2024 -- H 8146

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LC005846

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2024

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

EXTENDING THE REPORTING AND EXPIRATIONS DATES AND AMENDING THE

PURPOSE OF THE SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO REVIEW AND PROVIDE

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR POLICIES THAT DEAL WITH NUMEROUS ECONOMIC

AND SOCIAL SHORT-TERM RENTALS ISSUES

     Introduced By: Representatives Carson, Cortvriend, and Noret

     Date Introduced: April 05, 2024

     Referred To: House Municipal Government & Housing

     RESOLVED, That the special House commission created by resolution No. 422 passed

by the House of Representatives at its January session, A.D. 2023, and approved June 14, 2023,

entitled "HOUSE RESOLUTION CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO

REVIEW AND PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR POLICIES THAT DEAL WITH

NUMEROUS ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL SHORT-TERM RENTALS ISSUES" is hereby

authorized to continue its study and make a report to the House of Representatives on or before

September 30, 2025, and said commission shall expire on December 10, 2025; and be it further

      RESOLVED, That the time for reporting authorized by resolution No. 422 passed by the

House of Representatives at its January session, A.D. 2023, and approved June 14, 2023, be and

the same is hereby rescinded; and be it further

      RESOLVED, That the purpose of said legislative commission is hereby amended and

expanded to include:

     The purpose of said commission shall be to study the effects and impact of short-term

rentals on the State of Rhode Island, Rhode Island's municipalities, and on the Rhode Island

Tourism Industry. The study shall include, but not be limited to:

     • Review of all current and existing Rhode Island statutes on short-term rentals;

     • An update on the DBR registrations process and enforcement;

     • Municipal vs. state regulation: pre-emption;

     • Taxation: whole house, impact fee;

     • Taxation: accuracy of hotel and sales tax collection/review of the process;

     • Impact on year-round and local housing market and neighborhoods;

     • Health and safety concerns and issues; and

     • Best practice in other states/communities.

     In addition, the commission shall:

     • Establish a working definition of "short-term rentals";

     • Engage the public and community stakeholders including property owners,

industry representatives, Police and Fire Chiefs, and zoning and planning officials, etc., for input;

     • Develop an understanding of the nature, extent, and scope of short-term rental

activity and identify specific benefits, problems, or issues associated with "short-term rentals" and

how it varies from neighborhood to neighborhood, and municipality to municipality;

     • Engage with the RI League of Cities and Towns to develop a baseline and

enforceable (consistent) state policy/framework that includes all existing municipal policies and

ordinances by December 15, 2025;

     • Engage with the RI Division of Taxation to propose a policy to ensure that:

     (1) All hotel, municipal and sales taxes are submitted to the State by short-term

rental websites to ensure tax compliance;

     (2) Propose a transparent state policy for all taxes remitted by short-term rental

websites to include tax data by property including the address of each rental which shall be

submitted with each monthly remittance; and

     (3) Propose methods to increase the State's ability to conduct complete audits by

short-term rental property with enforcement mechanisms to be completed no later than December

15, 2024; and

     • Engage with the Department of Business Regulation to review the State's short-

term rental registration system:

     (1) To ensure that all short-term rental websites are requiring that their listed

properties are registered with enforcement mechanisms;

     (2) Ensure that theses short-term rental websites are in compliance; and

     (3) Propose a system of coordination between any municipal registration systems

and the State registration system by December 15, 2024.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

EXTENDING THE REPORTING AND EXPIRATIONS DATES AND AMENDING THE

PURPOSE OF THE SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO REVIEW AND PROVIDE

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR POLICIES THAT DEAL WITH NUMEROUS ECONOMIC

AND SOCIAL SHORT-TERM RENTALS ISSUES

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     This resolution would amend and expand the purpose of said legislative commission, and

extend the reporting and expirations dates from March 15, 2024, to September 30, 2025, and said

commission would expire on December 10, 2025.

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LC005846

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