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Senate bill · S9850 (2025-26)

Authorizes an occupancy tax in the town of Amherst

New York State Senate

Same as A10932, the matching bill in the Assembly.

Latest action Aug 21, 2026

Passed as A10932, the matching Assembly bill.

Sponsor: Jeremy Zellner (State Senator, District 61, Democratic)

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From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Oct 23, 2026. About our data

Summary

Authorizes an occupancy tax in the town of Amherst, county of Erie, not to exceed 2.5%.

Summary from NY Open Legislation. How we handle summaries

Amends the Tax Law.

Purpose, from the sponsor's memo

This bill would authorize an occupancy tax in the Town of Amherst.

Filed with the bill. Read it on nysenate.gov (opens in a new tab)

Where it stands

Signed into law.

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Up for a vote
  4. Passed one chamber
  5. Passed
  6. Enacted

Committee

Investigations And Government Operations · New York State Senate

Also referred to Ways and Means · New York State Assembly.

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The sponsor's argument

Why Jeremy Zellner says this is needed

The Town of Amherst has introduced a local resolution in support of the adoption of an occupancy tax. Similarly, both the City of Buffalo and Town of Cheektowaga were authorized to enact an occupancy tax in 2025 and 2026, respectively. The Town is a destination for sports tourism at the local, regional, collegiate and national levels. The tax revenue will help offset the costs of Town services associated with hosting large-scale tournaments and will be invested into capital improvements at town-owned facilities related to youth and amateur sports, health and wellness activities, community centers, parks, and playgrounds. There are 25 hotels in Amherst, located near the University at Buffalo, Buffalo Niagara International Airport, historic Williamsville, sports facilities, and numerous popular attractions and retail centers. Each year, events hosted within the town attract hundreds of thousands of visitors from outside the region, for which the Town provides services and facilities at expense to local taxpayers. The implementation of an occupancy tax would allow the Town to reinvest in key assets and keep Amherst competitive for regional and national events.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.

Recorded votes

  • Vote: Floor vote

    NY SenateMay 28, 2026Result: passedSenate vote on A10932, the matching Assembly bill.

    (47) (13) (0) (3)

  • Vote: Committee vote · Investigations And Government Operations

    Senate Investigations And Government OperationsMay 12, 2026Result: passed

    (7) (0) (0) (0)

Full history

  1. Aug 21, 2026

    Signed

    SIGNED CHAP.241

    NY Assembly

  2. Aug 14, 2026

    Sent to the executive

    DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR

    NY Assembly

  3. May 28, 2026

    3RD Reading CAL.1083

    3RD READING CAL.1083

    NY Senate

  4. May 28, 2026

    Sent to the executive

    DELIVERED TO SENATE

    NY Assembly

  5. May 28, 2026

    Home Rule Request

    HOME RULE REQUEST

    NY Assembly

Show full history (14 earlier events)
  1. May 28, 2026

    Passed a chamber

    PASSED ASSEMBLY

    NY Assembly

  2. May 28, 2026

    Passed a chamber

    PASSED SENATE

    NY Senate

  3. May 28, 2026

    Referred to committee

    REFERRED TO INVESTIGATIONS AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

    NY Senate

  4. May 28, 2026

    Substituted

    SUBSTITUTED BY A10932A

    NY Senate

  5. May 20, 2026

    Reported out of committee

    REPORTED

    NY Assembly

  6. May 20, 2026

    Rules Report CAL.160

    RULES REPORT CAL.160

    NY Assembly

  7. May 19, 2026

    Reported out of committee

    REPORTED REFERRED TO RULES

    NY Assembly

  8. May 14, 2026

    Advanced to Third Reading

    ADVANCED TO THIRD READING

    NY Senate

  9. May 13, 2026

    2ND Report CAL.

    2ND REPORT CAL.

    NY Senate

  10. May 12, 2026

    1ST Report CAL.1083

    1ST REPORT CAL.1083

    NY Senate

  11. May 5, 2026

    Amend (t) and Recommit to Investigations and Government Operations

    AMEND (T) AND RECOMMIT TO INVESTIGATIONS AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

    NY Senate

  12. May 5, 2026

    Amend (t) and Recommit to Ways and Means

    AMEND (T) AND RECOMMIT TO WAYS AND MEANS

    NY Assembly

  13. Apr 10, 2026

    Referred to committee

    REFERRED TO WAYS AND MEANS

    NY Assembly

  14. Apr 8, 2026

    Referred to committee

    REFERRED TO INVESTIGATIONS AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

    NY Senate

Read the record