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MINUTES OF THE

HOUSE REVENUE AND TAXATION

STANDING COMMITTEE

Room W135 - West Office Building, State Capitol Complex

                     January 28, 2008

MEMBERS PRESENT:     Rep. John Dougall, Chair
                Rep. Craig A. Frank, Vice Chair
                Rep. Roger Barrus                
                Rep. Tim M. Cosgrove
                 Rep. Wayne A. Harper                      
                 Rep. Gregory H. Hughes
                Rep. Christine Johnson
                Rep. Bradley G. Last                 
                Rep. Roz McGee
                 Rep. Carol Spackman Moss                           
                 Rep. Merlynn T. Newbold                         
                Rep. Gordon E. Snow
                Rep. Aaron Tilton
                Rep. Carl Wimmer
            
STAFF:            Bryant Howe, Assistant Director
                Rosemary Young, Secretary
                    
Note:    A list of visitors and a copy of handouts are filed with the committee minutes.

Rep. Dougall called the meeting to order at 8:11 a.m.

MOTION:    Rep. Harper moved to approve the minutes of the January 22, 2008 meeting. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Cosgrove, Rep. Hughes, Rep. Johnson, Rep. Last, Rep. Moss, Rep. Newbold, and Rep. Tilton absent for the vote.

H.B. 35    Motor and Special Fuel Tax Amendments (Rep. C. Frank)

MOTION:
    Rep. Wimmer moved to amend the bill as follows:

1.    Page 4, Lines 90 through 98 :    

             90          (ii) the retailer, wholesaler, or licensed distributor:
             91          (A) returns the mixed motor fuel to the refinery for re-refining; and
             92          (B) has paid
{   or is required to pay the tax on   } the motor fuel as provided by this part.

             93          (b) The claimant shall file a claim for a refund or credit with the commission within 90
             94      days of the date the motor fuel was
{   re-refined   }        returned to the refinery for re- refinement       .


             95
         (c) Any claimant filing a claim for a refund or credit shall furnish any or all of the
             96      information outlined in this section upon request of the commission.
             97          (d) The burden of proof
{   of the   }        that the motor fuel was returned to the refinery for       re-refinement      {   of the motor fuel   } is on the claimant who

             98      shall provide evidence
{   of re-refinement of the motor fuel   } to the satisfaction of the commission        that the motor fuel was returned to the refinery for re- refinement       .


2.    Page 4, Lines 107 through 108 :    

             107          (A) the motor fuel mixed with the dyed diesel fuel or special fuel was
{   re-refined   }        returned to the refinery for re-refinement       ; and

             108          (B) motor fuel tax was paid on the
{   re-refined   }        returned       motor fuel.


3.    Page 5, Line 138 :    

             138          (1) (a) A retailer, wholesaler,
  licensed distributor,       or licensed supplier, who without fault, sustains a loss or


4.    Page 6, Line 164 :    

             164          (2) (a) A retailer, wholesaler,
{   or   } licensed distributor        , or licensed supplier       who has paid the tax on special


5.    Page 7, Lines 189 through 201 :    

             189          (3) (a) Subject to the conditions and limitations of this section, a retailer, wholesaler,
{   or   }

             190      licensed distributor
  , or licensed supplier       is entitled to a refund or credit of special fuel tax if:

             191          (i) dyed diesel fuel or special fuel is mixed with special fuel; and
             192          (ii) the retailer, wholesaler,
{   or   } licensed distributor        , or licensed supplier       :

             193          (A) returns the mixed special fuel to the refinery for re-refining; and
             194          (B) has paid
{   or is required to pay   } the tax on the special fuel as provided by this part.

             195          (b) The claimant shall file a claim for a refund or credit with the commission within 90
             196      days of the date the special fuel was
{   re-refined   }        returned to the refinery for re-refinement       .


             197
         (c) Any claimant filing a claim for a refund or credit shall furnish any or all of the
             198      information outlined in this section upon request of the commission.
             199          (d) The burden of proof
{   of the re-refinement of the special fuel   }        that the special fuel was returned to the refinery for re-refinement       is on the claimant who

             200      shall provide evidence
{   of re-refinement of the special fuel   } to the satisfaction of the

             201      commission
  that the special fuel was returned to the refinery for re-refinement       .


6.    Page 7, Lines 210 through 211 :    

             210          (A) the special fuel mixed with the dyed diesel fuel or special fuel was
{   re-refined   }        returned to the refinery for re-refinement       ; and

             211          (B) special fuel tax was paid on the
{   re-refined   }        returned       special fuel.


The motion to amend passed unanimously with Rep. Cosgrove, Rep. Hughes, Rep. Johnson, Rep. Last, Rep. Moss, Rep. Newbold, and Rep. Tilton absent for the vote.

Rep. Frank introduced H.B. 35 as amended and explained it to the committee.

MOTION:    Rep. McGee moved to transmit the amended bill with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Cosgrove, Rep. Hughes, Rep. Johnson, Rep. Last, Rep. Moss, Rep. Newbold, and Rep. Tilton absent for the vote.

MOTION:    Rep. Harper moved that H.B. 35 be placed on the consent calendar. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Cosgrove, Rep. Hughes, Rep. Johnson, Rep. Last, Rep. Moss, Rep. Newbold and Rep. Tilton absent for the vote.

Rep. Dougall relinquished the chair to Rep. Harper.

H.B. 251    Sales and Use Tax Revisions (Rep. J. Dougall)

MOTION:    Rep. Dougall moved to amend H.B. 251 as follows:

1.    Page 1, Lines 11 through 16 :    

             11          This bill:
             12          .    repeals certain dates relating to the taxation of food and food ingredients;
             13          .    modifies a sales and use tax exemption relating to sales of aircraft manufactured in
             14      the state;
      .     modifies the sales and use tax exemption to which public transit districts

and their subcontractors are entitled;      


             15          .    modifies requirements for calculating the use tax for purposes of a sales and use tax
             16      return filed quarterly;

2.    Page 35, Lines 1051 through 1054 :    

             1051          (68) sales
  :

    (a)  
to a public transit district under Title 17B, Chapter 2a, Part 8, Public Transit

             1052      District Act
{   ,   }        ;       or

      (b) of tangible personal property       to a subcontractor of a public transit district,      {   including sales of construction

             1053      materials that are to be  
}
  if the tangible personal property is:

    (i) clearly identified; and
    (ii)  
installed or converted to real property owned by the public transit

             1054      district.
The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Hughes, Rep. Johnson, Rep. Last, Rep. Moss, Rep. Newbold, Rep. Tilton, and Rep. Frank absent for the vote.

Rep. Dougall introduced H.B. 251 and explained it to the committee. Lynn Solarczyk and Pam Hendrickson of the Utah Tax Commission spoke in favor of the bill.

MOTION:    Rep. Barrus moved to transmit the amended bill with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Hughes, Rep. Last, Rep. McGee, Rep. Moss, Rep. Newbold, Rep. Tilton, and Rep. Frank absent for the vote.

H.B. 248    Amendments to Sales and Use Tax Exemption for Certain Property Incorporated into Real Property (Rep. J. Dougall)

Rep. Dougall introduced the bill and explained it to the committee. Ken Murri, Chief Financial Officer, Cover Pools, spoke in favor of the bill.

MOTION:    Rep. Wimmer moved to transmit H.B. 248 with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Hughes, Rep. Last, Rep. Moss, Rep. Newbold, Rep. Tilton, and Rep. Frank absent for the vote.

Rep. Harper relinquished the chair to Rep. Dougall

H.B. 106    Clean Air and Efficient Vehicle Tax Incentives (Rep. R. McGee)

MOTION:    Rep. McGee moved to amend the bill as follows:



1.    Page 7, Lines 185 through 186 :    

             185          [(e)]
{   (f) "Electric-hybrid vehicle" is as defined in 42 U.S.C. Sec. 13435.   }

             186          
{   (g)   }        (f)       "Fuel economy standards" means that a vehicle's combined fuel economy, as


2.    Page 7, Lines 196 through 200 :    

             196          [(f)]
{   (h)   }        (g)       "Incremental cost" has the same meaning as in Section 19-1-402 .

             197          [(g)]
{   (i) "OEM vehicle" has the same meaning as in Section 19-1-402 .   }

             198          
{   (j)   }        (h)       "Original purchase" means the purchase of a vehicle that has never been titled or

             199      registered and has been driven less than 7,500 miles.
             200          [(h)]
{   (k)   }        (i)       "Special mobile equipment":


3.    Page 7, Line 205 :    

             205      after January 1, [2001] 2009, but beginning on or before December 31, [2010]
{   2011   }        2013       , a taxpayer


4.    Page 10, Lines 295 through 296 :    

             295          [(e)]
{   (f) "Electric-hybrid vehicle" is as defined in 42 U.S.C. Sec. 13435.   }

             296          
{   (g)   }        (f)       "Fuel economy standards" means that a vehicle's combined fuel economy, as


5.    Page 10, Line 306 through Page 11, Line 310 :    

             306          [(f)]
{   (h)   }        (g)       "Incremental cost" has the same meaning as in Section 19-1-402 .

             307          [(g)]
{   (i) "OEM vehicle" has the same meaning as in Section 19-1-402 .   }

             308          
{   (j)   }        (h)       "Original purchase" means the purchase of a vehicle that has never been titled or

             309      registered and has been driven less than 7,500 miles.
             310          [(h)]
{   (k)   }        (i)       "Special mobile equipment":


6.    Page 11, Line 315 :    

             315      after January 1, [2001]
{   2008   }        2009       , but beginning on or before December 31, [2010]      {   2011   }        2013       , a


The motion to amend passed unanimously with Rep. Harper, Rep. Hughes, Rep. Last, Rep. Newbold, Rep. Tilton, and Rep. Frank absent for the vote.


MOTION:    Rep. Barrus moved to amend the bill as follows:
    
    Page 1, Line 14:    After "clean" insert "special" and after "fuel" delete "special"

The motion to amend passed unanimously with Rep. Harper, Rep. Hughes, Rep. Last, Rep. Tilton, and Rep. Frank absent for the vote.

Rep. McGee introduced H.B. 106 and explained it to the committee. The following individuals spoke in favor of the bill:

    Glade Sowards        Utah Division of Air Quality
    Kathy Van Dame        Wasatch Clean Air Coalition
    Pam Hendrickson        Utah State Tax Commission
    Gordon Larsen        Questar
    Kevin Emerson        Utah Clean Energy

The following individuals spoke to the bill:

    Robin Erickson        Utah Clean Cities Coalition
    Carlos Braceras        Utah Department of Transportation

MOTION:    Rep. Barrus moved to transmit amended H.B. 106 with a favorable recommendation.

SUBSTITUTE MOTION:    Rep. Newbold moved to further amend the bill by eliminating lines 14, 18, and 19 and sections 6, 7, and 8. The motion failed with Rep. Harper, Rep. Hughes, Rep. Last, Rep. Newbold, and Rep. Snow voting in favor and Rep. Tilton and Rep. Frank absent for the vote..

The original motion to transmit the amended bill with a favorable recommendation passed with Rep. Last and Rep. Newbold voting against and Rep. Tilton and Rep. Frank absent for the vote.

Rep. Dougall relinquished the chair to Rep. Harper

H.B. 58    Severance Tax Amendments (Rep. J. Dougall)

Rep. Dougall assisted by Keith Prescott, chair of the Utah Tax Review Commission, introduced the bill and explained it to the committee. Lee Peacock, Utah Petroleum Association, and Morris Jackson, Tax Director at Questar, spoke in favor of the bill.

MOTION:    Rep. Hughes moved to proceed to the next item on the agenda. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Moss and Rep. Frank absent for the vote.


Rep. Harper relinquished the chair to Rep. Dougall.

H.B. 49    Budget Reserve Account and Disaster Recovery Account Amendments (Rep. W. Harper)

Rep. Harper introduced H.B. 49 and explained it to the committee. John Reidhead, Director of the Division of Finance, spoke to the bill.

MOTION:    Rep. Newbold moved to amend H.B. 49 as follows:

1.    Page 5, Lines 123 through 126 :    

             123          (d) Notwithstanding Subsection
{   (2)   }        (3)       , the Division of Finance shall hold back the

             124      General Fund balance for debt service authorized by this Subsection [(3)] (4) before making
             125      any transfers to the General Fund Budget Reserve Account or any other designation or
             126      allocation of General Fund revenue surplus.

2.    Page 5, Lines 138 through 140 :    

             138          [(5) All] (6)
{   Except as provided in Subsection (4)(b), interest   }        Interest       generated from

             139      investments of money in the General Fund Budget Reserve Account shall be deposited into the
             140      account.
The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Hughes, Rep. Moss, Rep. Snow, Rep. Tilton, and Rep. Frank absent for the vote.

MOTION:    Rep. Newbold moved to transmit the bill as amended with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Hughes, Rep. Moss, Rep. Snow, Rep. Tilton, Rep. Wimmer, and Rep. Frank absent for the vote.

MOTION:    Rep. Cosgrove moved to adjourn. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Hughes, Rep. Moss, Rep. Snow, Rep. Tilton, Rep. Wimmer, and Rep. Frank absent for the vote.

Rep. Dougall adjourned the meeting at 9:50 a.m.



                            __________________________
                            Rep. John Dougall, Chair