A 1278 New York Assembly · 2025 Regular Session

Authorizes a hotel and motel tax in the city of Buffalo

This bill authorizes the city of Buffalo to impose a 3% tax on short-term hotel and motel stays (including bed-and-breakfasts and tourist facilities), excluding guests staying 90+ consecutive days. The tax revenue must be allocated: 25% to downtown public safety, parks, and parking facilities, and 75% to capital improvements for cultural venues, public spaces, and sports facilities citywide. The city would collect the tax through its finance department, with specific rules for exemptions (e.g., government entities) and refund procedures. This policy directly affects hotels/motels and short-term visitors in Buffalo, not permanent residents or exempt organizations.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 9, 2025 Last action Jan 7, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

A1278 A1278A · 2 edits
MINOR
The bill was amended to reduce the maximum hotel and motel tax rate in Buffalo from five percent to three percent per room. The bill also reflects procedural updates indicating it was discharged from committee, amended, and recommitted.
Scope change
The tax rate cap was lowered, reducing potential revenue for the city of Buffalo.
FISCAL

Maximum hotel and motel tax rate reduced from five percent to three percent of the per diem rental rate.

TECHNICAL

Bill status updated to reflect committee discharge, amendment, and recommitment; page numbering and document identifiers adjusted.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
4
Key actions
2
Committee
2
Amendments
2
Jan 7, 2026
Committee
REFERRED TO WAYS AND MEANS
lower
Mar 24, 2025
Lower · Passed
PRINT NUMBER 1278A
lower
Mar 24, 2025
Lower · Passed
AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO WAYS AND MEANS
lower
Jan 9, 2025
Committee
REFERRED TO WAYS AND MEANS
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Crystal Peoples-Stokes
Crystal Peoples-Stokes
DDemocratic
NY
141