87R2884 CJC-F By: Meyer H.B. No. 2889 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the calculation, collection, and remittance of state hotel occupancy taxes. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 156.051(b), Tax Code, is amended to read as follows: (b) The price of a room or space in a hotel includes all charges related to the use or possession of the room or space, including charges for cleaning and readying the room or space, furniture rental charges, and charges for reserving or booking the room or space. The price of the room or space does not include charges for [the cost of] food or [served by the hotel and the cost of] personal or telecommunications services if those charges are separately itemized [performed by the hotel for the person except for those services related to cleaning and readying the room for use or possession]. SECTION 2. Section 156.052, Tax Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 156.052. RATE OF TAX. The rate of the tax imposed by this chapter is six percent of the price paid for a room or space in a hotel. SECTION 3. Section 156.053, Tax Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 156.053. COLLECTION OF TAX. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a [A] person owning, operating, managing, or controlling a hotel shall collect for the state the tax that is imposed by this chapter [and that is calculated on the amount paid for a room in the hotel]. (b) If the person who owns, operates, manages, or controls the hotel is not the person who collects payment for a room or space in the hotel, the person who collects payment for the room or space shall: (1) collect for the state the tax imposed by this chapter; and (2) certify to the person who owns, operates, manages, or controls the hotel that the tax has been collected and will be paid to the comptroller. (c) A person who owns, operates, manages, or controls a hotel and who accepts in good faith a certification under Subsection (b) may exclude the amount of any taxes certified as collected under that subsection from the person's report filed under Section 156.151. (d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the comptroller by rule may provide that a person who secures a room or space in a hotel for another person and who collects payment for the room or space is not required to collect the tax imposed by this chapter if the annual gross receipts the person and any affiliated group of which the person is a member receive for securing rooms and spaces in hotels for others are $250,000 or less. For purposes of this subsection: (1) "Affiliated group" has the meaning assigned by Section 171.0001. (2) "Gross receipts" means commissions or any other amounts of money charged and received by a person. SECTION 4. Section 156.101, Tax Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 156.101. EXCEPTION--PERMANENT RESIDENT. This chapter does not impose a tax on a person who has the right to use or possess a room or space in a hotel for at least 30 consecutive days, so long as there is no interruption of payment for the period. SECTION 5. Section 156.151(a), Tax Code, is amended to read as follows: (a) A person required to collect the tax imposed by this chapter shall pay the comptroller the tax collected during the preceding reporting period and at the same time shall file with the comptroller a report stating: (1) the total amount of the payments collected by the person for rooms or spaces at a [made for rooms at the person's] hotel during the preceding reporting period; (2) the amount of the tax collected by the person during the preceding reporting period; and (3) other information that the comptroller requires to be in the report. SECTION 6. The changes in law made by this Act do not affect tax liability accruing before the effective date of this Act. That liability continues in effect as if this Act had not been enacted, 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 7. This Act takes effect October 1, 2021.