§338.206.  Allen Parish; hotel occupancy tax; authorization

A.(1)(a)  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, and in addition to any other tax now or hereafter levied and collected, the governing authority of Allen Parish may, in accordance with Subsection B of this Section, levy and collect a tax upon the paid occupancy of hotel rooms located within the parish.  The hotel occupancy tax shall be one percent of the rent or fee charged for such occupancy.

(b)  The governing authority of the parish of Allen may, in accordance with Subsection B of this Section, levy and collect an additional tax upon the paid occupancy of hotel rooms located within the parish.  Such tax shall be three percent of the rent or fee charged for such occupancy.

(2)  The word "hotel" as used in this Section shall mean and include any establishment, public or private, engaged in the business of furnishing or providing rooms or overnight camping facilities intended or designed for dwelling, lodging, or sleeping purposes to transient guests where such establishment consists of two or more guest rooms and does not encompass any hospital, convalescent or nursing home or sanitarium, or any hotel-like facility operated by or in connection with a hospital or medical clinic providing rooms exclusively for patients and their families.

(3)  The hotel occupancy tax shall be paid by the person who exercises or is entitled to occupancy of the hotel room and shall be paid at the time the rent or fee for occupancy is paid.  "Person" as used herein shall have the same definition as that contained in R.S. 47:301(8).

B.  The governing authority of Allen Parish shall impose the hotel occupancy tax by ordinance or resolution.  The governing authority may adopt such ordinance only after a proposition authorizing the levy of the tax has been approved by a majority of the electors of the parish voting at an election held for that purpose in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Louisiana Election Code.  The governing authority may provide in the ordinance or resolution necessary and appropriate rules and regulations for the imposition, collection, and enforcement of the hotel occupancy tax.

C.  The governing authority may enter into a contract under such terms and conditions as it may deem appropriate, including payment of a reasonable collection fee, with any public entity authorized to collect sales or use taxes for the collection of the hotel occupancy tax authorized hereby.  The hotel occupancy tax shall be in addition to all taxes presently being levied upon the occupancy of hotel rooms located within the parish.

D.(1)  Except as provided in Subsection C of this Section, the proceeds of the tax levied pursuant to Subparagraph (A)(1)(a) of this Section shall be used solely and exclusively to fund capital improvements within the parish.

(2)  Except as provided in Subsection C of this Section, the proceeds of the tax levied pursuant to Subparagraph (A)(1)(b) of this Section shall be used as provided in this Paragraph.  One-third of the proceeds shall be used for the maintenance and operation of the Allen Parish Airport, one-third of the proceeds shall be used for the maintenance and operation of the Allen Parish Courthouse, and one-third of the proceeds shall be allocated to the Allen Parish assessor to be used for the expenses of the Allen Parish assessor's office.

Acts 1998, No. 48, §1; Acts 2006, No. 359, §1, eff. July 1, 2006; Redesignated from R.S. 33:2740.42 pursuant to Acts 2011, No. 248, §4.