Texas 2019 86th Regular

Texas House Bill HB2872 Introduced / Bill

Filed 03/01/2019

                    86R11158 CJC-F
 By: Burrows H.B. No. 2872


 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 AN ACT
 relating to the collection, remittance, and administration of
 certain taxes on motor vehicles rented through a marketplace rental
 provider.
 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 SECTION 1.  Section 334.105, Local Government Code, is
 amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
 (c)  Notwithstanding Subsections (a) and (b), if a motor
 vehicle subject to the tax imposed under this subchapter is rented
 through a marketplace rental provider, the marketplace rental
 provider shall collect the tax for the benefit of the municipality
 or county. The marketplace rental provider shall add the tax
 imposed under this subchapter, if applicable, and the gross rental
 receipts tax imposed by Chapter 152, Tax Code, to the rental charge,
 and the sum of the taxes is part of the rental charge, is a debt owed
 to the marketplace rental provider by the person renting the
 vehicle, and is recoverable at law in the same manner as the rental
 charge.
 SECTION 2.  Section 334.109, Local Government Code, is
 amended to read as follows:
 Sec. 334.109.  GROSS RECEIPTS PRESUMED SUBJECT TO TAX. All
 gross receipts of an owner of a motor vehicle or, if the motor
 vehicle is rented through a marketplace rental provider, of the
 provider, from the rental of the motor vehicle are presumed to be
 subject to the tax imposed by this subchapter, except for gross
 receipts for which the owner or marketplace rental provider has
 accepted in good faith a properly completed exemption certificate.
 SECTION 3.  Section 334.110(a), Local Government Code, is
 amended to read as follows:
 (a)  The owner of a motor vehicle used for rental purposes
 who is required to file a report under this subchapter or, if the
 motor vehicle is rented through a marketplace rental provider and
 the provider is required to file a report under this subchapter, the
 provider, shall keep for four years records and supporting
 documents containing the following information on the amount of:
 (1)  gross rental receipts received from the rental of
 the motor vehicle; and
 (2)  the tax imposed under this subchapter and paid to
 the municipality or county by the owner or the marketplace rental
 provider, as applicable, on each motor vehicle used for rental
 purposes by the owner.
 SECTION 4.  Section 334.111(a), Local Government Code, is
 amended to read as follows:
 (a)  An owner of a motor vehicle required to file a report
 under this subchapter or, if applicable, a marketplace rental
 provider required to file a report under this subchapter commits an
 offense if the owner or provider fails to make and retain complete
 records for the four-year period required by Section 334.110.
 SECTION 5.  Section 334.113, Local Government Code, is
 amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (a-1) and
 (a-2) to read as follows:
 (a)  Except as otherwise provided by this section or another
 provision of this subchapter, the [The] owner of a motor vehicle
 required to collect the tax imposed under this subchapter shall
 report and pay [send] the taxes collected to the municipality or
 county as provided by the ordinance or order imposing the tax.
 (a-1)  Except as provided by Subsection (a-2), if a
 marketplace rental provider collects the tax imposed under this
 subchapter, the marketplace rental provider shall report and pay
 the taxes collected to the municipality or county as provided by the
 ordinance or order imposing the tax. The marketplace rental
 provider shall certify to the owner of a motor vehicle rented
 through the provider that the provider has collected, reported, and
 paid the tax to the municipality or county. An owner who in good
 faith accepts the marketplace rental provider's certification is
 not required to collect, report, or pay the tax to the municipality
 or county.
 (a-2)  The owner of a motor vehicle rented through a
 marketplace rental provider may elect to report and pay the tax
 imposed under this subchapter to the municipality or county. The
 owner must inform the marketplace rental provider in writing if the
 owner elects to report and pay the tax under this subsection.  If
 the owner elects to report and pay the tax, the marketplace rental
 provider shall forward the tax collected by the provider to the
 owner.
 SECTION 6.  Section 152.001, Tax Code, is amended by adding
 Subdivision (21) to read as follows:
 (21)  "Marketplace rental provider" means a person who:
 (A)  operates any type of marketplace, including a
 store with a physical location, an Internet website, a software or
 mobile application, or a catalog, by which the owner of a motor
 vehicle lists, markets, or advertises the owner's motor vehicle for
 rental by others for consideration in this state;
 (B)  facilitates the rental of the owner's motor
 vehicle by another person by communicating between the owner and
 the other person the terms of the agreement and the acceptance of
 those terms; and
 (C)  collects or processes the receipts or rental
 charges paid by the person renting the motor vehicle, either
 directly or through the use of a third-party contractor, for the
 owner of the motor vehicle.
 SECTION 7.  Section 152.026(c), Tax Code, is amended to read
 as follows:
 (c)  Except for a destroyed motor vehicle or an unrecovered
 stolen motor vehicle, the total amount of gross rental receipts tax
 paid by the owner, as defined by Section 152.001(9)(A) [of this
 code], of, or by a marketplace rental provider on, a motor vehicle
 registered under Section 152.061 [of this code] may not be less than
 an amount equal to the tax that would be imposed by Section 152.021
 or 152.022 [of this code] but for Subsection (d) of this section.
 SECTION 8.  Section 152.045, Tax Code, is amended to read as
 follows:
 Sec. 152.045.  COLLECTION OF TAX ON GROSS RENTAL RECEIPTS.
 (a)  Except as otherwise provided by this section or another
 provision of [inconsistent with this chapter and rules adopted
 under] this chapter, an owner of a motor vehicle subject to the tax
 on gross rental receipts shall collect, report, and pay the tax to
 the comptroller in the same manner as the tax under Chapter 151
 [Limited Sales, Excise and Use Tax] is collected, reported, and
 paid by a retailer [retailers] under that chapter [Chapter 151 of
 this code].
 (a-1)  Except as provided by Subsection (a-2), if the motor
 vehicle is rented through a marketplace rental provider, the
 marketplace rental provider shall collect, report, and pay the tax
 on gross rental receipts to the comptroller in the manner
 prescribed by Subsection (a). The marketplace rental provider
 shall certify to the owner of a motor vehicle rented through the
 provider that the provider has collected, reported, and paid the
 tax. An owner who in good faith accepts the marketplace rental
 provider's certification is not required to collect, report, or pay
 the tax.
 (a-2)  The owner of a motor vehicle rented through a
 marketplace rental provider may elect to report and pay the tax on
 gross rental receipts to the comptroller. The owner must inform the
 marketplace rental provider in writing if the owner elects to
 report and pay the tax under this subsection.  If the owner elects
 to report and pay the tax, the marketplace rental provider shall
 forward the tax collected by the provider to the owner.
 (b)  The owner of a motor vehicle subject to the tax on gross
 rental receipts or, if the motor vehicle is rented through a
 marketplace rental provider, the provider, shall add the tax to the
 rental charge, and when added, the tax is:
 (1)  a part of the rental charge;
 (2)  a debt owed to the motor vehicle owner or
 marketplace rental provider, as applicable, by the person renting
 the vehicle; and
 (3)  recoverable at law in the same manner as the rental
 charge.
 (c)  The comptroller may proceed against a person renting a
 motor vehicle, the owner of the rented motor vehicle, or, if the
 vehicle is rented through a marketplace rental provider, the
 provider, for any unpaid gross rental receipts tax.
 (d)  In addition to any other penalty provided by law, the
 owner of a motor vehicle subject to the tax on gross rental receipts
 who is required to file a report as provided by this chapter and who
 fails to timely file the report shall pay a penalty of $50.  If the
 motor vehicle is rented through a marketplace rental provider and
 the provider is required to file the report but fails to timely file
 the report, the provider shall pay a penalty of $50. The penalty
 provided by this subsection is assessed without regard to whether
 the taxpayer subsequently files the report or whether any taxes
 were due from the taxpayer for the reporting period under the
 required report.
 SECTION 9.  Section 152.046(b), Tax Code, is amended to read
 as follows:
 (b)  An owner of a motor vehicle on which the motor vehicle
 sales or use tax has been paid who subsequently uses the vehicle for
 rental [shall collect the gross rental receipts tax imposed by this
 chapter from the person renting the vehicle. The owner] may credit
 an amount equal to the motor vehicle sales or use tax paid by the
 owner to the comptroller against the amount of gross rental
 receipts due from the owner. This credit is not transferable and
 cannot be applied against tax due and payable from the rental of
 another vehicle belonging to the same owner.
 SECTION 10.  Section 152.063(b), Tax Code, is amended to
 read as follows:
 (b)  The owner of a motor vehicle used for rental purposes
 shall keep for four years after purchase of a motor vehicle records
 and supporting documents containing the following information on
 the amount of:
 (1)  total consideration for the motor vehicle;
 (2)  motor vehicle sales or use tax paid on the motor
 vehicle;
 (3)  gross rental receipts received from the rental of
 the motor vehicle by the owner or, if the motor vehicle is rented
 through a marketplace rental provider, by the provider; and
 (4)  gross rental receipts tax paid to the comptroller
 by the owner or, if the motor vehicle is rented through a
 marketplace rental provider, by the provider, on each motor vehicle
 used for rental purposes by the owner.
 SECTION 11.  Section 152.065, Tax Code, is amended to read as
 follows:
 Sec. 152.065.  REQUIRED PERMITS. A motor vehicle owner or a
 marketplace rental provider required to collect, report, and pay a
 tax on gross rental receipts imposed by this chapter and a seller
 required to collect, report, and pay a tax on a seller-financed sale
 shall register as a retailer with the comptroller in the same manner
 as is required of a retailer under Subchapter F, Chapter 151.
 SECTION 12.  Subchapter D, Chapter 152, Tax Code, is amended
 by adding Section 152.070 to read as follows:
 Sec. 152.070.  MARKETPLACE RENTAL PROVIDER'S REPORT. A
 marketplace rental provider shall send to the owner of a motor
 vehicle that is rented through the provider a report each month that
 shows the amount of tax collected, reported, and paid for each motor
 vehicle that the owner owns and that is rented through the provider.
 The provider is not required to send the report to an owner who
 elects to report and pay the tax under Section 152.045(a-2).
 SECTION 13.  This Act applies only to a rental agreement for
 the rental of a motor vehicle entered into on or after the effective
 date of this Act. A rental agreement for the rental of a motor
 vehicle entered into before the effective date of this Act is
 governed by the law in effect on the date the rental agreement was
 entered into, and the former law is continued in effect for the
 collection of taxes due and for civil and criminal enforcement of
 the liability for those taxes.
 SECTION 14.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.