Senate Bill sb2918

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 2918

    By Senator Diaz de la Portilla





    36-1788-07

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to a tax credit for research

  3         and development expenses; creating s. 220.194,

  4         F.S.; providing legislative intent regarding a

  5         state research and development tax credit;

  6         defining the terms "base amount," "business

  7         enterprise," and "qualified research expenses";

  8         providing a tax credit for businesses having

  9         qualified research expenses; providing that the

10         tax credit is 10 percent of the excess over the

11         base amount; providing that the credit taken in

12         any one taxable year may not exceed a certain

13         amount; providing that any unused credit may be

14         carried forward for up to 10 years following

15         the close of the tax year in which the

16         qualified expenses were incurred; providing

17         that any unused credit may be assigned or sold

18         to another taxpayer under certain conditions;

19         providing for a maximum credit amount;

20         requiring the Department of Revenue to adopt

21         rules and guidelines; providing an effective

22         date.

23  

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

25  

26         Section 1.  Section 220.194, Florida Statutes, is

27  created to read:

28         220.194  Research and development tax credit.--

29         (1)(a)  The Legislature finds that research and

30  development has become the underlying source of wealth in the

31  21st century by generating ideas and technologies that

                                  1

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 2918
    36-1788-07




 1  encourage productivity and economic growth. Furthermore,

 2  companies generate the main body of growth-stimulating

 3  innovations, making current ideas and technologies more

 4  market-sensitive than other sources of research and

 5  development.

 6         (b)  The Legislature further finds that research and

 7  development tax credits are proven to provide incentives for

 8  corporate research and development beyond expected levels.

 9  Research shows that, not only is the federal research and

10  development tax credit an effective tool for stimulating

11  additional research and development, which in turn leads to

12  faster economic growth, but that state research and

13  development tax credit programs are nearly as important to

14  corporate research and development as the federal research and

15  development tax credit program, and that the typical state

16  research and development tax credit program has been shown to

17  increase general, company-funded research and development

18  within a state, often enhancing the state's competitiveness by

19  enabling it to draw research and development activity away

20  from other states.

21         (c)  Additionally, the Legislature finds that this

22  state needs a state research and development tax credit

23  program to ensure economic competition. Unlike Florida, more

24  than half of the states have a research and development tax

25  credit program. Without a state research and development tax

26  credit, Florida lags behind the nation in important corporate

27  research and development.

28         (d)  The Legislature therefore creates the research and

29  development tax credit to encourage corporate research and

30  development activity within the state, sharpen the state's

31  competitive edge by leveling the playing field with the

                                  2

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 2918
    36-1788-07




 1  state's regional and national economic competitors, support

 2  the state's vibrant innovation economy, and attract high-wage,

 3  professional research jobs to the state.

 4         (2)  As used in this section, the term:

 5         (a)  "Base amount" means the amount resulting from the

 6  following calculations:

 7         1.  The division of a business enterprise's research

 8  and development expenditures by its gross receipts for a

 9  predetermined base period.

10         2.  The multiplication of the ratio resulting from the

11  calculation in subparagraph 1. by the average of the business

12  enterprise's research and development expenses over the 4-year

13  period before the current tax year.

14         (b)  "Business enterprise" means any business or the

15  headquarters of any business that is engaged in the

16  manufacturing, warehousing and distribution, processing,

17  telecommunications, tourism, or research and development

18  industries. The term does not exclude retail businesses.

19         (3)  A tax credit is allowed for a business enterprise

20  that has qualified research expenses in this state in a

21  taxable year exceeding the base amount, if the business

22  enterprise for the same taxable year claims and is allowed a

23  research credit under s. 41 of the Internal Revenue Code of

24  1986, as amended.

25         (4)  The tax credit provided in subsection (3) shall be

26  10 percent of the excess over the base amount.

27         (5)  The credit taken in any one tax year may not

28  exceed 50 percent of the business enterprise's remaining net

29  income tax liability under this chapter after all other

30  credits have been applied.

31  

                                  3

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 2918
    36-1788-07




 1         (6)  Any unused credit claimed under this section may

 2  be carried forward for up to 10 years following the close of

 3  the taxable year in which the qualified research expenses were

 4  incurred.

 5         (7)  Any unused credit claimed under this section may

 6  be assigned or sold to another taxpayer in the state if there

 7  has been no claim for allowance filed within 1 year following

 8  the date that the Department of Revenue approved the credit.

 9  The purchaser or assignee must use the newly obtained research

10  and development tax credit in the taxable year in which the

11  purchase or assignment of the credit is made. The purchased or

12  assigned research and development credit may not be used to

13  offset more than 75 percent of a tax liability for a taxable

14  year. The purchased or assigned credit may not be carried

15  over, carried back, resold, or refunded.

16         (8)  The maximum credit amount that may be approved

17  during any calendar year is $  million.

18         (9)  The Department of Revenue shall adopt rules

19  governing the manner and form of applications for credit and

20  may establish guidelines concerning the requisites for an

21  affirmative showing of qualification for the credit under this

22  section.

23         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2007.

24  

25  

26  

27  

28  

29  

30  

31  

                                  4

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 2918
    36-1788-07




 1            *****************************************

 2                          SENATE SUMMARY

 3    Provides legislative intent regarding a state research
      and development tax credit. Defines "base amount,"
 4    "business enterprise," and "qualified research expenses."
      Allows businesses with qualified research expenses to
 5    have a tax credit. Provides that the tax credit is 10
      percent of the excess over the base amount. Provides that
 6    the credit taken in any one taxable year may not exceed a
      certain amount. Provides that any unused credit may be
 7    carried forward for up to 10 years after the close of the
      tax year in which the qualified expenses were incurred.
 8    Provides that any unused credit may be assigned or sold
      to another taxpayer under certain conditions. Provides
 9    for a maximum credit amount. Requires the Department of
      Revenue to adopt rules and guidelines.
10  

11  

12  

13  

14  

15  

16  

17  

18  

19  

20  

21  

22  

23  

24  

25  

26  

27  

28  

29  

30  

31  

                                  5

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.