HOUSE BILL REPORT

SB 6640

BYSenator McMullen

Expanding the use of hotel-motel tax revenues to develop tourism strategies.

House Committe on Revenue

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (14)

      Signed by Representatives Wang, Chair; Pruitt, Vice Chair; Horn, Assistant Ranking Republican Member; Basich, Brumsickle, Fraser, Fuhrman, Grant, Haugen, Morris, Phillips, Rust, H. Sommers and Van Luven.

House Staff:Rick Wickman (786-7150)

AS PASSED HOUSE FEBRUARY 26, 1990

BACKGROUND:

Currently cities and counties may use their hotel-motel taxes for a specific series of activities including construction and maintenance of stadiums, convention centers, performing arts centers, and visual art centers.  They may also be used for the payment of general obligation bonds and revenue bonds and the distribution of information to encourage tourism expansion.  In addition, hotel-motel taxes may be used to develop tourism strategies to expand tourism in distressed areas of the state.

SUMMARY:

The use of hotel-motel taxes for the development of tourist strategies is expanded to include non-distressed areas of the state.

Fiscal Note:      Available.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Cliff Webster, Washington State Hotel & Motel Association.

House Committee - Testified Against:      No one.

House Committee - Testimony For:    All counties, not just distressed counties need the ability to use receipts from the 2 percent hotel/motel tax to develop strategies for tourism expansion.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None.