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S.B. 68

             1     

FUNDING FOR TOURISM PROMOTION

             2     
2007 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Wayne L. Niederhauser

             5     
House Sponsor: ____________

             6      Cosponsor:Curtis S. Bramble              7     
             8      LONG TITLE
             9      General Description:
             10          This bill amends provisions relating to the Tourism, Recreation, Cultural, and
             11      Convention Facilities Tax to address funding for tourism promotion.
             12      Highlighted Provisions:
             13          This bill:
             14          .    defines "tourism promotion";
             15          .    requires a county legislative body that imposes a tax on prepared foods and
             16      beverages to distribute each calendar year at least 10% of the revenues from the
             17      imposition of that tax within the county to a nonprofit organization having as its
             18      primary purpose to promote the restaurant industry on a statewide basis;
             19          .    requires an organization that receives a distribution of revenues to expend those
             20      revenues for tourism promotion in the state by promoting increased patronage of
             21      restaurants in the state by persons who reside in the state and persons who reside
             22      outside the state; and
             23          .    makes technical changes.
             24      Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
             25          None
             26      Other Special Clauses:
             27          None



             28      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             29      AMENDS:
             30          17-31-5.5, as last amended by Chapter 134, Laws of Utah 2006
             31          59-12-602, as last amended by Chapter 248, Laws of Utah 1995
             32          59-12-603, as last amended by Chapters 134 and 253, Laws of Utah 2006
             33     
             34      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             35          Section 1. Section 17-31-5.5 is amended to read:
             36           17-31-5.5. Independent audit -- Report to county legislative body -- Content.
             37          (1) The legislative body of each county imposing the transient room tax provided for in
             38      Section 59-12-301 shall annually engage an independent auditor to perform an audit to verify
             39      that transient room tax funds are used only as authorized by this chapter and to report the
             40      findings of the audit to the county legislative body.
             41          (2) Subsection (1) applies to the tourism, recreation, cultural, and convention facilities
             42      tax provided for in Section 59-12-603 , except that the audit verification required under this
             43      Subsection (2) shall be for the uses authorized under Section 59-12-603 .
             44          (3) The report required under Subsection (1) shall include a breakdown of expenditures
             45      into the following categories:
             46          (a) for the transient room tax, identification of expenditures for:
             47          (i) establishing and promoting:
             48          (A) recreation;
             49          (B) tourism;
             50          (C) film production; and
             51          (D) conventions;
             52          (ii) acquiring, leasing, constructing, furnishing, or operating:
             53          (A) convention meeting rooms;
             54          (B) exhibit halls;
             55          (C) visitor information centers;
             56          (D) museums; and
             57          (E) related facilities;
             58          (iii) acquiring or leasing land required for or related to the purposes listed in


             59      Subsection (3)(a)(ii);
             60          (iv) mitigation costs as identified in Subsection 17-31-2 (1)(d); and
             61          (v) making the annual payment of principal, interest, premiums, and necessary reserves
             62      for any or the aggregate of bonds issued to pay for costs referred to in Subsections
             63      17-31-2 (2)(c) and (3)(a); and
             64          (b) for the tourism, recreation, cultural, and convention facilities tax, identification of
             65      expenditures for:
             66          (i) financing tourism promotion[, which means an activity to develop, encourage,
             67      solicit, or market tourism that attracts transient guests to the county, including planning,
             68      product development, and advertising] as defined in Section 59-12-602 ;
             69          (ii) the development, operation, and maintenance of the following facilities as defined
             70      in Section 59-12-602 :
             71          (A) tourist facilities;
             72          (B) recreation facilities;
             73          (C) cultural facilities; and
             74          (D) convention facilities; and
             75          (iii) a pledge as security for evidences of indebtedness under Subsection 59-12-603 (4).
             76          (4) A county legislative body shall provide a copy of a report it receives under this
             77      section to:
             78          (a) the Governor's Office of Economic Development;
             79          (b) its tourism tax advisory board; and
             80          (c) the Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst.
             81          Section 2. Section 59-12-602 is amended to read:
             82           59-12-602. Definitions.
             83          As used in this part:
             84          (1) "Convention facility" means any publicly owned or operated convention center,
             85      sports arena, or other facility at which conventions, conferences, and other gatherings are held
             86      and whose primary business or function is to host such conventions, conferences, and other
             87      gatherings.
             88          (2) "Cultural facility" means any publicly owned or operated museum, theater, art
             89      center, music hall, or other cultural or arts facility.


             90          (3) "Recreation facility" or "tourist facility" means any publicly owned or operated
             91      park, campground, marina, dock, golf course, water park, historic park, monument,
             92      planetarium, zoo, bicycle trails, and other recreation or tourism-related facility.
             93          (4) (a) "Restaurant" includes any coffee shop, cafeteria, luncheonette, soda fountain, or
             94      fast-food service where food is prepared for immediate consumption.
             95          (b) "Restaurant" does not include:
             96          (i) any retail establishment whose primary business or function is the sale of fuel or
             97      food items for off-premise, but not immediate, consumption; and
             98          (ii) a theater that sells food items, but not a dinner theater.
             99          (5) (a) "Tourism promotion" means to develop, market, promote, or solicit tourism.
             100          (b) "Tourism promotion" includes:
             101          (i) advertising;
             102          (ii) planning;
             103          (iii) product development; or
             104          (iv) tourism promotion as described in Subsection 59-12-603 (2)(b)(ii) or (2)(c).
             105          Section 3. Section 59-12-603 is amended to read:
             106           59-12-603. County tax -- Bases -- Rates -- Use of revenues -- Collection --
             107      Adoption of ordinance required -- Administration -- Distribution -- Enactment or repeal
             108      of tax or tax rate change -- Effective date -- Notice requirements.
             109          (1) (a) In addition to any other taxes, a county legislative body may, as provided in this
             110      part, impose a tax as follows:
             111          (i) (A) a county legislative body of any county may impose a tax of not to exceed 3%
             112      on all short-term leases and rentals of motor vehicles not exceeding 30 days, except for leases
             113      and rentals of motor vehicles made for the purpose of temporarily replacing a person's motor
             114      vehicle that is being repaired pursuant to a repair or an insurance agreement; and
             115          (B) beginning on or after January 1, 1999, a county legislative body of any county
             116      imposing a tax under Subsection (1)(a)(i)(A) may, in addition to imposing the tax under
             117      Subsection (1)(a)(i)(A), impose a tax of not to exceed 4% on all short-term leases and rentals
             118      of motor vehicles not exceeding 30 days, except for leases and rentals of motor vehicles made
             119      for the purpose of temporarily replacing a person's motor vehicle that is being repaired pursuant
             120      to a repair or an insurance agreement;


             121          (ii) a county legislative body of any county may impose a tax of not to exceed 1% of all
             122      sales of prepared foods and beverages that are sold by restaurants; and
             123          (iii) a county legislative body of any county may impose a tax of not to exceed .5% on
             124      charges for the accommodations and services described in Subsection 59-12-103 (1)(i).
             125          (b) A tax imposed under Subsection (1)(a) is in addition to the transient room tax
             126      authorized under Part 3, Transient Room Tax, and is subject to the audit provisions of Section
             127      17-31-5.5 .
             128          (2) (a) Subject to [Subsection] Subsections (2)(b) and (c), revenue from the imposition
             129      of the taxes provided for in Subsections (1)(a)(i) through (iii) may be used for the purposes of:
             130          (i) financing tourism promotion; and
             131          (ii) the development, operation, and maintenance of tourist, recreation, cultural, and
             132      convention facilities as defined in Section 59-12-602 .
             133          (b) (i) A county legislative body that imposes a tax authorized by Subsection (1)(a)(ii)
             134      shall distribute each calendar year, beginning with the calendar year beginning on January 1,
             135      2008, at least 10% of the revenues from the imposition of the tax authorized by Subsection
             136      (1)(a)(ii) within the county to an organization:
             137          (A) exempt from federal income taxation under Section 501(c)(6), Internal Revenue
             138      Code; and
             139          (B) that has as a primary purpose of the organization to promote the interests and the
             140      welfare of the restaurant industry on a statewide basis.
             141          (ii) An organization described in Subsection (2)(b)(i) that receives a distribution of
             142      revenues under Subsection (2)(b)(i) shall expend those revenues for tourism promotion in the
             143      state by promoting increased patronage of restaurants in the state by:
             144          (A) persons who reside in the state; and
             145          (B) persons who reside outside the state.
             146          [(b)] (c) A county of the first class shall expend at least $450,000 each year of the
             147      revenues from the imposition of a tax authorized by Subsection (1)(a)(iii) within the county to
             148      fund a marketing and ticketing system designed [to]:
             149          (i) [promote] for tourism promotion in ski areas within the county by persons that do
             150      not reside within the state; and
             151          (ii) to combine the sale of:


             152          (A) ski lift tickets; and
             153          (B) accommodations and services described in Subsection 59-12-103 (1)(i).
             154          (3) The tax imposed under Subsection (1)(a)(iii) shall be in addition to the tax imposed
             155      under Part 3, Transient Room Tax, and may be imposed only by a county of the first class.
             156          (4) A tax imposed under this part may be pledged as security for bonds, notes, or other
             157      evidences of indebtedness incurred by a county under Title 11, Chapter 14, Local Government
             158      Bonding Act, to finance tourism, recreation, cultural, and convention facilities.
             159          (5) (a) In order to impose the tax under Subsection (1), each county legislative body
             160      shall annually adopt an ordinance imposing the tax.
             161          (b) The ordinance under Subsection (5)(a) shall include provisions substantially the
             162      same as those contained in Part 1, Tax Collection, except that the tax shall be imposed only on
             163      those items and sales described in Subsection (1).
             164          (c) The name of the county as the taxing agency shall be substituted for that of the state
             165      where necessary, and an additional license is not required if one has been or is issued under
             166      Section 59-12-106 .
             167          (6) In order to maintain in effect its tax ordinance adopted under this part, each county
             168      legislative body shall, within 30 days of any amendment of any applicable provisions of Part 1,
             169      Tax Collection, adopt amendments to its tax ordinance to conform with the applicable
             170      amendments to Part 1, Tax Collection.
             171          (7) (a) (i) Except as provided in Subsection (7)(a)(ii), a tax authorized under this part
             172      shall be administered, collected, and enforced in accordance with:
             173          (A) the same procedures used to administer, collect, and enforce the tax under:
             174          (I) Part 1, Tax Collection; or
             175          (II) Part 2, Local Sales and Use Tax Act; and
             176          (B) Chapter 1, General Taxation Policies.
             177          (ii) A tax under this part is not subject to Section 59-12-107.1 or Subsections
             178      59-12-205 (2) through (7).
             179          (b) Except as provided in Subsection (7)(c):
             180          (i) for a tax under this part other than the tax under Subsection (1)(a)(i)(B), the
             181      commission shall distribute the revenues to the county imposing the tax; and
             182          (ii) for a tax under Subsection (1)(a)(i)(B), the commission shall distribute the revenues


             183      according to the distribution formula provided in Subsection (8).
             184          (c) Notwithstanding Subsection (7)(b), the commission shall deduct from the
             185      distributions under Subsection (7)(b) an administrative charge for collecting the tax as provided
             186      in Section 59-12-206 .
             187          (8) The commission shall distribute the revenues generated by the tax under Subsection
             188      (1)(a)(i)(B) to each county collecting a tax under Subsection (1)(a)(i)(B) according to the
             189      following formula:
             190          (a) the commission shall distribute 70% of the revenues based on the percentages
             191      generated by dividing the revenues collected by each county under Subsection (1)(a)(i)(B) by
             192      the total revenues collected by all counties under Subsection (1)(a)(i)(B); and
             193          (b) the commission shall distribute 30% of the revenues based on the percentages
             194      generated by dividing the population of each county collecting a tax under Subsection
             195      (1)(a)(i)(B) by the total population of all counties collecting a tax under Subsection (1)(a)(i)(B).
             196          (9) (a) For purposes of this Subsection (9):
             197          (i) "Annexation" means an annexation to a county under Title 17, Chapter 2,
             198      Annexation to County.
             199          (ii) "Annexing area" means an area that is annexed into a county.
             200          (b) (i) Except as provided in Subsection (9)(c), if, on or after July 1, 2004, a county
             201      enacts or repeals a tax or changes the rate of a tax under this part, the enactment, repeal, or
             202      change shall take effect:
             203          (A) on the first day of a calendar quarter; and
             204          (B) after a 90-day period beginning on the date the commission receives notice meeting
             205      the requirements of Subsection (9)(b)(ii) from the county.
             206          (ii) The notice described in Subsection (9)(b)(i)(B) shall state:
             207          (A) that the county will enact or repeal a tax or change the rate of a tax under this part;
             208          (B) the statutory authority for the tax described in Subsection (9)(b)(ii)(A);
             209          (C) the effective date of the tax described in Subsection (9)(b)(ii)(A); and
             210          (D) if the county enacts the tax or changes the rate of the tax described in Subsection
             211      (9)(b)(ii)(A), the rate of the tax.
             212          (c) (i) Notwithstanding Subsection (9)(b)(i), for a transaction described in Subsection
             213      (9)(c)(iii), the enactment of a tax or a tax rate increase shall take effect on the first day of the


             214      first billing period:
             215          (A) that begins after the effective date of the enactment of the tax or the tax rate
             216      increase; and
             217          (B) if the billing period for the transaction begins before the effective date of the
             218      enactment of the tax or the tax rate increase imposed under Subsection (1).
             219          (ii) Notwithstanding Subsection (9)(b)(i), for a transaction described in Subsection
             220      (9)(c)(iii), the repeal of a tax or a tax rate decrease shall take effect on the first day of the last
             221      billing period:
             222          (A) that began before the effective date of the repeal of the tax or the tax rate decrease;
             223      and
             224          (B) if the billing period for the transaction begins before the effective date of the repeal
             225      of the tax or the tax rate decrease imposed under Subsection (1).
             226          (iii) Subsections (9)(c)(i) and (ii) apply to transactions subject to a tax under:
             227          (A) Subsection 59-12-103 (1)(e);
             228          (B) Subsection 59-12-103 (1)(i); or
             229          (C) Subsection 59-12-103 (1)(k).
             230          (d) (i) Except as provided in Subsection (9)(e), if, for an annexation that occurs on or
             231      after July 1, 2004, the annexation will result in the enactment, repeal, or change in the rate of a
             232      tax under this part for an annexing area, the enactment, repeal, or change shall take effect:
             233          (A) on the first day of a calendar quarter; and
             234          (B) after a 90-day period beginning on the date the commission receives notice meeting
             235      the requirements of Subsection (9)(d)(ii) from the county that annexes the annexing area.
             236          (ii) The notice described in Subsection (9)(d)(i)(B) shall state:
             237          (A) that the annexation described in Subsection (9)(d)(i) will result in an enactment,
             238      repeal, or change in the rate of a tax under this part for the annexing area;
             239          (B) the statutory authority for the tax described in Subsection (9)(d)(ii)(A);
             240          (C) the effective date of the tax described in Subsection (9)(d)(ii)(A); and
             241          (D) if the county enacts the tax or changes the rate of the tax described in Subsection
             242      (9)(d)(ii)(A), the rate of the tax.
             243          (e) (i) Notwithstanding Subsection (9)(d)(i), for a transaction described in Subsection
             244      (9)(e)(iii), the enactment of a tax or a tax rate increase shall take effect on the first day of the


             245      first billing period:
             246          (A) that begins after the effective date of the enactment of the tax or the tax rate
             247      increase; and
             248          (B) if the billing period for the transaction begins before the effective date of the
             249      enactment of the tax or the tax rate increase imposed under Subsection (1).
             250          (ii) Notwithstanding Subsection (9)(d)(i), for a transaction described in Subsection
             251      (9)(e)(iii), the repeal of a tax or a tax rate decrease shall take effect on the first day of the last
             252      billing period:
             253          (A) that began before the effective date of the repeal of the tax or the tax rate decrease;
             254      and
             255          (B) if the billing period for the transaction begins before the effective date of the repeal
             256      of the tax or the tax rate decrease imposed under Subsection (1).
             257          (iii) Subsections (9)(e)(i) and (ii) apply to transactions subject to a tax under:
             258          (A) Subsection 59-12-103 (1)(e);
             259          (B) Subsection 59-12-103 (1)(i); or
             260          (C) Subsection 59-12-103 (1)(k).




Legislative Review Note
    as of 1-24-07 10:04 AM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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