Senator Curtis S. Bramble proposes the following substitute bill:


1     
EMPLOYMENT ADVANTAGE ACT

2     
2019 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Curtis S. Bramble

5     
House Sponsor: Francis D. Gibson

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill enacts the Employment Advantage Act.
10     Highlighted Provisions:
11          This bill:
12          ▸     defines terms;
13          ▸     provides a state nonrefundable tax credit for investments by Employment
14     Advantage funds in eligible businesses;
15          ▸     authorizes the state to approve tax credits on up to $30,000,000 invested in eligible
16     businesses in the state;
17          ▸      provides the requirements for receiving a tax credit certificate from the Governor's
18     Office of Economic Development related to a contribution to an Employment
19     Advantage fund investing in eligible businesses;
20          ▸     provides the reporting requirements for an Employment Advantage fund investing
21     in eligible businesses; and
22          ▸     provides the requirements for an Employment Advantage fund exiting the program.
23     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
24          None
25     Other Special Clauses:

26          This bill provides a special effective date.
27     Utah Code Sections Affected:
28     ENACTS:
29          59-7-624, Utah Code Annotated 1953
30          59-10-1041, Utah Code Annotated 1953
31          63N-2-901, Utah Code Annotated 1953
32          63N-2-902, Utah Code Annotated 1953
33          63N-2-903, Utah Code Annotated 1953
34          63N-2-904, Utah Code Annotated 1953
35          63N-2-905, Utah Code Annotated 1953
36          63N-2-906, Utah Code Annotated 1953
37          63N-2-907, Utah Code Annotated 1953
38          63N-2-908, Utah Code Annotated 1953
39          63N-2-909, Utah Code Annotated 1953
40     

41     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
42          Section 1. Section 59-7-624 is enacted to read:
43          59-7-624. Nonrefundable job creation tax credit.
44          (1) As used in this section, "office" means the Governor's Office of Economic
45     Development created in Section 63N-1-201.
46          (2) Subject to the other provisions of this section, a taxpayer may claim a
47     nonrefundable tax credit for job creation as provided in this section.
48          (3) The tax credit under this section is the amount listed as the tax credit amount on a
49     tax credit certificate that the office issues under Title 63N, Chapter 2, Part 9, Employment
50     Advantage Act, to the taxpayer for the taxable year.
51          (4) A taxpayer may carry forward a tax credit under this section for the next seven
52     taxable years if the amount of the tax credit exceeds the taxpayer's tax liability under this
53     chapter for the taxable year in which the taxpayer claims the tax credit.
54          Section 2. Section 59-10-1041 is enacted to read:
55          59-10-1041. Nonrefundable job creation tax credit.
56          (1) As used in this section, "office" means the Governor's Office of Economic

57     Development created in Section 63N-1-201.
58          (2) Subject to the other provisions of this section, a taxpayer may claim a
59     nonrefundable tax credit for job creation as provided in this section.
60          (3) The tax credit under this section is the amount listed as the tax credit amount on a
61     tax credit certificate that the office issues under Title 63N, Chapter 2, Part 9, Employment
62     Advantage Act, to the taxpayer for the taxable year.
63          (4) A taxpayer may carry forward a tax credit under this section for the next seven
64     taxable years if the amount of the tax credit exceeds the taxpayer's tax liability under this
65     chapter for the taxable year in which the taxpayer claims the tax credit.
66          Section 3. Section 63N-2-901 is enacted to read:
67     
Part 9. Employment Advantage Act

68          63N-2-901. Title.
69          This part is known as the "Employment Advantage Act."
70          Section 4. Section 63N-2-902 is enacted to read:
71          63N-2-902. Definitions.
72          As used in this part:
73          (1) (a) "Affiliate" means a person that directly, or indirectly through one or more
74     intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with another person.
75          (b) For the purposes of this part, a person controls another person if the person holds,
76     directly or indirectly, the majority voting or ownership interest in the controlled person or has
77     control over the day-to-day operations of the controlled person by contract or by law.
78          (2) "Claimant" means a resident or nonresident person that has state taxable income.
79          (3) "Closing date" means the date on which an Employment Advantage fund has
80     collected all of the investments described in Subsection 63N-2-903(7).
81          (4) "Credit-eligible contribution" means an investment of cash by a claimant in an
82     Employment Advantage fund that:
83          (a) is or will be eligible for a tax credit as evidenced by notification issued by the office
84     under Subsection 63N-2-903(5)(c); and
85          (b) purchases an equity interest in the Employment Advantage fund or purchases, at par
86     value or premium, a debt instrument issued by the Employment Advantage fund that has a
87     maturity date at least five years after the closing date.

88          (5) "Eligible business" means a business that at the time of an initial Employment
89     Advantage investment in the business by an Employment Advantage fund:
90          (a) has fewer than 300 employees;
91          (b) has less than $10,000,000 in net income for the preceding taxable year;
92          (c) maintains the business's principal business operations in the state; and
93          (d) is described in one of the following NAICS codes:
94          (i) 11, Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting;
95          (ii) 21, Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction;
96          (iii) 22, Utilities;
97          (iv) 23, Construction;
98          (v) 31-33, Manufacturing;
99          (vi) 48-49, Transportation and Warehousing;
100          (vii) 54, Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services; or
101          (viii) 62, Health Care and Social Assistance of the 2017 North American Industry
102     Classification System of the federal Executive Office of the President, Office of Management
103     and Budget.
104          (6) (a) "Excess return" means the difference between:
105          (i) the present value of all Employment Advantage investments made by an
106     Employment Advantage fund on the day the Employment Advantage fund applies to exit the
107     program under Section 63N-2-909, including the present value of all distributions and gains
108     from the Employment Advantage investments; and
109          (ii) the sum of the amount of the original Employment Advantage investment and an
110     amount equal to any projected increase in the equity holder's federal or state tax liability,
111     including penalties and interest, related to the equity holder's ownership, management, or
112     operation of the Employment Advantage fund.
113          (b) If the amount calculated in Subsection (6)(a) is less than zero, the excess return is
114     equal to zero.
115          (7) (a) "Full-time employee" means an employee that works at least 30 hours per week
116     throughout the year or meets the customary practices accepted by an industry as full-time.
117          (b) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the
118     office may make rules that establish additional hours or other criteria to determine what

119     constitutes a full-time employee.
120          (8) (a) "High wage" means a wage that is at least 100% of the county average wage.
121          (b) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the
122     office may make rules that establish additional criteria to determine what constitutes a high
123     wage.
124          (9) "Investment authority" means the minimum amount of investment an Employment
125     Advantage fund must make in eligible businesses in order for credit-eligible contributions to
126     the Employment Advantage fund to qualify for a tax credit under Section 59-7-624 or
127     59-10-1041.
128          (10) (a) "New annual jobs" means the difference between:
129          (i) (A) the monthly average of full-time employees who are paid a high wage at an
130     eligible business for the preceding calendar year; or
131          (B) if the preceding calendar year contains the initial Employment Advantage
132     investment, the monthly average of full-time employees who are paid a high wage at an eligible
133     business for the months including and after the initial Employment Advantage investment and
134     before the end of the preceding calendar year; and
135          (ii) the number of full-time employees at the eligible business on the date of the initial
136     Employment Advantage investment.
137          (b) If the amount calculated in Subsection (10)(a) is less than zero, the new annual jobs
138     amount is equal to zero.
139          (11) "Offset" means the amount calculated for each annual report as described in
140     Subsection 63N-2-907(2)(b).
141          (12) "Opportunity zone" means a low-income census tract located in the state and
142     designated by the United States Treasury Department as an opportunity zone.
143          (13) (a) "Principal business operations" means the location where at least 60% of a
144     business's employees work or where employees that are paid at least 60% of a business's
145     payroll work.
146          (b) For the purposes of this part, an out-of-state business that agrees to relocate
147     employees to this state to establish the business's principal business operations in this state
148     using the proceeds of an Employment Advantage investment is considered to have the
149     business's principal business operations in this state if the business satisfies the requirements of

150     Subsection (13)(a) within 180 days after receiving the Employment Advantage investment,
151     unless the office agrees to a later date.
152          (14) "Program" means the provisions of this part applicable to an Employment
153     Advantage fund.
154          (15) (a) "State reimbursement amount" means the difference between:
155          (i) an Employment Advantage fund's credit-eligible capital contributions; and
156          (ii) the sum of the annual offsets as reported in the Employment Advantage fund's exit
157     report described in Section 63N-2-909.
158          (b) If the amount calculated in Subsection (15)(a) is less than zero, the state
159     reimbursement amount is equal to zero.
160          (16) "Tax credit" means a tax credit created by Section 59-7-624 or 59-10-1041.
161          (17) "Tax credit certificate" means a certificate issued by the office that:
162          (a) lists the name of the person to which the office authorizes a tax credit;
163          (b) lists the person's taxpayer identification number;
164          (c) lists the amount of tax credit that the office authorizes the person to claim for the
165     taxable year; and
166          (d) may include other information as determined by the office.
167          (18) "Tier one job" means a new annual job held by an employee who:
168          (a) served in the active military, naval, or air service and who was discharged or
169     released under conditions other than dishonorable;
170          (b) suffers from a disability;
171          (c) was found guilty of a crime and sentenced by a court to a prison term; or
172          (d) was not a resident of Utah within the 12 months prior to holding the job.
173          (19) "Tier three job" means all new annual jobs that are not tier one jobs or tier two
174     jobs.
175          (20) "Tier two job" means a new annual job held by an employee who received or had
176     a family member who received, with neither still receiving, benefits under Utah Medicaid, Utah
177     Unemployment Insurance, the Utah Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the Utah
178     Children's Health Insurance Program, Utah Head Start, or the Utah Family Employment
179     Program.
180          (21) "Employment Advantage fund" means a fund approved by the office under

181     Section 63N-2-903.
182          (22) "Employment Advantage investment" means:
183          (a) any capital or equity investment in an eligible business; or
184          (b) any loan made from the investment authority to an eligible business with a stated
185     maturity at least one year after the date of issuance.
186          Section 5. Section 63N-2-903 is enacted to read:
187          63N-2-903. Application, approval, and allocations.
188          (1) (a) A person seeking approval to establish an Employment Advantage fund shall
189     submit an application to the office.
190          (b) The office shall begin accepting applications on November 1, 2019.
191          (2) An application submitted under Subsection (1) shall be in a form and in accordance
192     with procedures prescribed by the office and shall include the following:
193          (a) the total investment authority sought by the applicant, which may not exceed
194     $40,000,000;
195          (b) a copy of the applicant's or an affiliate of the applicant's license as a federally
196     licensed rural business investment company or as a federally licensed small business
197     investment company, provided that any affiliate used to meet this requirement must have been
198     an affiliate of the applicant or its affiliates for at least four years;
199          (c) a signed affidavit from each claimant that commits to make a credit-eligible capital
200     contribution to the applicant, stating the amount of that commitment; and
201          (d) the sum of all credit-eligible capital contribution commitments described in
202     Subsection (2)(c), which must equal 75% of the total investment authority sought by the
203     applicant.
204          (3) The office shall:
205          (a) review and evaluate the applications submitted under this section within 30 days of
206     receipt in the order in which the applications are received; and
207          (b) consider applications received on the same day to have been received
208     simultaneously.
209          (4) (a) If, after review and evaluation of an application, the office determines that the
210     application does not meet the requirements of Subsection (2), the office shall:
211          (i) deny the application; or

212          (ii) if the applicant complied with Subsection (2)(c):
213          (A) notify the applicant that the application was inadequate and allow the applicant to
214     provide additional information to the office to complete, clarify, or cure defects identified by
215     the office in the application; and
216          (B) inform the applicant that the additional information described in Subsection
217     (4)(a)(ii)(A) shall be received by the office within five days of the notice in order to be
218     considered.
219          (b) If an applicant submits additional information to the office in accordance with
220     Subsection (4)(a)(ii), the office shall:
221          (i) consider the application to have been received on the date the application was
222     originally received by the office; and
223          (ii) review and evaluate the additional information within 10 days of receiving the
224     additional information.
225          (5) If, after review and evaluation of an application submitted under this section and
226     any additional information submitted in accordance with Subsection (4)(a)(ii), the office
227     determines that the application meets the requirements of Subsection (2), the office shall:
228          (a) determine the amount of investment authority to award an applicant in accordance
229     with Subsection (6);
230          (b) provide to the applicant a written notice of approval of an Employment Advantage
231     fund, specifying the amount of the applicant's investment authority; and
232          (c) notify each claimant whose affidavit was included in the application under
233     Subsection (2)(c) that the claimant qualifies for a tax credit that will be issued in accordance
234     with Section 63N-2-904.
235          (6) (a) The office may not approve more than $40,000,000 in total investment authority
236     and not more than $30,000,000 in total credit-eligible contributions under this part.
237          (b) Subject to Subsections (6)(a) and (d), if an application is approved under
238     Subsection (5), the office shall approve the amount of investment authority requested on the
239     application.
240          (c) The office may continue to accept applications under this section until the amount
241     of approved investment authority reaches $40,000,000.
242          (d) If the office approves multiple applications received simultaneously under

243     Subsection (3)(b) and the total amount of investment authority requested on those applications
244     is greater than the amount of investment authority remaining, the office shall proportionally
245     reduce the investment authority and credit-eligible capital contributions for each of these
246     applications as necessary to avoid exceeding the amount of investment authority and
247     credit-eligible capital contributions remaining.
248          (7) Within 65 days after the day on which an Employment Advantage fund receives
249     approval under Subsection (5)(b), the Employment Advantage fund shall:
250          (a) collect the total amount of committed credit-eligible capital contributions from each
251     claimant whose affidavit was included in the application under Subsection (2)(d);
252          (b) collect one or more cash equity investments contributed by affiliates of the
253     Employment Advantage fund, including employees, officers, and directors of such affiliates,
254     that equal at least 10% of the Employment Advantage fund's investment authority;
255          (c) collect one or more cash investments that, when added to the amounts collected
256     under Subsections (7)(a) and (b), equal the Employment Advantage fund's investment
257     authority; and
258          (d) provide sufficient documentation to the office to prove that the amounts described
259     in Subsections (7)(a) through (c) have been collected.
260          (8) If the Employment Advantage fund fails to fully comply with Subsection (7):
261          (a) the Employment Advantage fund's approval lapses and the corresponding
262     investment authority and credit-eligible capital contributions do not count toward the limits on
263     the program size described in Subsection (6)(a); and
264          (b) the office:
265          (i) shall first award lapsed investment authority pro rata to each Employment
266     Advantage fund that was awarded less than the requested investment authority under
267     Subsection (6)(d), which an Employment Advantage fund may allocate to the Employment
268     Advantage fund's investors at the fund's discretion; and
269          (ii) may award any remaining investment authority to new applicants.
270          Section 6. Section 63N-2-904 is enacted to read:
271          63N-2-904. Tax credit.
272          (1) On the closing date, a claimant whose affidavit was included in an approved
273     application submitted under Section 63N-2-903 shall earn a vested tax credit equal to the

274     amount of the claimant's credit-eligible capital contribution to the Employment Advantage
275     fund.
276          (2) In each of the taxable years that includes the fourth through sixth anniversaries of
277     the closing date, the office shall:
278          (a) issue a tax credit certificate to each approved claimant, specifying a tax credit
279     amount for the taxable year equal to one-third of the claimant's total credit-eligible capital
280     contribution; and
281          (b) provide a report to the State Tax Commission listing each claimant that received a
282     tax credit certificate under Subsection (2)(a) and the tax credit amount listed on the certificate.
283          (3) (a) A claimant may not claim a tax credit under this section unless the claimant has
284     a tax credit certificate issued by the office.
285          (b) A claimant claiming a credit under this section shall retain a tax credit certificate
286     the claimant receives from the office for the same time period a person is required to keep
287     books and records under Section 59-1-1406.
288          (4) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, and
289     consistent with the provisions of this part, the office shall make rules describing:
290          (a) the documentation requirements for a claimant to receive a tax credit certificate
291     under this section; and
292          (b) administration of the program, including relevant timelines and deadlines.
293          Section 7. Section 63N-2-905 is enacted to read:
294          63N-2-905. Revocation of tax credit certificates.
295          (1) Except as provided in Subsection (2), the office shall revoke a tax credit certificate
296     issued under Section 63N-2-904 if the Employment Advantage fund in which the
297     credit-eligible capital contribution was made does any of the following before the Employment
298     Advantage fund exits the program in accordance with Section 63N-2-909:
299          (a) fails to invest two-thirds of the Employment Advantage fund's investment authority
300     in Employment Advantage investments in the state within two years of the closing date and
301     100% within three years;
302          (b) fails to maintain Employment Advantage investments in the state equal to 100% of
303     the Employment Advantage fund's investment authority until the sixth anniversary of the
304     closing date in accordance with this section;

305          (c) makes a distribution or payment that results in the Employment Advantage fund
306     having less than 100% of the Employment Advantage fund's investment authority invested in
307     Employment Advantage investments in this state or available for investment in Employment
308     Advantage investments and held in cash and other marketable securities;
309          (d) invests more than $5,000,000 from the investment authority in the same eligible
310     business, including amounts invested in affiliates of the eligible business, exclusive of
311     Employment Advantage investments made with repaid or redeemed Employment Advantage
312     investments or interest or profits realized on the repaid or redeemed Employment Advantage
313     investments; or
314          (e) makes an Employment Advantage investment in an eligible business that directly,
315     or indirectly through an affiliate:
316          (i) owns or has the right to acquire an ownership interest in the Employment
317     Advantage fund, an affiliate of the Employment Advantage fund, or an investor in the
318     Employment Advantage fund; or
319          (ii) makes a loan to or an investment in the Employment Advantage fund, an affiliate
320     of the Employment Advantage fund, or an investor in the Employment Advantage fund.
321          (2) (a) (i) For the purposes of Subsection (1), an investment is maintained even if the
322     investment is sold or repaid if the Employment Advantage fund reinvests an amount equal to
323     the capital returned or recovered by the fund from the original investment, excluding any
324     profits realized, in other Employment Advantage investments in this state within 12 months of
325     the receipt of such capital.
326          (ii) Amounts received periodically by an Employment Advantage fund are treated as
327     continually invested in Employment Advantage investments if the amounts are reinvested in
328     one or more Employment Advantage investments by the end of the following calendar year.
329          (iii) An Employment Advantage fund is not required to reinvest capital returned from
330     Employment Advantage investments after the fifth anniversary of the closing date and such
331     Employment Advantage investments are considered as being held continuously by the
332     Employment Advantage fund through the seventh anniversary of the closing date.
333          (b) (i) Subsection (1)(e) does not apply to investments in publicly traded securities by
334     an eligible business or an owner or affiliate of an eligible business.
335          (ii) Under Subsection (1)(e), an Employment Advantage fund is not considered an

336     affiliate of an eligible business solely as a result of the Employment Advantage fund's
337     Employment Advantage investment.
338          (3) (a) Before revoking one or more tax credit certificates under this section, the office
339     shall notify the Employment Advantage fund of the reasons for the pending revocation.
340          (b) If the Employment Advantage fund corrects any violation outlined in the notice to
341     the satisfaction of the office within 90 days after the day on which the notice was sent, the
342     office may not revoke the tax credit certificate.
343          (c) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the
344     office may make rules that establish criteria to determine what constitutes a correction under
345     Subsection (3)(b).
346          (4) If an Employment Advantage fund's tax credit certificate is revoked under this
347     section:
348          (a) (i) the Employment Advantage fund shall make a cash distribution to the office in
349     an amount equal to the sum of all tax credits awarded to persons that have made credit-eligible
350     contributions to the Employment Advantage fund; and
351          (ii) if the Employment Advantage fund is able to provide documentation to the office
352     that proves that a tax credit described in Subsection (4)(a)(i) has not been claimed, the amount
353     owed under Subsection (4)(a)(i) shall be reduced by the amount of the unclaimed tax credit;
354          (b) the Employment Advantage fund's investment authority and credit-eligible capital
355     contributions shall not count toward the limits on the program size described in Subsection
356     63N-2-903(6)(a); and
357          (c) (i) the office shall, if the office awards lapsed investment authority to an
358     Employment Advantage fund, first award lapsed investment authority pro rata to each
359     Employment Advantage fund that was awarded less than the requested investment authority
360     under Subsection 63N-2-903(6)(d), which an Employment Advantage fund may allocate to the
361     Employment Advantage fund's investors at the Employment Advantage fund's discretion; and
362          (ii) the office may award any remaining investment authority to new applicants.
363          (5) The office may not revoke a tax credit certificate after an Employment Advantage
364     fund has exited the program in accordance with Section 63N-2-909.
365          Section 8. Section 63N-2-906 is enacted to read:
366          63N-2-906. Request for determination.

367          (1) Before making an Employment Advantage investment, an Employment Advantage
368     fund may request from the office a written determination as to whether the business in which
369     an Employment Advantage fund proposes to invest is an eligible business.
370          (2) The office shall notify the Employment Advantage fund of the office's
371     determination within 30 days after receipt of the request.
372          (3) If the office fails to notify the Employment Advantage fund of the office's
373     determination in accordance with Subsection (2), the business in which the Employment
374     Advantage fund proposes to invest shall be considered an eligible business.
375          Section 9. Section 63N-2-907 is enacted to read:
376          63N-2-907. Reporting obligations.
377          (1) Until the Employment Advantage fund has exited the program in accordance with
378     Section 63N-2-909, an Employment Advantage fund shall annually submit to the office on or
379     before the last day of February a report for the previous calendar year.
380          (2) (a) The annual report shall include documentation of the Employment Advantage
381     fund's Employment Advantage investments, including:
382          (i) a bank statement evidencing each Employment Advantage investment;
383          (ii) the name, location, and industry of each business receiving an Employment
384     Advantage investment, including a determination letter provided as described in Section
385     63N-2-906 or evidence that the business qualified as an eligible business at the time the
386     investment was made;
387          (iii) the number of new annual jobs at each eligible business for the preceding calendar
388     year, accompanied by a report from a third-party accounting firm attesting that the number of
389     new annual jobs was calculated in accordance with procedures approved by the office;
390          (iv) the offset, calculated annually and in accordance with Subsection (2)(b); and
391          (v) any other information required by the office.
392          (b) (i) The offset shall equal the sum of the following:
393          (A) the product of the number of new annual jobs that are tier one jobs and $40,000;
394          (B) the product of the number of new annual jobs that are tier two jobs and $30,000;
395     and
396          (C) the product of the number of new annual jobs that are tier three jobs and $20,000.
397          (ii) A $10,000 bonus shall be added to the offset for each of the following:

398          (A) each new annual job at an eligible business whose principal business operations are
399     located in an opportunity zone; and
400          (B) each new annual job held by an employee who has received workforce training
401     either internally or externally, provided such training is verified by the president, chief
402     executive officer, chief financial officer, or similar officer of the eligible business and approved
403     by the office.
404          (3) Within 60 days of receipt of an annual report, the office shall provide written
405     confirmation to the Employment Advantage fund of the offset and the number of new annual
406     jobs the Employment Advantage fund has been credited with for the previous calendar year.
407          (4) By the fifth business day after the third anniversary of the closing date, an
408     Employment Advantage fund shall submit a report to the office providing evidence that the
409     Employment Advantage fund is in compliance with the investment requirements of Section
410     63N-2-905.
411          Section 10. Section 63N-2-908 is enacted to read:
412          63N-2-908. Annual fee.
413          (1) The office shall calculate an annual fee to be paid by each Employment Advantage
414     fund by dividing $50,000 by the number of Employment Advantage funds approved under this
415     part and shall notify each Employment Advantage fund of the amount of the annual fee.
416          (2) (a) The initial annual fee shall be due and payable to the office along with the
417     evidence of receipt of the cash investment in the Employment Advantage fund as described in
418     Subsection 63N-2-903(7)(d).
419          (b) After the initial annual fee, an annual fee shall be due and payable to the office on
420     or before the last day of February of each year.
421          (c) An annual fee is not required once an Employment Advantage fund has exited the
422     program under Section 63N-2-909.
423          (3) To maintain an aggregate annual fee of $50,000, the office shall recalculate the
424     annual fee as needed upon the lapse of any approval under Subsection 63N-2-903(8), the
425     revocation of a tax credit certificate under Section 63N-2-905, or an Employment Advantage
426     fund's exit from the program under Section 63N-2-909.
427          (4) The annual fee collected under this section shall be deposited into the General Fund
428     as a dedicated credit for use by the office to implement this part.

429          Section 11. Section 63N-2-909 is enacted to read:
430          63N-2-909. Exit.
431          (1) On or after the seventh anniversary of the closing date, an Employment Advantage
432     fund may apply to the office to exit the program and no longer be subject to this part.
433          (2) An application submitted under Subsection (1) shall be in a form and in accordance
434     with procedures prescribed by the office and shall include a calculation of the state
435     reimbursement amount and the total of all offsets reported in annual reports pursuant to
436     Subsection 63N-2-907(2)(a).
437          (3) In evaluating the exit application, if no tax credit certificates have been revoked and
438     the Employment Advantage fund has not received a notice of revocation that has remained
439     uncorrected under Subsection 63N-2-905(3)(b), the Employment Advantage fund is eligible for
440     exit.
441          (4) (a) The office shall respond to the application within 30 days of receipt and include
442     confirmation of the state reimbursement amount.
443          (b) The office shall not unreasonably deny an application submitted under this section.
444          (c) If the office denies the application, the office shall provide the reasons for the
445     determination to the Employment Advantage fund.
446          (5) Within 60 days after the day on which the confirmation of the state reimbursement
447     amount is received by the Employment Advantage fund, the Employment Advantage fund shall
448     make a cash distribution to the state in an amount equal to the lesser of:
449          (a) the state reimbursement amount; and
450          (b) the excess return.
451          (6) The office shall notify the Employment Advantage fund once payments equal to the
452     amount described in Subsection (5) have been received.
453          (7) Any amounts collected under this section shall be deposited into the General Fund.
454          Section 12. Effective date.
455          This bill takes effect on January 1, 2020.