The proposed bill, Substitute House Bill No. 7238, establishes a working group tasked with studying the creation of a state short-term rental registry. The working group will explore various aspects of the registry, including the necessary information to be collected from short-term rental owners and operators, the frequency of updates, public access to the registry, potential registration fees, penalties for non-compliance, and enforcement mechanisms. Additionally, the group will assess safety and health standards applicable to short-term rentals and consider whether municipalities should have the authority to impose local taxes on these properties.

The working group will consist of key stakeholders, including members of the General Assembly's relevant committees, state officials, municipal representatives, and short-term rental operators. The co-chairpersons will be from the finance, revenue, and bonding committee, and the group is required to submit a report with findings and recommendations by January 1, 2026. The bill does not impose any fiscal impact on the state or municipalities, as the working group is expected to operate within existing expertise. The new legal language includes the establishment of the working group and the specific areas of study, while no existing legal language is deleted.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 12-408h