SB2369 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB094 16695 BDD 51965 b

94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2005 and 2006
SB2369

Introduced 1/18/2006, by Sen. Kwame Raoul - Don Harmon

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

35 ILCS 155/2	from Ch. 120, par. 1702
35 ILCS 155/3	from Ch. 120, par. 1703
35 ILCS 155/4	from Ch. 120, par. 1704
625 ILCS 5/6-305	from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 6-305

Amends the Automobile Renting Occupation and Use Tax Act. Defines "car-sharing organization". Exempts car-sharing organizations from taxation under the Act. Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Exempts car-sharing organizations from certain requirements concerning the renting of automobiles. Effective immediately.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning revenue.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Automobile Renting Occupation and Use Tax Act is amended by changing Sections 2, 3, and 4 as follows:

(35 ILCS 155/2) (from Ch. 120, par. 1702)

Sec. 2. Definitions. "Renting" means any transfer of the possession or right to possession of an automobile to a user for a valuable consideration for a period of one year or less.

"Renting" does not include making a charge for the use of an automobile where the rentor, either himself or through an agent, furnishes a service of operating an automobile so that the rentor remains in possession of the automobile, because this does not constitute a transfer of possession or right to possession of the automobile.

"Renting" does not include the making of a charge by an automobile dealer for the use of an automobile as a demonstrator in connection with the dealer's business of selling, where the charge is merely made to recover the costs of operating the automobile as a demonstrator and is not intended as a rental or leasing charge in the ordinary sense.

"Automobile" means any motor vehicle of the first division, a motor vehicle of the second division which is a self-contained motor vehicle designed or permanently converted to provide living quarters for recreational, camping or travel use, with direct walk through access to the living quarters from the driver's seat, or a motor vehicle of the second division which is of the van configuration designed for the transportation of not less than 7 nor more than 16 passengers, as defined in Section 1-146 of the Illinois Vehicle Code.

"Department" means the Department of Revenue.

"Person" means any natural individual, firm, partnership, association, joint stock company, joint adventure, public or private corporation, limited liability company, or a receiver, executor, trustee, conservator or other representative appointed by order of any court.

"Rentor" means any person, firm, corporation or association engaged in the business of renting or leasing automobiles to users. For this purpose, the objective of making a profit is not necessary to make the renting activity a business.

"Rentee" means any user to whom the possession, or the right to possession, of an automobile is transferred for a valuable consideration for a period of one year or less, whether paid for by the "rentee" or by someone else.

"Gross receipts" from the renting of tangible personal property or "rent" means the total rental price or leasing price. In the case of rental transactions in which the consideration is paid to the rentor on an installment basis, the amounts of such payments shall be included by the rentor in gross receipts or rent only as and when payments are received by the rentor.

"Gross receipts" does not include receipts received by an automobile dealer from a manufacturer or service contract provider for the use of an automobile by a person while that person's automobile is being repaired by that automobile dealer and the repair is made pursuant to a manufacturer's warranty or a service contract where a manufacturer or service contract provider reimburses that automobile dealer pursuant to a manufacturer's warranty or a service contract and the reimbursement is merely made to recover the costs of operating the automobile as a loaner vehicle.

"Rental price" means the consideration for renting or leasing an automobile valued in money, whether received in money or otherwise, including cash credits, property and services, and shall be determined without any deduction on account of the cost of the property rented, the cost of materials used, labor or service cost, or any other expense whatsoever, but does not include charges that are added by a rentor on account of the rentor's tax liability under this Act or on account of the rentor's duty to collect, from the rentee, the tax that is imposed by Section 4 of this Act. The phrase "rental price" does not include compensation paid to a rentor by a rentee in consideration of the waiver by the rentor of any right of action or claim against the rentee for loss or damage to the automobile rented and also does not include a separately stated charge for insurance or recovery of refueling costs or other separately stated charges that are not for the use of tangible personal property.

"Car-sharing organization" means a membership-based organization: (i) with a qualified fleet of automobiles that are rented or leased to members primarily for hourly use through a self-service, fully automated reservation system; (ii) that charges a membership fee separately from the hourly charge for the rental or lease of a specific vehicle; and (iii) does not require a separate written agreement each time a member rents or leases a specific automobile. For the purposes of this definition, "qualified fleet" means a distributed fleet of automobiles:

(1) at least 10% of which is comprised of automobiles that have hybrid engines (with a minimum goal of at least 20% within 3 years after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly); and

(2) at least 50% of which is comprised of automobiles that are ultra-low emission vehicles. The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall, by rule, define the terms "hybrid engine" and "ultra-low emission vehicle".

(Source: P.A. 90-14, eff. 7-1-97; 91-193, eff. 7-20-99.)

(35 ILCS 155/3) (from Ch. 120, par. 1703)

Sec. 3. A tax is imposed upon persons engaged in this State in the business of renting automobiles in Illinois at the rate of 5% of the gross receipts received from such business. The tax herein imposed does not apply to the renting of automobiles to any governmental body, nor to any corporation, society, association, foundation or institution organized and operated exclusively for charitable, religious or educational purposes, nor to any not for profit corporation, society, association, foundation, institution or organization which has no compensated officers or employees and which is organized and operated primarily for the recreation of persons 55 years of age or older. Every person engaged in this State in the business of renting automobiles shall apply to the Department (upon a form prescribed and furnished by the Department) for a certificate of registration under this Act. The certificate of registration which is issued by the Department to a retailer under the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act shall permit such rentor to engage in a business which is taxable under this Section without registering separately with the Department. The tax imposed by this Section does not apply to the charges for the use of vehicles by a member of a car-sharing organization.

The Department shall have full power to administer and enforce this Section, to collect all taxes and penalties due hereunder, to dispose of taxes and penalties so collected in the manner hereinafter provided, and to determine all rights to credit memoranda, arising on account of the erroneous payment of tax or penalty hereunder. In the administration of, and compliance with, this Section, the Department and persons who are subject to this Section shall have the same rights, remedies, privileges, immunities, powers and duties, and be subject to the same conditions, restrictions, limitations, penalties and definitions of terms, and employ the same modes of procedure, as are prescribed in Sections 1, 1a, 2 through 2-65 (in respect to all provisions therein other than the State rate of tax), 2a, 2b, 2c, 3 (except provisions relating to transaction returns and quarter monthly payments), 4, 5, 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e, 5f, 5g, 5i, 5j, 6, 6a, 6b, 6c, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 11a, 12 and 13 of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act and Section 3-7 of the Uniform Penalty and Interest Act as fully as if those provisions were set forth herein.

(Source: P.A. 86-1475; 87-205; 87-895.)

(35 ILCS 155/4) (from Ch. 120, par. 1704)

Sec. 4. A tax is imposed upon the privilege of using, in this State, an automobile which is rented from a rentor. Such tax is at the rate of 4% of the rental price of such automobile prior to July 1, 1985 and at the rate of 5% of the rental price of such automobile on and after July 1, 1985 paid to the rentor under any rental agreement. The tax herein imposed shall not apply to any governmental body, nor to any corporation, society, association, foundation or institution, organized and operated exclusively for charitable, religious or educational purposes, nor to any not for profit corporation, society, association, foundation, institution or organization which has no compensated officers or employees and which is organized and operated primarily for the recreation of persons 55 years of age or older, when using tangible personal property as a rentee. The tax imposed by this Section does not apply to any activity of a car-sharing organization.

The tax hereby imposed shall be collected from the rentee by a rentor maintaining a place of business in this State and remitted to the Department.

The tax hereby imposed and not paid to a rentor pursuant to the preceding paragraph of this Section shall be paid to the Department directly by any person using such automobile within this State.

Rentors shall collect the tax from rentees by adding the tax to the rental price of the automobile, when rented for use, in the manner prescribed by the Department. The Department shall have the power to adopt and promulgate reasonable rules and regulations for the adding of such tax by rentors to rental prices by prescribing bracket systems for the purpose of enabling such rentors to add and collect, as far as practicable, the amount of such tax.

The tax imposed by this Section shall, when collected, be stated as a distinct item separate and apart from the rental price of the automobile.

The Department shall have full power to administer and enforce this Section; to collect all taxes, penalties and interest due hereunder; to dispose of taxes, penalties and interest so collected in the manner hereinafter provided, and to determine all rights to credit memoranda or refunds arising on account of the erroneous payment of tax, penalty or interest hereunder. In the administration of, and compliance with, this Section, the Department and persons who are subject to this Section shall have the same rights, remedies, privileges, immunities, powers and duties, and be subject to the same conditions, restrictions, limitations, penalties and definitions of terms, and employ the same modes of procedure, as are prescribed in Sections 2, 3 through 3-80, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 (except provisions relating to transaction returns and quarter monthly payments), 10, 11, 12, 12a, 12b, 13, 14, 15, 19, 20, 21 and 22 of the Use Tax Act, and are not inconsistent with this Section, as fully as if those provisions were set forth herein.

(Source: P.A. 86-1475.)

Section 10. The Illinois Vehicle Code is amended by changing Section 6-305 as follows:

(625 ILCS 5/6-305) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 6-305)

Sec. 6-305. Renting motor vehicle to another.

(a) No person shall rent a motor vehicle to any other person unless the latter person, or a driver designated by a nondriver with disabilities and meeting any minimum age and driver's record requirements that are uniformly applied by the person renting a motor vehicle, is then duly licensed hereunder or, in the case of a nonresident, then duly licensed under the laws of the State or country of his residence unless the State or country of his residence does not require that a driver be licensed.

(b) No person shall rent a motor vehicle to another until he has inspected the drivers license of the person to whom the vehicle is to be rented, or by whom it is to be driven, and compared and verified the signature thereon with the signature of such person written in his presence unless, in the case of a nonresident, the State or country wherein the nonresident resides does not require that a driver be licensed.

(c) No person shall rent a motorcycle to another unless the latter person is then duly licensed hereunder as a motorcycle operator, and in the case of a nonresident, then duly licensed under the laws of the State or country of his residence, unless the State or country of his residence does not require that a driver be licensed.

(d) (Blank).

(e) (Blank).

(f) Subject to subsection (l), any person who rents a motor vehicle to another shall only advertise, quote, and charge a rental rate that includes the entire amount except taxes and a mileage charge, if any, which a renter must pay to hire or lease the vehicle for the period of time to which the rental rate applies. The person must provide, on the request of the renter, based on the available information, an estimated total of the daily rental rate, including all applicable taxes, fees, and other charges, or an estimated total rental charge, based on the return date of the vehicle noted on the rental agreement. Further, if the rental agreement does not already provide an estimated total rental charge, the following statement must be included in the rental agreement:

"NOTICE: UNDER ILLINOIS LAW, YOU MAY REQUEST, BASED ON AVAILABLE INFORMATION, AN ESTIMATED TOTAL DAILY RENTAL RATE, INCLUDING TAXES, FEES, AND OTHER CHARGES, OR AN ESTIMATED TOTAL RENTAL CHARGE, BASED ON THE VEHICLE RETURN DATE NOTED ON THIS AGREEMENT."

Such person shall not charge in addition to the rental rate, taxes, and mileage charge, if any, any fee which must be paid by the renter as a condition of hiring or leasing the vehicle, such as, but not limited to, required fuel or airport surcharges, nor any fee for transporting the renter to the location where the rented vehicle will be delivered to the renter. In addition to the rental rate, taxes, and mileage charge, if any, such person may charge for an item or service provided in connection with a particular rental transaction if the renter can avoid incurring the charge by choosing not to obtain or utilize the optional item or service. Items and services for which such person may impose an additional charge include, but are not limited to, optional insurance and accessories requested by the renter, service charges incident to the renter's optional return of the vehicle to a location other than the location where the vehicle was hired or leased, and charges for refueling the vehicle at the conclusion of the rental transaction in the event the renter did not return the vehicle with as much fuel as was in the fuel tank at the beginning of the rental.

(g) Every person renting a motor vehicle to another shall keep a record of the registration number of the motor vehicle so rented, the name and address of the person to whom the vehicle is rented, the number of the license, if any, of said latter person, and the date and place when and where the license, if any, was issued. Such record shall be open to inspection by any police officer or designated agent of the Secretary of State.

(h) A person licensed as a new car dealer under Section 5-101 of this Code shall not be subject to the provisions of this Section regarding the rental of private passenger motor vehicles when providing, free of charge, temporary substitute vehicles for customers to operate during a period when a customer's vehicle, which is either leased or owned by that customer, is being repaired, serviced, replaced or otherwise made unavailable to the customer in accordance with an agreement with the licensed new car dealer or vehicle manufacturer, so long as the customer orally or in writing is made aware that the temporary substitute vehicle will be covered by his or her insurance policy and the customer shall only be liable to the extent of any amount deductible from such insurance coverage in accordance with the terms of the policy.

(i) This Section, except the requirements of subsection (g), also applies to rental agreements of 30 continuous days or less involving a motor vehicle that was delivered by an out of State person or business to a renter in this State.

(j) A public airport may, if approved by its local government corporate authorities or its airport authority, impose a customer facility charge upon customers of rental car companies for the purposes of financing, designing, constructing, operating, and maintaining consolidated car rental facilities and common use transportation equipment and facilities, which are used to transport the customer, connecting consolidated car rental facilities with other airport facilities.

Notwithstanding subsection (f) of this Section, the customer facility charge shall be collected by the rental car company as a separate charge, and clearly indicated as a separate charge on the rental agreement and invoice. Facility charges shall be immediately deposited into a trust account for the benefit of the airport and remitted at the direction of the airport, but not more often than once per month. The charge shall be uniformly calculated on a per-contract or per-day basis. Facility charges imposed by the airport may not exceed the reasonable costs of financing, designing, constructing, operating, and maintaining the consolidated car rental facilities and common use transportation equipment and facilities and may not be used for any other purpose.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the charges collected under this Section are not subject to retailer occupation, sales, use, or transaction taxes.

(k) When a rental car company states a rental rate in any of its rate advertisements, its proprietary computer reservation systems, or its in-person quotations intended to apply to an airport rental, a company that collects from its customers a customer facility charge for that rental under subsection (j) shall do all of the following:

(1) Clearly and conspicuously disclose in any radio, television, or other electronic media advertisements the existence and amount of the charge if the advertisement is intended for rentals at an airport imposing the charge or, if the advertisement covers an area with multiple airports with different charges, a range of amounts of customer facility charges if the advertisement is intended for rentals at an airport imposing the charge.

(2) Clearly and conspicuously disclose in any print rate advertising the existence and amount of the charge if the advertisement is intended for rentals at an airport imposing the charge or, if the print rate advertisement covers an area with multiple airports with different charges, a range of amounts of customer facility charges if the advertisement is intended for rentals at an airport imposing the charge.

(3) Clearly and conspicuously disclose the existence and amount of the charge in any telephonic, in-person, or computer-transmitted quotation from the rental car company's proprietary computer reservation system at the time of making an initial quotation of a rental rate if the quotation is made by a rental car company location at an airport imposing the charge and at the time of making a reservation of a rental car if the reservation is made by a rental car company location at an airport imposing the charge.

(4) Clearly and conspicuously display the charge in any proprietary computer-assisted reservation or transaction directly between the rental car company and the customer, shown or referenced on the same page on the computer screen viewed by the customer as the displayed rental rate and in a print size not smaller than the print size of the rental rate.

(5) Clearly and conspicuously disclose and separately identify the existence and amount of the charge on its rental agreement.

(6) A rental car company that collects from its customers a customer facility charge under subsection (j) and engages in a practice which does not comply with subsections (f), (j), and (k) commits an unlawful practice within the meaning of the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act.

(l) Notwithstanding subsection (f), any person who rents a motor vehicle to another may, in connection with the rental of a motor vehicle to (i) a business renter or (ii) a business program sponsor under the sponsor's business program, do the following:

(1) separately quote, by telephone, in person, or by computer transmission, additional charges for the rental; and

(2) separately impose additional charges for the rental.

(m) As used in this Section:

(1) "Additional charges" means charges other than: (i) a per period base rental rate; (ii) a mileage charge; (iii) taxes; or (iv) a customer facility charge.

(2) "Business program" means:

(A) a contract between a person who rents motor vehicles and a business program sponsor that establishes rental rates at which the person will rent motor vehicles to persons authorized by the sponsor; or

(B) a plan, program, or other arrangement established by a person who rents motor vehicles at the request of, or with the consent of, a business program sponsor under which the person offers to rent motor vehicles to persons authorized by the sponsor on terms that are not the same as those generally offered by the rental company to the public.

(3) "Business program sponsor" means any legal entity other than a natural person, including a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, government, municipality or agency, or a natural person operating a business as a sole proprietor.

(4) "Business renter" means, for any business program sponsor, a person who is authorized by the sponsor to enter into a rental contract under the sponsor's business program. "Business renter" does not include a person renting as:

(A) a non-employee member of a not-for-profit organization;

(B) the purchaser of a voucher or other prepaid rental arrangement from a person, including a tour operator, engaged in the business of reselling those vouchers or prepaid rental arrangements to the general public;

(C) an individual whose car rental is eligible for reimbursement in whole or in part as a result of the person being insured or provided coverage under a policy of insurance issued by an insurance company; or

(D) an individual whose car rental is eligible for reimbursement in whole or in part as a result of the person purchasing motor vehicle repair services from a person licensed to perform those services.

(n) This Section does not apply to a car-sharing organization, as defined in Section 2 of the Automobile Renting Occupation and Use Tax Act.

(Source: P.A. 93-118, eff. 1-1-04; 94-717, eff. 12-19-05.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.