SECOND REGULAR SESSION

HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

HOUSE BILL NO. 1762

90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY


Reported from the Committee on Agri-Business, March 16, 2000, with recommendation that the House Committee Substitute for House Bill No. 1762 Do Pass.

ANNE C. WALKER, Chief Clerk

4136L.06C


AN ACT

To repeal sections 32.105 and 32.115, RSMo Supp. 1999, relating to economic development assistance, and to enact in lieu thereof seven new sections relating to marketing of Missouri value-added agricultural products.




Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:

Section A. Sections 32.105 and 32.115, RSMo Supp. 1999, are repealed and seven new sections enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as sections 32.105, 32.115, 34.047, 261.031, 261.032, 261.037 and 261.038, to read as follows:

32.105. As used in sections 32.100 to 32.125, the following terms mean:

(1) "Affordable housing assistance activities", money, real or personal property, or professional services expended or devoted to the construction, or rehabilitation of affordable housing units;

(2) "Affordable housing unit", a residential unit generally occupied by persons and families with incomes at or below the levels described in this subdivision and bearing a cost to the occupant no greater than thirty percent of the maximum eligible household income for the affordable housing unit. In the case of owner-occupied units, the cost to the occupant shall be considered the amount of the gross monthly mortgage payment, including casualty insurance, mortgage insurance, and taxes. In the case of rental units, the cost to the occupant shall be considered the amount of the gross rent. The cost to the occupant shall include the cost of any utilities, other than telephone. If any utilities are paid directly by the occupant, the maximum cost that may be paid by the occupant is to be reduced by a utility allowance prescribed by the commission. Persons or families are eligible occupants of affordable housing units if the household combined, adjusted gross income as defined by the commission is equal to or less than the following percentages of the median family income for the geographic area in which the residential unit is located, or the median family income for the state of Missouri, whichever is larger; ("geographic area" means the metropolitan area or county designated as an area by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development under Section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937, as amended, for purposes of determining fair market rental rates):

Percent of State or

Geographic Area Family

Size of Household Median Income

One Person 35%

Two Persons 40%

Three Persons 45%

Four Persons 50%

Five Persons 54%

Six Persons 58%

Seven Persons 62%

Eight Persons 66%

(3) "Business firm", person, firm, a partner in a firm, corporation or a shareholder in an S corporation doing business in the state of Missouri and subject to the state income tax imposed by the provisions of chapter 143, RSMo, or a corporation subject to the annual corporation franchise tax imposed by the provisions of chapter 147, RSMo, or an insurance company paying an annual tax on its gross premium receipts in this state, or other financial institution paying taxes to the state of Missouri or any political subdivision of this state pursuant to the provisions of chapter 148, RSMo, or an express company which pays an annual tax on its gross receipts in this state;

(4) "Commission", the Missouri housing development commission;

(5) "Community services", any type of counseling and advice, emergency assistance or medical care furnished to individuals or groups in the state of Missouri or transportation services at below-cost rates as provided in sections 208.250 to 208.275, RSMo;

(6) "Crime prevention", any activity which aids in the reduction of crime in the state of Missouri;

(7) "Defense industry contractor", a person, corporation or other entity which will be or has been negatively impacted as a result of its status as a prime contractor of the Department of Defense or as a second or third tier contractor. A "second tier contractor" means a person, corporation or other entity which contracts to perform manufacturing, maintenance or repair services for a prime contractor of the Department of Defense, and a "third tier contractor" means a person, corporation or other entity which contracts with a person, corporation or other entity which contracts with a prime contractor of the Department of Defense;

(8) "Doing business", among other methods of doing business in the state of Missouri, a partner in a firm or a shareholder in an S corporation shall be deemed to be doing business in the state of Missouri if such firm or S corporation, as the case may be, is doing business in the state of Missouri;

(9) "Economic development", the acquisition, renovation, improvement, or the furnishing or equipping of existing buildings and real estate in distressed or blighted areas of the state when such acquisition, renovation, improvement, or the furnishing or equipping of the business development projects will result in the creation or retention of jobs within the state; or, until June 30, 1996, a defense conversion pilot project located in a standard metropolitan statistical area which contains a city with a population of at least three hundred fifty thousand inhabitants, which will assist Missouri-based defense industry contractors in their conversion from predominately defense-related contracting to nondefense-oriented manufacturing. Only neighborhood organizations, as defined in subdivision (13) of this section, may apply to conduct economic development projects. Prior to the approval of an economic development project, the neighborhood organization shall enter into a contractual agreement with the department of economic development. Credits approved for economic development projects may not exceed four million dollars from within any one fiscal year's allocation. Neighborhood assistance program tax credits for economic development projects and affordable housing assistance as defined in section 32.111, may be transferred, sold or assigned by a notarized endorsement thereof naming the transferee;

(10) "Education", any type of scholastic instruction or scholarship assistance to an individual who resides in the state of Missouri that enables the individual to prepare himself or herself for better opportunities or community awareness activities rendered by a statewide organization established for the purpose of archeological education and preservation;

(11) "Eligible new generation cooperative", as defined in section 348.340, RSMo;

(12) "Homeless assistance pilot project", the program established pursuant to section 32.117;

[(12)] (13) "Job training", any type of instruction to an individual who resides in the state of Missouri that enables the individual to acquire vocational skills so that the individual can become employable or be able to seek a higher grade of employment;

[(13)] (14) "Neighborhood organization", any organization performing community services or economic development activities in the state of Missouri and:

(a) Holding a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service of the United States Department of the Treasury that the organization is exempt from income taxation pursuant to the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code; or

(b) Incorporated in the state of Missouri as a not for profit corporation pursuant to the provisions of chapter 355, RSMo; or

(c) Designated as a community development corporation by the United States government pursuant to the provisions of Title VII of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964; or

(d) Contributing funds to help finance a building or structure located within this state and used to sell agricultural food products produced in this state by members of an eligible new generation cooperative;

[(14)] (15) "Physical revitalization", furnishing financial assistance, labor, material, or technical advice to aid in the physical improvement or rehabilitation of any part or all of a neighborhood area;

[(15)] (16) "S corporation", a corporation described in Section 1361(a)(1) of the United States Internal Revenue Code and not subject to the taxes imposed by section 143.071, RSMo, by reason of section 143.471, RSMo;

[(16)] (17) "Workfare renovation project", any project initiated pursuant to sections 215.340 to 215.355, RSMo.

32.115. 1. The department of revenue shall grant a tax credit, to be applied in the following order until used, against:

(1) The annual tax on gross premium receipts of insurance companies in chapter 148, RSMo;

(2) The tax on banks determined pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection 2 of section 148.030, RSMo;

(3) The tax on banks determined in subdivision (1) of subsection 2 of section 148.030, RSMo;

(4) The tax on other financial institutions in chapter 148, RSMo;

(5) The corporation franchise tax in chapter 147, RSMo;

(6) The state income tax in chapter 143, RSMo; and

(7) The annual tax on gross receipts of express companies in chapter 153, RSMo.

2. For proposals approved pursuant to section 32.110:

(1) The amount of the tax credit shall not exceed fifty percent of the total amount contributed during the taxable year by the business firm or, in the case of a financial institution, where applicable, during the relevant income period in programs approved pursuant to section 32.110;

(2) Except as provided in subsection 2 or 5 of this section, a tax credit of up to seventy percent may be allowed for contributions to programs where activities fall within the scope of special program priorities as defined with the approval of the governor in regulations promulgated by the director of the department of economic development;

(3) Except as provided in subsection 2 or 5 of this section, the tax credit allowed for contributions to programs located in any community shall be equal to seventy percent of the total amount contributed where such community is a city, town or village which has fifteen thousand or less inhabitants as of the last decennial census and is located in a county which is either located in:

(a) An area that is not part of a standard metropolitan statistical area;

(b) A standard metropolitan statistical area but such county has only one city, town or village which has more than fifteen thousand inhabitants; or

(c) A standard metropolitan statistical area and a substantial number of persons in such county derive their income from agriculture.



Such community may also be in an unincorporated area in such county as provided in subdivision (1), (2) or (3) of this subsection. Except in no case shall the total economic benefit of the combined federal and state tax savings to the taxpayer exceed the amount contributed by the taxpayer during the tax year;

(4) Such tax credit allocation, equal to seventy percent of the total amount contributed, shall not exceed four million dollars in fiscal year 1999 and six million dollars in fiscal year 2000 and any subsequent fiscal year. When the maximum dollar limit on the seventy percent tax credit allocation is committed, the tax credit allocation for such programs shall then be equal to fifty percent credit of the total amount contributed. Regulations establishing special program priorities are to be promulgated during the first month of each fiscal year and at such times during the year as the public interest dictates. Such credit shall not exceed two hundred and fifty thousand dollars annually except as provided in subdivision (5) of this subsection. No tax credit shall be approved for any bank, bank and trust company, insurance company, trust company, national bank, savings association, or building and loan association for activities that are a part of its normal course of business. Any tax credit not used in the period the contribution was made may be carried over the next five succeeding calendar or fiscal years until the full credit has been claimed. Except as otherwise provided for proposals approved pursuant to section 32.111, 32.112 or 32.117, in no event shall the total amount of all other tax credits allowed pursuant to sections 32.100 to 32.125 exceed thirty-two million dollars in any one fiscal year, of which six million shall be credits allowed pursuant to section 135.460, RSMo. If six million dollars in credits are not approved, then the remaining credits may be used for programs approved pursuant to sections 32.100 to 32.125;

(5) The credit may exceed two hundred fifty thousand dollars annually and shall not be limited if community services, crime prevention, education, job training, physical revitalization or economic development, as defined by section 32.105, is rendered in an area defined by federal or state law as an impoverished, economically distressed, or blighted area or as a neighborhood experiencing problems endangering its existence as a viable and stable neighborhood, or if the community services, crime prevention, education, job training, physical revitalization or economic development is limited to impoverished persons.

3. For proposals approved pursuant to section 32.111:

(1) The amount of the tax credit shall not exceed fifty-five percent of the total amount invested in affordable housing assistance activities or market rate housing in distressed communities as defined in section 135.530, RSMo, by a business firm. Whenever such investment is made in the form of an equity investment or a loan, as opposed to a donation alone, tax credits may be claimed only where the loan or equity investment is accompanied by a donation which is eligible for federal income tax charitable deduction, and where the total value of the tax credits herein plus the value of the federal income tax charitable deduction is less than or equal to the value of the donation. Any tax credit not used in the period for which the credit was approved may be carried over the next ten succeeding calendar or fiscal years until the full credit has been allowed. If the affordable housing units or market rate housing units in distressed communities for which a tax is claimed are within a larger structure, parts of which are not the subject of a tax credit claim, then expenditures applicable to the entire structure shall be reduced on a prorated basis in proportion to the ratio of the number of square feet devoted to the affordable housing units or market rate housing units in distressed communities, for purposes of determining the amount of the tax credit. The total amount of tax credit granted for programs approved pursuant to section 32.111 for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1991, shall not exceed two million dollars, to be increased by no more than two million dollars each succeeding fiscal year, until the total tax credits that may be approved reaches ten million dollars in any fiscal year;

(2) For any year during the compliance period indicated in the land use restriction agreement, the owner of the affordable housing rental units for which a credit is being claimed shall certify to the commission that all tenants renting claimed units are income eligible for affordable housing units and that the rentals for each claimed unit are in compliance with the provisions of sections 32.100 to 32.125. The commission is authorized, in its discretion, to audit the records and accounts of the owner to verify such certification;

(3) In the case of owner-occupied affordable housing units, the qualifying owner occupant shall, before the end of the first year in which credits are claimed, certify to the commission that the occupant is income eligible during the preceding two years, and at the time of the initial purchase contract, but not thereafter. The qualifying owner occupant shall further certify to the commission, before the end of the first year in which credits are claimed, that during the compliance period indicated in the land use restriction agreement, the cost of the affordable housing unit to the occupant for the claimed unit can reasonably be projected to be in compliance with the provisions of sections 32.100 to 32.125. Any succeeding owner occupant acquiring the affordable housing unit during the compliance period indicated in the land use restriction agreement shall make the same certification;

(4) If at any time during the compliance period the commission determines a project for which a proposal has been approved is not in compliance with the applicable provisions of sections 32.100 to 32.125 or rules promulgated therefor, the commission may within one hundred fifty days of notice to the owner either seek injunctive enforcement action against the owner, or seek legal damages against the owner representing the value of the tax credits, or foreclose on the lien in the land use restriction agreement, selling the project at a public sale, and paying to the owner the proceeds of the sale, less the costs of the sale and less the value of all tax credits allowed herein. The commission shall remit to the director of revenue the portion of the legal damages collected or the sale proceeds representing the value of the tax credits. However, except in the event of intentional fraud by the taxpayer, the proposal's certificate of eligibility for tax credits shall not be revoked.

4. For proposals approved pursuant to section 32.112, the amount of the tax credit shall not exceed fifty-five percent of the total amount contributed to a neighborhood organization by business firms. Any tax credit not used in the period for which the credit was approved may be carried over the next ten succeeding calendar or fiscal years until the full credit has been allowed. The total amount of tax credit granted for programs of neighborhood organizations defined pursuant to paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of subdivision (14) of section 32.105 approved pursuant to section 32.112 shall not exceed one million dollars for each fiscal year and the total amount of tax credit granted for programs of neighborhood organizations defined pursuant to paragraph (d) of subdivision (14) of section 32.105 approved pursuant to section 32.112 shall not exceed five million dollars per fiscal year for fiscal years 2002 to 2006.

5. The total amount of tax credits used for market rate housing in distressed communities pursuant to sections 32.100 to 32.125 shall not exceed thirty percent of the total amount of all tax credits authorized pursuant to sections 32.111 and 32.112.

34.047. The commissioner of administration shall provide a five-percent bidding preference for agricultural food products produced by an eligible new generation cooperative. As used in this section, "eligible new generation cooperative" means a nonprofit cooperative association formed pursuant to chapter 274, RSMo, or incorporated pursuant to chapter 357, RSMo.

261.031. The marketing program currently known as AgriMissouri is renamed "Producer's Choice".

261.032. The director of the department of agriculture shall, for the use of the marketing division of the department of agriculture, develop and implement rules and regulations by product category for all value-added agricultural products included in the Producer's Choice marketing program, formerly known as AgriMissouri, or any equivalent successor program. No rule or portion of a rule promulgated pursuant to the authority of this section shall become effective unless it is promulgated pursuant to chapter 536, RSMo.

261.037. 1. There is hereby created in the state treasury for the use of the marketing division of the state department of agriculture a fund to be known as "The Value-Added Agricultural Products Marketing Development Fund". All moneys received by the state department of agriculture for value-added agricultural products marketing development from any source within the state shall be deposited in the fund. Moneys deposited in the fund shall, upon appropriation by the general assembly to the state department of agriculture, be expended by the marketing division of the state department of agriculture for purposes of value-added agricultural products marketing development as specified in subsection 2 of this section and for no other purposes. The unexpended balance in the value-added agricultural products marketing development fund at the end of the biennium shall not be transferred to the ordinary revenue fund of the state treasury and accordingly shall be exempt from the provisions of section 33.080, RSMo, relating to transfer of funds to the ordinary revenue funds of the state by the state treasurer.

2. Subject to an annual appropriation of five hundred thousand dollars for fiscal years 2002 to 2006 to the value-added agricultural products marketing development fund, the department of agriculture shall develop a matching-funds reimbursement program to promote advertising of value-added agricultural products included in the Producer's Choice, marketing program formerly known as AgriMissouri, and which is administered by the marketing division of the department of agriculture or any equivalent successor program, and to encourage the development of innovative marketing initiatives for value-added agricultural products. Such promotional program shall be administered by the marketing division of the department of agriculture. The promotional program shall accomplish the following objectives:

(1) Increases the impact and fosters the effectiveness of local efforts to promote value-added agricultural products;

(2) Enables and encourages expanded advertising efforts for value-added agricultural products;

(3) Provides progressive guidelines for program applicants which encourage effective, high-quality advertising projects, innovative marketing strategies, and the coordination of local, regional and statewide marketing efforts;

(4) Provides training and technical assistance to cooperative-marketing partners throughout the contract year;

(5) Establishes criteria to measure the success of the program.

261.038. The marketing division of the department of agriculture shall create an Internet web site for the purpose of fostering the marketing of value-added agricultural products over the Internet. The web site shall allow consumers to place orders for value-added agricultural products over the Internet and shall enable small companies which process value-added agricultural products to pool products with other such small companies.



Missouri House of Representatives