Here is a snapshot of recently passed legislation and bills currently being monitored by the American Car Rental Association:
Vehicle Licensing Fees
• Alaska, SB 272: Pending – Referred to Committee of Labor and Employment • Idaho, HB 574: Pending – Referred to Transportation Committee • New Jersey, SB 1415 and AB 2087: Pending – Both referred to Committee • New York, AB 8841 and SB 5725: Pending – Both referred to Committee
Car Rental Industry
• California, AB 1731: Pending – Bill to amend Civil Code 1936 in California
State, County and Municipal Car Rental Excise Taxes
• Arizona, HB 2736: Pending – $1 increase in car rental taxes to help pay for a new Cactus League ballpark in Mesa for the Chicago Cubs
• Nebraska, Proposal: Pending – Public funding, including a car rental tax, to build a new basketball arena for the Nebraska Cornhuskers in Lincoln
• Michigan, HB 5017: Pending – Includes a $2.50 per day tax on car rental to boost tourism funding
Airport Consolidated Facility Charges
• Hawaii, SB 2461: Pending – Raises rental motor vehicle customer facility charge from $1 per day to $4
Federal Car Rental Excise Tax Legislation
• Federal Bill HR 4175: Pending – Protects consumers from discriminatory state and local excise taxes on motor vehicle rentals that help underwrite unrelated programs and projects (such as sports stadiums, convention centers and waste water treatment plants), or help fund budgets overall. Introduced Dec. 2, 2009, the bill is sponsored by Rep. Rick Boucher (D-Va.) along with nine cosponsors. The bill has been referred to the Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law. The Coalition Against Car Rental Excise Taxes — comprised of ACRA, the major national car rental companies and a growing list of business, insurance and consumer groups — supports this legislation.
Travel
• Travel Promotion Act, S 1023, HR 1299: Passed – Allows the U.S. to establish a multi-million-dollar program to promote the United States as a travel destination on a global basis. This legislation calls for an overseas travel promotion program that is projected to yield millions of new visitors, $4 billion in new economic stimulus, 40,000 new American jobs and $320 million in new federal tax revenue. The bill is funded by a $10 fee paid by overseas visitors to the United States and still-unspecified matching funds from the U.S. private travel sector.
Insurance
• New York, AB 2409: Pending – Amends minimum insurance requirements for rental vehicles and vehicles for hire, including trucks. The bill has been referred to the Assembly Committee on Transportation.
ACRA Goes to the Capitol
• The Co-chairs of the Congressional Travel & Tourism Caucus (CTTC) have invited ACRA to participate in a CTTC breakfast with Secretary Ray LaHood, Department of Transportation. The event will take place March 18 at the U.S. Capitol.
If you have questions on any of these bills or other legislative concerns, contact Sean Busking, ACRA’s executive director, at (918) 810-6231 or sean.busking@acraorg.com.