AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- TOURISM AND DEVELOPMENT

SB 872 changes how Rhode Island distributes hotel tax revenue collected after December 2015. It redirects 75% of tax revenue from statewide hotel stays to the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation (up from 70%), while reducing local tourism district shares. The bill requires the Commerce Corporation to spend all received funds on promoting Rhode Island as a tourism destination. This directly affects local governments (which receive less) and the Commerce Corporation (which gains significant new funding for tourism marketing). The change applies to tax payments received after December 31, 2015, with specific percentages adjusted for different regions.