This document includes Senate 2nd Reading Floor Amendments incorporated into the bill on Tue, Feb 15, 2022 at 12:15 PM by lpoole.
1     
MOBILE WORKFORCE INCOME TAX AMENDMENTS

2     
2022 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Curtis S. Bramble

5     
House Sponsor: Jefferson Moss

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     Committee Note:
9          The Revenue and Taxation Interim Committee recommended this bill.
10               Legislative Vote:     12 voting for     3 voting against     4 absent
11     General Description:
12          This bill addresses the tax liability and withholding requirements for a nonresident
13     individual earning wages in the state.
14     Highlighted Provisions:
15          This bill:
16          ▸     creates an exemption from income tax if a nonresident individual works in the state
17     for 20 or fewer days during a taxable year and provides the circumstances for
18     qualification;
19          ▸     modifies the employer's withholding obligations, including penalties, for a
20     nonresident individual whose wages are exempt from income tax; and
21          ▸     makes technical changes.
22     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
23          None
24     Other Special Clauses:
25          This bill provides a special effective date.
26     Utah Code Sections Affected:
27     AMENDS:

28          59-10-116, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapters 382 and 389
29          59-10-117, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2020, Chapter 239
30          59-10-402, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2020, Chapter 239
31          59-10-405.5, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2021, Chapter 16
32     ENACTS:
33          59-10-117.5, Utah Code Annotated 1953
34     

35     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
36          Section 1. Section 59-10-116 is amended to read:
37          59-10-116. Tax on nonresident individual -- Calculation -- Exemption.
38          (1) Except as provided in Subsection (2), a tax is imposed on a nonresident individual
39     in an amount equal to the product of the:
40          (a) nonresident individual's state taxable income; and
41          (b) percentage listed in Subsection 59-10-104(2).
42          (2) This section does not apply to a nonresident individual:
43          (a) exempt from taxation under Section 59-10-104.1[.]; or
44          (b) whose only state source income is wages that are excluded in accordance with
45     Section 59-10-117.5.
46          Section 2. Section 59-10-117 is amended to read:
47          59-10-117. State taxable income derived from Utah sources.
48          (1) For purposes of Section 59-10-116, state taxable income derived from Utah sources
49     includes state taxable income attributable to or resulting from:
50          (a) the ownership in this state of any interest in real or tangible personal property,
51     including real property or property rights from which gross income from mining as described
52     by Section 613(c), Internal Revenue Code, is derived;
53          (b) the carrying on of a business, trade, profession, or occupation in this state;
54          (c) an addition to adjusted gross income required by Subsection 59-10-114(1)(c), (d),
55     or (h) to the extent that the addition was previously subtracted from state taxable income;
56          (d) a subtraction from adjusted gross income required by Subsection 59-10-114(2)(c)
57     for a refund described in Subsection 59-10-114(2)(c) to the extent that the refund subtracted is
58     related to a tax imposed by this state; or

59          (e) an adjustment to adjusted gross income required by Section 59-10-115 to the extent
60     the adjustment is related to an item described in Subsections (1)(a) through (d).
61          (2) For purposes of Subsection (1):
62          (a) income from intangible personal property, including annuities, dividends, interest,
63     and gains from the disposition of intangible personal property, shall constitute income derived
64     from Utah sources only to the extent that the income is from property employed in a trade,
65     business, profession, or occupation carried on in this state;
66          (b) a deduction with respect to a capital loss, net long-term capital gain, or net
67     operating loss shall be:
68          (i) based solely on income, gain, loss, and deduction connected with Utah sources,
69     under rules prescribed by the commission in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah
70     Administrative Rulemaking Act; and
71          (ii) otherwise determined in the same manner as the corresponding federal deductions;
72          (c) a salary, wage, commission, or compensation for personal services rendered:
73          (i) subject to Section 59-10-117.5, inside this state is considered to be income derived
74     from Utah sources; and
75          (ii) outside this state may not be considered to be income derived from Utah sources;
76          (d) a share of income, gain, loss, deduction, or credit of a nonresident pass-through
77     entity taxpayer, as defined in Section 59-10-1402, derived from or connected with Utah sources
78     shall be determined in accordance with Section 59-10-118;
79          (e) a nonresident, other than a dealer holding property primarily for sale to customers
80     in the ordinary course of the dealer's trade or business, may not be considered to carry on a
81     trade, business, profession, or occupation in this state solely by reason of the purchase or sale
82     of property for the nonresident's own account;
83          (f) if a trade, business, profession, or occupation is carried on partly within and partly
84     without this state:
85          (i) an item of income, gain, loss, or a deduction derived from or connected with Utah
86     sources shall be determined in accordance with Section 59-10-118; and
87          (ii) a salary, a wage, a commission, or compensation for personal services rendered is
88     not considered to be an item of income from the carrying on of a business, trade, profession, or
89     occupation;

90          (g) the share of a nonresident estate or trust or a nonresident beneficiary of any estate
91     or trust in income, gain, loss, or deduction derived from or connected with Utah sources shall
92     be determined under Section 59-10-207; and
93          (h) any dividend, interest, or distributive share of income, gain, or loss from a real
94     estate investment trust, as defined in Section 59-7-101, distributed or allocated to a nonresident
95     investor in the trust, including any shareholder, beneficiary, or owner of a beneficial interest in
96     the trust, shall:
97          (i) be income from intangible personal property under Subsection (2)(a); and
98          (ii) constitute income derived from Utah sources only to the extent the nonresident
99     investor is employing its beneficial interest in the trust in a trade, business, profession, or
100     occupation carried on by the investor in this state.
101          Section 3. Section 59-10-117.5 is enacted to read:
102          59-10-117.5. Nonresident individual wage exemption.
103          (1) As used in this section:
104          (a) "Day" means any period of time during a calendar day that an individual is present
105     in the state, unless the presence is solely for transportation through the state.
106          (b) "Wages" means income that:
107          (i) is received by an individual for employment duties performed inside this state; and
108          (ii) would be subject to withholding in accordance with Section 59-10-402 without
109     regard to Subsection 59-10-402(5)(a).
110          (2) A nonresident individual's wages may not be considered income derived from Utah
111     sources if:
112          (a) the nonresident individual has no other income from sources within this state for
113     the taxable year in which the nonresident individual receives the wages;
114          (b) the nonresident individual is present in this state to perform employment duties for
115     20 or fewer days during the tax year; and
116          (c) the nonresident individual's state of residence:
117          (i) provides a substantially similar exclusion; or
118          (ii) does not impose a state individual income tax.
119          (3) This section does not apply to wages received by:
120          (a) an individual who is a professional athlete or a member of a professional athletic

121     team;
122          (b) an individual who is a professional entertainer and who performs services in the
123     professional performing arts;
124          (c) an individual of prominence who performs services for wages on a per-event basis;
125          (d) an individual who performs construction services to improve real property,
126     predominantly on a construction site, as a laborer;
127          (e) an individual who is a key employee, without regard to ownership or the existence
128     of a benefit plan, for the year immediately preceding the current tax year pursuant to
129     Subsection 416(i), Internal Revenue Code; Ŝ→ or ←Ŝ
130          (f) an individual who is an employee of a non-corporate employer, and who would be a
131     key employee without regard to ownership or the existence of a benefit plan, for the year
132     immediately preceding the current tax year pursuant to Subsection 416(i), Internal Revenue
133     Code, if:
134          (i) the term "employee" were substituted for the term "officer"; and
135          (ii) the individual is one of the non-corporate employer's 50 highest paid employees
136     without regard to whether the individual is an officer.
137          Section 4. Section 59-10-402 is amended to read:
138          59-10-402. Requirement of withholding -- Exceptions.
139          (1) As used in this section:
140          (a) "Day" means any period of time during a calendar day that an individual is present
141     in the state, unless the presence is solely for transportation through the state.
142          (b) "Related entity" means:
143          (i) a stockholder who is an individual, or a member of the stockholder's family as
144     described in Section 318, Internal Revenue Code, if the stockholder and the members of the
145     stockholder's family own, in the aggregate, at least 50% of the value of the nonresident
146     individual's outstanding stock;
147          (ii) a stockholder, or a stockholder's partnership, limited liability company, estate, trust,
148     or corporation, if the stockholder and the stockholder's partnerships, limited liability
149     companies, estates, trusts, or corporations own, in the aggregate, at least 50% of the value of
150     the nonresident individual's outstanding stock; or
151          (iii) a corporation, or a party related to the corporation in a manner that would require

152     an attribution of stock from the corporation to the party or from the party to the corporation
153     under the attribution rules of the Internal Revenue Code if the taxpayer owns, directly,
154     indirectly, beneficially, or constructively, at least 50% of the value of the corporation's
155     outstanding stock.
156          (c) "Related person" means a person that, with respect to the nonresident individual
157     during all or any portion of the taxable year, is:
158          (i) a related entity;
159          (ii) a component member as defined in Subsection 1563(b), Internal Revenue Code;
160          (iii) a person to or from whom there is attribution of stock ownership in accordance
161     with Subsection 1563(e), Internal Revenue Code; or
162          (iv) a person that, notwithstanding the form of organization, bears the same
163     relationship to the nonresident individual as a person described in Subsection (1)(c)(i), (ii), or
164     (iii).
165          (2) For purposes of determining whether the ownership requirements of a related entity
166     are satisfied, a person shall:
167          (a) use the attribution rules of the Internal Revenue Code; and
168          (b) include direct, indirect, beneficial, or constructive ownership.
169          [(1)] (3) Each employer making payment of wages shall deduct and withhold from
170     wages an amount to be determined by a commission rule [which] that will, as closely as
171     possible, pay the income tax imposed by this chapter.
172          [(2)] (4) (a) [(i)] Any employer described in Subsection [(1)] (3) that is to do business
173     within the state for a period not to exceed 60 days in the aggregate during any calendar year
174     may be relieved from the requirement provided for under this part for such period by furnishing
175     to the commission in advance a certificate so certifying.
176          [(ii)] (b) If an employer described in Subsection [(2)(a)(i)] (4)(a) thereafter does
177     business within the state for a period in excess of 60 days, that employer shall be liable for all
178     the tax that the employer would have been required to deduct and withhold.
179          [(iii)] (c) Upon a showing of good cause by the employer, the commission may extend
180     for a period of not to exceed 30 days the time during which the employer is not required to
181     deduct and withhold the tax.
182          [(b) The exemption described in Subsection (2)(a) is from the withholding requirement

183     described in Subsection (1), not from an individual's obligation to pay income taxes as
184     provided in Part 1, Determination and Reporting of Tax Liability and Information.]
185          (5) (a) (i) An employer described in Subsection (3) may not deduct or withhold any
186     amount from wages paid to a nonresident individual if the nonresident individual's wages are
187     excluded from state source income in accordance with Section 59-10-117.5 without regard to
188     Subsection 59-10-117.5(2)(a).
189          (ii) For purposes of Subsection (5)(a)(i), an employer shall calculate the number of
190     days described in Subsection 59-10-117.5(2)(b) by including the days the nonresident
191     employee is present in the state to perform employment duties on behalf of the employer or any
192     related person.
193          (b) If a nonresident individual is present in this state to perform employment duties for
194     the employer, a related person, or a combination of the employer and a related person for more
195     than 20 days during a calendar year, the employer shall be liable for all the tax that the
196     employer would have been required to deduct and withhold.
197          (6) The exceptions described in Subsections (4)(a) and (5)(a) are from the withholding
198     requirement described in Subsection (3), not from an individual's obligation to pay income
199     taxes as provided in Part 1, Determination and Reporting of Tax Liability and Information.
200          [(3)] (7) (a) The amount withheld under this section shall be allowed to the recipient of
201     the income as a credit against the tax imposed by this chapter.
202          (b) Except as provided in Subsection [(3)] (7)(c), the amount withheld during any
203     calendar year shall be allowed as a credit for the taxable year that begins in the calendar year in
204     which the amount is withheld.
205          (c) If more than one taxable year begins in a calendar year, the withheld amount shall
206     be allowed as a credit for the last taxable year that begins in the calendar year in which the
207     amount is withheld.
208          Section 5. Section 59-10-405.5 is amended to read:
209          59-10-405.5. Definitions -- Withholding tax license requirements -- Penalty --
210     Application process and requirements -- Fee not required -- Bonds -- Exception.
211          (1) As used in this section:
212          (a) ["applicant"] "Applicant" means a person that:
213          (i) is required by this section to obtain a license; and

214          (ii) submits an application:
215          (A) to the commission; and
216          (B) for a license under this section[;].
217          (b) ["application"] "Application" means an application for a license under this
218     section[;].
219          (c) ["fiduciary of the applicant"] "Fiduciary of the applicant" means a person that:
220          (i) is required to collect, truthfully account for, and pay over an amount under this part
221     for an applicant; and
222          (ii) (A) is a corporate officer of the applicant described in Subsection (1)(c)(i);
223          (B) is a director of the applicant described in Subsection (1)(c)(i);
224          (C) is an employee of the applicant described in Subsection (1)(c)(i);
225          (D) is a partner of the applicant described in Subsection (1)(c)(i);
226          (E) is a trustee of the applicant described in Subsection (1)(c)(i); or
227          (F) has a relationship to the applicant described in Subsection (1)(c)(i) that is similar to
228     a relationship described in Subsections (1)(c)(ii)(A) through (E) as determined by the
229     commission by rule made in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative
230     Rulemaking Act[;].
231          (d) ["fiduciary of the licensee"] "Fiduciary of the licensee" means a person that:
232          (i) is required to collect, truthfully account for, and pay over an amount under this part
233     for a licensee; and
234          (ii) (A) is a corporate officer of the licensee described in Subsection (1)(d)(i);
235          (B) is a director of the licensee described in Subsection (1)(d)(i);
236          (C) is an employee of the licensee described in Subsection (1)(d)(i);
237          (D) is a partner of the licensee described in Subsection (1)(d)(i);
238          (E) is a trustee of the licensee described in Subsection (1)(d)(i); or
239          (F) has a relationship to the licensee described in Subsection (1)(d)(i) that is similar to
240     a relationship described in Subsections (1)(d)(ii)(A) through (E) as determined by the
241     commission by rule made in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative
242     Rulemaking Act[;].
243          (e) ["license"] "License" means a license under this section[; and].
244          (f) ["licensee"] "Licensee" means a person that is licensed under this section by the

245     commission.
246          (2) The following persons are guilty of a criminal violation as provided in Section
247     59-1-401:
248          (a) a person that:
249          (i) is required to withhold, report, or remit any amounts under this part; and
250          (ii) engages in business within the state before obtaining a license under this section; or
251          (b) a person that:
252          (i) pays wages under this part; and
253          (ii) engages in business within the state before obtaining a license under this section.
254          (3) The license described in Subsection (2):
255          (a) shall be granted and issued:
256          (i) by the commission in accordance with this section;
257          (ii) without a license fee; and
258          (iii) if:
259          (A) an applicant:
260          (I) states the applicant's name and address in the application; and
261          (II) provides other information in the application that the commission may require; and
262          (B) the person meets the requirements of this section to be granted a license as
263     determined by the commission;
264          (b) may not be assigned to another person; and
265          (c) is valid:
266          (i) only for the person named on the license; and
267          (ii) until:
268          (A) the person described in Subsection (3)(c)(i):
269          (I) ceases to do business; or
270          (II) changes that person's business address; or
271          (B) the commission revokes the license.
272          (4) The commission shall review an application and determine whether:
273          (a) the applicant meets the requirements of this section to be issued a license; and
274          (b) a bond is required to be posted with the commission in accordance with
275     Subsections (5) and (6) before the applicant may be issued a license.

276          (5) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (5)(c), an applicant shall post a bond with the
277     commission before the commission may issue the applicant a license if:
278          (i) a license under this section was revoked for a delinquency under this part for:
279          (A) the applicant;
280          (B) a fiduciary of the applicant; or
281          (C) a person for which the applicant or the fiduciary of the applicant is required to
282     collect, truthfully account for, and pay over an amount under this part; or
283          (ii) there is a delinquency in withholding, reporting, or remitting any amount under this
284     part for:
285          (A) an applicant;
286          (B) a fiduciary of the applicant; or
287          (C) a person for which the applicant or the fiduciary of the applicant is required to
288     collect, truthfully account for, and pay over an amount under this part.
289          (b) If the commission determines it is necessary to ensure compliance with this part,
290     the commission may require a licensee to:
291          (i) for a licensee that has not posted a bond under this section with the commission,
292     post a bond with the commission in accordance with Subsection (6); or
293          (ii) for a licensee that has posted a bond under this section with the commission,
294     increase the amount of the bond posted with the commission.
295          (c) The commission may waive the bond requirement described in Subsection (5)(a), if
296     the applicant is in compliance with a payment agreement that:
297          (i) relates to the delinquency; and
298          (ii) is approved by the commission.
299          (6) (a) A bond required by Subsection (5) shall be:
300          (i) executed by:
301          (A) for an applicant, the applicant as principal, with a corporate surety; or
302          (B) for a licensee, the licensee as principal, with a corporate surety; and
303          (ii) payable to the commission conditioned upon the faithful performance of all of the
304     requirements of this part including:
305          (A) the withholding or remitting of any amount under this part;
306          (B) the payment of any:

307          (I) penalty as provided in Section 59-1-401; or
308          (II) interest as provided in Section 59-1-402; or
309          (C) any other obligation of the[:] applicant or the licensee under this part.
310          [(I) applicant under this part; or]
311          [(II) licensee under this part.]
312          (b) Except as provided in Subsection (6)(d), the commission shall calculate the amount
313     of a bond required by Subsection (5) on the basis of:
314          (i) commission estimates of:
315          (A) for an applicant, any amounts the applicant withholds, reports, or remits under this
316     part; or
317          (B) for a licensee, any amounts the licensee withholds, reports, or remits under this
318     part; and
319          (ii) any amount of a delinquency described in Subsection (6)(c).
320          (c) Except as provided in Subsection (6)(d), for purposes of Subsection (6)(b)(ii):
321          (i) for an applicant, the amount of the delinquency is the sum of:
322          (A) the amount of any delinquency that served as a basis for revoking the license under
323     this section of:
324          (I) the applicant;
325          (II) a fiduciary of the applicant; or
326          (III) a person for which the applicant or the fiduciary of the applicant is required to
327     collect, truthfully account for, and pay over an amount under this part; or
328          (B) the amount that any of the following owe under this part:
329          (I) the applicant;
330          (II) a fiduciary of the applicant; and
331          (III) a person for which the applicant or the fiduciary of the applicant is required to
332     collect, truthfully account for, and pay over an amount under this part; or
333          (ii) for a licensee, the amount of the delinquency is the sum of:
334          (A) the amount of any delinquency that served as a basis for revoking the license under
335     this section of:
336          (I) the licensee;
337          (II) a fiduciary of the licensee; or

338          (III) a person for which the licensee or the fiduciary of the licensee is required to
339     collect, truthfully account for, and pay over an amount under this part; or
340          (B) the amount that any of the following owe under this part:
341          (I) the licensee;
342          (II) a fiduciary of the licensee; and
343          (III) a person for which the licensee or the fiduciary of the licensee is required to
344     collect, truthfully account for, and pay over an amount under this part.
345          (d) Notwithstanding Subsection (6)(b) or (c), a bond required by Subsection (5) may
346     not:
347          (i) be less than $25,000; or
348          (ii) exceed $500,000.
349          (7) (a) The commission shall revoke a license under this section if:
350          (i) a licensee violates any provision of this part; and
351          (ii) before the commission revokes the license the commission provides the licensee:
352          (A) reasonable notice; and
353          (B) a hearing.
354          (b) If the commission revokes a licensee's license in accordance with Subsection (7)(a),
355     the commission may not issue another license to that licensee until that licensee complies with
356     the requirements of this part, including:
357          (i) paying any:
358          (A) amounts due under this part;
359          (B) penalty as provided in Section 59-1-401; or
360          (C) interest as provided in Section 59-1-402; and
361          (ii) posting a bond in accordance with Subsections (5) and (6).
362          (8) An employer that has erroneously applied the exception described in Subsection
363     59-10-402(5)(a) solely as a result of miscalculating the number of days a nonresident
364     individual is present in this state to perform employment duties may not be assessed a penalty
365     under this section if:
366          (a) the employer relied on a regularly maintained time and attendance system that:
367          (i) requires the employee to record, on a contemporaneous basis, the work location
368     each day the employee is present in a state other than:

369          (A) the employee's state of residence; or
370          (B) the place where services are considered performed for purposes of Section
371     35A-4-204; and
372          (ii) is used by the employer to allocate the employee's wages between all taxing
373     jurisdictions in which the employee performs employment duties;
374          (b) the employer does not maintain a time and attendance system described in
375     Subsection (8)(a) and relied on employee travel records that the employer requires the
376     employee to maintain and record on a regular and contemporaneous basis; or
377          (c) the employer does not maintain a time and attendance system described in
378     Subsection (8)(a) or require the maintenance of employee records described in Subsection
379     (8)(b) and relied on travel expense reimbursement records that the employer requires the
380     employee to submit on a regular and contemporaneous basis.
381          Section 6. Effective date.
382          This bill takes effect for a taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2023.