Senate Bill 1018

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    Florida Senate - 1998                                  SB 1018

    By Senator Gutman





    34-1083-98                                              See HB

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to corporate income tax;

  3         creating s. 220.185, F.S.; providing findings

  4         and purpose; authorizing a credit against such

  5         tax equal to a percentage of the costs of

  6         rehabilitation of a historic building used for

  7         commercial purposes; providing limitations;

  8         requiring certification that the property was

  9         used for a commercial purpose; providing for

10         carryover of the credit; providing eligibility

11         requirements for historic buildings and

12         improvements thereto; providing application

13         requirements; requiring a resolution by the

14         local government; providing duties of the

15         Division of Historical Resources, Department of

16         State, and Department of Revenue regarding

17         administration and monitoring of exemptions;

18         amending s. 220.02, F.S.; providing order of

19         credits against the tax; providing an effective

20         date.

21

22  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

23

24         Section 1.  Section 220.185, Florida Statutes, is

25  created to read:

26         220.185  Credit for rehabilitation of historic

27  buildings.--

28         (1)  LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS.--The Legislature finds that:

29         (a)  The abundant and valuable heritage reflected in

30  the many historic properties around the state is significant

31  and worthy of conservation and preservation.  Chapter 267

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    Florida Senate - 1998                                  SB 1018
    34-1083-98                                              See HB




  1  clearly provides that the policy of this state regarding its

  2  nonrenewable historic resources is to include:

  3         1.  Providing leadership in the preservation of the

  4  state's historic resources.

  5         2.  Contributing to the preservation of non-state-owned

  6  historic resources and giving encouragement to organizations

  7  and individuals undertaking preservation by private means.

  8         3.  Fostering conditions, using measures that include

  9  financial and technical assistance, for a harmonious

10  coexistence of society and state historic resources.

11         4.  Encouraging the public and private preservation and

12  utilization of elements of the state's historically built

13  environment.

14         (b)  Many historic buildings in this state could be

15  rehabilitated in a manner that reflects their heritage, and be

16  used for commercial purposes, thereby facilitating and

17  promoting investment in, and preservation of, these valuable

18  historical resources.

19         (c)  In order to encourage and promote private

20  investment in historic buildings, it is necessary to establish

21  a program that provides incentives significant enough to

22  encourage participation.

23         (2)  POLICY AND PURPOSE.--It is the policy of this

24  state to encourage private corporations to invest in the

25  adaptive reuse and preservation of historic buildings.  The

26  purpose of this section is to establish a program that

27  provides incentives for such investment by granting state

28  corporate income tax credits to corporations that participate

29  in the program.

30         (3)  AUTHORIZATION TO GRANT HISTORIC BUILDINGS

31  INVESTMENT TAX CREDITS; LIMITATIONS.--

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    Florida Senate - 1998                                  SB 1018
    34-1083-98                                              See HB




  1         (a)  A credit shall be allowed to a corporate taxpayer

  2  against any tax due for a taxable year under this chapter in

  3  an amount equal to 50 percent of the costs of substantial

  4  rehabilitation and preservation of a historic building that is

  5  to be used for commercial purposes.

  6         (b)  No taxpayer shall be eligible to receive more than

  7  $200,000 in tax credits for a rehabilitation project approved

  8  pursuant to this section.

  9         (c)  The total amount of tax credits which may be

10  granted for all projects approved under this section is $1

11  million annually.

12         (d)  All proposals for the granting of tax credits

13  pursuant to this section shall require the prior approval of

14  the Department of State.

15         (e)  The corporate tax return filed 1 year after the

16  date of completion shall include a certification by the

17  corporate taxpayer stating that the rehabilitated historic

18  property was used for a commercial purpose. In the event that

19  the building was not used for a commercial purpose, the

20  certification must state the date the building was taken out

21  of commercial service, and the credit amount shall be prorated

22  and repaid.

23         (f)  If the tax credit granted pursuant to this section

24  is not fully used in any one year because of insufficient tax

25  liability on the part of the taxpayer, the unused portion may

26  be carried forward for a period not to exceed 5 years.  The

27  carryover credit may be used in a subsequent year when the tax

28  imposed by this chapter for such year exceeds the credit for

29  such year under this section after applying the other credits

30  and unused credit carryovers in the order provided in s.

31  220.02(10).

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    Florida Senate - 1998                                  SB 1018
    34-1083-98                                              See HB




  1         (g)  No expenditure prior to January 1, 1999, shall

  2  count as a qualified rehabilitation expenditure, which is

  3  defined as any amount properly chargeable to capital accounts

  4  in connection with the rehabilitation of a qualified historic

  5  building.

  6         (4)  ELIGIBILITY.--

  7         (a)  Any project undertaken pursuant to this section

  8  must be used for a commercial purpose.

  9         (b)  A historic building qualifies for this program if

10  the property at the time the exemption is granted:

11         1.  Is listed in the National Register of Historic

12  Places pursuant to the National Historic Preservation Act of

13  1966, as amended;

14         2.  Is a contributing property to a National Register

15  Historic District; or

16         3.  Is designated as a historic property, or as a

17  contributing property to a historic district, under the terms

18  of a local preservation ordinance.

19         (c)  In order for an improvement to a historic property

20  to qualify the property for exemption, the improvement must:

21         1.  Be consistent with the United States Secretary of

22  the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation.

23         2.  Be a substantial rehabilitation, with qualified

24  expenditures exceeding the greater of $5,000 or the adjusted

25  basis of the building.  The adjusted basis is the actual cost

26  of the property minus the cost of the land, plus any capital

27  improvement already made, minus any depreciation already

28  taken.  The Department of Revenue shall determine whether or

29  not an improvement qualifies as a substantial rehabilitation.

30         3.  Be completed within a 24-month period following

31  approval of written architectural plans and specifications.

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    Florida Senate - 1998                                  SB 1018
    34-1083-98                                              See HB




  1         4.  Be determined by the Division of Historical

  2  Resources to meet criteria established in rules adopted by the

  3  Department of State.

  4         (5)  APPLICATION.--Proposals to participate in the

  5  program established by this section must be submitted to the

  6  Division of Historical Resources of the Department of State in

  7  accordance with rules prescribed by the Department of State.

  8  A proposal must contain a resolution from the local

  9  governmental unit in which the property is located certifying

10  that the proposal is consistent with local plans and

11  regulations.

12         (6)  ADMINISTRATION.--

13         (a)  The Department of State is authorized to

14  promulgate all rules necessary to administer this section,

15  including rules for the approval or disapproval of proposals.

16         (b)  The decision of the Secretary of State shall be in

17  writing, and, if approved, the proposal shall state the amount

18  of credit allowed to the business firm.  A copy of the

19  decision shall be transmitted to the executive director of the

20  Department of Revenue, who shall apply such credit to the tax

21  liability of the taxpayer.

22         (c)  The Division of Historical Resources shall

23  periodically monitor all projects in a manner consistent with

24  available resources to ensure that resources are utilized in

25  accordance with this section; however, each project shall be

26  reviewed upon the completion of rehabilitation.

27         (d)  The Department of Revenue shall promulgate any

28  rules necessary to ensure the orderly implementation and

29  administration of this section.

30         Section 2.  Subsection (10) of section 220.02, Florida

31  Statutes, is amended to read:

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    Florida Senate - 1998                                  SB 1018
    34-1083-98                                              See HB




  1         220.02  Legislative intent.--

  2         (10)  It is the intent of the Legislature that credits

  3  against either the corporate income tax or the franchise tax

  4  be applied in the following order: those enumerated in s.

  5  220.68, those enumerated in s. 631.719(1), those enumerated in

  6  s. 631.705, those enumerated in s. 220.18, those enumerated in

  7  s. 631.828, those enumerated in s. 220.181, those enumerated

  8  in s. 220.183, those enumerated in s. 220.182, those

  9  enumerated in s. 220.1895, those enumerated in s. 221.02,

10  those enumerated in s. 220.184, those enumerated in s.

11  220.186, and those enumerated in s. 220.188, and those

12  enumerated in s. 220.185.

13         Section 3.  This act shall take effect January 1, 1999.

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15            *****************************************

16                       LEGISLATIVE SUMMARY

17
      Authorizes a credit against the corporate income tax
18    equal to 50 percent of the costs of rehabilitation of a
      historic building used for commercial purposes.  Provides
19    limitations.  Requires certification that the property
      was used for a commercial purpose.  Provides for
20    carryover of the credit.  Provides eligibility and
      application requirements, and requires a resolution by
21    the local government.  Provides duties of the Division of
      Historical Resources, Department of State, and Department
22    of Revenue regarding administration and monitoring of
      exemptions.
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