By: Ellis S.B. No. 1603 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 1-1 relating to a municipal short-term automobile rental tax by certain 1-2 municipalities. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. The tax code is amended by adding the following 1-5 as Chapter 353. 1-6 CHAPTER 353. MUNICIPAL SHORT-TERM AUTOMOBILE RENTAL TAX ACT 1-7 SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS 1-8 Sec. 353.001. SHORT TITLE. This chapter may be cited as the 1-9 Municipal Short-Term Automobile Rental Tax Act. 1-10 Sec. 353.002. DEFINITIONS. (a) In this chapter: 1-11 (1) "Convention Center Facilities" means improvements 1-12 such as civic centers, civic center buildings, civic center hotels, 1-13 auditoriums, theaters, opera houses, music halls, exhibition halls, 1-14 coliseums, stadiums, museums, aquariums, natatoriums and plazas 1-15 located in the vicinity of municipality owned convention center 1-16 facilities and structures, areas, or facilities, to be used in 1-17 connection with such improvements for off-street parking or storage 1-18 of motor vehicles or other conveyances. 1-19 (2) "Motor Vehicle" means a self-propelled vehicle 1-20 designed principally to transport persons or property on a public 1-21 highway and includes a passenger car, van, station wagon, sports 1-22 utility vehicle, truck, and jeep. "Motor Vehicle" does not 1-23 include: 2-1 (A) a trailer, or semi-trailer, house trailer, a 2-2 truck larger than one half ton or road-building machinery, 2-3 (B) a device moved only by human power, 2-4 (C) a device used exclusively on stationary 2-5 rails or tracks, 2-6 (D) a farm machine, or 2-7 (E) a mobile office. 2-8 (3) "Municipal short-term auto rental tax" means the 2-9 tax authorized by Section 353.004. 2-10 (4) "Municipality" means a municipality that has a 2-11 population of at least 1,500,000. 2-12 (5) "Place of business of the owner" means an 2-13 established outlet, office, or location operated by the owner or 2-14 the owner's agent or employee for the purpose of renting motor 2-15 vehicles and includes any location at which three or more rentals 2-16 are made during a calendar year. 2-17 (6) "Rental" means an agreement by the owner of a 2-18 motor vehicle to give for not longer than 30 days the exclusive use 2-19 of that vehicle to another for consideration. 2-20 (b) Except as otherwise defined in Subsection (a), words 2-21 used in this chapter and defined by Chapter 152 have the meanings 2-22 assigned by Chapter 152. 2-23 Sec. 353.003. OTHER PORTIONS OF TAX CODE APPLICABLE. 2-24 Subtitles A and B, Title 2, and Chapter 152 apply to the tax and to 2-25 the administration and enforcement of the tax imposed under this 3-1 chapter in the same manner that those laws apply to state taxes, 3-2 unless modified by this chapter. 3-3 Sec. 353.004. TAX AUTHORIZED. (a) A municipality may by 3-4 ordinance impose a tax on the gross rental receipts from the rental 3-5 of a motor vehicle in the municipality or in the municipality's 3-6 extraterritorial jurisdiction at a rate not to exceed 5 percent of 3-7 the gross rental receipts. 3-8 (b) The municipal short-term auto rental tax does not apply 3-9 to the sale of a motor vehicle or the rental of a motor vehicle for 3-10 a term longer than 30 days. 3-11 Sec. 353.005. EFFECTIVE DATE. A tax imposed under this 3-12 chapter or the repeal of a tax abolished under this chapter takes 3-13 effect on the first day of the first calendar quarter occurring 3-14 after the expiration of the first complete calendar quarter 3-15 occurring after the date on which the comptroller receives a notice 3-16 from the municipality of the adoption, increase, reduction, or 3-17 repeal of the tax imposed under this chapter. 3-18 Sec. 353.006. CONSUMMATION OF RENTAL. (a) A rental of a 3-19 motor vehicle occurs within the municipality in which the rental is 3-20 consummated. A rental is consummated as provided by this section 3-21 regardless of the place where transfer of possession of the motor 3-22 vehicle occurs. 3-23 (b) If an owner of a motor vehicle has only one place of 3-24 business in this state, all of the owner's rentals of motor 3-25 vehicles are consummated at that place of business except as 4-1 provided by Subsection (e). 4-2 (c) If an owner of a motor vehicle has more than one place 4-3 of business in this state, a rental of a motor vehicle is 4-4 consummated at the place of business of the owner: 4-5 (1) from which the owner delivers the motor vehicle, 4-6 if the owner delivers the motor vehicle to a point designated by 4-7 the person renting the motor vehicle from the owner; or 4-8 (2) where the person renting the motor vehicle from 4-9 the owner takes possession of the motor vehicle, if the person 4-10 renting the motor vehicle from the owner takes possession of the 4-11 motor vehicle from a place of business of the owner. 4-12 (d) If neither the possession of the motor vehicle is taken 4-13 at nor delivery of the motor vehicle is made from the place of 4-14 business of the owner in this state, the rental is consummated at: 4-15 (1) the place of business of the owner in this state 4-16 where the order is received; or 4-17 (2) if the order is not received at a place of 4-18 business of the owner, the place of business from which the owner's 4-19 salesman who took the order operates. 4-20 (e) A rental is consummated at the location in this state to 4-21 which a motor vehicle is delivered or at which possession is taken 4-22 by the person renting the motor vehicle from the owner if transfer 4-23 of possession of a motor vehicle occurs at, or delivery of the 4-24 motor vehicle originates from, a location in this state other than 4-25 a place of business of the owner and if: 5-1 (1) the owner has no place of business; or 5-2 (2) the place of business of the owner where the order 5-3 is initially received or from which the owner's salesman who took 5-4 the order operates is outside this state. 5-5 Sec. 353.007. EXEMPTIONS. A person or entity exempted from 5-6 the state tax imposed on gross rental receipts by Chapter 152 under 5-7 Section 152.026 is exempt from the tax authorized by this chapter. 5-8 SUBCHAPTER B. REVENUE USE 5-9 Sec. 353.101. USE OF TAX REVENUE. (a) Revenue from the 5-10 municipal short-term auto rental tax may be used only to promote 5-11 the arts, tourism and the convention and hotel industry, and that 5-12 use is limited to the following: 5-13 (1) the acquisition of sites for and the acquisition, 5-14 construction, improvement, enlarging, equipping, repairing, 5-15 operation, programming and maintenance of convention center 5-16 facilities; 5-17 (2) the furnishing of facilities, personnel, and 5-18 materials for the registration of convention delegates or 5-19 registrants; and 5-20 (3) advertising and conducting solicitations and 5-21 promotional programs to attract tourists and convention delegates 5-22 or registrants to the municipality or its vicinity. 5-23 Sec. 353.102. PLEDGE FOR BONDS. Subject to the limitations 5-24 provided by this subchapter, a municipality may pledge the revenue 5-25 derived from the municipal short-term auto rental tax imposed under 6-1 this chapter for the payment of bonds that are issued by the 6-2 municipality pursuant to Article 1269j-4.1, Vernon's Texas Civil 6-3 Statutes, for one of the purposes set forth in Section 353.101 or 6-4 by a non-profit corporation created by the municipality pursuant to 6-5 the provisions of Section 4B of Article 5190.6, Vernon's Texas 6-6 Civil Statutes, or Section 4A of Article 1528l Vernon Texas Civil 6-7 Statutes, for one or more of the purposes provided by Section 6-8 353.101. 6-9 Sec. 353.103. CONTRACTS. The governing body of a 6-10 municipality may contract with a person, including another 6-11 governmental entity or a private organization, for the 6-12 construction, operation, management or supervision of programs, 6-13 activities and projects funded with revenue from the tax authorized 6-14 by this chapter. The governing body in writing shall approve in 6-15 advance the annual budget of the person with which it contracts for 6-16 those functions and shall require the person to make periodic 6-17 reports to the governing body at least quarterly listing the 6-18 expenditures made by the person with revenue from the tax 6-19 authorized by this chapter. The person must maintain revenue 6-20 provided from the tax authorized by this chapter in a separate 6-21 account established for that purpose and may not commingle that 6-22 revenue with any other money. The municipality may not delegate to 6-23 any person the management or supervision of its convention and 6-24 visitors programs and activities funded with revenue from the tax 6-25 authorized by this chapter other than by contract as provided by 7-1 this subsection. The approval by the governing body of the 7-2 municipality of the annual budget of the person to whom the 7-3 governing body contracts those functions creates a fiduciary duty 7-4 in the person with respect to the revenue provided by the tax 7-5 authorized by this chapter. 7-6 SUBCHAPTER C. TAX COLLECTION 7-7 Sec. 353.201. COLLECTION OF TAX. (a) The owner of a motor 7-8 vehicle subject to the municipal short-term auto rental tax shall 7-9 collect the tax for the benefit of the municipality. Except as 7-10 inconsistent with this chapter and the rules adopted under this 7-11 chapter, an owner of a motor vehicle subject to the municipal 7-12 short-term auto rental tax on gross rental receipts that may be 7-13 imposed under this chapter shall report and pay the tax to the 7-14 comptroller in the same manner as the tax on gross rental receipts 7-15 from the rental of a rented motor vehicle imposed by Section 7-16 152.026 is reported and paid by the owner under Chapter 152. 7-17 (b) The owner shall add the municipal short-term auto rental 7-18 tax to the rental charge for rentals of motor vehicles, and when 7-19 added, the tax is: 7-20 (1) a part of the rental charge; 7-21 (2) a debt owed to the motor vehicle owner by the 7-22 person renting the vehicle; and 7-23 (3) recoverable at law in the same manner as the 7-24 rental charge. 7-25 (c) The comptroller may proceed against a person renting a 8-1 motor vehicle for any unpaid municipal short-term auto rental tax. 8-2 Sec. 353.202. GROSS RECEIPTS PRESUMED SUBJECT TO TAX. All 8-3 gross receipts of an owner from the rental of a motor vehicle are 8-4 presumed to be subject to the municipal short-term auto rental tax, 8-5 except for gross receipts for which the owner has accepted in good 8-6 faith a properly completed resale or exemption certificate. 8-7 Sec. 353.203. RECORDS. (a) The owner of a motor vehicle 8-8 used for rental purposes shall keep for four years records and 8-9 supporting documents containing the following information on the 8-10 amount of: 8-11 (1) gross rental receipts received from the rental of 8-12 the motor vehicle; and 8-13 (2) the municipal short-term auto rental tax paid to 8-14 the comptroller on each motor vehicle used for rental purposes by 8-15 the owner. 8-16 (b) No mileage records are required. 8-17 Sec. 353.204. FAILURE TO KEEP RECORDS. (a) An owner 8-18 commits an offense if he fails to make and retain complete records 8-19 for the period of four years as provided by Section 353.203. 8-20 (b) An offense under this section is a misdemeanor 8-21 punishable by a fine of not less than $25 nor more than $500. 8-22 SUBCHAPTER D. ADMINISTRATION OF TAXES 8-23 Sec. 353.301. COMPTROLLER TO COLLECT AND ADMINISTER TAXES. 8-24 The comptroller shall administer, collect and enforce any tax 8-25 imposed by a municipality under this chapter. The tax imposed 9-1 under this chapter and the tax imposed on gross rental receipts 9-2 from the rental of a rented motor vehicle under Chapter 152 shall 9-3 be collected together, if both taxes are imposed. 9-4 Sec. 353.302. COMPTROLLER'S REPORTING DUTIES. (a) The 9-5 comptroller shall make quarterly reports to a municipality that has 9-6 adopted the taxes authorized by this chapter if the municipality 9-7 requests the reports. A report must include the name, address, and 9-8 account number of each person in the municipality that has remitted 9-9 to the comptroller a tax payment during the quarter covered by the 9-10 report. 9-11 (b) If a municipality requests an additional report, the 9-12 comptroller shall make an additional quarterly report to the 9-13 municipality including the name, address, and account number, if 9-14 any, of, and the amount of tax due from, each person doing business 9-15 in the municipality who has failed to pay the tax under this 9-16 chapter to the municipality or the tax on gross rental receipts 9-17 from the rental of a rented motor vehicle under Chapter 152. The 9-18 additional report must also include statements: 9-19 (1) showing whether or not there has been a partial 9-20 tax payment by the delinquent taxpayer; 9-21 (2) showing whether or not the taxpayer is delinquent 9-22 in the payment of the tax imposed on gross rental receipts from the 9-23 rental of a rented motor vehicle under Chapter 152 to the state; 9-24 and 9-25 (3) describing the steps taken by the comptroller to 10-1 collect the delinquent taxes. 10-2 (c) If a municipality determines that a person doing 10-3 business in the municipality is not included in a comptroller's 10-4 report, the municipality shall report to the comptroller the name 10-5 and address of the person. Within 90 days after receiving the 10-6 report from a municipality, the comptroller shall send to the 10-7 municipality: 10-8 (1) an explanation as to why the person is not 10-9 obligated for the municipal short-term auto rental tax; 10-10 (2) a statement that the person is obligated for the 10-11 municipal short-term auto rental tax and the tax is delinquent; or 10-12 (3) a certification that the person is obligated for 10-13 the municipal short-term auto rental tax and that the full amount 10-14 of the tax due has been credited to the municipality's account. 10-15 (d) The comptroller shall send by United States certified or 10-16 registered mail to the municipal tax collector a notice of each 10-17 person who is delinquent in the payment to the municipality of the 10-18 tax authorized by this chapter and shall send a copy of the notice 10-19 to the attorney general. A notice sent under this subsection is a 10-20 certification of the amount of tax owed and is prima facie evidence 10-21 of a determination of that amount and of its delinquency. 10-22 Sec. 353.303. SALES TAX PERMITS AND EXEMPTION AND RESALE 10-23 CERTIFICATES. (a) Each place of business of an owner must have a 10-24 permit issued by the comptroller under Subchapter F, Chapter 151. 10-25 (b) The same sales tax permit, exemption certificate, and 11-1 resale certificate required by Chapter 152 for the administration 11-2 and collection of the taxes imposed under that chapter satisfy the 11-3 requirements of this chapter. No additional permit or exemption or 11-4 resale certificate may be required. 11-5 Sec. 353.304. DISCOUNTS FOR PREPAYMENT AND TAX COLLECTION. 11-6 All discounts allowed a retailer under Chapter 151 for the 11-7 collection and prepayment of the taxes under that chapter are 11-8 allowed and applicable to the taxes collected under this chapter. 11-9 Sec. 353.305. PENALTIES AND INTEREST. The penalties and 11-10 interest provided by Chapter 152 for failure to pay the tax imposed 11-11 on gross rental receipts from the rental of a rented motor vehicle 11-12 under Chapter 152 are applicable to the tax imposed under this 11-13 chapter. 11-14 Sec. 353.306. COMPTROLLER'S RULES. The comptroller may 11-15 adopt reasonable rules and prescribe forms that are consistent with 11-16 this chapter for the administration, collection, reporting, and 11-17 enforcement of the tax imposed under this chapter. 11-18 Sec. 353.307. DELINQUENT TAXES: LIMITATIONS. The 11-19 limitations for the bringing of a suit for the collection of a tax 11-20 imposed or a penalty due under this chapter after the tax and 11-21 penalty are delinquent or after a determination against the 11-22 taxpayer are the same as limitations provided by Chapter 152 with 11-23 respect to the tax imposed on gross rental receipts from the rental 11-24 of a rented motor vehicle under Chapter 152. 11-25 Sec. 353.308. SEIZURE AND SALE OF PROPERTY. If the 12-1 comptroller lawfully seizes property for the payment of the taxes 12-2 imposed on gross rental receipts from the rental of a rented motor 12-3 vehicle under Chapter 152 and the property owner is delinquent in 12-4 the payment of taxes under this chapter, the comptroller shall sell 12-5 sufficient property to pay the delinquent taxes and penalties of 12-6 both taxes. The proceeds of a sale of seized property shall first 12-7 be applied to the payment of amounts due the state and the 12-8 remainder, if any, to the amounts due to the municipality to which 12-9 the taxes are due. 12-10 Sec. 353.309. SUIT FOR TAX COLLECTION. (a) A municipality 12-11 acting through its attorney may join as a plaintiff in any suit 12-12 brought by the attorney general to seek a judgment for delinquent 12-13 taxes and penalties due to the municipality under this chapter. 12-14 (b) A municipality may bring suit for the collection of 12-15 taxes owed to the municipality under this chapter if: 12-16 (1) the taxes are certified by the comptroller in the 12-17 notice required by Section 353.302(d); 12-18 (2) a written notice of the tax delinquency and the 12-19 municipality's intention to bring suit is given by certified mail 12-20 to the taxpayer, the attorney general, and the comptroller at least 12-21 60 days before the suit is filed; and 12-22 (3) neither the comptroller nor the attorney general 12-23 disapproves of the suit. 12-24 Sec. 353.310. DISAPPROVAL OF MUNICIPAL SUIT. (a) The 12-25 comptroller or the attorney general may disapprove of the 13-1 institution of a suit by a municipality under Section 353.309(b) 13-2 if: 13-3 (1) negotiations between the state and the taxpayer 13-4 are being conducted for the purpose of the collection of delinquent 13-5 taxes owed to the state and the municipality seeking to bring suit; 13-6 (2) the taxpayer owes substantial taxes to the state 13-7 and there is a reasonable possibility that the taxpayer may be 13-8 unable to pay the total amount owed; 13-9 (3) the state will bring suit against the taxpayer for 13-10 all taxes due under Chapter 152 and this chapter; or 13-11 (4) the suit involves a critical legal question 13-12 relating to the interpretation of state law or a provision of the 13-13 Texas or United States constitution in which the state has an 13-14 overriding interest. 13-15 (b) A notice of disapproval to a municipality must be in 13-16 writing and give the reason for the determination by the 13-17 comptroller or attorney general. 13-18 (c) A disapproval is final and not subject to review. 13-19 (d) Not earlier than one year after the date of a 13-20 disapproval of the institution of a municipal collection suit, the 13-21 municipality may again proceed as provided by Section 353.309(b) 13-22 even though the liability of the taxpayer includes taxes for which 13-23 the municipality has previously given notice and the comptroller or 13-24 attorney general has disapproved of the suit. 13-25 Sec. 353.311. JUDGMENTS IN MUNICIPAL SUIT. (a) A judgment 14-1 in a suit under Section 353.309(b) for or against a taxpayer does 14-2 not affect a claim against the taxpayer by another municipality or 14-3 the state unless the state is party to the suit. 14-4 (b) A municipality shall abstract a copy of each final 14-5 judgment for taxes imposed under this chapter in a case in which 14-6 the state is not a party and shall send to the comptroller a copy 14-7 of the judgment and the abstract. 14-8 (c) A municipality shall by execution collect the taxes 14-9 awarded to it in each judgment received by the municipality and is 14-10 responsible for the renewal of the judgment before its expiration. 14-11 (d) The municipality shall notify the comptroller by 14-12 certified mail of the amount of any taxes collected on the 14-13 judgment. 14-14 SUBCHAPTER E. REVENUE DEPOSIT AND DISTRIBUTION 14-15 Sec. 353.401. COLLECTIONS HELD BY COMPTROLLER. The 14-16 comptroller shall deposit, hold, account for, and transmit the 14-17 taxes collected by the comptroller under this chapter for each 14-18 municipality in the same manner as required under Section 321.501. 14-19 Sec. 353.402. DISTRIBUTION OF TRUST FUNDS. At least twice 14-20 during each state fiscal year and at other times as often as 14-21 feasible, the comptroller shall send to the municipal treasurer or 14-22 to the person who performs the office of the municipal treasurer 14-23 payable to the municipality the municipality's share of the taxes 14-24 collected by the comptroller under this chapter. 14-25 Sec. 353.403. STATE'S SHARE. Before sending any money to a 15-1 municipality under this subchapter, the comptroller shall deduct 15-2 two percent of the amount of the taxes collected within the 15-3 municipality during the period for which a distribution is made as 15-4 the state's charge for its services under this chapter and shall 15-5 credit the money deducted to the general revenue fund. 15-6 Sec. 353.404. AMOUNTS RETAINED IN TRUST ACCOUNT. (a) The 15-7 comptroller may retain in the suspense account of a municipality a 15-8 portion of the municipality's share of the tax collected for the 15-9 municipality under this chapter, not to exceed five percent of the 15-10 amount remitted to the municipality. If the municipality has 15-11 abolished the tax, the amount that may be retained may not exceed 15-12 five percent of the final remittance to the municipality at the 15-13 time of the termination of the collection of the tax. 15-14 (b) From the amounts retained in a municipality's suspense 15-15 account, the comptroller may make refunds for overpayments to the 15-16 account and to redeem dishonored checks and drafts deposited to the 15-17 credit of the account. 15-18 (c) Before the expiration of one year after the effective 15-19 date of the abolition of a municipality's tax under this chapter 15-20 the comptroller shall send to the municipality the remainder of the 15-21 money in the municipality's account and shall close the account. 15-22 Sec. 353.405. INTEREST ON TRUST ACCOUNT. Interest earned on 15-23 all deposits made with the state treasurer under Section 353.401, 15-24 including interest earned from retained suspense accounts, shall be 15-25 credited to the general revenue fund. 16-1 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 16-2 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 16-3 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 16-4 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 16-5 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.