S.B. 200

             1     

TAX CREDIT FOR EMPLOYER PURCHASE OF PUBLIC

             2     
TRANSIT PASS

             3     
2014 GENERAL SESSION

             4     
STATE OF UTAH

             5     
Chief Sponsor: Todd Weiler

             6     
House Sponsor: ____________

             7     
             8      LONG TITLE
             9      General Description:
             10          This bill enacts income tax credits.
             11      Highlighted Provisions:
             12          This bill:
             13          .    defines terms;
             14          .    enacts tax credits for an employer purchase of a public transit pass; and
             15          .    repeals provisions related to tax credits and enacts the Tax Credit Administration
             16      Act.
             17      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             18          None
             19      Other Special Clauses:
             20          This bill has retrospective operation for a taxable year beginning on or after January 1,
             21      2014.
             22      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             23      ENACTS:
             24           59-7-616 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             25           59-7-901 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             26           59-7-902 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             27           59-7-903 , Utah Code Annotated 1953


             28           59-10-1032 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             29      REPEALS:
             30           59-7-615 , as enacted by Laws of Utah 2002, Chapter 62
             31     
             32      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             33          Section 1. Section 59-7-616 is enacted to read:
             34          59-7-616. Definitions -- Nonrefundable tax credit for employer purchase of public
             35      transit pass.
             36          (1) As used in this section:
             37          (a) "Eligible public transit pass" means a fare for public transit that is:
             38          (i) purchased in a single transaction; and
             39          (ii) valid for a time period of one month or more.
             40          (b) (i) Except as provided in Subsection (1)(b)(ii), "employer" is as defined in Section
             41      59-10-401 .
             42          (ii) "Employer" does not include a governmental entity.
             43          (c) (i) Except as provided in Subsection (1)(c)(ii), "employee" is as defined in Section
             44      59-10-401 .
             45          (ii) "Employee" does not include an individual who performs services for a
             46      governmental entity.
             47          (d) "Public transit" means transportation:
             48          (i) other than air transportation or water transportation;
             49          (ii) of passengers only and their incidental baggage;
             50          (iii) provided by a governmental entity; and
             51          (iv) by means other than:
             52          (A) chartered bus;
             53          (B) sightseeing bus; or
             54          (C) taxi.
             55          (2) Subject to the other provisions of this section, an employer that is a corporation
             56      may claim a nonrefundable tax credit against a tax under this chapter for a taxable year for the
             57      purchase of one or more eligible public transit passes for use in this state by an employee of the
             58      employer if the employer:


             59          (a) includes the amount paid for the one or more eligible public transit passes in
             60      unadjusted income;
             61          (b) does not claim the amount paid for the one or more eligible public transit passes as
             62      a deduction or tax credit on a state or federal individual income tax return for the taxable year,
             63      other than a tax credit under this section; and
             64          (c) does not receive reimbursement for the purchase from any other person.
             65          (3) With respect to each employee of the employer, the tax credit under this section is
             66      equal to the lesser of:
             67          (a) 50% of the amount the employer pays for the taxable year for the one or more
             68      eligible public transit passes; or
             69          (b) $70 for each month of the taxable year during which the employer purchases an
             70      eligible transit pass.
             71          (4) (a) An employer that claims a tax credit under this section shall retain a receipt for
             72      any amount for which the employer claims a tax credit under this section.
             73          (b) At the request of the commission, an employer shall provide a receipt described in
             74      Subsection (4)(a) to the commission.
             75          (5) An employer may not carry forward or carry back a tax credit under this section.
             76          (6) In accordance with any rules prescribed by the commission under Subsection (7),
             77      the commission shall transfer at least annually from the General Fund into the Education Fund
             78      an amount equal to the amount of tax credit claimed under this section.
             79          (7) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the
             80      commission may make rules for making a transfer from the General Fund into the Education
             81      Fund as required by Subsection (6).
             82          Section 2. Section 59-7-901 is enacted to read:
             83     
Part 9. Tax Credit Administration Act

             84          59-7-901. Title.
             85          This part is known as the "Tax Credit Administration Act."
             86          Section 3. Section 59-7-902 is enacted to read:
             87          59-7-902. Definitions.
             88          As used in this part:
             89          (1) "Tax credit" means a nonrefundable tax credit listed on a tax return.


             90          (2) "Tax return" means:
             91          (a) a corporate return as defined in Section 59-7-101 filed in accordance with this
             92      chapter; or
             93          (b) a tax return filed in accordance with Chapter 8, Gross Receipts Tax on Certain
             94      Corporations Not Required to Pay Corporate Franchise or Income Tax Act.
             95          Section 4. Section 59-7-903 is enacted to read:
             96          59-7-903. Removal of tax credit from tax return -- Prohibition on claiming or
             97      carrying forward a tax credit -- Commission reporting requirements.
             98          (1) Subject to Subsection (2), the commission shall remove a tax credit from a tax
             99      return and a person filing a tax return may not claim or carry forward the tax credit if:
             100          (a) the total amount of tax credit claimed or carried forward by all persons who file a
             101      tax return is less than $10,000 per taxable year for three consecutive taxable years; and
             102          (b) less than 10 persons per year for the three consecutive taxable years described in
             103      Subsection (1)(a) file a tax return claiming or carrying forward the tax credit.
             104          (2) If the commission determines the requirements of Subsection (1) are met, the
             105      commission shall remove a tax credit from a tax return and a person filing a tax return may not
             106      claim or carry forward the tax credit beginning two taxable years after the January 1
             107      immediately following the date the commission determines the requirements of Subsection (1)
             108      are met.
             109          (3) The commission shall, on or before the November interim meeting of the year after
             110      the taxable year in which the commission determines the requirements of Subsection (1) are
             111      met:
             112          (a) report to the Revenue and Taxation Interim Committee that, in accordance with this
             113      section:
             114          (i) the commission is required to remove a tax credit from a return on which the tax
             115      credit appears; and
             116          (ii) a person filing a tax return may not claim or carry forward the tax credit; and
             117          (b) notify each state agency required by statute to assist in the administration of the tax
             118      credit that, in accordance with this section:
             119          (i) the commission is required to remove a tax credit from a return on which the tax
             120      credit appears; and


             121          (ii) a person filing a tax return may not claim or carry forward the tax credit.
             122          Section 5. Section 59-10-1032 is enacted to read:
             123          59-10-1032. Definitions -- Nonrefundable tax credit for employer purchase of
             124      public transit pass.
             125          (1) As used in this section:
             126          (a) "Eligible public transit pass" means a fare for public transit that is:
             127          (i) purchased in a single transaction; and
             128          (ii) valid for a time period of one month or more.
             129          (b) (i) Except as provided in Subsection (1)(b)(ii), "employer" is as defined in Section
             130      59-10-401 .
             131          (ii) "Employer" does not include a governmental entity.
             132          (c) (i) Except as provided in Subsection (1)(c)(ii), "employee" is as defined in Section
             133      59-10-401 .
             134          (ii) "Employee" does not include an individual who performs services for a
             135      governmental entity.
             136          (d) "Public transit" means transportation:
             137          (i) other than air transportation or water transportation;
             138          (ii) of passengers only and their incidental baggage;
             139          (iii) provided by a governmental entity; and
             140          (iv) by means other than:
             141          (A) chartered bus;
             142          (B) sightseeing bus; or
             143          (C) taxi.
             144          (2) Subject to the other provisions of this section, an employer that is a claimant,
             145      estate, or trust may claim a nonrefundable tax credit against a tax under this chapter for a
             146      taxable year for the purchase of one or more eligible public transit passes for use in this state by
             147      an employee of the employer if the employer:
             148          (a) includes the amount paid for the one or more eligible public transit passes in
             149      adjusted gross income;
             150          (b) does not claim the amount paid for the one or more eligible public transit passes as
             151      a deduction or tax credit on a state or federal individual income tax return for the taxable year,


             152      other than a tax credit under this section; and
             153          (c) does not receive reimbursement for the purchase from any other person.
             154          (3) With respect to each employee of the employer, the tax credit under this section is
             155      equal to the lesser of:
             156          (a) 50% of the amount the employer pays for the taxable year for the one or more
             157      eligible public transit passes; or
             158          (b) $70 for each month of the taxable year during which the employer purchases an
             159      eligible transit pass.
             160          (4) (a) An employer that claims a tax credit under this section shall retain a receipt for
             161      any amount for which the employer claims a tax credit under this section.
             162          (b) At the request of the commission, an employer shall provide a receipt described in
             163      Subsection (4)(a) to the commission.
             164          (5) An employer may not carry forward or carry back a tax credit under this section.
             165          (6) In accordance with any rules prescribed by the commission under Subsection (7),
             166      the commission shall transfer at least annually from the General Fund into the Education Fund
             167      an amount equal to the amount of tax credit claimed under this section.
             168          (7) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the
             169      commission may make rules for making a transfer from the General Fund into the Education
             170      Fund as required by Subsection (6).
             171          Section 6. Repealer.
             172          This bill repeals:
             173          Section 59-7-615 , Removal of tax credit from tax form and prohibition on claiming
             174      or carrying forward a tax credit -- Conditions for removal and prohibition on claiming or
             175      carrying forward a tax credit -- Commission reporting requirements.
             176          Section 7. Retrospective operation.
             177          This bill has retrospective operation for a taxable year beginning on or after January 1,
             178      2014.





Legislative Review Note
    as of 2-14-14 5:26 PM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


[Bill Documents][Bills Directory]