the …

The board may accept all artifacts, objects, and other related historical and cultural materials of the present museum located at government house, and upon said acceptance cause an inventory to be made of all items so transferred and accepted by the board. History: 1971, PL 12-3…

Any person who steals or assists in stealing any pamphlet, map, chart, picture, photograph, engraving, manuscript, statue, coin, model, apparatus, specimen, work of literature, object of art or curiosity deposited in the museum of American Samoa shall be guilty of a misdemeanor a…

The Legislature finds that: (1) Samoan art, culture and traditions have contributed greatly to the artistic and cultural richness of the Samoan people; (2) Samoan art and culture occupy a unique position in Samoan history as being our only native art form and cultural heritage; (…

As used in this chapter, unless the context clearly requires otherwise: (1) “Samoan art, culture and traditions” means, but is not limited to, the traditional and contemporary expressions of Samoan language, history, anthropology, archaeology, linguistics, music, social instituti…

(a) In general: There is established a non-profit and semi-independent corporation to be known as the “American Samoa Cultural Arts Academy”, which shall be under the direction and control of a board of governors established under this act. (b) Succession and amendment of charter…

(a) Composition. (1) The voting members of the Board of Governors of the academy shall be: (1) Secretary of Samoan Affairs. (2) District Governor of Manu’a. (3) District Governor of the Eastern District. (4) District Governor of the Western District. (5) Chairman, Senate committe…

(a) First executive director. After the first organizational meeting of the board and for no more than 2 years thereafter, the President of the American Samoa Community College shall serve as the interim executive director. (b) Other executive directors. No more than two years af…

All funds received by the Institute from any source whatsoever, shall be deposited in an account or accounts at a federally-insured banking or savings institution. History: 2000, PL 26-32.

(a) Stock. The academy shall have no power to issue any shares of stock or to declare or pay any dividends. (b) Nonprofit nature. No part of the income or assets of the academy shall insure to the benefit of any board member or employee, or any other individual except as salary o…

(a) Tax status. The academy and the franchise, capital, reserves, income, and property of the academy shall be exempt from all taxation now or hereafter imposed by the American Samoa Government. (b) Tort liability. The academy shall be subject to liability relating to tort claims…

This act may be cited as the Tourism Development Act of 2008. History: 2008, PL 30-15.

This act shall be construed and applied to advance its underlying purposes listed in no order of priority, which are: (1) to promote American Samoa as a tourist destination for the Pacific region and around the world; (2) to promote tourism within American Samoa and among its peo…

In this act, unless the context otherwise requires, words in the singular include the plural, and words in the plural include the singular. History: 2008, PL 30-15.

If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of this act that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this…

The board of the American Samoa Visitors Bureau shall adopt administrative rules pursuant to A.S.C.A., 4.1001 et seq., to implement the provisions of this title. History: 2008, PL 30-15.

For purposes of this title: (1) “Act” shall mean the Tourism Development Act of 2008. (2) “Board” shall mean the American Samoa Visitors Bureau Board. (3) “Bureau” shall mean the American Samoa Visitors Bureau. (4) “Chairman” shall mean the chairman of the American Samoa Visitors…

There is established a government agency within the Executive branch of the government known as the American Samoa Visitors Bureau. History: 2008, PL 30-15.

The American Samoa Visitors Bureau: (1) may sue and be sued as set forth in 43.1203 and 43.1205; (2) may adopt and use a seal; (3) may make contracts, as authorized in this chapter; (4) may adopt, amend, and repeal bylaws; (5) may purchase or lease and hold personal property it c…

The American Samoa Visitors Bureau shall be headed by an executive director, to be selected by the board. History: 2008, PL 30-15.

The director shall be responsible for the following: (a) investigate, determine, research and observe the current situation of tourism in American Samoa, by utilizing such methods as public hearings, forums, questionnaires, studies, and all other such research methodologies neces…

There is created the American Samoa Visitors Bureau Board consisting of seven (7) members nominated by the Governor and confirmed by the Legislature of American Samoa. History: 2008, PL 30-15.

(a) The board shall consist of the following members: (1) one member shall be an employee of the Department of Commerce; (2) one member shall be selected from the Office of Samoan Affairs; (3) two members shall be selected from the American Samoa Visitors Association (ASVA) from …

The board shall be staffed by one employee from the bureau appointed by the director who shall be known as the Board administrator. History: 2008, PL 30-15.

The board shall meet at least once a month and shall have the following duties and responsibilities: (a) hire an executive director who shall be directly responsible to the board for the proper and efficient management of the bureau; (b) review and decide upon the annual operatin…

(a) Board members shall not be entitled to compensation, special benefits or reimbursements. (b) The chairman shall call special meetings at the request of the director of the bureau, or three members of the board. History: 2008, PL 30-15.

The Attorney General of American Samoa shall provide legal counsel to the bureau and the board unless there is a conflict, or until such time the Legislature provides for alternate counsel. History: 2008, PL 30-15.