S 9850 New York Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Authorizes an occupancy tax in the town of Amherst

This bill authorizes the town of Amherst in Erie County to implement a local occupancy tax of up to 2.5% on guests staying in hotels, motels, boarding houses, and similar lodging facilities. The tax is calculated based on the per diem rental rate and is collected by the property owner, who then remits the funds to the town's fiscal officer. Revenues generated from this tax will be deposited into the town's general fund, with 75% available for any lawful purposes and 25% specifically designated for capital improvements related to youth sports, health and wellness, community centers, parks, and playgrounds. The legislation excludes certain entities from the tax, including the state, federal government, and non-profit organizations, while also providing exemptions for permanent residents who stay for at least 30 consecutive days. The measure is set to take effect immediately and will remain in force until December 31, 2029.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Apr 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Apr 8, 2026 Last action May 28, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

S9850 S9850A · 2 edits
MINOR
The bill was amended to add a sunset clause, requiring the occupancy tax to be repealed once its authorized period expires. Additionally, the bill's status was updated to reflect that it has been amended and recommitted to the committee for further review.
Scope change
The bill's scope is now limited by time; it will no longer be in effect after its expiration date, whereas the previous version lacked this automatic repeal provision.
TIMELINE

Added a provision to automatically repeal the occupancy tax provisions upon their expiration.

REQUIREMENT

Updated the bill's procedural status to indicate it has been amended and is being reprinted as amended.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
7
Key actions
2
Committee
1
Amendments
2
May 5, 2026
Upper · Passed
PRINT NUMBER 9850A
upper
May 5, 2026
Upper · Passed
AMEND (T) AND RECOMMIT TO INVESTIGATIONS AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS
upper
Apr 8, 2026
Committee
REFERRED TO INVESTIGATIONS AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Jeremy Zellner
Jeremy Zellner
DDemocratic
NY
61