(a) The tax imposed by this chapter shall be in addition to any other taxes imposed by any other laws of the State, except as otherwise specifically provided in this chapter; provided that if it be held by any court of competent jurisdiction that the tax imposed by this chapter may not legally be imposed in addition to any other tax or taxes imposed by any other law or laws with respect to the same property or the use thereof, then this chapter shall be deemed not to apply to such property and the use thereof under the specific circumstances, but the other laws shall be given full effect with respect to such property and use.

Terms Used In Hawaii Revised Statutes 237D-15

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Department: means the department of taxation. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 237D-1
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Operator: means any person operating a transient accommodation, whether as owner or proprietor or as lessee, sublessee, mortgagee in possession, licensee, or otherwise, or engaging or continuing in any service business which involves the actual furnishing of transient accommodation. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 237D-1
  • Transient accommodations: means the furnishing of a room, apartment, suite, single family dwelling, or the like to a transient for less than one hundred eighty consecutive days for each letting in a hotel, apartment hotel, motel, condominium property regime or apartment as defined in chapter 514A or unit as defined in chapter 514B, cooperative apartment, dwelling unit, or rooming house that provides living quarters, sleeping, or housekeeping accommodations, or other place in which lodgings are regularly furnished to transients. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 237D-1
  • Transient accommodations broker: means any person or entity, including but not limited to persons who operate online websites, online travel agencies, or online booking agencies, that offers, lists, advertises, or accepts reservations or collects whole or partial payment for transient accommodations or resort time share vacation interests, units, or plans. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 237D-1
(b) In order to determine if the tax under this chapter is to be levied, assessed, and collected upon transient accommodations the following presumptions shall control.

(1) If a person lets a transient accommodation for less than one hundred eighty consecutive days, it shall be presumed that the accommodation furnished is for a transient purpose.
(2) If a person lets a transient accommodation for one hundred eighty days or more, there is no presumption one way or another as to the purpose for which the accommodation is furnished.

The operator shall have the burden of proving to the department whether an accommodation is not being furnished for a transient purpose. If the department is satisfied that an accommodation is not furnished for a transient purpose, then the department shall not levy any tax under this chapter. The department shall adopt rules to implement this section.

(c) Except as otherwise provided, this chapter shall apply to a transient accommodations broker, travel agency, or tour packager who enters into an agreement to furnish transient accommodations at noncommissioned negotiated contract rates in the same manner as it applies to an operator.

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