|
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
relating to the use of municipal hotel occupancy tax revenue by |
|
certain municipalities. |
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
SECTION 1. The heading to Section 351.1054, Tax Code, is |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 351.1054. ALLOCATION OF REVENUE: ELIGIBLE BARRIER |
|
ISLAND COASTAL MUNICIPALITY [FOR ECOLOGICAL TOURISM AND SPACECRAFT
|
|
AND SPACEPORT ACTIVITIES BY CERTAIN MUNICIPALITIES]. |
|
SECTION 2. Sections 351.1054(b) and (c), Tax Code, are |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, an |
|
eligible barrier island coastal municipality may use revenue from |
|
the municipal hotel occupancy tax for: |
|
(1) promotional and event expenses for an ecological |
|
tourism event, including an event for which the primary attraction |
|
is traveling to an area of natural or ecological interest for the |
|
purpose of observing and learning about wildlife and the area's |
|
natural environment, if: |
|
(A) a majority of the event's participants are |
|
tourists; and |
|
(B) the event substantially increases economic |
|
activity at hotels and motels within or in the vicinity of the |
|
municipality; [and] |
|
(2) expenses directly related to: |
|
(A) the acquisition of sites to observe |
|
spacecraft and spaceport activities; and |
|
(B) the construction, improvement, enlarging, |
|
equipping, repairing, operation, and maintenance of facilities |
|
utilized by hotel guests to observe and learn about spacecraft and |
|
spaceport operations; and |
|
(3) expenses directly related to the construction, |
|
improvement, equipping, repairing, operation, and maintenance of |
|
coastal sports facilities owned by the municipality, including boat |
|
docks, boat ramps, and fishing piers used by hotel guests, if: |
|
(A) the coastal sports facilities have been used |
|
in the preceding calendar year a combined total of more than five |
|
times for district, state, regional, or national sports tournaments |
|
or events; and |
|
(B) the majority of the events at the coastal |
|
sports facilities are directly related to a sports tournament or |
|
event in which the majority of participants are tourists who |
|
substantially increase economic activity at hotels within or in the |
|
vicinity of the municipality. |
|
(c) A municipality may use for the purposes provided by |
|
Subsections (b)(1), [and] (2), and (3) not more than the greater of: |
|
(1) 15 percent of the hotel occupancy tax revenue |
|
collected by the municipality; or |
|
(2) the amount of tax received by the municipality at |
|
the rate of one percent of the cost of a room. |
|
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|
Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
|
|
|
______________________________ |
______________________________ |
|
President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
|
|
|
I certify that H.B. No. 4029 was passed by the House on May 4, |
|
2017, by the following vote: Yeas 139, Nays 4, 2 present, not |
|
voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B. |
|
No. 4029 on May 25, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 128, Nays 12, |
|
2 present, not voting. |
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
Chief Clerk of the House |
|
|
I certify that H.B. No. 4029 was passed by the Senate, with |
|
amendments, on May 23, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 26, Nays |
|
5. |
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
Secretary of the Senate |
|
APPROVED: __________________ |
|
Date |
|
|
|
__________________ |
|
Governor |