Sec. 156.001.  DEFINITIONS.  (a)  In this chapter, "hotel" means a building in which members of the public obtain sleeping accommodations for consideration.  The term includes a hotel, motel, tourist home, tourist house, tourist court, lodging house, inn, rooming house, or bed and breakfast.  The term does not include:
(1)  a hospital, sanitarium, or nursing home;
(2)  a dormitory or other housing facility owned or leased and operated by an institution of higher education or a private or independent institution of higher education as those terms are defined by Section 61.003, Education Code, used by the institution for the purpose of providing sleeping accommodations for persons engaged in an educational program or activity at the institution; or
(3)  an oilfield portable unit, as defined by Section 152.001.
(b)  For purposes of the imposition of a hotel occupancy tax under this chapter, Chapter 351 or 352, or other law, "hotel" includes a short-term rental.  In this subsection, "short-term rental" means the rental of all or part of a residential property to a person who is not a permanent resident under Section 156.101.
Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1686, ch. 389, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1982.  Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 486, Sec. 5.01, eff. Oct. 1, 1994;  Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 454, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995;  Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 1000, Sec. 56, eff. Oct. 1, 1995.
Amended by: 
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 566 (H.B. 3182), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2011.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1255 (H.B. 1905), Sec. 22(a), eff. September 1, 2015.