On the final day of the state legislature’s session last week, the Georgia House of Representatives passed a series of bills, sponsored by State Rep. Eddie Lumsden (R-Armuchee) , that will establish a hotel/motel tax in Summerville, Trion and the unincorporated areas of Chattooga County.

The measures passed the House on Thursday and authorize the Town of Trion and the City of Summerville, along with the county government, to charge an 8% sales tax on hotel and motel rooms and other public lodgings.  Those would include campgrounds, bed and breakfasts and the cabins at Sloppy Floyd State Park.

The bills are designed so that the part of the revenue goes to marketing tourism in the county and promoting conventions and trade shows.

The bills are now awaiting assignment in the Georgia State Senate for review and recommendations and then will be forwarded to the Senate Rules Committee to determine if the legislation makes it to the floor of the state senate for a vote of the full chamber.