HB 4134 – Increases the state transient lodging tax. Changes the name of the Oregon Conservation Strategy Subaccount to the Recovering Oregon’s Wildlife Fund Subaccount.
Key changes:
- ORS 320.305 is amended to increase the transient lodging tax to 1.5% for the Oregon Tourism Commission, 1.0% for the Recovering Oregon’s Wildlife Fund Subaccount, and 0.25% for other specified purposes.
- ORS 320.335 is amended to redirect the 1.0% tax rate to the Recovering Oregon’s Wildlife Fund Subaccount and to specify the distribution of the 0.25% rate among various agencies for wildlife conservation, poaching prevention, and invasive species control.
- ORS 320.303 is amended to require that the portion of the tax imposed at the rates in ORS 320.305 (1)(a)(B) and (C) be described as a “nature conservation fee” on invoices.
- ORS 496.303 is amended to rename the Oregon Conservation Strategy Subaccount to the Recovering Oregon’s Wildlife Fund Subaccount and to specify its use for habitat and species restoration, as well as for activities related to the design, production, and sale of habitat conservation stamps.
- ORS 496.571 is amended to reflect the renaming of the subaccount and to specify that all costs and expenses related to the habitat conservation stamp are paid from the Recovering Oregon’s Wildlife Fund Subaccount.
- These charges are intended to increase funding for wildlife conservation and related activities in Oregon, which aren’t related to the source of funding.
One of the things people say about hotel taxes is that out-of-towners pay the tax instead of the residents, how great! The other side of the coin is, with hotel taxes being higher and higher all the time, no one wants to stay at the hotels. How great is that?
https://oregoncatalyst.com/94472-hb-4134-83-hotel-tax-hike-fund-wildlife.html