The bill amends Section 42-63.1-14 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-63.1 entitled "Tourism and Development" to permit all hosting platforms that collect and remit applicable sales and hotel taxes to offer short-term rental units for tourist or transient use. It specifies that cities, towns, or municipalities cannot prohibit owners from offering their units through such hosting platforms, nor can they prevent the platforms from providing services to rent or reserve these units. The bill also clarifies that hosting platforms must comply with existing requirements for room resellers and that the division of taxation and the department of business regulation can confirm a hosting platform's registration compliance. Importantly, the bill does not impair the authority of cities or towns to regulate the zoning of short-term rental units.

The bill outlines the registration process for short-term rental properties listed on hosting platforms, including the requirement for such properties to be registered with the department of business regulation and to provide necessary identifying information. It defines "short-term rental" as accommodations not exceeding thirty nights at a time. The bill also sets forth the consequences for non-compliance, including a tiered fine structure for property owners who fail to register their properties as prescribed. The act would take effect upon passage, and it aims to ensure that hosting platforms and short-term rental properties operate within the regulatory framework while maintaining the zoning authority of local municipalities.

Statutes affected:
509: 42-63.1-14