2017 -- H 5078

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LC000064

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT

     

     Introduced By: Representatives McEntee, Craven, Tanzi, O'Brien, and Edwards

     Date Introduced: January 11, 2017

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 42-63.1-2 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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     42-63.1-2. Definitions.

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     For the purposes of this chapter:

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      (1) "Consideration" means the monetary charge for the use of space devoted to transient

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lodging accommodations.

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      (2) "Corporation" means the Rhode Island commerce corporation.

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      (3) "District" means the regional tourism districts set forth in ยง 42-63.1-5.

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      (4) "Hotel" means any facility offering a minimum of one (1) room for which the public

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may, for a consideration, obtain transient lodging accommodations. The term "hotel" shall

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include hotels, motels, tourist homes, tourist camps, lodging houses, and inns. The term "hotel"

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shall also include houses, condominiums or other residential dwelling units, regardless of the

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number of rooms, which are used and/or advertised for rent for occupancy. The term "hotel" shall

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not include schools, hospitals, sanitariums, nursing homes, and chronic care centers.

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      (5) "Hosting platform" means any electronic or operating system in which a person or

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entity provides a means through which an owner may offer a residential unit for "tourist or

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transient" use. This service is usually, though not necessarily, provided through an online or web-

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based system which generally allows an owner to advertise the residential unit through a hosted

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website and provides a means for a person or entity to arrange tourist or transient use in exchange

 

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for payment, whether the person or entity pays rent directly to the owner or to the hosting

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platform. All hosting platforms are required to collect and remit the tax owed under this section.

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      (6) "Occupancy" means a person, firm or corporation's use of space for transient lodging

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accommodations not to exceed thirty (30) days. Excluded from "occupancy" is the use of space

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for which the occupant has a written lease for the space, which lease covers a rental period of

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twelve (12) months or more. Furthermore, any house, condominium or other residential dwelling

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rented, for which the occupant has a documented arrangement for the space covering a rental

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period of more than thirty (30) six (6) consecutive days or for one calendar month is excluded

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from the definition of occupancy.

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      (7) "Tax" means the hotel tax imposed by subsection 44-18-36.1(a).

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      (8) "Owner" means any person who owns real property and is the owner of record.

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Owner shall also include a lessee where the lessee is offering a residential unit for "tourist or

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transient" use.

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      (9) "Residential unit" means a room or rooms, including a condominium or a room or a

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dwelling unit that forms part of a single, joint or shared tenant arrangement, in any building, or

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portion thereof, which is designed, built, rented, leased, let, or hired out to be occupied for non-

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commercial use.

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      (10) "Tour operator" means a person that derives a majority of his or her or its revenue

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by providing tour operator packages.

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      (11) "Tour operator packages" means travel packages that include the services of a tour

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guide and where the itinerary encompasses five (5) or more consecutive days.

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      (12) "Tourist or transient" means any use of a residential unit for occupancy for less than

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a thirty (30) consecutive day term of tenancy, or occupancy for less than thirty (30) consecutive

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days of a residential unit leased or owned by a business entity, whether on a short-term or long-

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terms basis, including any occupancy by employee or guests of a business entity for less than

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thirty (30) consecutive days where payment for the residential unit is contracted for or paid by the

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business entity.

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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

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     This act would reduce the period from thirty (30) days to six (6) days in regard to the

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exclusion from the definition of occupancy for any home, condominium or other residential

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dwelling rented.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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