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H.B. 99

             1     

MOTION PICTURE INCENTIVES AMENDMENTS

             2     
2011 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Gregory H. Hughes

             5     
Senate Sponsor: ____________

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill modifies provisions of the Motion Picture Incentive Account regarding
             10      definitions, the issuance of tax credit certificates, and the ceiling on incentives granted
             11      to a motion picture company.
             12      Highlighted Provisions:
             13          This bill:
             14          .    provides that money in the Motion Picture Incentive Account is nonlapsing;
             15          .    modifies the definition of state-approved production;
             16          .    provides that the Governor's Office of Economic Development may issue tax credit
             17      certificates annually as incentives for motion picture productions within the state;
             18          .    provides for carryover of an amount of tax credit certificates equal to the amount
             19      not issued by the office in a given fiscal year;
             20          .    provides that the office shall make rules establishing criteria for determining the
             21      amount of the incentive;
             22          .    increases the ceiling on an incentive granted to a motion picture company from 20%
             23      to 30% of the dollars left in the state by the company; and
             24          .    makes certain technical changes.
             25      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             26          None
             27      Other Special Clauses:


             28          None
             29      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             30      AMENDS:
             31          63J-1-602.4, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2010, Chapter 265
             32          63M-1-1802, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2010, Chapter 278
             33          63M-1-1803, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2010, Chapters 151, 278 and last
             34      amended by Coordination Clause, Laws of Utah 2010, Chapter 278
             35          63M-1-1804, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2010, Chapter 278
             36     
             37      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             38          Section 1. Section 63J-1-602.4 is amended to read:
             39           63J-1-602.4. List of nonlapsing funds and accounts -- Title 61 through Title 63M.
             40          (1) The Utah Housing Opportunity Restricted Account created in Section 61-2-204 .
             41          (2) Funds paid to the Division of Real Estate for the cost of a criminal background
             42      check for a mortgage loan license, as provided in Section 61-2c-202 .
             43          (3) Funds paid to the Division of Real Estate for the cost of a criminal background
             44      check for principal broker, associate broker, and sales agent licenses, as provided in Section
             45      61-2f-204 .
             46          (4) Certain funds donated to the Department of Human Services, as provided in
             47      Section 62A-1-111 .
             48          (5) Certain funds donated to the Division of Child and Family Services, as provided in
             49      Section 62A-4a-110 .
             50          (6) Appropriations to the Division of Services for People with Disabilities, as provided
             51      in Section 62A-5-102 .
             52          (7) Certain donations to the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, as
             53      provided in Section 62A-15-103 .
             54          (8) Assessments for DUI violations that are forwarded to an account created by a
             55      county treasurer, as provided in Section 62A-15-503 .
             56          (9) The Risk Management Fund created under Section 63A-4-201 .
             57          (10) The Child Welfare Parental Defense Fund created in Section 63A-11-203 .
             58          (11) The Constitutional Defense Restricted Account created in Section 63C-4-103 .


             59          (12) A portion of the funds appropriated to the Utah Seismic Safety Commission, as
             60      provided in Section 63C-6-104 .
             61          (13) Funding for the Medical Education Program administered by the Medical
             62      Education Council, as provided in Section 63C-8-102 .
             63          (14) Certain money payable for commission expenses of the Pete Suazo Utah Athletic
             64      Commission, as provided under Section 63C-11-301 .
             65          (15) Funds collected for publishing the Division of Administrative Rules' publications,
             66      as provided in Section 63G-3-402 .
             67          (16) Money received by the military installation development authority, as provided in
             68      Section 63H-1-504 .
             69          (17) The appropriation to fund the Governor's Office of Economic Development's
             70      Enterprise Zone Act, as provided in Section 63M-1-416 .
             71          (18) The Tourism Marketing Performance Account, as provided in Section
             72      63M-1-1406 .
             73          (19) The Motion Picture Incentive Account created in Section 63M-1-1803 .
             74          [(19)] (20) Certain money in the Development for Disadvantaged Rural Communities
             75      Restricted Account, as provided in Section 63M-1-2003 .
             76          [(20)] (21) Appropriations to the Utah Science Technology and Research Governing
             77      Authority, created under Section 63M-2-301 , as provided under Section 63M-2-302 .
             78          [(21)] (22) Certain money in the Rural Broadband Service Account, as provided in
             79      Section 63M-1-2303 .
             80          Section 2. Section 63M-1-1802 is amended to read:
             81           63M-1-1802. Definitions.
             82          As used in this part:
             83          (1) "Board" means the Governor's Office of Economic Development Board.
             84          (2) "Dollars left in the state" means expenditures made in the state for a state-approved
             85      production, including:
             86          (a) an expenditure that is subject to:
             87          (i) a corporate franchise or income tax under Title 59, Chapter 7, Corporate Franchise
             88      and Income Taxes;
             89          (ii) an individual income tax under Title 59, Chapter 10, Individual Income Tax Act;


             90      and
             91          (iii) a sales and use tax under Title 59, Chapter 12, Sales and Use Tax Act,
             92      notwithstanding any sales and use tax exemption allowed by law;
             93          (b) payments made to a nonresident only to the extent of the income tax paid to the
             94      state on the payments, the amount of per diems paid, and other direct reimbursements
             95      transacted in the state; and
             96          (c) payments made to a payroll company or loan-out corporation that is registered to do
             97      business in the state, only to the extent of the amount of withholding under Section 59-10-402 .
             98          (3) "Loan-out corporation" means a corporation owned by one or more artists that
             99      provides services of the artists to a third party production company.
             100          (4) "Motion picture company" means a company engaged in the production of:
             101          (a) motion pictures;
             102          (b) television series; or
             103          (c) made-for-television movies.
             104          (5) "Motion picture incentive" means either a cash rebate from the Motion Picture
             105      Incentive Account or a refundable tax credit under Section 59-7-614.5 or 59-10-1108 .
             106          (6) "Office" means the Governor's Office of Economic Development.
             107          (7) "Payroll company" means a business entity that handles the payroll and becomes
             108      the employer of record for the staff, cast, and crew of a motion picture production.
             109          (8) "Refundable tax credit" means a refundable motion picture tax credit authorized
             110      under Section 63M-1-1803 and claimed under Section 59-7-614.5 or 59-10-1108 .
             111          (9) "Restricted account" means the Motion Picture Incentive Account created in
             112      Section 63M-1-1803 .
             113          (10) "State-approved production" means a [motion picture, television series, or
             114      made-for-television movie] production under Subsection (4) that is:
             115          (a) approved by the [administrator] office and ratified by the board [that is]; and
             116          (b) produced in the state by a motion picture company.
             117          (11) "Tax credit amount" means the amount the office lists as a tax credit on a tax
             118      credit certificate for a taxable year.
             119          (12) "Tax credit certificate" means a certificate issued by the office that:
             120          (a) lists the name of the applicant;


             121          (b) lists the applicant's taxpayer identification number;
             122          (c) lists the amount of tax credit that the office awards the applicant for the taxable
             123      year; and
             124          (d) may include other information as determined by the office.
             125          Section 3. Section 63M-1-1803 is amended to read:
             126           63M-1-1803. Motion Picture Incentive Account created -- Cash rebate incentives
             127      -- Refundable tax credit incentives.
             128          (1) (a) There is created within the General Fund a restricted account known as the
             129      Motion Picture Incentive Account, which the office shall [be used] use to provide cash rebate
             130      incentives for[:] state-approved productions.
             131          [(i) within-the-state production of television series;]
             132          [(ii) made-for-television movies; and]
             133          [(iii) motion pictures, including feature films and independent films.]
             134          (b) All interest generated from investment of money in the restricted account shall be
             135      deposited in the restricted account.
             136          (c) The restricted account shall consist of an annual appropriation by the Legislature.
             137          (d) The office shall:
             138          (i) with the advice of the board, administer the restricted account; and
             139          (ii) make payments from the restricted account as required under this section.
             140          (e) The cost of administering the restricted account shall be paid from money in the
             141      restricted account.
             142          (2) (a) A motion picture company seeking disbursement of an incentive allowed under
             143      an agreement with the office shall follow the procedures and requirements of this Subsection
             144      (2).
             145          (b) (i) The motion picture company shall provide the office with a report identifying
             146      and documenting the dollars left in the state by the motion picture company for its
             147      state-approved production, including any related tax returns by the motion picture company,
             148      payroll company, or loan-out corporation under Subsection (2)(c).
             149          (ii) An independent certified public accountant shall:
             150          (A) review the report submitted by the motion picture company; and
             151          (B) attest to the accuracy and validity of the report, including the amount of dollars left


             152      in the state.
             153          (c) The motion picture company, payroll company, or loan-out corporation shall
             154      provide the office with a document that expressly directs and authorizes the State Tax
             155      Commission to disclose the entity's tax returns and other information concerning the entity that
             156      would otherwise be subject to confidentiality under Section 59-1-403 or Section 6103, Internal
             157      Revenue Code, to the office.
             158          (d) The office shall submit the document described in Subsection (2)(c) to the State
             159      Tax Commission.
             160          (e) Upon receipt of the document described in Subsection (2)(c), the State Tax
             161      Commission shall provide the office with the information requested by the office that the
             162      motion picture company, payroll company, or loan-out corporation directed or authorized the
             163      State Tax Commission to provide to the office in the document described in Subsection (2)(c).
             164          (f) Subject to Subsection (3), the office shall:
             165          (i) review the report from the motion picture company described in Subsection (2)(b)
             166      and verify that it was reviewed by an independent certified public accountant; and
             167          (ii) based upon the certified public accountant's attestation under Subsection (2)(b),
             168      determine the amount of the incentive that the motion picture company is entitled to under its
             169      agreement with the office.
             170          (g) Subject to Subsection (3), if the incentive is in the form of a cash rebate, the office
             171      shall pay the incentive from the restricted account to the motion picture company,
             172      notwithstanding Subsections 51-5-3 (23)(b) and 63J-1-104 (4)(c).
             173          (h) If the incentive is in the form of a refundable tax credit under Section 59-7-614.5 or
             174      59-10-1108 , the office shall:
             175          (i) issue a tax credit certificate to the motion picture company; and
             176          (ii) provide a duplicate copy of the tax credit certificate to the State Tax Commission.
             177          (i) A motion picture company may not claim a motion picture tax credit under Section
             178      59-7-614.5 or 59-10-1108 unless the motion picture company has received a tax credit
             179      certificate for the claim issued by the office under Subsection (2)(h)(i).
             180          (j) A motion picture company may claim a motion picture tax credit on its tax return
             181      for the amount listed on the tax credit certificate issued by the office.
             182          (k) A motion picture company that claims a tax credit under Subsection (2)(j) shall


             183      retain the tax credit certificate in accordance with Subsection 63M-1-1804 (5)(d).
             184          (3) (a) Subject to Subsection (3)(b), the office may issue [up to: (i) (A)] $7,793,700 in
             185      tax credit certificates under this part in a fiscal year [2009-10; and].
             186          [(B) $7,793,700 in tax credit certificates under this part in fiscal year 2010-11; and]
             187          [(ii) $2,206,300 in motion picture cash rebates under this part in a fiscal year.]
             188          [(b) If the total amount of tax credit certificates the office issues in a fiscal year is less
             189      than the amount of tax credit certificates the office may issue in that fiscal year under
             190      Subsection (3)(a)(i)(A) or (B), the office may issue the remaining amount of tax credit
             191      certificates in a fiscal year after the fiscal year for which there is a remaining amount of tax
             192      credit certificates.]
             193          [(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this part or Section 59-7-614.5 or
             194      59-10-1108 , beginning on July 1, 2011, the office may not issue a tax credit certificate unless:]
             195          [(i) the Legislature expressly provides funding in the office's budget for the office to
             196      issue the tax credit certificate; or]
             197          [(ii) there is a remaining amount of tax credit that the office may issue in accordance
             198      with Subsection (3)(b).]
             199          (b) If the office does not issue tax credit certificates in a fiscal year totaling the amount
             200      authorized under Subsection (3)(a), it may carry over that amount for issuance in subsequent
             201      fiscal years.
             202          Section 4. Section 63M-1-1804 is amended to read:
             203           63M-1-1804. Motion picture incentives -- Standards to qualify for an incentive --
             204      Limitations -- Content of agreement between office and motion picture company.
             205          (1) In addition to the requirements for receiving a motion picture incentive as set forth
             206      in this part, the office, in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative
             207      Rulemaking Act, shall make rules establishing:
             208          (a) the standards that a motion picture company must meet to qualify for the motion
             209      picture incentive[.]; and
             210          (b) criteria for determining the amount of the incentive.
             211          (2) The office shall ensure that those standards include the following:
             212          (a) an incentive may only be issued for a within-the-state production of:
             213          (i) a television series;


             214          (ii) a made-for-television movie; or
             215          (iii) a motion picture, including feature films and independent films;
             216          (b) financing has been obtained and is in place for the production; and
             217          (c) the economic impact of the production on the state represents new incremental
             218      economic activity in the state as opposed to existing economic activity.
             219          (3) The office may also consider giving preference to a production that stimulates
             220      economic activity in rural areas of the state or that has Utah content, such as recognizing that
             221      the production was made in the state or uses Utah as Utah in the production.
             222          (4) (a) The office, with advice from the board, may enter into an agreement with a
             223      motion picture company that meets the standards established under this section and satisfies the
             224      other qualification requirements under this part.
             225          (b) Subject to Subsection 63M-1-1803 (3), the office may commit or authorize a motion
             226      picture incentive to a motion picture company if that incentive does not exceed [20%] 30% of
             227      the dollars left in the state by the motion picture company.
             228          (c) A cash rebate incentive from the Motion Picture Incentive Restricted Account may
             229      not exceed $500,000 per production.
             230          (5) The office shall ensure that the agreement entered into with a motion picture
             231      company under Subsection (4)(a):
             232          (a) details the requirements that the motion picture company must meet to qualify for
             233      an incentive under this part;
             234          (b) specifies:
             235          (i) the nature of the incentive; and
             236          (ii) the maximum amount of the motion picture incentive that the motion picture
             237      company may earn for a taxable year and over the life of the production;
             238          (c) establishes the length of time over which the motion picture company may claim
             239      the motion picture incentive;
             240          (d) requires the motion picture company to retain records supporting its claim for a
             241      motion picture incentive for at least four years after the motion picture company claims the
             242      incentive under this part; and
             243          (e) requires the motion picture company to submit to audits for verification of the
             244      claimed motion picture incentive.






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    as of 11-30-10 2:00 PM


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