Senate Bill 0110c1

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    Florida Senate - 1999                            CS for SB 110

    By the Committee on Fiscal Resource and Senator McKay





    314-2144-99

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to the tax on sales, use, and

  3         other transactions; amending s. 212.08, F.S.;

  4         providing that an exemption from the tax

  5         applies to machinery and equipment purchased

  6         for use in phosphate or other solid-mineral

  7         severance, mining, or processing operations

  8         under specified conditions; providing for

  9         accountability; providing an effective date.

10

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

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13         Section 1.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (5) of section

14  212.08, Florida Statutes, 1998 Supplement, is amended to read:

15         212.08  Sales, rental, use, consumption, distribution,

16  and storage tax; specified exemptions.--The sale at retail,

17  the rental, the use, the consumption, the distribution, and

18  the storage to be used or consumed in this state of the

19  following are hereby specifically exempt from the tax imposed

20  by this chapter.

21         (5)  EXEMPTIONS; ACCOUNT OF USE.--

22         (b)  Machinery and equipment used to increase

23  productive output.--

24         1.  Industrial machinery and equipment purchased for

25  use in new businesses which manufacture, process, compound, or

26  produce for sale, or for exclusive use in spaceport activities

27  as defined in s. 212.02, items of tangible personal property

28  at fixed locations are exempt from the tax imposed by this

29  chapter upon an affirmative showing by the taxpayer to the

30  satisfaction of the department that such items are used in a

31  new business in this state. Such purchases must be made prior

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    Florida Senate - 1999                            CS for SB 110
    314-2144-99




  1  to the date the business first begins its productive

  2  operations, and delivery of the purchased item must be made

  3  within 12 months of that date.

  4         2.a.  Industrial machinery and equipment purchased for

  5  use in expanding manufacturing facilities or plant units which

  6  manufacture, process, compound, or produce for sale, or for

  7  exclusive use in spaceport activities as defined in s. 212.02,

  8  items of tangible personal property at fixed locations in this

  9  state are exempt from any amount of tax imposed by this

10  chapter in excess of $50,000 per calendar year upon an

11  affirmative showing by the taxpayer to the satisfaction of the

12  department that such items are used to increase the productive

13  output of such expanded business by not less than 10 percent.

14         b.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this

15  section, industrial machinery and equipment purchased for use

16  in expanding printing manufacturing facilities or plant units

17  that manufacture, process, compound, or produce for sale items

18  of tangible personal property at fixed locations in this state

19  are exempt from any amount of tax imposed by this chapter upon

20  an affirmative showing by the taxpayer to the satisfaction of

21  the department that such items are used to increase the

22  productive output of such an expanded business by not less

23  than 10 percent.

24         3.a.  To receive an exemption provided by subparagraph

25  1. or subparagraph 2., a qualifying business entity shall

26  apply to the department for a temporary tax exemption permit.

27  The application shall state that a new business exemption or

28  expanded business exemption is being sought. Upon a tentative

29  affirmative determination by the department pursuant to

30  subparagraph 1. or subparagraph 2., the department shall issue

31  such permit.

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    Florida Senate - 1999                            CS for SB 110
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  1         b.  The applicant shall be required to maintain all

  2  necessary books and records to support the exemption. Upon

  3  completion of purchases of qualified machinery and equipment

  4  pursuant to subparagraph 1. or subparagraph 2., the temporary

  5  tax permit shall be delivered to the department or returned to

  6  the department by certified or registered mail.

  7         c.  If, in a subsequent audit conducted by the

  8  department, it is determined that the machinery and equipment

  9  purchased as exempt under subparagraph 1. or subparagraph 2.

10  did not meet the criteria mandated by this paragraph or if

11  commencement of production did not occur, the amount of taxes

12  exempted at the time of purchase shall immediately be due and

13  payable to the department by the business entity, together

14  with the appropriate interest and penalty, computed from the

15  date of purchase, in the manner prescribed by this chapter.

16         d.  In the event a qualifying business entity fails to

17  apply for a temporary exemption permit or if the tentative

18  determination by the department required to obtain a temporary

19  exemption permit is negative, a qualifying business entity

20  shall receive the exemption provided in subparagraph 1. or

21  subparagraph 2. through a refund of previously paid taxes. No

22  refund may be made for such taxes unless the criteria mandated

23  by subparagraph 1. or subparagraph 2. have been met and

24  commencement of production has occurred.

25         4.  The department shall promulgate rules governing

26  applications for, issuance of, and the form of temporary tax

27  exemption permits; provisions for recapture of taxes; and the

28  manner and form of refund applications and may establish

29  guidelines as to the requisites for an affirmative showing of

30  increased productive output, commencement of production, and

31  qualification for exemption.

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    Florida Senate - 1999                            CS for SB 110
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  1         5.  The exemptions provided in subparagraphs 1. and 2.

  2  do not apply to machinery or equipment purchased or used by

  3  electric utility companies, communications companies,

  4  phosphate or other solid minerals severance, mining, or

  5  processing operations, oil or gas exploration or production

  6  operations, publishing firms that do not export at least 50

  7  percent of their finished product out of the state, any firm

  8  subject to regulation by the Division of Hotels and

  9  Restaurants of the Department of Business and Professional

10  Regulation, or any firm which does not manufacture, process,

11  compound, or produce for sale, or for exclusive use in

12  spaceport activities as defined in s. 212.02, items of

13  tangible personal property. The exemptions provided in

14  subparagraphs 1. and 2. shall apply to machinery and equipment

15  purchased for use in phosphate or other solid-minerals

16  severance, mining, or processing operations only by way of a

17  prospective credit against taxes due under chapter 211 for

18  taxes paid under this chapter on such machinery and equipment.

19         6.  For the purposes of the exemptions provided in

20  subparagraphs 1. and 2., these terms have the following

21  meanings:

22         a.  "Industrial machinery and equipment" means "section

23  38 property" as defined in s. 48(a)(1)(A) and (B)(i) of the

24  Internal Revenue Code, provided "industrial machinery and

25  equipment" shall be construed by regulations adopted by the

26  Department of Revenue to mean tangible property used as an

27  integral part of the manufacturing, processing, compounding,

28  or producing for sale, or for exclusive use in spaceport

29  activities as defined in s. 212.02, of items of tangible

30  personal property. Such term includes parts and accessories

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    Florida Senate - 1999                            CS for SB 110
    314-2144-99




  1  only to the extent that the exemption thereof is consistent

  2  with the provisions of this paragraph.

  3         b.  "Productive output" means the number of units

  4  actually produced by a single plant or operation in a single

  5  continuous 12-month period, irrespective of sales. Increases

  6  in productive output shall be measured by the output for 12

  7  continuous months immediately following the completion of

  8  installation of such machinery or equipment over the output

  9  for the 12 continuous months immediately preceding such

10  installation. However, if a different 12-month continuous

11  period of time would more accurately reflect the increase in

12  productive output of machinery and equipment purchased to

13  facilitate an expansion, the increase in productive output may

14  be measured during that 12-month continuous period of time if

15  such time period is mutually agreed upon by the Department of

16  Revenue and the expanding business prior to the commencement

17  of production; provided, however, in no case may such time

18  period begin later than 2 years following the completion of

19  installation of the new machinery and equipment. The units

20  used to measure productive output shall be physically

21  comparable between the two periods, irrespective of sales.

22         7.  Notwithstanding any other provision in this

23  paragraph to the contrary, in order to receive the exemption

24  provided in this paragraph a taxpayer must register with the

25  WAGES Program Business Registry established by the local WAGES

26  coalition for the area in which the taxpayer is located.  Such

27  registration establishes a commitment on the part of the

28  taxpayer to hire WAGES program participants to the maximum

29  extent possible consistent with the nature of their business.

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    Florida Senate - 1999                            CS for SB 110
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  1         Section 2.  (1)  In order to qualify for the exemption

  2  and credit created in this act, an expanding business must

  3  demonstrate the following:

  4         (a)  For a business that has 2,500 or fewer Florida

  5  employees, the creation of new Florida jobs in an amount equal

  6  to at least 5 percent of its Florida employees; or

  7         (b)  For a business that has more than 2,500 Florida

  8  employees, the creation of new Florida jobs in an amount equal

  9  to at least 3 percent of its Florida employees.

10         (2)  In order to qualify for the exemption and credit

11  created in this act, a new business must demonstrate the

12  creation of at least 100 new Florida jobs.

13         (3)  For purposes of this section, the term "new

14  Florida job" means a new position created and filled within 24

15  months after completion of construction of the new or expanded

16  facility and includes a transfer of a position from an

17  existing Florida operation as long as the transfer is the

18  result of the closure or reduction of the other Florida

19  operation. For an expanding business, the number of existing

20  Florida employees shall be determined as of the date on which

21  the business commences construction of the expansion.

22         (4)  The Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic

23  Development shall:

24         (a)  For an expanding business, document the number of

25  persons employed in Florida by such business as of the date of

26  commencement of construction of the expansion and the number

27  of new Florida jobs created by such business within 24 months

28  following the completion of construction of the expansion;

29         (b)  For a new business, document the number of new

30  Florida jobs created by such business within 24 months after

31  completion of construction of the new business; and

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    Florida Senate - 1999                            CS for SB 110
    314-2144-99




  1         (c)  Certify such to the Department of Revenue.

  2         Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 1999.

  3

  4          STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
                       COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
  5                              SB 110

  6

  7  The committee substitute makes the following changes to SB
    110:
  8
    1)    Adds to the exemption, other solid minerals severance
  9        operations.

10  2)    Provides that in order for a phosphate or other solid
          minerals severance, mining, or processing operations to
11        qualify for this exemption and tax credit, such business
          must produce a certain number of new Florida jobs.
12        Specifically, businesses must demonstrate the following:

13       a)     For an expanding business that has 2,500 or fewer
                Florida employees, they must create new Florida
14              jobs in an amount equal to at least 5 percent of
                its Florida employees.
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         b)     For an expanding business that has more than 2,500
16              Florida employees, they must create new Florida
                jobs in amount equal to at least 3 percent of its
17              Florida employees.

18       c)     For a new business, they must demonstrate the
                creation of at least 100 new Florida jobs.
19
    Provides a definition of "new Florida jobs"; provides that the
20  Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development will be
    responsible for documenting the number of persons employed in
21  Florida by qualified businesses and be responsible to certify
    such to the Department of Revenue.
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