S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9289
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 23, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. MAHER -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Ways and Means
 
 AN ACT to amend the tax law, in relation  to  authorizing  the  town  of
   Chester  to impose a hotel and motel tax; and providing for the repeal
   of such provisions upon expiration thereof
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The tax law is amended by adding a new section 1202-hh-1 to
 read as follows:
   § 1202-HH-1. HOTEL OR MOTEL TAXES IN THE TOWN OF CHESTER. (1) NOTWITH-
 STANDING  ANY OTHER PROVISIONS OF LAW TO THE CONTRARY, THE TOWN OF CHES-
 TER, IN THE COUNTY OF ORANGE, IS  HEREBY  AUTHORIZED  AND  EMPOWERED  TO
 ADOPT  AND  AMEND LOCAL LAWS IMPOSING IN SUCH TOWN A TAX, IN ADDITION TO
 ANY OTHER TAX AUTHORIZED AND IMPOSED PURSUANT TO THIS  ARTICLE  SUCH  AS
 THE LEGISLATURE HAS OR WOULD HAVE THE POWER AND AUTHORITY TO IMPOSE UPON
 PERSONS OCCUPYING HOTEL OR MOTEL ROOMS IN SUCH TOWN. FOR THE PURPOSES OF
 THIS  SECTION,  THE  TERM  "HOTEL" OR "MOTEL" SHALL MEAN AND INCLUDE ANY
 FACILITY CONSISTING OF RENTABLE UNITS AND PROVIDING LODGING ON AN  OVER-
 NIGHT  BASIS  AND SHALL INCLUDE THOSE FACILITIES DESIGNATED AND COMMONLY
 KNOWN AS "BED AND BREAKFAST" AND "TOURIST" FACILITIES. THE RATES OF SUCH
 TAX SHALL NOT EXCEED FIVE PERCENT OF THE PER DIEM RENTAL RATE  FOR  EACH
 ROOM,  PROVIDED  HOWEVER,  THAT  SUCH  TAX  SHALL NOT BE APPLICABLE TO A
 PERMANENT RESIDENT OF A HOTEL OR MOTEL. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION
 THE TERM "PERMANENT RESIDENT" SHALL MEAN A PERSON OCCUPYING ANY ROOM  OR
 ROOMS IN A HOTEL OR MOTEL FOR AT LEAST NINETY CONSECUTIVE DAYS.
   (2)  SUCH  TAX  MAY  BE COLLECTED AND ADMINISTERED BY THE CHIEF FISCAL
 OFFICER OF THE TOWN OF CHESTER BY SUCH MEANS AND IN SUCH MANNER AS OTHER
 TAXES WHICH ARE NOW COLLECTED AND ADMINISTERED BY  SUCH  OFFICER  OR  AS
 OTHERWISE MAY BE PROVIDED BY SUCH LOCAL LAW.
   (3)  SUCH LOCAL LAWS MAY PROVIDE THAT ANY TAX IMPOSED SHALL BE PAID BY
 THE PERSON LIABLE THEREFOR TO THE OWNER OF THE HOTEL OR MOTEL ROOM OCCU-
 PIED OR TO THE PERSON ENTITLED TO BE PAID THE RENT  OR  CHARGE  FOR  THE
 HOTEL  OR  MOTEL ROOM OCCUPIED FOR AND ON ACCOUNT OF THE TOWN OF CHESTER
 IMPOSING THE TAX AND THAT SUCH OWNER OR PERSON ENTITLED TO BE  PAID  THE
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD13797-01-3
 A. 9289                             2

 RENT  OR  CHARGE  SHALL  BE LIABLE FOR THE COLLECTION AND PAYMENT OF THE
 TAX; AND THAT SUCH OWNER OR PERSON ENTITLED  TO  BE  PAID  THE  RENT  OR
 CHARGE  SHALL  HAVE THE SAME RIGHT IN RESPECT TO COLLECTING THE TAX FROM
 THE  PERSON  OCCUPYING THE HOTEL OR MOTEL ROOM, OR IN RESPECT TO NONPAY-
 MENT OF THE TAX BY THE PERSON OCCUPYING THE HOTEL OR MOTEL ROOM,  AS  IF
 THE  TAX  WERE A PART OF THE RENT OR CHARGE AND PAYABLE AT THE SAME TIME
 AS THE RENT OR CHARGE; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT THE CHIEF FISCAL  OFFICER
 OF  THE TOWN, SPECIFIED IN SUCH LOCAL LAW, SHALL BE JOINED AS A PARTY IN
 ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING BROUGHT TO COLLECT THE TAX BY THE OWNER  OR  BY
 THE PERSON ENTITLED TO BE PAID THE RENT OR CHARGE.
   (4)  SUCH  LOCAL  LAWS  MAY  PROVIDE FOR THE FILING OF RETURNS AND THE
 PAYMENT OF THE TAX ON A MONTHLY BASIS OR ON THE BASIS OF ANY  LONGER  OR
 SHORTER PERIOD OF TIME.
   (5)  THIS  SECTION SHALL NOT AUTHORIZE THE IMPOSITION OF SUCH TAX UPON
 ANY TRANSACTION, BY OR WITH ANY OF  THE  FOLLOWING  IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH
 SECTION TWELVE HUNDRED THIRTY OF THIS ARTICLE:
   A.  THE  STATE  OF  NEW  YORK,  OR ANY PUBLIC CORPORATION (INCLUDING A
 PUBLIC CORPORATION CREATED PURSUANT TO AGREEMENT OR COMPACT WITH ANOTHER
 STATE OR THE DOMINION OF CANADA), IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT  OR  OTHER  POLI-
 TICAL SUBDIVISION OF THE STATE;
   B.  THE  UNITED  STATES OF AMERICA, INSOFAR AS IT IS IMMUNE FROM TAXA-
 TION; OR
   C. ANY CORPORATION OR ASSOCIATION, OR TRUST, OR COMMUNITY CHEST,  FUND
 OR FOUNDATION ORGANIZED AND OPERATED EXCLUSIVELY FOR RELIGIOUS, CHARITA-
 BLE  OR  EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES, OR FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO CHIL-
 DREN OR ANIMALS, AND NO PART OF THE NET EARNINGS OF WHICH INURES TO  THE
 BENEFIT OF ANY PRIVATE SHAREHOLDER OR INDIVIDUAL AND NO SUBSTANTIAL PART
 OF  THE  ACTIVITIES  OF  WHICH  IS  CARRYING ON PROPAGANDA, OR OTHERWISE
 ATTEMPTING TO INFLUENCE LEGISLATION; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT NOTHING  IN
 THIS  PARAGRAPH  SHALL  INCLUDE AN ORGANIZATION OPERATED FOR THE PRIMARY
 PURPOSE OF CARRYING ON A TRADE OR BUSINESS FOR PROFIT,  WHETHER  OR  NOT
 ALL OF ITS PROFITS ARE PAYABLE TO ONE OR MORE ORGANIZATIONS DESCRIBED IN
 THIS PARAGRAPH.
   (6) ANY FINAL DETERMINATION OF THE AMOUNT OF ANY TAX PAYABLE HEREUNDER
 SHALL  BE REVIEWABLE FOR ERROR, ILLEGALITY OR UNCONSTITUTIONALITY OR ANY
 OTHER REASON WHATSOEVER BY A PROCEEDING UNDER ARTICLE  SEVENTY-EIGHT  OF
 THE  CIVIL PRACTICE LAW AND RULES IF APPLICATION THEREFOR IS MADE TO THE
 SUPREME COURT WITHIN THIRTY DAYS AFTER THE GIVING OF THE NOTICE OF  SUCH
 FINAL  DETERMINATION,  PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT ANY SUCH PROCEEDING UNDER
 ARTICLE SEVENTY-EIGHT OF THE CIVIL PRACTICE LAW AND RULES SHALL  NOT  BE
 INSTITUTED UNLESS:
   A. THE AMOUNT OF ANY TAX SOUGHT TO BE REVIEWED, WITH SUCH INTEREST AND
 PENALTIES  THEREON  AS  MAY  BE PROVIDED FOR BY LOCAL LAW SHALL BE FIRST
 DEPOSITED AND THERE IS FILED AN UNDERTAKING, ISSUED BY A SURETY  COMPANY
 AUTHORIZED TO TRANSACT BUSINESS IN THIS STATE AND APPROVED BY THE SUPER-
 INTENDENT OF FINANCIAL SERVICES OF THIS STATE AS TO SOLVENCY AND RESPON-
 SIBILITY, IN SUCH AMOUNT AS A JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT SHALL APPROVE
 TO  THE EFFECT THAT IF SUCH PROCEEDING BE DISMISSED OR THE TAX CONFIRMED
 THE PETITIONER WILL PAY ALL COSTS AND CHARGES WHICH MAY  ACCRUE  IN  THE
 PROSECUTION OF SUCH PROCEEDING; OR
   B.  AT  THE  OPTION OF THE PETITIONER SUCH UNDERTAKING MAY BE IN A SUM
 SUFFICIENT TO COVER THE TAXES, INTERESTS AND PENALTIES  STATED  IN  SUCH
 DETERMINATION  PLUS THE COSTS AND CHARGES WHICH MAY ACCRUE AGAINST IT IN
 THE PROSECUTION OF THE PROCEEDING, IN WHICH EVENT THE  PETITIONER  SHALL
 NOT  BE REQUIRED TO PAY SUCH TAXES, INTEREST OR PENALTIES AS A CONDITION
 PRECEDENT TO THE APPLICATION.
 A. 9289                             3
 
   (7) WHERE ANY TAX IMPOSED HEREUNDER SHALL HAVE BEEN ERRONEOUSLY, ILLE-
 GALLY OR UNCONSTITUTIONALLY COLLECTED AND  APPLICATION  FOR  THE  REFUND
 THEREOF  DULY  MADE  TO  THE PROPER FISCAL OFFICER OR OFFICERS, AND SUCH
 OFFICER OR OFFICERS SHALL HAVE MADE A DETERMINATION DENYING SUCH REFUND,
 SUCH  DETERMINATION  SHALL  BE  REVIEWABLE BY A PROCEEDING UNDER ARTICLE
 SEVENTY-EIGHT OF THE CIVIL PRACTICE LAW AND  RULES,  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,
 THAT  SUCH  PROCEEDING IS INSTITUTED WITHIN THIRTY DAYS AFTER THE GIVING
 OF THE NOTICE OF SUCH DENIAL, THAT A FINAL DETERMINATION OF TAX DUE  WAS
 NOT  PREVIOUSLY  MADE,  AND THAT AN UNDERTAKING IS FILED WITH THE PROPER
 FISCAL OFFICER OR OFFICERS IN SUCH AMOUNT AND WITH SUCH  SURETIES  AS  A
 JUSTICE  OF  THE  SUPREME COURT SHALL APPROVE TO THE EFFECT THAT IF SUCH
 PROCEEDING BE DISMISSED OR THE TAX CONFIRMED, THE  PETITIONER  WILL  PAY
 ALL  COSTS  AND  CHARGES  WHICH  MAY  ACCRUE  IN THE PROSECUTION OF SUCH
 PROCEEDING.
   (8) EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF A WILFULLY FALSE OR FRAUDULENT  RETURN  WITH
 INTENT  TO  EVADE THE TAX, NO ASSESSMENT OF ADDITIONAL TAX SHALL BE MADE
 AFTER THE EXPIRATION OF MORE THAN THREE  YEARS  FROM  THE  DATE  OF  THE
 FILING  OF  A  RETURN,  PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT WHERE NO RETURN HAS BEEN
 FILED AS PROVIDED BY LAW THE TAX MAY BE ASSESSED AT ANY TIME.
   (9) ALL REVENUES RESULTING FROM THE IMPOSITION OF THE  TAX  UNDER  THE
 LOCAL  LAWS  SHALL  BE PAID INTO THE TREASURY OF THE TOWN OF CHESTER AND
 SHALL BE CREDITED TO AND DEPOSITED IN THE GENERAL FUND OF THE TOWN. SUCH
 REVENUES MAY BE USED FOR ANY LAWFUL PURPOSE.
   (10) IF ANY PROVISION OF THIS SECTION OR THE  APPLICATION  THEREOF  TO
 ANY  PERSON OR CIRCUMSTANCE SHALL BE HELD INVALID, THE REMAINDER OF THIS
 SECTION AND THE APPLICATION  OF  SUCH  PROVISION  TO  OTHER  PERSONS  OR
 CIRCUMSTANCES SHALL NOT BE AFFECTED THEREBY.
   §  2.  This  act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be
 deemed repealed 3 years after such date.