Texas 2021 87th Regular

Texas House Bill HB2889 Comm Sub / Bill

Filed 04/06/2021

                    87R17766 CJC-F
 By: Meyer, Burrows H.B. No. 2889
 Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2889:
 By:  Cole C.S.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)  A person who collects payment for a room or space in a
 hotel, as that term is defined by Section 156.051(b), on behalf of
 the person who owns, operates, manages, or controls the hotel may
 request a waiver of the requirements of Subsection (b) by
 submitting a written request to the comptroller. The request must
 explain the person's reason for requesting the waiver. The
 comptroller, after reviewing the request, may grant, conditionally
 grant, or deny the request. The comptroller's decision on a request
 for a waiver under this subsection is final and not appealable.
 (e)  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.