2015 -- S 0894

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LC002640

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2015

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- TOURISM AND

DEVELOPMENT

     

     Introduced By: Senators Algiere, and Morgan

     Date Introduced: May 07, 2015

     Referred To: Senate Finance

     (by request)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 42-63.1-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-63.1 entitled

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"Tourism and Development" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     42-63.1-3. Distribution of tax. -- Except as provided in § 42-63.1-12, the proceeds of the

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hotel tax shall be distributed as follows by the division of taxation and the city of Newport:

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      (1) Forty-seven percent (47%) of the tax generated by the hotels in the district, except as

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otherwise provided in this chapter, shall be given to the regional tourism district wherein the hotel

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is located; provided, however, that from the tax generated by the hotels in the city of Warwick,

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thirty-one percent (31%) of the tax shall be given to the Warwick regional tourism district

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established in § 42-63.1-5(a)(5) and sixteen percent (16%) of the tax shall be given to the Greater

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Providence-Warwick Convention and Visitors' Bureau established in § 42-63.1-11; and provided

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further, that from the tax generated by the hotels in the city of Providence, sixteen percent (16%)

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of that tax shall be given to the Greater Providence-Warwick Convention and Visitors' Bureau

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established by § 42-63.1-11, and thirty-one percent (31%) of that tax shall be given to the

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Convention Authority of the city of Providence established pursuant to the provisions of chapter

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84 of the public laws of January, 1980; provided, however, that the receipts attributable to the

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district as defined in § 42-63.1-5(a)(7) shall be deposited as general revenues;

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      (2) Twenty-five percent (25%) of the hotel tax shall be given to the city or town where

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the hotel, which generated the tax, is physically located, to be used for whatever purpose the city

 

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or town decides; provided, that for the hotel tax generated by hotels in the town of Charlestown,

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thirty-two percent (32%) of the hotel tax shall be given to the town of Charlestown, to be used for

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whatever purpose the town of Charlestown decides; and seven percent (7%) of which shall be

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used for tourism and marketing services.

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      (3) Twenty-one (21%) of the hotel tax shall be deposited as general revenues and seven

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percent (7%) to the Greater Providence-Warwick Convention and Visitors' Bureau, except for the

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tax generated by the hotels in the town of Charlestown which shall be allocated as provided in

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subsection (2) above.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- TOURISM AND

DEVELOPMENT

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     This act would increase the town of Charlestown's share of the hotel tax revenue

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generated by hotels located in the town of Charlestown from twenty-five percent (25%) to thirty-

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two percent (32%).

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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