Section 237-44 - Entertainment business(a) As used in this section: "Admission" means the amount paid for admission to any place, including admission by season ticket or subscription, and also includes the amount paid for seats and tables, reserved or otherwise, and other similar accommodations.
"Cabaret" means any roof garden, cabaret, or other similar place furnishing a public performance, by or for any patron or guest who is entitled to be present during any portion of the performance, including any room in any hotel, restaurant, hall, or other public place where music and dancing privileges or any other entertainment are afforded the patrons in connection with the serving or selling of food, refreshment, or merchandise.
"Transient taxpayer" refers to any person subject to the tax imposed by this chapter who has no permanent place of business in the State.
(b) Every person receiving admissions for any circus, carnival, or any other place whatsoever at which a transient taxpayer is engaged in business (whether or not further admissions are charged inside the place, such further admissions, if any, being also subject to this section), shall set aside from the admissions and hold in trust for the State five per cent of the admissions, or such lesser amount as the department of taxation shall approve as sufficient, to guarantee payment of the tax levied by this chapter on the transient taxpayer. The amount so required to be set aside from the admissions shall be deposited with the department promptly upon collection thereof, from time to time, for deposit by it in a special trust fund in the treasury of the State, there to remain until refunded upon voucher of the department, or until applied to the payment of the taxes guaranteed thereby with the consent of the person making the deposit, or until deposited in court pursuant to chapter 655 or the rules of court. The department may bring an action to obtain an adjudication of its right to apply the guarantee fund in payment of taxes and may deposit the fund in court to await the results of the adjudication, or may be sued by an interested person seeking to obtain the adjudication and may be ordered to make such deposit in court, notwithstanding that the department asserts a claim against the fund.(c) If any person fails to deposit promptly the guarantee fund required by this section, the department may distrain upon the admissions or any bank account or other asset in which the same can be found, for the purpose of obtaining and depositing in the treasury the required guarantee fund.(d) Whenever a transient taxpayer is engaged in business at any place for which admissions are charged, or at any cabaret whether or not admissions are charged, the person engaging the transient taxpayer shall collect from the transient taxpayer, by withholding or otherwise, the tax levied by this chapter on the transient taxpayer, shall hold the tax in trust for the State, and shall return and pay over the tax to the proper collecting officer of the State in the manner and at the time required by this chapter, for the account of the transient taxpayer. If the person fails to do so, the person shall be liable to pay to the State the amount of the tax levied by this chapter on the transient taxpayer, together with penalties and interest as provided by law. The amount of the liability may be collected from the guarantee fund, if any, or may be assessed against and collected from the person so becoming liable in the same manner as if the tax had been levied upon the person.Amended by L 2017, c 12,§ 51, eff. 4/26/2017.L 1951, c 165, §6; am L 1953, c 68, §2; RL 1955, § 117-41; am L Sp 1959 2d, c 1, §16; HRS § 237-44; am L 1973, c 133, §8