Municipal Hotel/Motel Tax Bill Moving

After the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee voted unfavorably on the Municipal Hotel/Motel Tax bill (SB 131/HB 178), the bill was reconsidered by the Committee and voted out with amendments to restrict the imposition of the tax to only those counties without a hotel tax that dedicates more than 50% of the monies to tourism and those counties that don't already have a hotel tax. As a result of these amendments, only municipalities in Montgomery and Somerset Counties would be
eligible to impose the hotel/motel tax. The House bill has not been voted on in the Ways & Means Committee as yet. Last year, the House passed a similar bill without the restrictions added in the Senate. Assuming the House again passes the bill as introduced, both would go to a conference committee to address the components that differ, including the provisions added in the Senate, some of which are constitutionally questionable.

[source: MML's e-bulletin -- March 24, 2008]