Transaction charges paid by a hotel shall be collected by the governmental unit that passed the ordinance creating the district. The collected transaction charges shall be remitted on a prompt basis by the governmental unit that passed the ordinance creating the district to the local tourism and convention bureau in accordance with the district plan and the formation ordinance. During any period that the governmental unit that passed the ordinance creating the district may hold the collected transaction charges, the governmental unit shall at all times maintain the collected transaction charges in a specially designated fund segregated from all other funds.
     Collected transaction charges held by the governmental unit that passed the ordinance creating the district may not be commingled with other funds of the governmental unit or units.
     A transaction charge may not exceed 5% of the hotel room rate per occupied hotel room per night and may not be imposed upon any customer transactions at restaurants or for food, drinks, or merchandise. In addition, a transaction charge may not be charged for the rental of hotel rooms to a permanent occupant of a hotel. As used in this paragraph, “permanent occupant” means a person or company that occupies or has the right to occupy a hotel room for at least 30 consecutive days.