Senate Bill 1688

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    Florida Senate - 1998                                  SB 1688

    By Senator Ostalkiewicz





    12-1539-98

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to taxation (RAB); amending s.

  3         212.02, F.S.; redefining the term "retail

  4         sales" to revise standards for the exclusion of

  5         packaging materials; redefining the term "sales

  6         price" to exclude certain federal tax;

  7         redefining the term "use" to exclude the loan

  8         of an automobile for use by a driver education

  9         program; amending s. 212.03, F.S.; revising

10         provisions for eligibility for the exemption

11         provided for rental in trailer parks and

12         similar facilities; amending s. 212.031, F.S.;

13         providing partial exemption for rentals of

14         certain property used as nursing homes,

15         assisted living facilities, and hospices;

16         exempting utility charges paid by a tenant in

17         specified circumstances; providing taxability

18         of charges for canceling or terminating a

19         lease; amending s. 212.04, F.S.; providing

20         standards for determining taxability of

21         components of packages sold by travel agents;

22         exempting fees for entering sporting events

23         from the admissions tax when spectators at such

24         events are charged the tax; amending s. 212.05,

25         F.S.; prescribing the entities that are

26         considered selling dealers for purposes of the

27         sales, storage, and use tax on aircraft and

28         boats; providing for return of aircraft to the

29         state without incurring tax liability in

30         certain circumstances; providing taxability for

31         property originally exempt which is converted

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  1         to the owner's use; providing guidelines for

  2         taxability of lease or rental of motor

  3         vehicles; providing taxability of sales of

  4         newspapers; providing guidelines for taxability

  5         of newspaper and magazine inserts; providing

  6         taxability of certain sales by florists;

  7         providing for calculating tax on prizes

  8         distributed by concessionaires; amending s.

  9         212.06, F.S.; providing taxability of

10         newspapers, magazines, and periodicals used by

11         the publisher thereof; amending s. 212.18,

12         F.S.; providing for rules relating to

13         registration of vending machines and newspaper

14         rack machines; providing an effective date.

15

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

17

18         Section 1.  Paragraph (c) of subsection (14) and

19  subsections (16) and (20) of section 212.02, Florida Statutes,

20  are amended to read:

21         212.02  Definitions.--The following terms and phrases

22  when used in this chapter have the meanings ascribed to them

23  in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a

24  different meaning:

25         (14)

26         (c)  "Retail sales," "sale at retail," "use,"

27  "storage," and "consumption" do not include materials,

28  containers, labels, sacks, or bags when accompanying the

29  product sold to the final buyer or ultimate consumer without

30  which delivery of the product would be impracticable because

31  of the character of the contents and for which there is no

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  1  separate charge, when such items are intended to be used one

  2  time only for packaging tangible personal property for sale or

  3  for the convenience of the retail customer or for packaging in

  4  the process of providing a service taxable under this chapter.

  5  When a separate charge for packaging materials is made, the

  6  charge shall be considered part of the selling price or rental

  7  charge and is taxable. The term also does and do not include

  8  the sale, use, storage, or consumption of industrial

  9  materials, including chemicals and fuels except as provided

10  herein, for future processing, manufacture, or conversion into

11  articles of tangible personal property for resale when such

12  industrial materials, including chemicals and fuels except as

13  provided herein, become a component or ingredient of the

14  finished product. However, the said terms include the sale,

15  use, storage, or consumption of tangible personal property,

16  including machinery and equipment or parts thereof, purchased

17  electricity, and fuels used to power machinery, when such said

18  items are used and dissipated in fabricating, converting, or

19  processing tangible personal property for sale, even though

20  they may become ingredients or components of the tangible

21  personal property for sale through accident, wear, tear,

22  erosion, corrosion, or similar means.

23         (16)  "Sales price" means the total amount paid for

24  tangible personal property, including any services that are a

25  part of the sale, valued in money, whether paid in money or

26  otherwise, and includes any amount for which credit is given

27  to the purchaser by the seller, without any deduction

28  therefrom on account of the cost of the property sold, the

29  cost of materials used, labor or service cost, interest

30  charged, losses, or any other expense whatsoever.  "Sales

31  price" also includes the consideration for a transaction which

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  1  requires both labor and material to alter, remodel, maintain,

  2  adjust, or repair tangible personal property. Trade-ins or

  3  discounts allowed and taken at the time of sale shall not be

  4  included within the purview of this subsection. "Sales price"

  5  also includes the full face value of any coupon used by a

  6  purchaser to reduce the price paid to a retailer for an item

  7  of tangible personal property; where the retailer will be

  8  reimbursed for such coupon, in whole or in part, by the

  9  manufacturer of the item of tangible personal property; or

10  whenever it is not practicable for the retailer to determine,

11  at the time of sale, the extent to which reimbursement for the

12  coupon will be made. The term "sales price" does not include

13  federal excise taxes imposed upon the retailer on the sale of

14  tangible personal property. The term "sales price" does

15  include federal manufacturers' excise taxes, even if the

16  federal tax is listed as a separate item on the invoice.

17         (20)  "Use" means and includes the exercise of any

18  right or power over tangible personal property incident to the

19  ownership thereof, or interest therein, except that it does

20  not include the sale at retail of that property in the regular

21  course of business. The term "use" does not include the loan

22  of an automobile by a motor vehicle dealer to a high school

23  for use in its driver education and safety program.

24         Section 2.  Paragraph (c) of subsection (7) of section

25  212.03, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

26         212.03  Transient rentals tax; rate, procedure,

27  enforcement, exemptions.--

28         (7)

29         (c)  The rental of facilities, as defined in s.

30  212.02(10)(f), except mobile home lots regulated under chapter

31  723, which are intended primarily for rental as a principal or

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  1  permanent place of residence is exempt from the tax imposed by

  2  this chapter.  The rental of such facilities that primarily

  3  serve transient guests is not exempt by this subsection. In

  4  the application of this law, or in making any determination

  5  against the exemption, the department shall consider the

  6  facility as primarily serving transient guests unless the

  7  facility owner makes a verified declaration on a form

  8  prescribed by the department that more than half of the total

  9  rental units available are occupied by tenants who have a

10  continuous residence in excess of 3 months. The owner of a

11  facility declared to be exempt by this paragraph must make a

12  determination of the taxable status of the facility at the end

13  of the owner's accounting year using any consecutive 3-month

14  period during the accounting year. The owner must use a

15  selected consecutive 3-month period during each annual

16  redetermination. In the event that an exempt facility no

17  longer qualifies for exemption by this paragraph, the owner

18  must notify the department on a form prescribed by the

19  department by the 20th day of the first month of the owner's

20  next succeeding accounting year that the facility no longer

21  qualifies for such exemption. The tax levied by this section

22  shall apply to the rental of facilities that no longer qualify

23  for exemption under this paragraph beginning the first day of

24  the owner's next succeeding accounting year.

25         Section 3.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section

26  212.031, Florida Statutes, is amended, and subsections (7) and

27  (8) are added to that section, to read:

28         212.031  Lease or rental of or license in real

29  property.--

30         (1)

31

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  1         (b)  When a lease involves multiple use of real

  2  property wherein a part of the real property is subject to the

  3  tax herein, and a part of the property would be excluded from

  4  the tax under subparagraph (a)1., subparagraph (a)2., or

  5  subparagraph (a)3., the department shall determine, from the

  6  lease or license and such other information as may be

  7  available, that portion of the total rental charge which is

  8  exempt from the tax imposed by this section. The portion of

  9  the premises leased or rented by for-profit entities licensed

10  as a nursing home under part II of chapter 400, an assisted

11  living facility under part III of chapter 400, or a hospice

12  licensed under part VI of chapter 400 which is used as a

13  dwelling unit is exempt on a pro-rata basis.  The pro-rata

14  portion shall be determined by the square footage of the

15  portion of the dwelling and other real property subject to the

16  lease or license which is normally accessed and used by the

17  residents, compared to the total square footage of the home,

18  facility, or hospice and other real property subject to the

19  lease or license.

20         (7)  Utility charges subject to sales tax which are

21  paid by a tenant to the lessor and which are part of a payment

22  for the privilege or right to use or occupy real property are

23  exempt from tax if the lessor has paid sales tax on the

24  purchase of such utilities and the charges billed by the

25  lessor to the tenant are separately stated and at the same or

26  a lower price than those paid by the lessor.

27         (8)  Charges by lessors to a lessee to cancel or

28  terminate a lease agreement are presumed taxable if the lessor

29  records such charges as rental income in its books and

30  records. This presumption can be overcome by the provision of

31  sufficient documentation by either the lessor or the lessee

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  1  that such charges were other than for the rental of real

  2  property.

  3         Section 4.  Paragraph (d) of subsection (1) and

  4  paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section 212.04, Florida

  5  Statutes, are amended to read:

  6         212.04  Admissions tax; rate, procedure, enforcement.--

  7         (1)

  8         (d)  No additional tax is due on components an

  9  admission if the admission is incorporated as part of a

10  package sold by a travel agent; if the package includes two or

11  more components such as admissions, and transient rentals,

12  transportation, or meals; if all of the components were

13  purchased by the travel agent from other parties and any sales

14  tax due on such purchases was paid; and if there is no

15  separate itemization of the admission, transient rental,

16  transportation, or meal, or other components in the sales

17  price of the package.  This paragraph does not apply if the

18  actual price charged for a component the admission by the

19  dealer to a travel agent is less than the price charged to

20  unrelated parties under normal industry practices and the

21  dealer and the travel agent are members of the same controlled

22  group of corporations for federal income tax purposes.

23         (2)(a)1.  No tax shall be levied on admissions to

24  athletic or other events sponsored by elementary schools,

25  junior high schools, middle schools, high schools, community

26  colleges, public or private colleges and universities, deaf

27  and blind schools, facilities of the youth services programs

28  of the Department of Children and Family Services, and state

29  correctional institutions when only student, faculty, or

30  inmate talent is used. However, this exemption shall not apply

31  to admission to athletic events sponsored by an institution

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  1  within the State University System, and the proceeds of the

  2  tax collected on such admissions shall be retained and used by

  3  each institution to support women's athletics as provided in

  4  s. 240.533(3)(c).

  5         2.a.  No tax shall be levied on dues, membership fees,

  6  and admission charges imposed by not-for-profit sponsoring

  7  organizations. To receive this exemption, the sponsoring

  8  organization must qualify as a not-for-profit entity under the

  9  provisions of s. 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of

10  1954, as amended.

11         b.  No tax imposed by this section and not actually

12  collected before August 1, 1992, shall be due from any museum

13  or historic building owned by any political subdivision of the

14  state.

15         3.  No tax shall be levied on an admission paid by a

16  student, or on the student's behalf, to any required place of

17  sport or recreation if the student's participation in the

18  sport or recreational activity is required as a part of a

19  program or activity sponsored by, and under the jurisdiction

20  of, the student's educational institution, provided his or her

21  attendance is as a participant and not as a spectator.

22         4.  No tax shall be levied on admissions to the

23  National Football League championship game.

24         5.  A participation fee or sponsorship fee imposed by a

25  governmental entity as described in s. 212.08(6) for an

26  athletic or recreational program is exempt when the

27  governmental entity by itself, or in conjunction with an

28  organization exempt under s. 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue

29  Code of 1954, as amended, sponsors, administers, plans,

30  supervises, directs, and controls the athletic or recreational

31  program.

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  1         6.  Also exempt from the tax imposed by this section to

  2  the extent provided in this subparagraph are admissions to

  3  live theater, live opera, or live ballet productions in this

  4  state which are sponsored by an organization that has received

  5  a determination from the Internal Revenue Service that the

  6  organization is exempt from federal income tax under s.

  7  501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended, if

  8  the organization actively participates in planning and

  9  conducting the event, is responsible for the safety and

10  success of the event, is organized for the purpose of

11  sponsoring live theater, live opera, or live ballet

12  productions in this state, has more than 10,000 subscribing

13  members and has among the stated purposes in its charter the

14  promotion of arts education in the communities which it

15  serves, and will receive at least 20 percent of the net

16  profits, if any, of the events which the organization sponsors

17  and will bear the risk of at least 20 percent of the losses,

18  if any, from the events which it sponsors if the organization

19  employs other persons as agents to provide services in

20  connection with a sponsored event. Prior to March 1 of each

21  year, such organization may apply to the department for a

22  certificate of exemption for admissions to such events

23  sponsored in this state by the organization during the

24  immediately following state fiscal year. The application shall

25  state the total dollar amount of admissions receipts collected

26  by the organization or its agents from such events in this

27  state sponsored by the organization or its agents in the year

28  immediately preceding the year in which the organization

29  applies for the exemption. Such organization shall receive the

30  exemption only to the extent of $1.5 million multiplied by the

31  ratio that such receipts bear to the total of such receipts of

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  1  all organizations applying for the exemption in such year;

  2  however, in no event shall such exemption granted to any

  3  organization exceed 6 percent of such admissions receipts

  4  collected by the organization or its agents in the year

  5  immediately preceding the year in which the organization

  6  applies for the exemption. Each organization receiving the

  7  exemption shall report each month to the department the total

  8  admissions receipts collected from such events sponsored by

  9  the organization during the preceding month and shall remit to

10  the department an amount equal to 6 percent of such receipts

11  reduced by any amount remaining under the exemption. Tickets

12  for such events sold by such organizations shall not reflect

13  the tax otherwise imposed under this section.

14         7.  Also exempt from the tax imposed by this section

15  are entry fees for participation in freshwater fishing

16  tournaments.

17         8.  Also exempt from the tax imposed by this section

18  are participation or entry fees charged to participants in a

19  game, race, or other sport or recreational event if spectators

20  are charged a taxable admission to such event.

21         Section 5.  Paragraphs (a), (b), (c), and (h) of

22  subsection (1) of section 212.05, Florida Statutes, are

23  amended, and paragraphs (m) and (n) are added to that

24  subsection, to read:

25         212.05  Sales, storage, use tax.--It is hereby declared

26  to be the legislative intent that every person is exercising a

27  taxable privilege who engages in the business of selling

28  tangible personal property at retail in this state, including

29  the business of making mail order sales, or who rents or

30  furnishes any of the things or services taxable under this

31  chapter, or who stores for use or consumption in this state

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  1  any item or article of tangible personal property as defined

  2  herein and who leases or rents such property within the state.

  3         (1)  For the exercise of such privilege, a tax is

  4  levied on each taxable transaction or incident, which tax is

  5  due and payable as follows:

  6         (a)1.

  7         a.  At the rate of 6 percent of the sales price of each

  8  item or article of tangible personal property when sold at

  9  retail in this state, computed on each taxable sale for the

10  purpose of remitting the amount of tax due the state, and

11  including each and every retail sale.

12         b.  Each occasional or isolated sale of an aircraft,

13  boat, mobile home, or motor vehicle of a class or type which

14  is required to be registered, licensed, titled, or documented

15  in this state or by the United States Government shall be

16  subject to tax at the rate provided in this paragraph. The

17  department shall by rule adopt any nationally recognized

18  publication for valuation of used motor vehicles as the

19  reference price list for any used motor vehicle which is

20  required to be licensed pursuant to s. 320.08(1), (2), (3)(a),

21  (b), (c), or (e), or (9).  If any party to an occasional or

22  isolated sale of such a vehicle reports to the tax collector a

23  sales price which is less than 80 percent of the average loan

24  price for the specified model and year of such vehicle as

25  listed in the most recent reference price list, the tax levied

26  under this paragraph shall be computed by the department on

27  such average loan price unless the parties to the sale have

28  provided to the tax collector an affidavit signed by each

29  party, or other substantial proof, stating the actual sales

30  price.  Any party to such sale who reports a sales price less

31  than the actual sales price is guilty of a misdemeanor of the

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  1  first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s.

  2  775.083.  The department shall collect or attempt to collect

  3  from such party any delinquent sales taxes.  In addition, such

  4  party shall pay any tax due and any penalty and interest

  5  assessed plus a penalty equal to twice the amount of the

  6  additional tax owed.  Notwithstanding any other provision of

  7  law, the Department of Revenue may waive or compromise any

  8  penalty imposed pursuant to this subparagraph.

  9         2.  This paragraph does not apply to the sale of a boat

10  or airplane by or through a registered dealer under this

11  chapter to a purchaser who, at the time of taking delivery, is

12  a nonresident of this state, does not make his or her

13  permanent place of abode in this state, and is not engaged in

14  carrying on in this state any employment, trade, business, or

15  profession in which the boat will be used in this state, or is

16  a corporation none of the officers or directors of which is a

17  resident of, or makes his or her permanent place of abode in,

18  this state. For purposes of this exemption, either a

19  registered dealer acting on his or her own behalf as seller, a

20  registered dealer acting as broker on behalf of a seller, or a

21  registered dealer acting as broker on behalf of the purchaser

22  may be deemed to be the selling dealer. This exemption shall

23  not be allowed unless:

24         a.  The purchaser removes a qualifying boat, as

25  described in sub-subparagraph f., from the state within 90

26  days after the date of purchase or the purchaser removes a

27  nonqualifying boat or an airplane from this state within 10

28  days after the date of purchase or, when the boat or airplane

29  is repaired or altered, within 20 days after completion of the

30  repairs or alterations;

31

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  1         b.  The purchaser, within 30 days from the date of

  2  departure, shall provide the department with written proof

  3  that the purchaser licensed, registered, titled, or documented

  4  the boat or airplane outside the state. If such written proof

  5  is unavailable, within 30 days the purchaser shall provide

  6  proof that the purchaser applied for such license, title,

  7  registration, or documentation.  The purchaser shall forward

  8  to the department proof of title, license, registration, or

  9  documentation upon receipt.

10         c.  The purchaser, within 10 days of removing the boat

11  or airplane from Florida, shall furnish the department with

12  proof of removal in the form of receipts for fuel, dockage,

13  slippage, tie-down, or hangaring from outside of Florida.  The

14  information so provided must clearly and specifically identify

15  the boat or aircraft;

16         d.  The selling dealer, within 5 days of the date of

17  sale, shall provide to the department a copy of the sales

18  invoice, closing statement, bills of sale, and the original

19  affidavit signed by the purchaser attesting that he or she has

20  read the provisions of this section;

21         e.  The seller makes a copy of the affidavit a part of

22  his or her record for as long as required by s. 213.35; and

23         f.  Unless the nonresident purchaser of a boat of 5 net

24  tons of admeasurement or larger intends to remove the boat

25  from this state within 10 days after the date of purchase or

26  when the boat is repaired or altered, within 20 days after

27  completion of the repairs or alterations, the nonresident

28  purchaser shall apply to the selling dealer for a decal which

29  authorizes 90 days after the date of purchase for removal of

30  the boat.  The department is authorized to issue decals in

31  advance to dealers.  The number of decals issued in advance to

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  1  a dealer shall be consistent with the volume of the dealer's

  2  past sales of boats which qualify under this sub-subparagraph.

  3  The selling dealer or his or her agent shall mark and affix

  4  the decals to qualifying boats in the manner prescribed by the

  5  department, prior to delivery of the boat.

  6         (I)  The department is hereby authorized to charge

  7  dealers a fee sufficient to recover the costs of decals

  8  issued.

  9         (II)  The proceeds from the sale of decals will be

10  deposited into the administrative trust fund.

11         (III)  Decals shall display information to identify the

12  boat as a qualifying boat under this sub-subparagraph,

13  including, but not limited to, the decal's date of expiration.

14         (IV)  The department is authorized to require dealers

15  who purchase decals to file reports with the department and

16  may prescribe all necessary records by rule. All such records

17  are subject to inspection by the department.

18         (V)  Any dealer or his or her agent who issues a decal

19  falsely, fails to affix a decal, mismarks the expiration date

20  of a decal, or fails to properly account for decals will be

21  considered prima facie to have committed a fraudulent act to

22  evade the tax and will be liable for payment of the tax plus a

23  mandatory penalty of 200 percent of the tax, and shall be

24  liable for fine and punishment as provided by law for a

25  conviction of a misdemeanor of the first degree, as provided

26  in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

27         (VI)  Any nonresident purchaser of a boat who removes a

28  decal prior to permanently removing the boat from the state,

29  or defaces, changes, modifies, or alters a decal in a manner

30  affecting its expiration date prior to its expiration, or who

31  causes or allows the same to be done by another, will be

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  1  considered prima facie to have committed a fraudulent act to

  2  evade the tax and will be liable for payment of the tax plus a

  3  mandatory penalty of 200 percent of the tax, and shall be

  4  liable for fine and punishment as provided by law for a

  5  conviction of a misdemeanor of the first degree, as provided

  6  in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

  7         (VII)  The department is authorized to adopt rules

  8  necessary to administer and enforce this subparagraph and to

  9  publish the necessary forms and instructions.

10         (VIII)  The department is hereby authorized to adopt

11  emergency rules pursuant to s. 120.54(4) to administer and

12  enforce the provisions of this subparagraph.

13

14  If the purchaser fails to remove the qualifying boat from this

15  state within 90 days after purchase or a nonqualifying boat or

16  an airplane from this state within 10 days after purchase or,

17  when the boat or airplane is repaired or altered, within 20

18  days after completion of such repairs or alterations, or

19  permits the boat or airplane to return to this state within 6

20  months from the date of departure, or if the purchaser fails

21  to furnish the department with any of the documentation

22  required by this subparagraph within the prescribed time

23  period, the purchaser shall be liable for use tax on the cost

24  price of the boat or airplane and, in addition thereto,

25  payment of a penalty to the Department of Revenue equal to the

26  tax payable.  This penalty shall be in lieu of the penalty

27  imposed by s. 212.12(2) and is mandatory and shall not be

28  waived by the department.  The 90-day period following the

29  sale of a qualifying boat tax exempt to a nonresident may not

30  be tolled for any reason. Notwithstanding other provisions of

31  this paragraph to the contrary, an aircraft purchased in this

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  1  state under the provisions of this paragraph may be returned

  2  to this state for repairs within 6 months after the date of

  3  its departure without being in violation of the law and

  4  without incurring liability for the payment of tax or penalty

  5  on the purchase price of the aircraft if the aircraft is

  6  removed from this state within 20 days after the completion of

  7  the repairs and if such removal can be demonstrated by

  8  invoices for fuel, tie-down, hangar charges issued by

  9  out-of-state vendors or suppliers, or similar documentation.

10         (b)  At the rate of 6 percent of the cost price of each

11  item or article of tangible personal property when the same is

12  not sold but is used, consumed, distributed, or stored for use

13  or consumption in this state; however, for tangible property

14  originally purchased exempt from tax for use exclusively for

15  lease and which is converted to the owner's own use, tax may

16  be paid on the fair market value of the property at the time

17  of conversion. If the fair market value of the property cannot

18  be determined, use tax at the time of conversion shall be

19  based on the owner's acquisition cost. Under no circumstances

20  may the aggregate amount of sales tax from leasing the

21  property and use tax due at the time of conversion be less

22  than the total sales tax that would have been due on the

23  original acquisition cost paid by the owner.

24         (c)  At the rate of 6 percent of the gross proceeds

25  derived from the lease or rental of tangible personal

26  property, as defined herein; however, the following special

27  provisions apply to the lease or rental of motor vehicles:

28         1.  For the lease or rental of a motor vehicle for less

29  than 12 months, sales tax is due when payment for such lease

30  or rental is made to a Florida dealer, regardless of where the

31  vehicle was delivered, returned, or driven.

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  1         2.  For the lease or rental of a motor vehicle for 12

  2  months or more, sales tax is due when the vehicle is

  3  registered, licensed, or titled in this state, regardless of

  4  where the vehicle is to be used. A vehicle leased from a

  5  person outside this state is presumed to be taxable if it is

  6  registered, licensed, or titled in this state. This

  7  presumption may be rebutted by documentary evidence that,

  8  after the vehicle was rented or leased, it was used outside

  9  this state continuously for 30 days or more before it was

10  brought into this state.

11         3.  , except The lease or rental of a commercial motor

12  vehicle as defined in s. 316.003(66)(a) to one lessee or

13  rentee for a period of not less than 12 months when tax was

14  paid on the acquisition of such vehicle by the lessor, when

15  the lease or rental of such property is an established

16  business or part of an established business or the same is

17  incidental or germane to such business.

18         (h)1.  At the rate of 6 percent on the retail price of

19  newspapers and magazines sold or used in Florida.

20         2.  Notwithstanding other provisions of this chapter,

21  inserts of printed materials which are distributed with a

22  newspaper or magazine are a component part of the newspaper or

23  magazine when:

24         a.  Printed by a newspaper or magazine publisher or

25  commercial printer and distributed as a component part of a

26  newspaper or magazine, which means that the items after being

27  printed are delivered directly to a newspaper or magazine

28  publisher by the printer for inclusion in editions of the

29  distributed newspaper or magazine; and

30

31

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  1         b.  Such publications are labeled as part of the

  2  designated newspaper or magazine publication into which they

  3  are to be inserted.

  4         (m)  Florists located in this state are liable for

  5  sales tax on sales to retail customers regardless of where or

  6  by whom the items sold are to be delivered. Florists located

  7  in this state are not liable for sales tax on payments

  8  received from other florists for items delivered to customers

  9  in this state.

10         (n)  Operators of game concessions or other

11  concessionaires who customarily award tangible personal

12  property as prizes may, in lieu of paying tax on the cost

13  price of such property, pay tax on 25 percent of the gross

14  receipts from such concession activity.

15         Section 6.  Subsection (13) is added to section 212.06,

16  Florida Statutes, to read:

17         212.06  Sales, storage, use tax; collectible from

18  dealers; "dealer" defined; dealers to collect from purchasers;

19  legislative intent as to scope of tax.--

20         (13)(a)  Notwithstanding other provisions of this

21  chapter, the use by the publisher of a newspaper, magazine, or

22  periodical of copies for his or her own consumption or to be

23  given away is taxable at the usual retail price thereof, if

24  any, or at the "cost price."

25         (b)  For the purposes of this subsection, the term

26  "cost price" means the actual cost of printing of newspapers,

27  magazines, and other publications, without any deductions

28  therefrom on account of the cost of materials used, labor or

29  services cost, transportation charges, or other direct or

30  indirect overhead costs that are a part of printing costs of

31  the property. However, the cost of labor to manufacture,

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  1  produce, compound, process, or fabricate expendable items of

  2  tangible personal property which are directly used by such

  3  person in printing other tangible personal property for sale

  4  or for his or her own use is exempt. Authors' royalties, fees,

  5  or salaries, general overhead, and other costs not directly

  6  related to printing shall be deemed to be labor associated

  7  with manufacturing, producing, compounding, processing, or

  8  fabricating expendable items.

  9         Section 7.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of section

10  212.18, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

11         212.18  Administration of law; registration of dealers;

12  rules.--

13         (3)(a)  Every person desiring to engage in or conduct

14  business in this state as a dealer, as defined in this

15  chapter, or to lease, rent, or let or grant licenses in living

16  quarters or sleeping or housekeeping accommodations in hotels,

17  apartment houses, roominghouses, or tourist or trailer camps

18  that are subject to tax under s. 212.03, or to lease, rent, or

19  let or grant licenses in real property, as defined in this

20  chapter, and every person who sells or receives anything of

21  value by way of admissions, must file with the department an

22  application for a certificate of registration for each place

23  of business, showing the names of the persons who have

24  interests in such business and their residences, the address

25  of the business, and such other data as the department may

26  reasonably require. However, owners and operators of vending

27  machines or newspaper rack machines are required to obtain

28  only one certificate of registration for each county in which

29  such machines are located. The department, by rule, may

30  authorize a dealer that uses independent sellers to sell its

31  merchandise to remit tax on the retail sales price charged to

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  1  the ultimate consumer in lieu of having the independent seller

  2  register as a dealer and remit the tax. The department may

  3  appoint the county tax collector as the department's agent to

  4  accept applications for registrations. The application must be

  5  made to the department before the person, firm, copartnership,

  6  or corporation may engage in such business, and it must be

  7  accompanied by a registration fee of $5. However, a

  8  registration fee is not required to accompany an application

  9  to engage in or conduct business to make mail order sales. The

10  department, upon receipt of such application, will grant to

11  the applicant a separate certificate of registration for each

12  place of business, which certificate may be canceled by the

13  department or its designated assistants for any failure by the

14  certificateholder to comply with any of the provisions of this

15  chapter. The certificate is not assignable and is valid only

16  for the person, firm, copartnership, or corporation to which

17  issued. The certificate must be placed in a conspicuous place

18  in the business or businesses for which it is issued and must

19  be displayed at all times. Except as provided in this

20  paragraph, no person shall engage in business as a dealer or

21  in leasing, renting, or letting of or granting licenses in

22  living quarters or sleeping or housekeeping accommodations in

23  hotels, apartment houses, roominghouses, tourist or trailer

24  camps, or real property as hereinbefore defined, nor shall any

25  person sell or receive anything of value by way of admissions,

26  without first having obtained such a certificate or after such

27  certificate has been canceled; no person shall receive any

28  license from any authority within the state to engage in any

29  such business without first having obtained such a certificate

30  or after such certificate has been canceled. The engaging in

31  the business of selling or leasing tangible personal property

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  1  or services or as a dealer, as defined in this chapter, or the

  2  engaging in leasing, renting, or letting of or granting

  3  licenses in living quarters or sleeping or housekeeping

  4  accommodations in hotels, apartment houses, roominghouses, or

  5  tourist or trailer camps that are taxable under this chapter,

  6  or real property, or the engaging in the business of selling

  7  or receiving anything of value by way of admissions, without

  8  such certificate first being obtained or after such

  9  certificate has been canceled by the department, is

10  prohibited. The failure or refusal of any person, firm,

11  copartnership, or corporation to so qualify when required

12  hereunder is a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as

13  provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083, or subject to injunctive

14  proceedings as provided by law. Such failure or refusal also

15  subjects the offender to a $100 initial registration fee in

16  lieu of the $5 registration fee authorized in this paragraph.

17         Section 8.  This act shall take effect July 1, 1998.

18

19            *****************************************

20                          SENATE SUMMARY

21    Redefines the terms "retail sales," "sales price," and
      "use" for purposes of ch. 212, F.S.  Revises provisions
22    relating to taxability or exemption of a variety of
      property and services, including rentals in trailer parks
23    and similar facilities; rentals in property used as
      nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and hospices;
24    utility charges paid by a tenant; charges for terminating
      or canceling a lease; entry fees for contestants at
25    sporting events for admission to which spectators are
      also charged tax; boats and aircraft; exempt property
26    converted to the owner's own use after initial purchase;
      newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals and inserts
27    therefor; and vending machine and newspaper rack machine
      sales.
28

29

30

31

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