Rhode Island General Laws
Chapter 42-63.1 - Tourism and Development
Section 42-63.1-3. - Distribution of tax.

§ 42-63.1-3. Distribution of tax.
(a) For returns and tax payments received on or before December 31, 2015, except as provided in § 42-63.1-12, the proceeds of the hotel tax, excluding the portion of the hotel tax collected from residential units offered for tourist or transient use through a hosting platform, shall be distributed as follows by the division of taxation and the city of Newport:
(1) Forty-seven percent (47%) of the tax generated by the hotels in the district, except as otherwise provided in this chapter, shall be given to the regional tourism district wherein the hotel is located; provided, however, that from the tax generated by the hotels in the city of Warwick, thirty-one percent (31%) of the tax shall be given to the Warwick regional tourism district established in § 42-63.1-5(a)(5) and sixteen percent (16%) of the tax shall be given to the Greater Providence-Warwick Convention and Visitors’ Bureau established in § 42-63.1-11; and provided further, that from the tax generated by the hotels in the city of Providence, sixteen percent (16%) of that tax shall be given to the Greater Providence-Warwick Convention and Visitors’ Bureau established by § 42-63.1-11, and thirty-one percent (31%) of that tax shall be given to the Convention Authority of the city of Providence established pursuant to the provisions of chapter 84 of the public laws of January, 1980; provided, however, that the receipts attributable to the district as defined in § 42-63.1-5(a)(7) shall be deposited as general revenues, and that the receipts attributable to the district as defined in § 42-63.1-5(a)(8) shall be given to the Rhode Island commerce corporation as established in chapter 64 of this title.
(2) Twenty-five percent (25%) of the hotel tax shall be given to the city or town where the hotel that generated the tax is physically located, to be used for whatever purpose the city or town decides.
(3) Twenty-one (21%) of the hotel tax shall be given to the Rhode Island commerce corporation established in chapter 64 of this title, and seven percent (7%) to the Greater Providence-Warwick Convention and Visitors’ Bureau.
(b) For returns and tax payments received after December 31, 2015, except as provided in § 42-63.1-12, the proceeds of the hotel tax, excluding the portion of the hotel tax collected from residential units offered for tourist or transient use through a hosting platform, shall be distributed as follows by the division of taxation and the city of Newport:
(1) For the tax generated by the hotels in the Aquidneck Island district, as defined in § 42-63.1-5, forty-two percent (42%) of the tax shall be given to the Aquidneck Island district, twenty-five (25%) of the tax shall be given to the city or town where the hotel that generated the tax is physically located, five percent (5%) of the tax shall be given to the Greater Providence-Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau established in § 42-63.1-11, and twenty-eight percent (28%) of the tax shall be given to the Rhode Island commerce corporation established in chapter 64 of this title.
(2) For the tax generated by the hotels in the Providence district as defined in § 42-63.1-5, twenty eight percent (28%) of the tax shall be given to the Providence district, twenty-five percent (25%) of the tax shall be given to the city or town where the hotel that generated the tax is physically located, twenty-three (23%) of the tax shall be given to the Greater Providence-Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau established in § 42-63.1-11, and twenty-four (24%) of the tax shall be given to the Rhode Island commerce corporation established in chapter 64 of this title.
(3) For the tax generated by the hotels in the Warwick district as defined in § 42-63.1-5, twenty-eight percent (28%) of the tax shall be given to the Warwick District, twenty-five percent (25%) of the tax shall be given to the city or town where the hotel that generated the tax is physically located, twenty-three percent (23%) of the tax shall be given to the Greater Providence-Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau established in § 42-63.1-11, and twenty-four (24%) of the tax shall be given to the Rhode Island commerce corporation established in chapter 64 of this title.
(4) For the tax generated by the hotels in the Statewide district, as defined in § 42-63.1-5, twenty-five percent (25%) of the tax shall be given to the city or town where the hotel that generated the tax is physically located, five percent (5%) of the tax shall be given to the Greater Providence-Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau established in § 42-63.1-11, and seventy percent (70%) of the tax shall be given to the Rhode Island commerce corporation established in chapter 64 of this title.
(5) With respect to the tax generated by hotels in districts other than those set forth in subsections (b)(1) through (b)(4) of this section, forty-two percent (42%) of the tax shall be given to the regional tourism district, as defined in § 42-63.1-5, wherein the hotel is located, twenty-five percent (25%) of the tax shall be given to the city or town where the hotel that generated the tax is physically located, five percent (5%) of the tax shall be given to the Greater Providence-Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau established in § 42-63.1-11, and twenty-eight (28%) of the tax shall be given to the Rhode Island commerce corporation established in chapter 64 of this title.
(c) For returns and tax payments received before July 1, 2019, the proceeds of the hotel tax collected from residential units offered for tourist or transient use through a hosting platform shall be distributed as follows by the division of taxation and the city of Newport: twenty-five percent (25%) of the tax shall be given to the city or town where the residential unit that generated the tax is physically located, and seventy-five percent (75%) of the tax shall be given to the Rhode Island commerce corporation established in chapter 64 of this title.
(d) The Rhode Island commerce corporation shall be required in each fiscal year to spend on the promotion and marketing of Rhode Island as a destination for tourists or businesses an amount of money of no less than the total proceeds of the hotel tax it receives pursuant to this chapter for the fiscal year.
(e) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, for returns and tax payments received on or after July 1, 2016, and on or before June 30, 2017, except as provided in § 42-63.1-12, the proceeds of the hotel tax, excluding the portion of the hotel tax collected from residential units offered for tourist or transient use through a hosting platform, shall be distributed in accordance with the distribution percentages established in subsections (a)(1) through (a)(3) of this section by the division of taxation and the city of Newport.
(f) For returns and tax payments received on or after July 1, 2018, except as provided in § 42-63.1-12, the proceeds of the hotel tax, excluding the portion of the hotel tax collected from residential units offered for tourist or transient use through a hosting platform, shall be distributed as follows by the division of taxation and the city of Newport:
(1) For the tax generated by the hotels in the Aquidneck Island district, as defined in § 42-63.1-5, forty-five percent (45%) of the tax shall be given to the Aquidneck Island district, twenty-five (25%) of the tax shall be given to the city or town where the hotel that generated the tax is physically located, five percent (5%) of the tax shall be given to the Greater Providence-Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau established in § 42-63.1-11, and twenty-five percent (25%) of the tax shall be given to the Rhode Island commerce corporation established in chapter 64 of this title.
(2) For the tax generated by the hotels in the Providence district as defined in § 42-63.1-5, thirty percent (30%) of the tax shall be given to the Providence district, twenty-five percent (25%) of the tax shall be given to the city or town where the hotel that generated the tax is physically located, twenty-four (24%) of the tax shall be given to the Greater Providence-Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau established in § 42-63.1-11, and twenty-one (21%) of the tax shall be given to the Rhode Island commerce corporation established in chapter 64 of this title.
(3) For the tax generated by the hotels in the Warwick district as defined in § 42-63.1-5, thirty percent (30%) of the tax shall be given to the Warwick District, twenty-five percent (25%) of the tax shall be given to the city or town where the hotel that generated the tax is physically located, twenty-four percent (24%) of the tax shall be given to the Greater Providence-Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau established in § 42-63.1-11, and twenty-one (21%) of the tax shall be given to the Rhode Island commerce corporation established in chapter 64 of this title.
(4) For the tax generated by the hotels in the Statewide district, as defined in § 42-63.1-5, twenty-five percent (25%) of the tax shall be given to the city or town where the hotel that generated the tax is physically located, five percent (5%) of the tax shall be given to the Greater Providence-Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau established in § 42-63.1-11, and seventy percent (70%) of the tax shall be given to the Rhode Island commerce corporation established in chapter 64 of this title.
(5) With respect to the tax generated by hotels in districts other than those set forth in subsections (b)(1) through (b)(4) of this section, forty-five percent (45%) of the tax shall be given to the regional tourism district, as defined in § 42-63.1-5, wherein the hotel is located, twenty-five percent (25%) of the tax shall be given to the city or town where the hotel that generated the tax is physically located, five percent (5%) of the tax shall be given to the Greater Providence-Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau established in § 42-63.1-11, and twenty-five (25%) of the tax shall be given to the Rhode Island commerce corporation established in chapter 64 of this title.
(g) For returns and tax payments received on or after July 1, 2019, except as provided in § 42-63.1-12, the proceeds of the hotel tax, including the portion of the hotel tax collected from residential units offered for tourist or transient use through a hosting platform, shall be distributed as follows by the division of taxation and the city of Newport:
(1) For the tax generated in the Aquidneck Island district, as defined in § 42-63.1-5, forty-five percent (45%) of the tax shall be given to the Aquidneck Island district, twenty-five percent (25%) of the tax shall be given to the city or town where the hotel or residential unit that generated the tax is physically located, five percent (5%) of the tax shall be given to the Greater Providence-Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau established in § 42-63.1-11, and twenty-five percent (25%) of the tax shall be given to the Rhode Island commerce corporation established in chapter 64 of this title.
(2) For the tax generated in the Providence district as defined in § 42-63.1-5, thirty percent (30%) of the tax shall be given to the Providence district, twenty-five percent (25%) of the tax shall be given to the city or town where the hotel or residential unit that generated the tax is physically located, twenty-four percent (24%) of the tax shall be given to the Greater Providence-Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau established in § 42-63.1-11, and twenty-one percent (21%) of the tax shall be given to the Rhode Island commerce corporation established in chapter 64 of this title.
(3) For the tax generated in the Warwick district as defined in § 42-63.1-5, thirty percent (30%) of the tax shall be given to the Warwick District, twenty-five percent (25%) of the tax shall be given to the city or town where the hotel or residential unit that generated the tax is physically located, twenty-four percent (24%) of the tax shall be given to the Greater Providence-Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau established in § 42-63.1-11, and twenty-one percent (21%) of the tax shall be given to the Rhode Island commerce corporation established in chapter 64 of this title.
(4) For the tax generated in the Statewide district, as defined in § 42-63.1-5, twenty-five percent (25%) of the tax shall be given to the city or town where the hotel or residential unit that generated the tax is physically located, five percent (5%) of the tax shall be given to the Greater Providence-Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau established in § 42-63.1-11, and seventy percent (70%) of the tax shall be given to the Rhode Island commerce corporation established in chapter 64 of this title.
(5) With respect to the tax generated in districts other than those set forth in subsections (g)(1) through (g)(4) of this section, forty-five percent (45%) of the tax shall be given to the regional tourism district, as defined in § 42-63.1-5, wherein the hotel or residential unit is located, twenty-five percent (25%) of the tax shall be given to the city or town where the hotel or residential unit that generated the tax is physically located, five percent (5%) of the tax shall be given to the Greater Providence-Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau established in § 42-63.1-11, and twenty-five percent (25%) of the tax shall be given to the Rhode Island commerce corporation established in chapter 64 of this title.
History of Section.P.L. 1996, ch. 177, § 2; P.L. 1998, ch. 368, § 1; P.L. 1998, ch. 422, § 1; P.L. 2000, ch. 55, art. 29, § 1; P.L. 2001, ch. 20, § 1; P.L. 2001, ch. 22, § 1; P.L. 2015, ch. 141, art. 11, § 2; P.L. 2016, ch. 142, art. 17, § 1; P.L. 2018, ch. 47, art. 4, § 15; P.L. 2019, ch. 88, art. 5, § 5.