SECOND REGULAR SESSION
SENATE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
HOUSE BILL NO. 2058
94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Reported from the Committee on Economic Development, Tourism and Local Government, May 5, 2008, with recommendation that the Senate Committee Substitute do pass.
TERRY L. SPIELER, Secretary.
4495S.11C
AN ACT
To repeal sections 32.105, 67.1501, 67.1545, 99.820, 135.155, 135.535, 135.562, 135.815, 135.967, 137.115, 137.1018, 144.030, 348.434, 348.436, 353.150, 407.1240, 407.1249, 447.708, 620.495, 620.1039, 620.1220, 620.1878, and 620.1881, RSMo, section 99.825 as enacted by senate committee substitute for house committee substitute for house bill no. 741, ninety-fourth general assembly, first regular session, and section 99.825 as enacted by conference committee substitute for house committee substitute for senate bill no. 1, eighty-ninth general assembly, second extraordinary session, and to enact in lieu thereof thirty-one new sections relating to tax incentives for business development, with an emergency clause for a certain section.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Sections 32.105, 67.1501, 67.1545, 99.820, 135.155, 135.535, 135.562, 135.815, 135.967, 137.115, 137.1018, 144.030, 348.434, 348.436, 353.150, 407.1240, 407.1249, 447.708, 620.495, 620.1039, 620.1220, 620.1878, and 620.1881, RSMo, section 99.825 as enacted by senate committee substitute for house committee substitute for house bill no. 741, ninety-fourth general assembly, first regular session, and section 99.825 as enacted by conference committee substitute for house committee substitute for senate bill no. 1, eighty-ninth general assembly, second extraordinary session, are repealed and thirty-one new sections enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as sections 32.105, 67.1501, 67.1545, 99.820, 99.825, 135.155, 135.535, 135.562, 135.670, 135.682, 135.815, 135.967, 137.115, 137.1018, 144.030, 144.057, 144.058, 348.273, 348.274, 348.434, 348.436, 353.150, 407.1240, 407.1249, 447.708, 620.050, 620.495, 620.1039, 620.1220, 620.1878, and 620.1881, 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 FamilySize 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, including any charitable organization that is exempt from federal income tax and whose Missouri unrelated business taxable income, if any, would be subject to the state income tax imposed under such chapter, 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] six million dollars from within any one fiscal year's allocation[, except that for fiscal years 2005, 2006, and 2007 credits approved for economic development projects shall not exceed six million dollars]. 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) "Homeless assistance pilot project", the program established pursuant to section 32.117;
(12) "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) "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;
(14) "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) "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) "Workfare renovation project", any project initiated pursuant to sections 215.340 to 215.355, RSMo.
67.1501. 1. A district may use any one or more of the assessments, taxes, or other funding methods specifically authorized pursuant to sections 67.1401 to 67.1571 to provide funds to accomplish any power, duty or purpose of the district[; provided, however, no district which is located in any city not within a county and which includes any real property that is also included in a special business district established pursuant to sections 71.790 to 71.808, RSMo, prior to the establishment of the district pursuant to sections 67.1401 to 67.1571 shall have the authority to impose any such tax or assessment pursuant to sections 67.1401 to 67.1571 until such time as all taxes or special assessments imposed pursuant to sections 71.790 to 71.808, RSMo, on any real property or on any business located in such special business district or on any business or individual doing business in such special business district have been repealed in accordance with this subsection. The governing body of a special business district which includes real property located in a district established pursuant to sections 67.1401 to 67.1571 shall have the power to repeal all taxes and assessments imposed pursuant to sections 71.790 to 71.808, RSMo, and such power may be exercised by the adoption of a resolution by the governing body of such special business district. Upon the adoption of such resolution such special business district shall no longer have the power to impose any tax or special assessment pursuant to sections 71.790 to 71.808, RSMo, until such time as the district or districts established pursuant to sections 67.1401 to 67.1571 which include any real property that is also included in such special business district have been terminated or have expired pursuant to sections 67.1401 to 67.1571].
2. A district may establish different classes of real property within the district for purposes of special assessments. The levy rate for special assessments may vary for each class or subclass based on the level of benefit derived from services or improvements funded, provided or caused to be provided by the district.
3. Notwithstanding anything in sections 67.1401 to 67.1571 to the contrary, any district which is not a political subdivision shall have no power to levy any tax but shall have the power to levy special assessments in accordance with section 67.1521.
67.1545. 1. Any district formed as a political subdivision may impose by resolution a district sales and use tax on all retail sales made in such district which are subject to taxation pursuant to sections 144.010 to 144.525, RSMo, except sales of motor vehicles, trailers, boats or outboard motors and sales to or by public utilities and providers of communications, cable, or video services. Any sales and use tax imposed pursuant to this section may be imposed in increments of one-eighth of one percent, up to a maximum of one percent. Such district sales and use tax may be imposed for any district purpose designated by the district in its ballot of submission to its qualified voters; except that, no resolution adopted pursuant to this section shall become effective unless the board of directors of the district submits to the qualified voters of the district, by mail-in ballot, a proposal to authorize a sales and use tax pursuant to this section. If a majority of the votes cast by the qualified voters on the proposed sales tax are in favor of the sales tax, then the resolution is adopted. If a majority of the votes cast by the qualified voters are opposed to the sales tax, then the resolution is void.
2. The ballot shall be substantially in the following form:
Shall the ........................ (insert name of district) Community Improvement District impose a community improvement districtwide sales and use tax at the maximum rate of ............... (insert amount) for a period of ................ (insert number) years from the date on which such tax is first imposed for the purpose of providing revenue for ................................................ (insert general description of the purpose)?
□ YES □ NO
If you are in favor of the question, place an "X" in the box opposite "YES". If you are opposed to the question, place an "X" in the box opposite "NO".
3. Within ten days after the qualified voters have approved the imposition of the sales and use tax, the district shall, in accordance with section 32.087, RSMo, notify the director of the department of revenue. The sales and use tax authorized by this section shall become effective on the first day of the second calendar quarter after the director of the department of revenue receives notice of the adoption of such tax.
4. The director of the department of revenue shall collect any tax adopted pursuant to this section pursuant to section 32.087, RSMo.
5. In each district in which a sales and use tax is imposed pursuant to this section, every retailer shall add such additional tax imposed by the district to such retailer's sale price, and when so added such tax shall constitute a part of the purchase price, shall be a debt of the purchaser to the retailer until paid and shall be recoverable at law in the same manner as the purchase price.
6. In order to allow retailers to collect and report the sales and use tax authorized by this section as well as all other sales and use taxes required by law in the simplest and most efficient manner possible, a district may establish appropriate brackets to be used in the district imposing a tax pursuant to this section in lieu of the brackets provided in section 144.285, RSMo.
7. The penalties provided in sections 144.010 to 144.525, RSMo, shall apply to violations of this section.
8. All revenue received by the district from a sales and use tax imposed pursuant to this section which is designated for a specific purpose shall be deposited into a special trust fund and expended solely for such purpose. Upon the expiration of any sales and use tax adopted pursuant to this section, all funds remaining in the special trust fund shall continue to be used solely for the specific purpose designated in the resolution adopted by the qualified voters. Any funds in such special trust fund which are not needed for current expenditures may be invested by the board of directors pursuant to applicable laws relating to the investment of other district funds.
9. A district may repeal by resolution any sales and use tax imposed pursuant to this section before the expiration date of such sales and use tax unless the repeal of such sales and use tax will impair the district's ability to repay any liabilities the district has incurred, moneys the district has borrowed or obligation the district has issued to finance any improvements or services rendered for the district.
10. Notwithstanding the provisions of chapter 115, RSMo, an election for a district sales and use tax under this section shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of this section.
99.820. 1. A municipality may:
(1) By ordinance introduced in the governing body of the municipality within fourteen to ninety days from the completion of the hearing required in section 99.825, approve redevelopment plans and redevelopment projects, and designate redevelopment project areas pursuant to the notice and hearing requirements of sections 99.800 to 99.865. No redevelopment project shall be approved unless a redevelopment plan has been approved and a redevelopment area has been designated prior to or concurrently with the approval of such redevelopment project and the area selected for the redevelopment project shall include only those parcels of real property and improvements thereon directly and substantially benefited by the proposed redevelopment project improvements;
(2) Make and enter into all contracts necessary or incidental to the implementation and furtherance of its redevelopment plan or project;
(3) Pursuant to a redevelopment plan, subject to any constitutional limitations, acquire by purchase, donation, lease or, as part of a redevelopment project, eminent domain, own, convey, lease, mortgage, or dispose of, land and other property, real or personal, or rights or interests therein, and grant or acquire licenses, easements and options with respect thereto, all in the manner and at such price the municipality or the commission determines is reasonably necessary to achieve the objectives of the redevelopment plan; however, the municipality shall disclose to any land owner whose property is acquired that such land is being acquired for a tax increment redevelopment project. No conveyance, lease, mortgage, disposition of land or other property, acquired by the municipality, or agreement relating to the development of the property shall be made except upon the adoption of an ordinance by the governing body of the municipality. Each municipality or its commission shall establish written procedures relating to bids and proposals for implementation of the redevelopment projects. Furthermore, no conveyance, lease, mortgage, or other disposition of land or agreement relating to the development of property shall be made without making public disclosure of the terms of the disposition and all bids and proposals made in response to the municipality's request. Such procedures for obtaining such bids and proposals shall provide reasonable opportunity for any person to submit alternative proposals or bids;
(4) Within a redevelopment area, clear any area by demolition or removal of existing buildings and structures;
(5) Within a redevelopment area, renovate, rehabilitate, or construct any structure or building;
(6) Install, repair, construct, reconstruct, or relocate streets, utilities, and site improvements essential to the preparation of the redevelopment area for use in accordance with a redevelopment plan;
(7) Within a redevelopment area, fix, charge, and collect fees, rents, and other charges for the use of any building or property owned or leased by it or any part thereof, or facility therein;
(8) Accept grants, guarantees, and donations of property, labor, or other things of value from a public or private source for use within a redevelopment area;
(9) Acquire and construct public facilities within a redevelopment area;
(10) Incur redevelopment costs and issue obligations;
(11) Make payment in lieu of taxes, or a portion thereof, to taxing districts;
(12) Disburse surplus funds from the special allocation fund to taxing districts. If a municipality disburses any surplus funds, whether by statute or by contract, it shall disburse all surplus funds from the special allocation fund to each taxing district as follows:
(a) Such surplus payments in lieu of taxes shall be distributed to taxing districts within the redevelopment area which impose ad valorem taxes on a basis that is proportional to the current collections of revenue which each taxing district receives from real property in the redevelopment area;
(b) Surplus economic activity taxes shall be distributed to taxing districts in the redevelopment area which impose economic activity taxes, on a basis that is proportional to the amount of such economic activity taxes the taxing district would have received from the redevelopment area had tax increment financing not been adopted;
(c) Surplus revenues, other than payments in lieu of taxes and economic activity taxes, deposited in the special allocation fund, shall be distributed on a basis that is proportional to the total receipt of such other revenues in such account in the year prior to disbursement;
(13) If any member of the governing body of the municipality, a member of a commission established pursuant to subsection 2 or 3 of this section, or an employee or consultant of the municipality, involved in the planning and preparation of a redevelopment plan, or redevelopment project for a redevelopment area or proposed redevelopment area, owns or controls an interest, direct or indirect, in any property included in any redevelopment area, or proposed redevelopment area, which property is designated to be acquired or improved pursuant to a redevelopment project, he or she shall disclose the same in writing to the clerk of the municipality, and shall also so disclose the dates, terms, and conditions of any disposition of any such interest, which disclosures shall be acknowledged by the governing body of the municipality and entered upon the minutes books of the governing body of the municipality. If an individual holds such an interest, then that individual shall refrain from any further official involvement in regard to such redevelopment plan, redevelopment project or redevelopment area, from voting on any matter pertaining to such redevelopment plan, redevelopment project or redevelopment area, or communicating with other members concerning any matter pertaining to that redevelopment plan, redevelopment project or redevelopment area. Furthermore, no such member or employee shall acquire any interest, direct or indirect, in any property in a redevelopment area or proposed redevelopment area after either (a) such individual obtains knowledge of such plan or project, or (b) first public notice of such plan, project or area pursuant to section 99.830, whichever first occurs;
(14) Charge as a redevelopment cost the reasonable costs incurred by its clerk or other official in administering the redevelopment project. The charge for the clerk's or other official's costs shall be determined by the municipality based on a recommendation from the commission, created pursuant to this section.
2. Prior to adoption of an ordinance approving the designation of a redevelopment area or approving a redevelopment plan or redevelopment project, the municipality shall create a commission of nine persons if the municipality is a county or a city not within a county and not a first class county with a charter form of government with a population in excess of nine hundred thousand, and eleven persons if the municipality is not a county and not in a first class county with a charter form of government having a population of more than nine hundred thousand, and twelve persons if the municipality is located in or is a first class county with a charter form of government having a population of more than nine hundred thousand, to be appointed as follows:
(1) In all municipalities two members shall be appointed by the school boards whose districts are included within the redevelopment plan or redevelopment area. Such members shall be appointed in any manner agreed upon by the affected districts;
(2) In all municipalities one member shall be appointed, in any manner agreed upon by the affected districts, to represent all other districts levying ad valorem taxes within the area selected for a redevelopment project or the redevelopment area, excluding representatives of the governing body of the municipality;
(3) In all municipalities six members shall be appointed by the chief elected officer of the municipality, with the consent of the majority of the governing body of the municipality;
(4) In all municipalities which are not counties and not in a first class county with a charter form of government having a population in excess of nine hundred thousand, two members shall be appointed by the county of such municipality in the same manner as members are appointed in subdivision (3) of this subsection;
(5) In a municipality which is a county with a charter form of government having a population in excess of nine hundred thousand, three members shall be appointed by the cities in the county which have tax increment financing districts in a manner in which the cities shall agree;
(6) In a municipality which is located in the first class county with a charter form of government having a population in excess of nine hundred thousand, three members shall be appointed by the county of such municipality in the same manner as members are appointed in subdivision (3) of this subsection;
(7) [Effective January 1, 2008, in a municipality which is in a county under the authority of the East-West Gateway Council of Governments, except any municipality in any county of the first classification with more than ninety-three thousand eight hundred but fewer than ninety-three thousand nine hundred inhabitants, the municipality shall create a commission in the same manner as the commission for any county with a charter form of government and with more than one million inhabitants, such commission shall have twelve members with two such members appointed by the school boards whose districts are included in the county in a manner in which such school boards agree, with one such member to represent all other districts levying ad valorem taxes in a manner in which all such districts agree, six such members appointed either by the county executive or county commissioner, and three such members appointed by the cities in the county which have tax increment financing districts in a manner in which the cities shall agree;
(8) Effective January 1, 2008, when any city, town, or village under the authority of the East-West Gateway Council of Governments, except any municipality in any county of the first classification with more than ninety-three thousand eight hundred but fewer than ninety-three thousand nine hundred inhabitants, desires to implement a tax increment financing project, such city, town, or village shall first obtain the permission of the county tax increment financing commission created in this subsection within which the city, town, or village is located. In the event such commission votes in opposition to the redevelopment project, such redevelopment project shall not be approved unless at least two-thirds of the governing body of the city, town, or village votes to approve such project;
(9)] At the option of the members appointed by the municipality, the members who are appointed by the school boards and other taxing districts may serve on the commission for a term to coincide with the length of time a redevelopment project, redevelopment plan or designation of a redevelopment area is considered for approval by the commission, or for a definite term pursuant to this subdivision. If the members representing school districts and other taxing districts are appointed for a term coinciding with the length of time a redevelopment project, plan or area is approved, such term shall terminate upon final approval of the project, plan or designation of the area by the governing body of the municipality. Thereafter the commission shall consist of the six members appointed by the municipality, except that members representing school boards and other taxing districts shall be appointed as provided in this section prior to any amendments to any redevelopment plans, redevelopment projects or designation of a redevelopment area. If any school district or other taxing jurisdiction fails to appoint members of the commission within thirty days of receipt of written notice of a proposed redevelopment plan, redevelopment project or designation of a redevelopment area, the remaining members may proceed to exercise the power of the commission. Of the members first appointed by the municipality, two shall be designated to serve for terms of two years, two shall be designated to serve for a term of three years and two shall be designated to serve for a term of four years from the date of such initial appointments. Thereafter, the members appointed by the municipality shall serve for a term of four years, except that all vacancies shall be filled for unexpired terms in the same manner as were the original appointments. Members appointed by the county executive or presiding commissioner prior to August 28, 2008, shall continue their service on the commission established in subsection 3 of this section without further appointment unless the county executive or presiding commissioner appoints a new member or members.
3. [The commission] Beginning August 28, 2008:
(1) In lieu of a commission created under subsection 2 of this section, any city, town, or village in a county with a charter form of government and with more than one million inhabitants, in a county with a charter form of government and with more than two hundred fifty thousand but fewer than three hundred fifty thousand inhabitants, or in a county of the first classification with more than one hundred ninety-eight thousand but fewer than one hundred ninety-nine thousand two hundred inhabitants shall, prior to adoption of an ordinance approving the designation of a redevelopment area or approving a redevelopment plan or redevelopment project, create a commission consisting of twelve persons to be appointed as follows:
(a) Six members appointed either by the county executive or presiding commissioner; notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, no approval by the county's governing body shall be required;
(b) Three members appointed by the cities, towns, or villages in the county which have tax increment financing districts in a manner in which the chief elected officials of such cities, towns, or villages agree;
(c) Two members appointed by the school boards whose districts are included in the county in a manner in which the school boards agree; and
(d) One member to represent all other districts levying ad valorem taxes in the proposed redevelopment area in a manner in which all such districts agree.
No city, town, or village subject to this subsection shall create or maintain a commission under subsection 2 of this section, except as necessary to complete a public hearing for which notice under section 99.830 has been provided prior to August 28, 2008, and to vote or make recommendations relating to redevelopment plans, redevelopment projects, or designation of redevelopment areas, or amendments thereto that were the subject of such public hearing;
(2) Members appointed to the commission created under this subsection, except those six members appointed by either the county executive or presiding commissioner, shall serve on the commission for a term to coincide with the length of time a redevelopment project, redevelopment plan, or designation of a redevelopment area is considered for approval by the commission. The six members appointed by either the county executive or the presiding commissioner shall serve on all such commissions until replaced. The city, town, or village that creates a commission under this subsection shall send notice thereof by certified mail to the county executive or presiding commissioner, to the school districts whose boundaries include any portion of the proposed redevelopment area, and to the other taxing districts whose boundaries include any portion of the proposed redevelopment area. The city, town, or village that creates the commission shall also be solely responsible for notifying all other cities, towns, and villages in the county that have tax increment financing districts and shall exercise all administrative functions of the commission. The school districts receiving notice from the city, town, or village shall be solely responsible for notifying the other school districts within the county of the formation of the commission. If the county, school board, or other taxing district fails to appoint members to the commission within thirty days after the city, town, or village sends the written notice, as provided herein, that it has convened such a commission or within thirty days of the expiration of any such member's term, the remaining duly appointed members of the commission may exercise the full powers of the commission.
4. (1) Any commission created under this section, subject to approval of the governing body of the municipality, may exercise the powers enumerated in sections 99.800 to 99.865, except final approval of plans, projects and designation of redevelopment areas. The commission shall hold public hearings and provide notice pursuant to sections 99.825 and 99.830. [The]
(2) Any commission created under subsection 2 of this section shall vote on all proposed redevelopment plans, redevelopment projects and designations of redevelopment areas, and amendments thereto, within thirty days following completion of the hearing on any such plan, project or designation and shall make recommendations to the governing body within ninety days of the hearing referred to in section 99.825 concerning the adoption of or amendment to redevelopment plans and redevelopment projects and the designation of redevelopment areas. The requirements of subsection 2 of this section and this subsection shall not apply to redevelopment projects upon which the required hearings have been duly held prior to August 31, 1991.
(3) Any commission created under subsection 3 of this section shall, within fifteen days of the receipt of a redevelopment plan meeting the minimum requirements of section 99.810, as determined by counsel to the city, town, or village creating the commission and a request by the applicable city, town, or village for a public hearing, fix a time and place for the public hearing referred to in section 99.825. The public hearing shall be held no later than seventy-five days from the commission's receipt of such redevelopment plan and request for public hearing. The commission shall vote and make recommendations to the governing body of the city, town, or village requesting the public hearing on all proposed redevelopment plans, redevelopment projects, and designations of redevelopment areas, and amendments thereto within thirty days following the completion of the public hearing. If the commission fails to vote within thirty days following the completion of the public hearing referred to in section 99.825 concerning the proposed redevelopment plan, redevelopment project, or designation of redevelopment area, or amendments thereto, such plan, project, designation, or amendment thereto shall be deemed rejected by the commission.
99.825. 1. Prior to the adoption of an ordinance proposing the designation of a redevelopment area, or approving a redevelopment plan or redevelopment project, the commission shall fix a time and place for a public hearing as required in subsection 4 of section 99.820 and notify each taxing district located wholly or partially within the boundaries of the proposed redevelopment area, plan or project. At the public hearing any interested person or affected taxing district may file with the commission written objections to, or comments on, and may be heard orally in respect to, any issues embodied in the notice. The commission shall hear and consider all protests, objections, comments and other evidence presented at the hearing. The hearing may be continued to another date without further notice other than a motion to be entered upon the minutes fixing the time and place of the subsequent hearing; provided, if the commission is created under subsection 3 of section 99.820, the hearing shall not be continued for more than thirty days beyond the date on which it is originally opened unless such longer period is requested by the chief elected official of the municipality creating the commission and approved by a majority of the commission. Prior to the conclusion of the hearing, changes may be made in the redevelopment plan, redevelopment project, or redevelopment area, provided that each affected taxing district is given written notice of such changes at least seven days prior to the conclusion of the hearing. After the public hearing but prior to the adoption of an ordinance approving a redevelopment plan or redevelopment project, or designating a redevelopment area, changes may be made to the redevelopment plan, redevelopment projects or redevelopment areas without a further hearing, if such changes do not enlarge the exterior boundaries of the redevelopment area or areas, and do not substantially affect the general land uses established in the redevelopment plan or substantially change the nature of the redevelopment projects or increase the total redevelopment costs approved by the commission to be paid by tax increment financing, excluding interest and finance costs, by more than ten percent, provided that notice of such changes shall be given by mail to each affected taxing district and by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the area of the proposed redevelopment not less than ten days prior to the adoption of the changes by ordinance. After the adoption of an ordinance approving a redevelopment plan or redevelopment project, or designating a redevelopment area, no ordinance shall be adopted altering the exterior boundaries, affecting the general land uses established pursuant to the redevelopment plan [or], changing the nature of the redevelopment project or increasing the total redevelopment project costs approved by the commission to be paid by tax increment financing, excluding interest and financing costs, by more than ten percent without complying with the procedures provided in this section pertaining to the initial approval of a redevelopment plan or redevelopment project and designation of a redevelopment area. Hearings with regard to a redevelopment project, redevelopment area, or redevelopment plan may be held simultaneously.
2. Effective January 1, 2008, if, after concluding the hearing required under this section, the commission makes a recommendation under section 99.820 in opposition to a proposed redevelopment plan, redevelopment project, or designation of a redevelopment area, or any amendments thereto, a municipality desiring to approve such project, plan, designation, or amendments shall do so only upon a two-thirds majority vote of the governing body of such municipality.
3. Tax incremental financing projects within an economic development area shall apply to and fund only the following infrastructure projects: highways, roads, streets, bridges, sewers, traffic control systems and devices, water distribution and supply systems, curbing, sidewalks and any other similar public improvements, but in no case shall it include buildings.
[99.825. 1. Prior to the adoption of an ordinance proposing the designation of a redevelopment area, or approving a redevelopment plan or redevelopment project, the commission shall fix a time and place for a public hearing and notify each taxing district located wholly or partially within the boundaries of the proposed redevelopment area, plan or project. At the public hearing any interested person or affected taxing district may file with the commission written objections to, or comments on, and may be heard orally in respect to, any issues embodied in the notice. The commission shall hear and consider all protests, objections, comments and other evidence presented at the hearing. The hearing may be continued to another date without further notice other than a motion to be entered upon the minutes fixing the time and place of the subsequent hearing. Prior to the conclusion of the hearing, changes may be made in the redevelopment plan, redevelopment project, or redevelopment area, provided that each affected taxing district is given written notice of such changes at least seven days prior to the conclusion of the hearing. After the public hearing but prior to the adoption of an ordinance approving a redevelopment plan or redevelopment project, or designating a redevelopment area, changes may be made to the redevelopment plan, redevelopment projects or redevelopment areas without a further hearing, if such changes do not enlarge the exterior boundaries of the redevelopment area or areas, and do not substantially affect the general land uses established in the redevelopment plan or substantially change the nature of the redevelopment projects, provided that notice of such changes shall be given by mail to each affected taxing district and by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the area of the proposed redevelopment not less than ten days prior to the adoption of the changes by ordinance. After the adoption of an ordinance approving a redevelopment plan or redevelopment project, or designating a redevelopment area, no ordinance shall be adopted altering the exterior boundaries, affecting the general land uses established pursuant to the redevelopment plan or changing the nature of the redevelopment project without complying with the procedures provided in this section pertaining to the initial approval of a redevelopment plan or redevelopment project and designation of a redevelopment area. Hearings with regard to a redevelopment project, redevelopment area, or redevelopment plan may be held simultaneously.
2. Tax incremental financing projects within an economic development area shall apply to and fund only the following infrastructure projects: highways, roads, streets, bridges, sewers, traffic control systems and devices, water distribution and supply systems, curbing, sidewalks and any other similar public improvements, but in no case shall it include buildings.]
135.155. 1. Notwithstanding any provision of the law to the contrary, no revenue-producing enterprise other than headquarters as defined in subsection 10 of section 135.110 shall receive the incentives set forth in sections 135.100 to 135.150 for facilities commencing operations on or after January 1, 2005. No headquarters as defined in subsection 10 of section 135.110 shall receive the incentives set forth in subsections 9 to 14 of section 135.110 for facilities commencing or expanding operations on or after January 1, 2018.
2. Expansions at headquarters facilities as defined in subsection 10 of section 135.110 shall each be considered a separate new business facility and each be entitled to the credits as set forth in subsections 9 to 14 of section 135.110 if the number of new business facility employees attributed to each such expansion is at least twenty-five and the amount of new business facility investment attributed to each such expansion is at least one million dollars.
3. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, for headquarters as defined in subsection 10 of section 135.110, buildings on multiple noncontiguous real properties shall be considered one facility if the buildings are located within five miles of each other.
135.535. 1. A corporation, limited liability corporation, partnership or sole proprietorship, which moves its operations from outside Missouri or outside a distressed community into a distressed community, or which commences operations in a distressed community on or after January 1, 1999, and in either case has more than seventy-five percent of its employees at the facility in the distressed community, and which has fewer than one hundred employees for whom payroll taxes are paid, and which is a manufacturing, biomedical, medical devices, scientific research, animal research, computer software design or development, computer programming, including Internet, web hosting, and other information technology, wireless or wired or other telecommunications or a professional firm shall receive a forty percent credit against income taxes owed pursuant to chapter 143, 147 or 148, RSMo, other than taxes withheld pursuant to sections 143.191 to 143.265, RSMo, for each of the three years after such move, if approved by the department of economic development, which shall issue a certificate of eligibility if the department determines that the taxpayer is eligible for such credit. The maximum amount of credits per taxpayer set forth in this subsection shall not exceed one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars for each of the three years for which the credit is claimed. The department of economic development, by means of rule or regulation promulgated pursuant to the provisions of chapter 536, RSMo, shall assign appropriate North American Industry Classification System numbers to the companies which are eligible for the tax credits provided for in this section. Such three-year credits shall be awarded only one time to any company which moves its operations from outside of Missouri or outside of a distressed community into a distressed community or to a company which commences operations within a distressed community. A taxpayer shall file an application for certification of the tax credits for the first year in which credits are claimed and for each of the two succeeding taxable years for which credits are claimed.
2. Employees of such facilities physically working and earning wages for that work within a distressed community whose employers have been approved for tax credits pursuant to subsection 1 of this section by the department of economic development for whom payroll taxes are paid shall also be eligible to receive a tax credit against individual income tax, imposed pursuant to chapter 143, RSMo, equal to one and one-half percent of their gross salary paid at such facility earned for each of the three years that the facility receives the tax credit provided by this section, so long as they were qualified employees of such entity. The employer shall calculate the amount of such credit and shall report the amount to the employee and the department of revenue.
3. A tax credit against income taxes owed pursuant to chapter 143, 147 or 148, RSMo, other than the taxes withheld pursuant to sections 143.191 to 143.265, RSMo, in lieu of the credit against income taxes as provided in subsection 1 of this section, may be taken by such an entity in a distressed community in an amount of forty percent of the amount of funds expended for computer equipment and its maintenance, medical laboratories and equipment, research laboratory equipment, manufacturing equipment, fiber optic equipment, high speed telecommunications, wiring or software development expense up to a maximum of seventy-five thousand dollars in tax credits for such equipment or expense per year per entity and for each of three years after commencement in or moving operations into a distressed community.
4. A corporation, partnership or sole partnership, which has no more than one hundred employees for whom payroll taxes are paid, which is already located in a distressed community and which expends funds for such equipment pursuant to subsection 3 of this section in an amount exceeding its average of the prior two years for such equipment, shall be eligible to receive a tax credit against income taxes owed pursuant to chapters 143, 147 and 148, RSMo, in an amount equal to the lesser of seventy-five thousand dollars or twenty-five percent of the funds expended for such additional equipment per such entity. Tax credits allowed pursuant to this subsection or subsection 1 of this section may be carried back to any of the three prior tax years and carried forward to any of the five tax years.
5. An existing corporation, partnership or sole proprietorship that is located within a distressed community and that relocates employees from another facility outside of the distressed community to its facility within the distressed community, and an existing business located within a distressed community that hires new employees for that facility may both be eligible for the tax credits allowed by subsections 1 and 3 of this section. To be eligible for such tax credits, such a business, during one of its tax years, shall employ within a distressed community at least twice as many employees as were employed at the beginning of that tax year. A business hiring employees shall have no more than one hundred employees before the addition of the new employees. This subsection shall only apply to a business which is a manufacturing, biomedical, medical devices, scientific research, animal research, computer software design or development, computer programming or telecommunications business, or a professional firm.
6. Tax credits shall be approved for applicants meeting the requirements of this section in the order that such applications are received. Certificates of tax credits issued in accordance with this section may be transferred, sold or assigned by notarized endorsement which names the transferee.
7. The tax credits allowed pursuant to subsections 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of this section shall be for an amount of no more than ten million dollars for each year beginning in 1999. To the extent there are available tax credits remaining under the ten million dollar cap provided in this section, [up to one hundred thousand dollars in the] such remaining credits shall first be used for tax credits authorized under section 135.562. The total maximum credit for all entities already located in distressed communities and claiming credits pursuant to subsection 4 of this section shall be seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The department of economic development in approving taxpayers for the credit as provided for in subsection 6 of this section shall use information provided by the department of revenue regarding taxes paid in the previous year, or projected taxes for those entities newly established in the state, as the method of determining when this maximum will be reached and shall maintain a record of the order of approval. Any tax credit not used in the period for which the credit was approved may be carried over until the full credit has been allowed.
8. A Missouri employer relocating into a distressed community and having employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement at the facility from which it is relocating shall not be eligible for the credits in subsection 1, 3, 4 or 5 of this section, and its employees shall not be eligible for the credit in subsection 2 of this section if the relocation violates or terminates a collective bargaining agreement covering employees at the facility, unless the affected collective bargaining unit concurs with the move.
9. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, no taxpayer shall earn the tax credits allowed in this section and the tax credits otherwise allowed in section 135.110, or the tax credits, exemptions, and refund otherwise allowed in sections 135.200, 135.220, 135.225 and 135.245, respectively, for the same business for the same tax period.
135.562. 1. If any taxpayer with a federal adjusted gross income of thirty thousand dollars or less incurs costs for the purpose of making all or any portion of such taxpayer's principal dwelling accessible to an individual with a disability or a senior who permanently resides with the taxpayer, such taxpayer shall receive a tax credit against such taxpayer's Missouri income tax liability in an amount equal to the lesser of one hundred percent of such costs or two thousand five hundred dollars per taxpayer, per tax year. For purposes of this section, "disability" shall have the same meaning as such term is defined in section 135.010 and "senior" shall mean a person sixty-five years of age or older.
2. Any taxpayer with a federal adjusted gross income greater than thirty thousand dollars but less than sixty thousand dollars who incurs costs for the purpose of making all or any portion of such taxpayer's principal dwelling accessible to an individual with a disability or senior who permanently resides with the taxpayer shall receive a tax credit against such taxpayer's Missouri income tax liability in an amount equal to the lesser of fifty percent of such costs or two thousand five hundred dollars per taxpayer per tax year. No taxpayer shall be eligible to receive tax credits under this section in any tax year immediately following a tax year in which such taxpayer received tax credits under the provisions of this section.
3. Tax credits issued pursuant to this section may be refundable in an amount not to exceed two thousand five hundred dollars per tax year.
4. Eligible costs for which the credit may be claimed include:
(1) Constructing entrance or exit ramps;
(2) Widening exterior or interior doorways;
(3) Widening hallways;
(4) Installing handrails or grab bars;
(5) Moving electrical outlets and switches;
(6) Installing stairway lifts;
(7) Installing or modifying fire alarms, smoke detectors, and other alerting systems;
(8) Modifying hardware of doors; [or]
(9) Modifying bathrooms; or
(10) Constructing additional rooms in the dwelling or structures on the property for the purpose of accommodating the senior or person with disability.
5. The tax credits allowed, including the maximum amount that may be claimed, pursuant to this section shall be reduced by an amount sufficient to offset any amount of such costs a taxpayer has already deducted from such taxpayer's federal adjusted gross income or to the extent such taxpayer has applied any other state or federal income tax credit to such costs.
6. A taxpayer shall claim a credit allowed by this section in the same taxable year as the credit is issued, and at the time such taxpayer files his or her Missouri income tax return; provided that such return is timely filed.
7. The department may, in consultation with the department of social services, promulgate such rules or regulations as are necessary to administer the provisions of this section. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010, RSMo, that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536, RSMo, and, if applicable, section 536.028, RSMo. This section and chapter 536, RSMo, are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536, RSMo, to review, to delay the effective date or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2007, shall be invalid and void.
8. The provisions of this section shall apply to all tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2008.
9. The provisions of this section shall expire December 31, 2013.
10. In no event shall the aggregate amount of all tax credits allowed pursuant to this section exceed [one hundred thousand dollars] the amount of tax credits remaining unused under the program authorized under section 135.535 in any given fiscal year. The tax credits issued pursuant to this section shall be on a first-come, first-served filing basis.
135.670. 1. As used in this section, the following terms mean:
(1) "Class 8 truck", a heavy duty vehicle, as defined in 42 U.S.C. Section 16104, as amended, that has a gross vehicle weight in excess of thirty three thousand pounds;
(2) "Department", the department of revenue;
(3) "Idle reduction technology", shall have the same meaning ascribed in 42 U.S.C. Section 16104, as amended;
(4) "State tax liability", in the case of a business taxpayer, any liability incurred by such taxpayer pursuant to the provisions of chapters 143, 147, and 153, RSMo, excluding sections 143.191 to 143.265, RSMo, and related provisions, and in the case of an individual taxpayer, any liability incurred by such taxpayer pursuant to the provisions of chapter 143, RSMo, excluding sections 143.191 to 143.265, RSMo, and related provisions;
(5) "Taxpayer", a 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 express company which pays an annual tax on its gross receipts in this state pursuant to chapter 153, RSMo, or an individual subject to the state income tax imposed by the provisions of chapter 143, RSMo.
2. For all tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2008, a taxpayer shall be allowed to claim a tax credit against the taxpayer's state tax liability in an amount equal to fifty percent of the amount such taxpayer paid to purchase and install idle reduction technology on a class 8 truck after January 1, 2008. In no case shall the tax credit exceed thirty five hundred dollars per truck.
3. The amount of the tax credit claimed shall not exceed the amount of the taxpayer's state tax liability for the taxable year for which the credit is claimed. However, any tax credit that cannot be claimed in the taxable year the purchase and installation was made may be carried over to the next three succeeding taxable years until the full credit has been claimed. The tax credit allowed under this section shall be nontransferable.
4. The cumulative amount of tax credits which may be issued under this section in any one fiscal year shall not exceed ten million dollars, and the total amount of tax credits which may be issued under this section shall not exceed twenty million dollars. If the amount of tax credits claimed under this section exceeds ten million dollars in any one fiscal year, the director of the department of revenue shall establish a procedure by which, from the beginning of the fiscal year until some point in time later in the fiscal year to be determined by the director, the cumulative amount of tax credits are equally apportioned among all taxpayers allowed a tax credit under this section. The director may establish more than one period of time and reapportion more than once during each fiscal year. To the maximum extent possible, the director shall establish the procedure described in this subsection in such a manner as to ensure that taxpayers can claim all the tax credits possible up to the cumulative amount of tax credits available for the fiscal year.
5. Not less than one hundred and twenty days from the effective date of this act, the department shall promulgate rules necessary for the implementation of the provisions of this act. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010, RSMo, that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536, RSMo, and, if applicable, section 536.028, RSMo. This section and chapter 536, RSMo, are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536, RSMo, to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2008, shall be invalid and void.
6. The provisions of this section shall automatically sunset two years after August 28, 2008, unless reauthorized.
135.682. 1. The director of the department of economic development or the director's designee shall issue letter rulings regarding the tax credit program authorized under section 135.680, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this section. The director of the department of economic development may impose additional terms and conditions consistent with this section to requests for letter rulings by regulation promulgated under chapter 536, RSMo. For the purposes of this section, the term "letter ruling" means a written interpretation of law to a specific set of facts provided by the applicant requesting a letter ruling.
2. The director or director's designee shall respond to a request for a letter ruling within sixty days of receipt of such request. The applicant may provide a draft letter ruling for the department's consideration. The applicant may withdraw the request for a letter ruling, in writing, prior to the issuance of the letter ruling. The director or the director's designee may refuse to issue a letter ruling for good cause, but must list the specific reasons for refusing to issue the letter ruling. Good cause includes, but is not limited to:
(1) The applicant requests the director to determine whether a statute is constitutional or a regulation is lawful;
(2) The request involves a hypothetical situation or alternative plans;
(3) The facts or issues presented in the request are unclear, overbroad, insufficient, or otherwise inappropriate as a basis upon which to issue a letter ruling; and
(4) The issue is currently being considered in a rulemaking procedure, contested case, or other agency or judicial proceeding that may definitely resolve the issue.
3. Letter rulings shall bind the director and the director's agents and their successors until such time as the taxpayer or its shareholders, members, or partners, as applicable, claim all of such tax credits on a Missouri tax return, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in properly published regulations. The letter ruling shall apply only to the applicant.
4. Letter rulings issued under the authority of this section shall not be a rule as defined in section 536.010, RSMo, in that it is an interpretation issued by the department with respect to a specific set of facts and intended to apply only to that specific set of facts, and therefore shall not be subject to the rulemaking requirements of chapter 536, RSMo.
5. Information in letter ruling requests as described in section 620.014, RSMo, shall be closed to the public. Copies of letter rulings shall be available to the public provided that the applicant identifying information and otherwise protected information is redacted from the letter ruling as provided in subsection 1 of section 610.024, RSMo.
135.815. 1. Prior to authorization of any tax credit application, an administering agency shall verify through the department of revenue that the tax credit applicant does not owe any delinquent income, sales, or use taxes, or interest or penalties on such taxes, and through the department of insurance that the applicant does not owe any delinquent insurance taxes. Such delinquency shall not affect the authorization of the application for such tax credits, except that the amount of credits issued shall be reduced by the applicant's tax delinquency. If the department of revenue or the department of insurance concludes that a taxpayer is delinquent after June fifteenth but before July first of any year, and the application of tax credits to such delinquency causes a tax deficiency on behalf of the taxpayer to arise, then the taxpayer shall be granted thirty days to satisfy the deficiency in which interest, penalties, and additions to tax shall be tolled. After applying all available credits towards a tax delinquency, the administering agency shall notify the appropriate department, and that department shall update the amount of outstanding delinquent tax owed by the applicant. If any credits remain after satisfying all insurance, income, sales, and use tax delinquencies, the remaining credits shall be issued to the applicant, subject to the restrictions of other provisions of law.
2. Any applicant of a tax credit program contained in the definition of the term "all tax credit programs" who purposely and directly employs unauthorized aliens shall forfeit any tax credits issued to such applicant which have not been redeemed, and shall repay the amount of any tax credits redeemed by such applicant during the period of time such unauthorized alien was employed by the applicant. As used in this subsection, the term "unauthorized alien" shall mean an alien who does not have the legal right or authorization under federal law to work in the United States, as defined under Section 8 U.S.C. 1324a(h)(3).
135.967. 1. A taxpayer who establishes a new business facility may, upon approval by the department, be allowed a credit, each tax year for up to ten tax years, in an amount determined as set forth in this section, against the tax imposed by chapter 143, RSMo, excluding withholding tax imposed by sections 143.191 to 143.265, RSMo. No taxpayer shall receive multiple ten-year periods for subsequent expansions at the same facility.
2. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, any taxpayer who establishes a new business facility in an enhanced enterprise zone and is awarded state tax credits under this section may not also receive tax credits under sections 135.100 to 135.150, sections 135.200 to [135.268] 135.286, or section 135.535, and may not simultaneously receive tax credits under sections 620.1875 to 620.1890, RSMo, at the same facility.
3. No credit shall be issued pursuant to this section unless:
(1) The number of new business facility employees engaged or maintained in employment at the new business facility for the taxable year for which the credit is claimed equals or exceeds two; and
(2) The new business facility investment for the taxable year for which the credit is claimed equals or exceeds one hundred thousand dollars.
4. The annual amount of credits allowed for an approved enhanced business enterprise shall be the lesser of:
(1) The annual amount authorized by the department for the enhanced business enterprise, which shall be limited to the projected state economic benefit, as determined by the department; or
(2) The sum calculated based upon the following:
(a) A credit of four hundred dollars for each new business facility employee employed within an enhanced enterprise zone;
(b) An additional credit of four hundred dollars for each new business facility employee who is a resident of an enhanced enterprise zone;
(c) An additional credit of four hundred dollars for each new business facility employee who is paid by the enhanced business enterprise a wage that exceeds the average wage paid within the county in which the facility is located, as determined by the department; and
(d) A credit equal to two percent of new business facility investment within an enhanced enterprise zone.
5. Prior to January 1, 2007, in no event shall the department authorize more than four million dollars annually to be issued for all enhanced business enterprises. After December 31, 2006, in no event shall the department authorize more than [fourteen] twenty-four million dollars annually to be issued for all enhanced business enterprises.
6. If a facility, which does not constitute a new business facility, is expanded by the taxpayer, the expansion shall be considered eligible for the credit allowed by this section if:
(1) The taxpayer's new business facility investment in the expansion during the tax period in which the credits allowed in this section are claimed exceeds one hundred thousand dollars and if the number of new business facility employees engaged or maintained in employment at the expansion facility for the taxable year for which credit is claimed equals or exceeds two, and the total number of employees at the facility after the expansion is at least two greater than the total number of employees before the expansion; and
(2) The taxpayer's investment in the expansion and in the original facility prior to expansion shall be determined in the manner provided in subdivision (14) of section 135.950.
7. The number of new business facility employees during any taxable year shall be determined by dividing by twelve the sum of the number of individuals employed on the last business day of each month of such taxable year. If the new business facility is in operation for less than the entire taxable year, the number of new business facility employees shall be determined by dividing the sum of the number of individuals employed on the last business day of each full calendar month during the portion of such taxable year during which the new business facility was in operation by the number of full calendar months during such period. For the purpose of computing the credit allowed by this section in the case of a facility which qualifies as a new business facility under subsection 6 of this section, and in the case of a new business facility which satisfies the requirements of paragraph (c) of subdivision (14) of section 135.950, or subdivision (22) of section 135.950, the number of new business facility employees at such facility shall be reduced by the average number of individuals employed, computed as provided in this subsection, at the facility during the taxable year immediately preceding the taxable year in which such expansion, acquisition, or replacement occurred and shall further be reduced by the number of individuals employed by the taxpayer or related taxpayer that was subsequently transferred to the new business facility from another Missouri facility and for which credits authorized in this section are not being earned, whether such credits are earned because of an expansion, acquisition, relocation, or the establishment of a new facility.
8. In the case where a new business facility employee who is a resident of an enhanced enterprise zone for less than a twelve-month period is employed for less than a twelve-month period, the credits allowed by paragraph (b) of subdivision (2) of subsection 4 of this section shall be determined by multiplying four hundred dollars by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of calendar days during the taxpayer's tax year for which such credits are claimed, in which the employee was a resident of an enhanced enterprise zone, and the denominator of which is three hundred sixty-five.
9. For the purpose of computing the credit allowed by this section in the case of a facility which qualifies as a new business facility pursuant to subsection 6 of this section, and in the case of a new business facility which satisfies the requirements of paragraph (c) of subdivision (14) of section 135.950 or subdivision (22) of section 135.950, the amount of the taxpayer's new business facility investment in such facility shall be reduced by the average amount, computed as provided in subdivision (14) of section 135.950 for new business facility investment, of the investment of the taxpayer, or related taxpayer immediately preceding such expansion or replacement or at the time of acquisition. Furthermore, the amount of the taxpayer's new business facility investment shall also be reduced by the amount of investment employed by the taxpayer or related taxpayer which was subsequently transferred to the new business facility from another Missouri facility and for which credits authorized in this section are not being earned, whether such credits are earned because of an expansion, acquisition, relocation, or the establishment of a new facility.
10. For a taxpayer with flow-through tax treatment to its members, partners, or shareholders, the credit shall be allowed to members, partners, or shareholders in proportion to their share of ownership on the last day of the taxpayer's tax period.
11. Credits may not be carried forward but shall be claimed for the taxable year during which commencement of commercial operations occurs at such new business facility, and for each of the nine succeeding taxable years for which the credit is issued.
12. Certificates of tax credit authorized by this section may be transferred, sold, or assigned by filing a notarized endorsement thereof with the department that names the transferee, the amount of tax credit transferred, and the value received for the credit, as well as any other information reasonably requested by the department. The sale price cannot be less than seventy-five percent of the par value of such credits.
13. The director of revenue shall issue a refund to the taxpayer to the extent that the amount of credits allowed in this section exceeds the amount of the taxpayer's income tax.
14. Prior to the issuance of tax credits, the department shall verify through the department of revenue, or any other state department, that the tax credit applicant does not owe any delinquent income, sales, or use tax or interest or penalties on such taxes, or any delinquent fees or assessments levied by any state department and through the department of insurance that the applicant does not owe any delinquent insurance taxes. Such delinquency shall not affect the authorization of the application for such tax credits, except that the amount of credits issued shall be reduced by the applicant's tax delinquency. If the department of revenue or the department of insurance, or any other state department, concludes that a taxpayer is delinquent after June fifteenth but before July first of any year and the application of tax credits to such delinquency causes a tax deficiency on behalf of the taxpayer to arise, then the taxpayer shall be granted thirty days to satisfy the deficiency in which interest, penalties, and additions to tax shall be tolled. After applying all available credits toward a tax delinquency, the administering agency shall notify the appropriate department, and that department shall update the amount of outstanding delinquent tax owed by the applicant. If any credits remain after satisfying all insurance, income, sales, and use tax delinquencies, the remaining credits shall be issued to the applicant, subject to the restrictions of other provisions of law.
137.115. 1. All other laws to the contrary notwithstanding, the assessor or the assessor's deputies in all counties of this state including the city of St. Louis shall annually make a list of all real and tangible personal property taxable in the assessor's city, county, town or district. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3 of this section and section 137.078, the assessor shall annually assess all personal property at thirty-three and one-third percent of its true value in money as of January first of each calendar year. The assessor shall annually assess all real property, including any new construction and improvements to real property, and possessor interests in real property at the percent of its true value in money set in subsection 5 of this section. The true value in money of any possessor interest in real property in subclass (3), where such real property is on or lies within the ultimate airport boundary as shown by a federal airport layout plan, as defined by 14 CFR 151.5 of a commercial airport having a FAR Part 139 certification and owned by a political subdivision, shall be the otherwise applicable true value in money of any such possessor interest in real property, less the total dollar amount of costs paid by a party, other than the political subdivision, towards any new construction or improvements on such real property completed after January 1, 2008, and which are included in the above-mentioned possessor interest, regardless of the year in which such costs were incurred or whether such costs were considered in any prior year. The assessor shall annually assess all real property in the following manner: new assessed values shall be determined as of January first of each odd-numbered year and shall be entered in the assessor's books; those same assessed values shall apply in the following even-numbered year, except for new construction and property improvements which shall be valued as though they had been completed as of January first of the preceding odd-numbered year. The assessor may call at the office, place of doing business, or residence of each person required by this chapter to list property, and require the person to make a correct statement of all taxable tangible personal property owned by the person or under his or her care, charge or management, taxable in the county. On or before January first of each even-numbered year, the assessor shall prepare and submit a two-year assessment maintenance plan to the county governing body and the state tax commission for their respective approval or modification. The county governing body shall approve and forward such plan or its alternative to the plan to the state tax commission by February first. If the county governing body fails to forward the plan or its alternative to the plan to the state tax commission by February first, the assessor's plan shall be considered approved by the county governing body. If the state tax commission fails to approve a plan and if the state tax commission and the assessor and the governing body of the county involved are unable to resolve the differences, in order to receive state cost-share funds outlined in section 137.750, the county or the assessor shall petition the administrative hearing commission, by May first, to decide all matters in dispute regarding the assessment maintenance plan. Upon agreement of the parties, the matter may be stayed while the parties proceed with mediation or arbitration upon terms agreed to by the parties. The final decision of the administrative hearing commission shall be subject to judicial review in the circuit court of the county involved. In the event a valuation of subclass (1) real property within any county with a charter form of government, or within a city not within a county, is made by a computer, computer-assisted method or a computer program, the burden of proof, supported by clear, convincing and cogent evidence to sustain such valuation, shall be on the assessor at any hearing or appeal. In any such county, unless the assessor proves otherwise, there shall be a presumption that the assessment was made by a computer, computer-assisted method or a computer program. Such evidence shall include, but shall not be limited to, the following:
(1) The findings of the assessor based on an appraisal of the property by generally accepted appraisal techniques; and
(2) The purchase prices from sales of at least three comparable properties and the address or location thereof. As used in this [paragraph] subdivision, the word "comparable" means that:
(a) Such sale was closed at a date relevant to the property valuation; and
(b) Such properties are not more than one mile from the site of the disputed property, except where no similar properties exist within one mile of the disputed property, the nearest comparable property shall be used. Such property shall be within five hundred square feet in size of the disputed property, and resemble the disputed property in age, floor plan, number of rooms, and other relevant characteristics.
2. Assessors in each county of this state and the city of St. Louis may send personal property assessment forms through the mail.
3. The following items of personal property shall each constitute separate subclasses of tangible personal property and shall be assessed and valued for the purposes of taxation at the following percentages of their true value in money:
(1) Grain and other agricultural crops in an unmanufactured condition, one-half of one percent;
(2) Livestock, twelve percent;
(3) Farm machinery, twelve percent;
(4) Motor vehicles which are eligible for registration as and are registered as historic motor vehicles pursuant to section 301.131, RSMo, and aircraft which are at least twenty-five years old and which are used solely for noncommercial purposes and are operated less than fifty hours per year or aircraft that are home built from a kit, five percent;
(5) Poultry, twelve percent; and
(6) Tools and equipment used for pollution control and tools and equipment used in retooling for the purpose of introducing new product lines or used for making improvements to existing products by any company which is located in a state enterprise zone and which is identified by any standard industrial classification number cited in subdivision (6) of section 135.200, RSMo, twenty-five percent.
4. The person listing the property shall enter a true and correct statement of the property, in a printed blank prepared for that purpose. The statement, after being filled out, shall be signed and either affirmed or sworn to as provided in section 137.155. The list shall then be delivered to the assessor.
5. All subclasses of real property, as such subclasses are established in section 4(b) of article X of the Missouri Constitution and defined in section 137.016, shall be assessed at the following percentages of true value:
(1) For real property in subclass (1), nineteen percent;
(2) For real property in subclass (2), twelve percent; and
(3) For real property in subclass (3), thirty-two percent.
6. Manufactured homes, as defined in section 700.010, RSMo, which are actually used as dwelling units shall be assessed at the same percentage of true value as residential real property for the purpose of taxation. The percentage of assessment of true value for such manufactured homes shall be the same as for residential real property. If the county collector cannot identify or find the manufactured home when attempting to attach the manufactured home for payment of taxes owed by the manufactured home owner, the county collector may request the county commission to have the manufactured home removed from the tax books, and such request shall be granted within thirty days after the request is made; however, the removal from the tax books does not remove the tax lien on the manufactured home if it is later identified or found. A manufactured home located in a manufactured home rental park, rental community or on real estate not owned by the manufactured home owner shall be considered personal property. A manufactured home located on real estate owned by the manufactured home owner may be considered real property.
7. Each manufactured home assessed shall be considered a parcel for the purpose of reimbursement pursuant to section 137.750, unless the manufactured home has been converted to real property in compliance with section 700.111, RSMo, and assessed as a realty improvement to the existing real estate parcel.
8. Any amount of tax due and owing based on the assessment of a manufactured home shall be included on the personal property tax statement of the manufactured home owner unless the manufactured home has been converted to real property in compliance with section 700.111, RSMo, in which case the amount of tax due and owing on the assessment of the manufactured home as a realty improvement to the existing real estate parcel shall be included on the real property tax statement of the real estate owner.
9. The assessor of each county and each city not within a county shall use the trade-in value published in the October issue of the National Automobile Dealers' Association Official Used Car Guide, or its successor publication, as the recommended guide of information for determining the true value of motor vehicles described in such publication. In the absence of a listing for a particular motor vehicle in such publication, the assessor shall use such information or publications which in the assessor's judgment will fairly estimate the true value in money of the motor vehicle.
10. Before the assessor may increase the assessed valuation of any parcel of subclass (1) real property by more than fifteen percent since the last assessment, excluding increases due to new construction or improvements, the assessor shall conduct a physical inspection of such property.
11. If a physical inspection is required, pursuant to subsection 10 of this section, the assessor shall notify the property owner of that fact in writing and shall provide the owner clear written notice of the owner's rights relating to the physical inspection. If a physical inspection is required, the property owner may request that an interior inspection be performed during the physical inspection. The owner shall have no less than thirty days to notify the assessor of a request for an interior physical inspection.
12. A physical inspection, as required by subsection 10 of this section, shall include, but not be limited to, an on-site personal observation and review of all exterior portions of the land and any buildings and improvements to which the inspector has or may reasonably and lawfully gain external access, and shall include an observation and review of the interior of any buildings or improvements on the property upon the timely request of the owner pursuant to subsection 11 of this section. Mere observation of the property via a "drive-by inspection" or the like shall not be considered sufficient to constitute a physical inspection as required by this section.
13. The provisions of subsections 11 and 12 of this section shall only apply in any county with a charter form of government with more than one million inhabitants.
14. A county or city collector may accept credit cards as proper form of payment of outstanding property tax or license due. No county or city collector may charge surcharge for payment by credit card which exceeds the fee or surcharge charged by the credit card bank, processor, or issuer for its service. A county or city collector may accept payment by electronic transfers of funds in payment of any tax or license and charge the person making such payment a fee equal to the fee charged the county by the bank, processor, or issuer of such electronic payment.
15. Any county or city not within a county in this state may, by an affirmative vote of the governing body of such county, opt out of the provisions of this section and sections 137.073, 138.060, and 138.100, RSMo, as enacted by house bill no. 1150 of the ninety-first general assembly, second regular session and section 137.073 as modified by [this act] house committee substitute for senate substitute for senate committee substitute for senate bill no. 960, ninety-second general assembly, second regular session, for the next year of the general reassessment, prior to January first of any year. No county or city not within a county shall exercise this opt-out provision after implementing the provisions of this section and sections 137.073, 138.060, and 138.100, RSMo, as enacted by house bill no. 1150 of the ninety-first general assembly, second regular session and section 137.073 as modified by [this act] house committee substitute for senate substitute for senate committee substitute for senate bill no. 960, ninety-second general assembly, second regular session, in a year of general reassessment. For the purposes of applying the provisions of this subsection, a political subdivision contained within two or more counties where at least one of such counties has opted out and at least one of such counties has not opted out shall calculate a single tax rate as in effect prior to the enactment of house bill no. 1150 of the ninety-first general assembly, second regular session. A governing body of a city not within a county or a county that has opted out under the provisions of this subsection may choose to implement the provisions of this section and sections 137.073, 138.060, and 138.100, RSMo, as enacted by house bill no. 1150 of the ninety-first general assembly, second regular session, and section 137.073 as modified by [this act] house committee substitute for senate substitute for senate committee substitute for senate bill no. 960, ninety-second general assembly, second regular session, for the next year of general reassessment, by an affirmative vote of the governing body prior to December thirty-first of any year.
16. The governing body of any city of the third classification with more than twenty-six thousand three hundred but fewer than twenty-six thousand seven hundred inhabitants located in any county that has exercised its authority to opt out under subsection 15 of this section may levy separate and differing tax rates for real and personal property only if such city bills and collects its own property taxes or satisfies the entire cost of the billing and collection of such separate and differing tax rates. Such separate and differing rates shall not exceed such city's tax rate ceiling.
137.1018. 1. The commission shall ascertain the statewide average rate of property taxes levied the preceding year, based upon the total assessed valuation of the railroad and street railway companies and the total property taxes levied upon the railroad and street railway companies. It shall determine total property taxes levied from reports prescribed by the commission from the railroad and street railway companies. Total taxes levied shall not include revenues from the surtax on subclass three real property.
2. The commission shall report its determination of average property tax rate for the preceding year, together with the taxable distributable assessed valuation of each freight line company for the current year to the director no later than October first of each year.
3. Taxes on property of such freight line companies shall be collected at the state level by the director on behalf of the counties and other local public taxing entities and shall be distributed in accordance with sections 137.1021 and 137.1024. The director shall tax such property based upon the distributable assessed valuation attributable to Missouri of each freight line company, using the average tax rate for the preceding year of the railroad and street railway companies certified by the commission. Such tax shall be due and payable on or before December thirty-first of the year levied and, if it becomes delinquent, shall be subject to a penalty equal to that specified in section 140.100, RSMo.
4. (1) As used in this subsection, the following terms mean:
(a) "Eligible expenses", expenses incurred in this state to manufacture, maintain, or improve a freight line company's qualified rolling stock;
(b) "Qualified rolling stock", any freight, stock, refrigerator, or other railcars subject to the tax levied under this section.
(2) For all taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2009, a freight line company shall be allowed a credit against the tax levied under this section for the applicable tax year. The tax credit amount shall be equal to the amount of eligible expenses incurred during the calendar year immediately preceding the tax year for which the credit under this section is claimed. The amount of the tax credit issued shall not exceed the freight line company's liability for the tax levied under this section for the tax year for which the credit is claimed.
(3) A freight line company may apply for the credit by submitting to the commission an application in the form prescribed by the state tax commission.
(4) The state shall reimburse, on an annual basis, any political subdivision of this state for any decrease in revenue due to the provisions of this section.
144.030. 1. There is hereby specifically exempted from the provisions of sections 144.010 to 144.525 and from the computation of the tax levied, assessed or payable pursuant to sections 144.010 to 144.525 such retail sales as may be made in commerce between this state and any other state of the United States, or between this state and any foreign country, and any retail sale which the state of Missouri is prohibited from taxing pursuant to the Constitution or laws of the United States of America, and such retail sales of tangible personal property which the general assembly of the state of Missouri is prohibited from taxing or further taxing by the constitution of this state.
2. There are also specifically exempted from the provisions of the local sales tax law as defined in section 32.085, RSMo, section 238.235, RSMo, and sections 144.010 to 144.525 and 144.600 to 144.761 and from the computation of the tax levied, assessed or payable pursuant to the local sales tax law as defined in section 32.085, RSMo, section 238.235, RSMo, and sections 144.010 to 144.525 and 144.600 to 144.745:
(1) Motor fuel or special fuel subject to an excise tax of this state, unless all or part of such excise tax is refunded pursuant to section 142.824, RSMo; or upon the sale at retail of fuel to be consumed in manufacturing or creating gas, power, steam, electrical current or in furnishing water to be sold ultimately at retail; or feed for livestock or poultry; or grain to be converted into foodstuffs which are to be sold ultimately in processed form at retail; or seed, limestone or fertilizer which is to be used for seeding, liming or fertilizing crops which when harvested will be sold at retail or will be fed to livestock or poultry to be sold ultimately in processed form at retail; economic poisons registered pursuant to the provisions of the Missouri pesticide registration law (sections 281.220 to 281.310, RSMo) which are to be used in connection with the growth or production of crops, fruit trees or orchards applied before, during, or after planting, the crop of which when harvested will be sold at retail or will be converted into foodstuffs which are to be sold ultimately in processed form at retail;
(2) Materials, manufactured goods, machinery and parts which when used in manufacturing, processing, compounding, mining, producing or fabricating become a component part or ingredient of the new personal property resulting from such manufacturing, processing, compounding, mining, producing or fabricating and which new personal property is intended to be sold ultimately for final use or consumption; and materials, including without limitation, gases and manufactured goods, including without limitation, slagging materials and firebrick, which are ultimately consumed in the manufacturing process by blending, reacting or interacting with or by becoming, in whole or in part, component parts or ingredients of steel products intended to be sold ultimately for final use or consumption;
(3) Materials, replacement parts and equipment purchased for use directly upon, and for the repair and maintenance or manufacture of, motor vehicles, watercraft, railroad rolling stock or aircraft engaged as common carriers of persons or property;
(4) Replacement machinery, equipment, and parts and the materials and supplies solely required for the installation or construction of such replacement machinery, equipment, and parts, used directly in manufacturing, mining, fabricating or producing a product which is intended to be sold ultimately for final use or consumption; and machinery and equipment, and the materials and supplies required solely for the operation, installation or construction of such machinery and equipment, purchased and used to establish new, or to replace or expand existing, material recovery processing plants in this state. For the purposes of this subdivision, a "material recovery processing plant" means a facility that has as its primary purpose the recovery of materials into a useable product or a different form which is used in producing a new product and shall include a facility or equipment which are used exclusively for the collection of recovered materials for delivery to a material recovery processing plant but shall not include motor vehicles used on highways. For purposes of this section, the terms motor vehicle and highway shall have the same meaning pursuant to section 301.010, RSMo. Material recovery is not the reuse of materials within a manufacturing process or the use of a product previously recovered. The material recovery processing plant shall qualify under the provisions of this section regardless of ownership of the material being recovered;
(5) Machinery and equipment, and parts and the materials and supplies solely required for the installation or construction of such machinery and equipment, purchased and used to establish new or to expand existing manufacturing, mining or fabricating plants in the state if such machinery and equipment is used directly in manufacturing, mining or fabricating a product which is intended to be sold ultimately for final use or consumption;
(6) Tangible personal property which is used exclusively in the manufacturing, processing, modification or assembling of products sold to the United States government or to any agency of the United States government;
(7) Animals or poultry used for breeding or feeding purposes;
(8) Newsprint, ink, computers, photosensitive paper and film, toner, printing plates and other machinery, equipment, replacement parts and supplies used in producing newspapers published for dissemination of news to the general public;
(9) The rentals of films, records or any type of sound or picture transcriptions for public commercial display;
(10) Pumping machinery and equipment used to propel products delivered by pipelines engaged as common carriers;
(11) Railroad rolling stock for use in transporting persons or property in interstate commerce and motor vehicles licensed for a gross weight of twenty-four thousand pounds or more or trailers used by common carriers, as defined in section 390.020, RSMo, in the transportation of persons or property;
(12) Electrical energy used in the actual primary manufacture, processing, compounding, mining or producing of a product, or electrical energy used in the actual secondary processing or fabricating of the product, or a material recovery processing plant as defined in subdivision (4) of this subsection, in facilities owned or leased by the taxpayer, if the total cost of electrical energy so used exceeds ten percent of the total cost of production, either primary or secondary, exclusive of the cost of electrical energy so used or if the raw materials used in such processing contain at least twenty-five percent recovered materials as defined in section 260.200, RSMo. There shall be a rebuttable presumption that the raw materials used in the primary manufacture of automobiles contain at least twenty-five percent recovered materials. For purposes of this subdivision, "processing" means any mode of treatment, act or series of acts performed upon materials to transform and reduce them to a different state or thing, including treatment necessary to maintain or preserve such processing by the producer at the production facility;
(13) Anodes which are used or consumed in manufacturing, processing, compounding, mining, producing or fabricating and which have a useful life of less than one year;
(14) Machinery, equipment, appliances and devices purchased or leased and used solely for the purpose of preventing, abating or monitoring air pollution, and materials and supplies solely required for the installation, construction or reconstruction of such machinery, equipment, appliances and devices, and so certified as such by the director of the department of natural resources, except that any action by the director pursuant to this subdivision may be appealed to the air conservation commission which may uphold or reverse such action;
(15) Machinery, equipment, appliances and devices purchased or leased and used solely for the purpose of preventing, abating or monitoring water pollution, and materials and supplies solely required for the installation, construction or reconstruction of such machinery, equipment, appliances and devices, and so certified as such by the director of the department of natural resources, except that any action by the director pursuant to this subdivision may be appealed to the Missouri clean water commission which may uphold or reverse such action;
(16) Tangible personal property purchased by a rural water district;
(17) All amounts paid or charged for admission or participation or other fees paid by or other charges to individuals in or for any place of amusement, entertainment or recreation, games or athletic events, including museums, fairs, zoos and planetariums, owned or operated by a municipality or other political subdivision where all the proceeds derived therefrom benefit the municipality or other political subdivision and do not inure to any private person, firm, or corporation;
(18) All sales of insulin and prosthetic or orthopedic devices as defined on January 1, 1980, by the federal Medicare program pursuant to Title XVIII of the Social Security Act of 1965, including the items specified in Section 1862(a)(12) of that act, and also specifically including hearing aids and hearing aid supplies and all sales of drugs which may be legally dispensed by a licensed pharmacist only upon a lawful prescription of a practitioner licensed to administer those items, including samples and materials used to manufacture samples which may be dispensed by a practitioner authorized to dispense such samples and all sales of medical oxygen, home respiratory equipment and accessories, hospital beds and accessories and ambulatory aids, all sales of manual and powered wheelchairs, stairway lifts, Braille writers, electronic Braille equipment and, if purchased by or on behalf of a person with one or more physical or mental disabilities to enable them to function more independently, all sales of scooters, reading machines, electronic print enlargers and magnifiers, electronic alternative and augmentative communication devices, and items used solely to modify motor vehicles to permit the use of such motor vehicles by individuals with disabilities or sales of over-the-counter or nonprescription drugs to individuals with disabilities;
(19) All sales made by or to religious and charitable organizations and institutions in their religious, charitable or educational functions and activities and all sales made by or to all elementary and secondary schools operated at public expense in their educational functions and activities;
(20) All sales of aircraft to common carriers for storage or for use in interstate commerce and all sales made by or to not-for-profit civic, social, service or fraternal organizations, including fraternal organizations which have been declared tax-exempt organizations pursuant to Section 501(c)(8) or (10) of the 1986 Internal Revenue Code, as amended, in their civic or charitable functions and activities and all sales made to eleemosynary and penal institutions and industries of the state, and all sales made to any private not-for-profit institution of higher education not otherwise excluded pursuant to subdivision (19) of this subsection or any institution of higher education supported by public funds, and all sales made to a state relief agency in the exercise of relief functions and activities;
(21) All ticket sales made by benevolent, scientific and educational associations which are formed to foster, encourage, and promote progress and improvement in the science of agriculture and in the raising and breeding of animals, and by nonprofit summer theater organizations if such organizations are exempt from federal tax pursuant to the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code and all admission charges and entry fees to the Missouri state fair or any fair conducted by a county agricultural and mechanical society organized and operated pursuant to sections 262.290 to 262.530, RSMo;
(22) All sales made to any private not-for-profit elementary or secondary school, all sales of feed additives, medications or vaccines administered to livestock or poultry in the production of food or fiber, all sales of pesticides used in the production of crops, livestock or poultry for food or fiber, all sales of bedding used in the production of livestock or poultry for food or fiber, all sales of propane or natural gas, electricity or diesel fuel used exclusively for drying agricultural crops, natural gas used in the primary manufacture or processing of fuel ethanol as defined in section 142.028, RSMo, natural gas, propane, and electricity used by an eligible new generation cooperative or an eligible new generation processing entity as defined in section 348.432, RSMo, and all sales of farm machinery and equipment, other than airplanes, motor vehicles and trailers. As used in this subdivision, the term "feed additives" means tangible personal property which, when mixed with feed for livestock or poultry, is to be used in the feeding of livestock or poultry. As used in this subdivision, the term "pesticides" includes adjuvants such as crop oils, surfactants, wetting agents and other assorted pesticide carriers used to improve or enhance the effect of a pesticide and the foam used to mark the application of pesticides and herbicides for the production of crops, livestock or poultry. As used in this subdivision, the term "farm machinery and equipment" means new or used farm tractors and such other new or used farm machinery and equipment and repair or replacement parts thereon, and supplies and lubricants used exclusively, solely, and directly for producing crops, raising and feeding livestock, fish, poultry, pheasants, chukar, quail, or for producing milk for ultimate sale at retail, including field drain tile, and one-half of each purchaser's purchase of diesel fuel therefor which is:
(a) Used exclusively for agricultural purposes;
(b) Used on land owned or leased for the purpose of producing farm products; and
(c) Used directly in producing farm products to be sold ultimately in processed form or otherwise at retail or in producing farm products to be fed to livestock or poultry to be sold ultimately in processed form at retail;
(23) Except as otherwise provided in section 144.032, all sales of metered water service, electricity, electrical current, natural, artificial or propane gas, wood, coal or home heating oil for domestic use and in any city not within a county, all sales of metered or unmetered water service for domestic use:
(a) "Domestic use" means that portion of metered water service, electricity, electrical current, natural, artificial or propane gas, wood, coal or home heating oil, and in any city not within a county, metered or unmetered water service, which an individual occupant of a residential premises uses for nonbusiness, noncommercial or nonindustrial purposes. Utility service through a single or master meter for residential apartments or condominiums, including service for common areas and facilities and vacant units, shall be deemed to be for domestic use. Each seller shall establish and maintain a system whereby individual purchases are determined as exempt or nonexempt;
(b) Regulated utility sellers shall determine whether individual purchases are exempt or nonexempt based upon the seller's utility service rate classifications as contained in tariffs on file with and approved by the Missouri public service commission. Sales and purchases made pursuant to the rate classification "residential" and sales to and purchases made by or on behalf of the occupants of residential apartments or condominiums through a single or master meter, including service for common areas and facilities and vacant units, shall be considered as sales made for domestic use and such sales shall be exempt from sales tax. Sellers shall charge sales tax upon the entire amount of purchases classified as nondomestic use. The seller's utility service rate classification and the provision of service thereunder shall be conclusive as to whether or not the utility must charge sales tax;
(c) Each person making domestic use purchases of services or property and who uses any portion of the services or property so purchased for a nondomestic use shall, by the fifteenth day of the fourth month following the year of purchase, and without assessment, notice or demand, file a return and pay sales tax on that portion of nondomestic purchases. Each person making nondomestic purchases of services or property and who uses any portion of the services or property so purchased for domestic use, and each person making domestic purchases on behalf of occupants of residential apartments or condominiums through a single or master meter, including service for common areas and facilities and vacant units, under a nonresidential utility service rate classification may, between the first day of the first month and the fifteenth day of the fourth month following the year of purchase, apply for credit or refund to the director of revenue and the director shall give credit or make refund for taxes paid on the domestic use portion of the purchase. The person making such purchases on behalf of occupants of residential apartments or condominiums shall have standing to apply to the director of revenue for such credit or refund;
(24) All sales of handicraft items made by the seller or the seller's spouse if the seller or the seller's spouse is at least sixty-five years of age, and if the total gross proceeds from such sales do not constitute a majority of the annual gross income of the seller;
(25) Excise taxes, collected on sales at retail, imposed by Sections 4041, 4061, 4071, 4081, 4091, 4161, 4181, 4251, 4261 and 4271 of Title 26, United States Code. The director of revenue shall promulgate rules pursuant to chapter 536, RSMo, to eliminate all state and local sales taxes on such excise taxes;
(26) Sales of fuel consumed or used in the operation of ships, barges, or waterborne vessels which are used primarily in or for the transportation of property or cargo, or the conveyance of persons for hire, on navigable rivers bordering on or located in part in this state, if such fuel is delivered by the seller to the purchaser's barge, ship, or waterborne vessel while it is afloat upon such river;
(27) All sales made to an interstate compact agency created pursuant to sections 70.370 to 70.441, RSMo, or sections 238.010 to 238.100, RSMo, in the exercise of the functions and activities of such agency as provided pursuant to the compact;
(28) Computers, computer software and computer security systems purchased for use by architectural or engineering firms headquartered in this state. For the purposes of this subdivision, "headquartered in this state" means the office for the administrative management of at least four integrated facilities operated by the taxpayer is located in the state of Missouri;
(29) All livestock sales when either the seller is engaged in the growing, producing or feeding of such livestock, or the seller is engaged in the business of buying and selling, bartering or leasing of such livestock;
(30) All sales of barges which are to be used primarily in the transportation of property or cargo on interstate waterways;
(31) Electrical energy or gas, whether natural, artificial or propane, water, or other utilities which are ultimately consumed in connection with the manufacturing of cellular glass products or in any material recovery processing plant as defined in subdivision (4) of this subsection;
(32) Notwithstanding other provisions of law to the contrary, all sales of pesticides or herbicides used in the production of crops, aquaculture, livestock or poultry;
(33) Tangible personal property and utilities purchased for use or consumption directly or exclusively in the research and development of agricultural/biotechnology and plant genomics products and prescription pharmaceuticals consumed by humans or animals;
(34) All sales of grain bins for storage of grain for resale;
(35) All sales of feed which are developed for and used in the feeding of pets owned by a commercial breeder when such sales are made to a commercial breeder, as defined in section 273.325, RSMo, and licensed pursuant to sections 273.325 to 273.357, RSMo;
(36) All purchases by a contractor on behalf of an entity located in another state, provided that the entity is authorized to issue a certificate of exemption for purchases to a contractor under the provisions of that state's laws. For purposes of this subdivision, the term "certificate of exemption" shall mean any document evidencing that the entity is exempt from sales and use taxes on purchases pursuant to the laws of the state in which the entity is located. Any contractor making purchases on behalf of such entity shall maintain a copy of the entity's exemption certificate as evidence of the exemption. If the exemption certificate issued by the exempt entity to the contractor is later determined by the director of revenue to be invalid for any reason and the contractor has accepted the certificate in good faith, neither the contractor or the exempt entity shall be liable for the payment of any taxes, interest and penalty due as the result of use of the invalid exemption certificate. Materials shall be exempt from all state and local sales and use taxes when purchased by a contractor for the purpose of fabricating tangible personal property which is used in fulfilling a contract for the purpose of constructing, repairing or remodeling facilities for the following:
(a) An exempt entity located in this state, if the entity is one of those entities able to issue project exemption certificates in accordance with the provisions of section 144.062; or
(b) An exempt entity located outside the state if the exempt entity is authorized to issue an exemption certificate to contractors in accordance with the provisions of that state's law and the applicable provisions of this section;
(37) All sales or other transfers of tangible personal property to a lessor who leases the property under a lease of one year or longer executed or in effect at the time of the sale or other transfer to an interstate compact agency created pursuant to sections 70.370 to 70.441, RSMo, or sections 238.010 to 238.100, RSMo;
(38) Sales of tickets to any collegiate athletic championship event that is held in a facility owned or operated by a governmental authority or commission, a quasi-governmental agency, a state university or college or by the state or any political subdivision thereof, including a municipality, and that is played on a neutral site and may reasonably be played at a site located outside the state of Missouri. For purposes of this subdivision, "neutral site" means any site that is not located on the campus of a conference member institution participating in the event;
(39) All purchases by a sports complex authority created under section 64.920, RSMo;
(40) Sales of radios designed for the primary purpose of receiving transmissions of weather forecasts and warnings provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
144.057. In addition to the exemptions granted under this chapter, there shall also be specifically exempted from state and local sales and use taxes defined, levied, or calculated under section 32.085, RSMo, sections 144.010 to 144.525, sections 144.600 to 144.761, or section 238.235, RSMo, all tangible personal property included on the United States munitions list, as provided in 22 CFR 121.1, sold to or purchased by any foreign government or agency or instrumentality of such foreign government which is used for a governmental purpose.
144.058. In addition to the exemptions granted under this chapter, there shall also be specifically exempted from state and local sales and use taxes defined, levied, or calculated under section 32.085, RSMo, sections 144.010 to 144.525, sections 144.600 to 144.761, or section 238.235, RSMo, all electrical energy, gas whether natural, artificial, or propane, and water, and other utilities including telecommunication services, and machinery and equipment which is used or consumed in a business facility located in a portion of an underground mine that contains at least one million square feet of space that may be used for such business facility and provided such business facility is operated by a qualified company that has been approved, is receiving benefits, or has received benefits under the quality jobs program, sections 620.1875 to 620.1890, RSMo, at the business facility. The exemption authorized in this section shall not terminate after all benefits due the qualified company under the Missouri quality jobs act have been received by the qualified company.
348.273. As used in sections 348.273 and 348.274, the following terms shall mean:
(1) "Department", the Missouri department of economic development;
(2) "Distressed community", as defined in section 135.530, RSMo;
(3) "Equity investment", money or money equivalent in consideration for qualified securities. An equity investment shall be deemed to have been made on the date of acquisition of the qualified security, as such date is determined in accordance with the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code;
(4) "Investor":
(a) An individual who is an accredited investor, as defined in 17 CFR 230.501(a) as in effect on August 28, 2008; or
(b) Any partnership, corporation, trust, limited liability company, or not-for-profit entity that was established and is operated for the purpose of making preseed and seed stage investments in start-up companies, and is approved by the department;
(5) "Qualified Missouri business", an independently owned and operated business which is headquartered and located in this state and which is in need of venture capital. Such business shall have no more than two hundred employees, eighty percent of which are employed in this state. Such business shall be involved in commerce for the purpose of manufacturing, processing, or assembling products, conducting research and development, or providing services in interstate commerce but excluding retail, real estate, real estate development, insurance, and professional services provided by accountants, lawyers, or physicians. At the time approval is sought, such business shall be a small business concern that meets the requirements of the United States Small Business Administration's qualification size standards for its venture capital program, as defined in the Small Business Investment Act of 1958, as amended, and rules promulgated in 13 CFR 121.301(c), as amended;
(6) "Qualified securities", securities that are not redeemable or repayable within seven years of issuance and that have been approved in form and substance by the department. Forms of such equity securities include:
(a) A general or limited partnership interest;
(b) Common stock;
(c) Preferred stock, with or without voting rights, without regard to seniority position, and whether or not convertible into common stock; or
(d) Convertible debt;
(7) "Rural area", any city, town, or village with fewer than fifteen thousand inhabitants and located in any county that is not part of a standard metropolitan statistical area as defined by the United States Department of Commerce or its successor agency. However, any such city, town, or village located in any county so defined as a standard metropolitan statistical area may be designated a rural area by the office of rural development if:
(a) A substantial number of persons in such county derive their income from agriculture;
(b) The county has only one city within the county having a population of more than fifteen thousand and is classified as a standard metropolitan statistical area; and
(c) All other cities, towns, and villages in that county have a population of less than fifteen thousand.
348.274. 1. The department may authorize tax credits to encourage equity investment into technology-based early stage Missouri companies.
2. If a qualified Missouri business is approved by the department, the investors who contribute the first five hundred thousand dollars in equity investment in the qualified Missouri business may be issued a tax credit in the year the equity investment is made. The tax credit shall be in a total amount equal to thirty percent of such investors' equity investment in any qualified Missouri business, subject to the limitations set forth in subsection 5 of this section. However, if the qualified Missouri business invested in is located in a rural area or a distressed community, the investors may be issued a tax credit for forty percent of such investment, subject to the limitations set forth in subsection 5 of this section.
3. (1) Before an investor may be entitled to receive tax credits, as authorized by this section, such investor shall have made an equity investment in a qualified security of a qualified Missouri business. This business shall have been approved by the department as a qualified Missouri business prior to the date on which the cash investment was made. To be designated as a qualified Missouri business, a business shall make application to the department in accordance with the provisions of this section. Such application shall be in form and substance as required by the department but shall include at least the following:
(a) The name of the business and certified copies of the organizational documents of the business;
(b) A business plan, including a description of the business and the management, product, market, and financial plan of the business;
(c) A statement of the business' innovative and proprietary technology, product, or service;
(d) A statement of the potential economic impact of the enterprise including the number, location, and types of jobs expected to be created;
(e) A description of the qualified securities to be issued, the consideration to be paid for the qualified securities, the amount of any tax credits requested, and the earliest year in which the tax credits may be redeemed;
(f) A statement of the amount, timing, and projected use of the proceeds to be raised from the proposed sale of qualified securities; and
(g) Other information as the department may request, such as the names, addresses, and taxpayer identification numbers of all investors who may qualify for the tax credit. Such list of investors who may qualify for the tax credits shall be amended as new qualified securities are sold or as any information on the list changes.
(2) No business shall be designated as a qualified Missouri business unless such business meets all of the following criteria:
(a) The business shall not have had annual gross revenues of more than three million dollars in the most recent tax year of the business;
(b) The business shall not have ownership interests including, but not limited to, common or preferred shares of stock that can be traded by the public via a stock exchange, electronic exchange, bulletin board, or other public market place on or before the date that a qualifying investment is made;
(c) The business shall not be engaged primarily in any one or more of the following enterprises:
a. The business of banking, savings and loan or lending institutions, credit or finance, or financial brokerage or investments;
b. Professional services, such as legal, accounting, or engineering services;
c. Governmental, charitable, religious, or trade organizations;
d. The ownership, development, brokerage, sales, or leasing of real estate;
e. Insurance;
f. Construction or construction management or contracting;
g. Business consulting or brokerage;
h. Any business engaged primarily as a passive business, having irregular or noncontinuous operations, or deriving substantially all of the income of the business from passive investments that generate interest, dividends, royalties, or capital gains, or any business arrangements the effect of which is to immunize an investor from risk of loss;
i. Any Missouri certified capital formation company;
j. Any activity that is in violation of the law; and
k. Any business raising money primarily to purchase real estate, land, or fixtures;
(d) The business shall satisfy all other requirements of this section.
(3) The portions of documents and other materials submitted to the department that contain trade secrets shall be kept confidential and shall be maintained in a secured environment by the director of the department. For the purposes of this section, such portions of documents and other materials shall mean any customer list, any formula, compound, production data, or compilation of information certain individuals within a commercial concern using such portions of documents and other material means to fabricate, produce, or compound an article of trade, or, any service having commercial value, which gives the user an opportunity to obtain a business advantage over competitors who do not know or use such service.
(4) A qualified Missouri business shall have the burden of proof to demonstrate to the department the qualifications of the business under this section and shall have the obligation to notify the department in a timely manner of any changes in the qualifications of the business or in the eligibility of investors to claim a tax credit for cash investment in a qualified security.
4. The designation of a business as a qualified Missouri business shall be made by the department, and such designation shall be renewed annually. A business shall be so designated if the department determines, based upon the application submitted by the business and any additional investigation the staff of the department shall make, that the following criteria have been or shall be satisfied:
(1) The business has a reasonable chance of success;
(2) The ability of investors in the business to receive tax credits for cash investments in qualified securities of the business is necessary because funding otherwise available for the business is not available on commercially reasonable terms;
(3) The business has the reasonable potential to create measurable employment within the state;
(4) The business has an innovative and proprietary technology, product, and service;
(5) The existing owners of the business and other founders have made or are committed to make a substantial financial and time commitment to the business;
(6) The securities to be issued and purchased are qualified securities; and
(7) Binding commitments have been made by the business to the department for adequate reporting of financial data, including a requirement for an annual report, or, if required by the department, an annual audit of the financial and operational records of the business, the right of access to the financial records of the business, and the right of the department to record and publish normal and customary data and information related to the issuance of tax credits that are not otherwise determined to be trade or business secrets;
5. The department shall not issue tax credits of more than fifty thousand dollars to an investor per investment into a single, qualified Missouri company, or for tax credits totaling more than one hundred thousand dollars in a single year per investor. The total amount of tax credits that may be allowed under this section shall not exceed five million dollars per tax year.
6. This tax credit may be used in its entirety in the taxable year in which the equity investment is made or the credit may be carried forward for use in any of the next three consecutive tax years until the total amount of the credit is used. The tax credits may be sold, assigned, exchanged, or otherwise transferred.
7. Tax credits may be used against the tax otherwise due under chapter 143, RSMo, not including sections 143.191 to 143.265, RSMo.
8. A qualified Missouri business for which credits have been issued that, within seven years of receiving tax credits under this section relocates its headquarters out of Missouri, ceases to employ eighty percent of its employees in Missouri, alters the principal nature of its operations, or divests itself of key assets shall upon demand by the department pay the state of Missouri an amount equal to the amount of credits issued to its contributors.
9. The reasonable costs of the administration of this section, the review of applications for certification as qualified Missouri businesses, and the issuance of tax credits authorized by this section shall be reimbursed through fees paid by the qualified Missouri businesses and the investors or the transferees of investors, according to a reasonable fee schedule adopted by the department.
10. In addition to reports by the businesses to the department, the department shall also provide in its annual report information on the marketing and use of the investor tax credits. This report shall include the following:
(1) The amount of tax credits used in the previous fiscal year including what percentage was claimed by individuals and what percentage was claimed by firms and other entities;
(2) The types of businesses that benefited from the tax credits; and
(3) Any aggregate job creation or capital investment in Missouri that resulted from the use of the tax credits for a period of five years beginning from the date on which the tax credits were awarded.
In addition, the annual report shall provide information regarding what businesses deriving a benefit from the tax credits remained in Missouri, what businesses ceased business, what businesses were purchased, and what businesses may have moved out-of-state and the reason for such move.
348.434. 1. The aggregate of tax credits issued per fiscal year pursuant to sections 348.430 and 348.432 shall not exceed [six] ten million dollars.
2. Upon July 2, 1999, and ending June 30, 2000, tax credits shall be issued pursuant to section 348.430, except that, the authority shall allocate no more than three million dollars to fund section 348.432 in fiscal year 2000. Beginning in fiscal year 2001 and each subsequent year, tax credits shall be issued pursuant to section 348.432; except that, one million dollars in tax credits may be issued under section 348.430 each fiscal year.
3. Beginning the first day of May of each fiscal year following implementation of section 348.432, the authority may determine the extent of tax credits, pursuant to section 348.432, that will be utilized in each fiscal year. If the authority determines that:
(1) Less than [six] ten million dollars for a fiscal year is to be utilized in tax credits pursuant to section 348.432; and
(2) The assets available to the authority, pursuant to section 348.430, do not exceed twelve million dollars;
then, the authority may offer the remaining authorized tax credits be issued pursuant to section 348.430.
348.436. The provisions of sections 348.430 to 348.436 shall expire December 31, [2010] 2016.
353.150. 1. Any urban redevelopment corporation may borrow funds and secure the repayment thereof by mortgage which shall contain reasonable amortization provisions and shall be a lien upon no other real property except that forming the whole or a part of a single development area.
2. Certificates, bonds and notes, or part interest therein, or any part of an issue thereof, which are secured by a first mortgage on the real property in a development area, or any part thereof, shall be securities in which all the following persons, partnerships, or corporations and public bodies or public officers may legally invest the funds within their control:
(1) Every executor, administrator, trustee, guardian, committee or other person or corporation holding trust funds or acting in a fiduciary capacity;
(2) Persons, partnerships and corporations organized under or subject to the provisions of the banking law (including savings banks, savings and loan associations and trust companies);
(3) The state director of finance as conservator, liquidator or rehabilitator of any such person, partnership or corporation;
(4) Persons, partnerships or corporations organized under or subject to the provisions of the insurance law; fraternal benefit societies; and
(5) The state director of the department of insurance as conservator, liquidator or rehabilitator of any such person, partnership or corporation.
3. Any mortgage on the real property in a development area, or any part thereof, may create a first lien, or a second or other junior lien, upon such real property.
4. Any urban redevelopment corporation may sell or otherwise dispose of any or all of the real property acquired by it for the purposes of a redevelopment project. In the event of the sale or other disposition of real property of any urban redevelopment corporation by reason of the foreclosure of any mortgage or other lien, through insolvency or bankruptcy proceedings, by order of any court of competent jurisdiction, by voluntary transfer or otherwise, and the purchaser of such real property of such redevelopment corporation shall continue to use, operate and maintain such real property in accordance with the provisions of any development plan, the legislative authority of any city affected by the provisions of this chapter, may grant the partial tax relief provided in section 353.110; but if such real property shall be used for a purpose different than that described in the redevelopment plan, or in the event that the purchaser does not desire the property to continue under the redevelopment plan, or if the legislative authority shall refuse to grant the purchaser continuing tax relief, the real property shall be assessed for ad valorem taxes upon the full true value of the real property and may be owned and operated free from any of the conditions, restrictions or provisions of this chapter. Nothing in this chapter, any development plan, or any contract shall impose a limitation on earnings as a condition to the granting of partial tax relief provided in section 353.110 to a purchaser described in this subsection that is not an urban redevelopment corporation or life insurance company operating as an urban redevelopment corporation.
5. Any limitation on earnings imposed on any purchaser that is not an urban redevelopment corporation or life insurance company operating as an urban redevelopment corporation under any existing or future redevelopment plan or any existing or future contract shall be void.
407.1240. As used in sections 407.1240 to 407.1252, the following terms shall mean:
(1) "Business day", every day except Sundays and holidays;
(2) "Holiday", any day that the United States Post Office is closed;
(3) "Membership fee", the initial or reoccurring fee that is unrelated to actual pass-through costs associated with the use and enjoyment of travel benefits;
(4) "Rescission statement", a statement that shall be printed on all contracts pertaining to the purchase of travel club memberships from a travel club that shall provide in at least fourteen-point bold type the following statement:
"Assuming you have [not accessed any travel benefits and have] returned to the travel club all materials delivered to the purchaser at closing, you have the right to rescind this transaction for a period of three business days after the date of this agreement. To exercise the right of rescission, you must deliver to the travel club, either in person or by first class mail postmarked within the three-business-day period, at the address referenced in this contract, a written statement of your desire to rescind this transaction, and all materials of value that were provided and given to you at the time of the purchase of your travel club membership.";
(5) "Surety bond", any surety bond, corporate guaranty, letter of credit, certificate of deposit, or other bond or financial assurance in the sum of fifty thousand dollars that is required to be delivered by travel clubs which have been adjudged to have violated subsection 4 or 5 of section 407.1252 and in the event that such surety bond is accessed subsequent to posting as a result of the need to reimburse purchasers, the amount of the surety bond shall be increased by ten thousand dollars per reimbursement. All surety bonds shall:
(a) Serve as a source of funds to reimburse purchasers of travel club memberships who validly exercise their rights under the rescission statement in their contract but who are not, after judgment, provided a refund equal to the purchase price of their unused travel club memberships or, after settlement, equal to the terms of the settlement;
(b) Serve as a source of funds to reimburse purchasers of travel club memberships who have been proven to be the subject of fraud;
(c) Remain in full force and effect during the period of time the travel club conducts its business activities; and
(d) Be deemed acceptable to the attorney general if:
a. It is issued by an insurance company that possesses at least a "B+" rating, or its equivalent by A.M. Best or its successors or by any other nationally recognized entity that rates the creditworthiness of insurance companies;
b. It is in the form of a letter of credit that is issued by a banking institution with assets of at least seventy-five million dollars;
c. It is in the form of a certificate of deposit; or
d. It is in a form that otherwise is acceptable to the attorney general;
(6) "Travel benefits", benefits that are offered to travel club purchasers and customers that include all forms of overnight resort, condominium, time-share, hotel, motel, and other rental housing of every nature; all forms of air travel and rental car access; all forms of cruise line access; and all other forms of discounted travel benefits of every nature;
(7) "Travel club", any business enterprise that either directly, indirectly, or through the use of a fulfillment company or other third party offers to sell to the public the reoccurring right to purchase travel benefits at prices that are represented as being discounted from prices otherwise not generally available to the public and charges members or customers a membership fee that collectively equals no less than seven hundred fifty dollars.
407.1249. Assuming a purchaser [has not otherwise accessed any travel benefits and] returns to the travel club all materials of value delivered to the purchaser at closing, all purchasers of travel club memberships from a travel club that is registered shall have the nonwaivable right for a period of three business days after the date of their purchase to rescind and cancel their travel club purchase and receive a full refund of all sums otherwise paid to the travel club within fifteen business days of such rescission, minus the actual and reasonable cost of processing the refund, including credit card fees if applicable. Use of travel club benefits during such rescission period shall not waive the right afforded by this section. Individuals who purchase travel club memberships from a travel club that is not registered under sections 407.1240 to 407.1252 shall have a nonwaivable right for a period of three years from the date of purchase to rescind and cancel their travel club membership and shall receive a full refund within fifteen business days of such rescission.
447.708. 1. For eligible projects, the director of the department of economic development, with notice to the directors of the departments of natural resources and revenue, and subject to the other provisions of sections 447.700 to 447.718, may not create a new enterprise zone but may decide that a prospective operator of a facility being remedied and renovated pursuant to sections 447.700 to 447.718 may receive the tax credits and exemptions pursuant to sections 135.100 to 135.150, RSMo, and sections 135.200 to 135.257, RSMo. The tax credits allowed pursuant to this subsection shall be used to offset the tax imposed by chapter 143, RSMo, excluding withholding tax imposed by sections 143.191 to 143.265, RSMo, or the tax otherwise imposed by chapter 147, RSMo, or the tax otherwise imposed by chapter 148, RSMo. For purposes of this subsection:
(1) For receipt of the ad valorem tax abatement pursuant to section 135.215, RSMo, the eligible project must create at least ten new jobs or retain businesses which supply at least twenty-five existing jobs. The city, or county if the eligible project is not located in a city, must provide ad valorem tax abatement of at least fifty percent for a period not less than ten years and not more than twenty-five years;
(2) For receipt of the income tax exemption pursuant to section 135.220, RSMo, and tax credit for new or expanded business facilities pursuant to sections 135.100 to 135.150, and 135.225, RSMo, the eligible project must create at least ten new jobs or retain businesses which supply at least twenty-five existing jobs, or combination thereof. For purposes of sections 447.700 to 447.718, the tax credits described in section 135.225, RSMo, are modified as follows: the tax credit shall be four hundred dollars per employee per year, an additional four hundred dollars per year for each employee exceeding the minimum employment thresholds of ten and twenty-five jobs for new and existing businesses, respectively, an additional four hundred dollars per year for each person who is "a person difficult to employ" as defined by section 135.240, RSMo, and investment tax credits at the same amounts and levels as provided in subdivision (4) of subsection 1 of section 135.225, RSMo;
(3) For eligibility to receive the income tax refund pursuant to section 135.245, RSMo, the eligible project must create at least ten new jobs or retain businesses which supply at least twenty-five existing jobs, or combination thereof, and otherwise comply with the provisions of section 135.245, RSMo, for application and use of the refund and the eligibility requirements of this section;
(4) The eligible project operates in compliance with applicable environmental laws and regulations, including permitting and registration requirements, of this state as well as the federal and local requirements;
(5) The eligible project operator shall file such reports as may be required by the director of economic development or the director's designee;
(6) The taxpayer may claim the state tax credits authorized by this subsection and the state income exemption for a period not in excess of ten consecutive tax years. For the purpose of this section, "taxpayer" means an individual proprietorship, partnership or corporation described in section 143.441 or 143.471, RSMo, who operates an eligible project. The director shall determine the number of years the taxpayer may claim the state tax credits and the state income exemption based on the projected net state economic benefits attributed to the eligible project;
(7) For the purpose of meeting the new job requirement prescribed in subdivisions (1), (2) and (3) of this subsection, it shall be required that at least ten new jobs be created and maintained during the taxpayer's tax period for which the credits are earned, in the case of an eligible project that does not replace a similar facility in Missouri. "New job" means a person who was not previously employed by the taxpayer or related taxpayer within the twelve-month period immediately preceding the time the person was employed by that taxpayer to work at, or in connection with, the eligible project on a full-time basis. "Full-time basis" means the employee works an average of at least thirty-five hours per week during the taxpayer's tax period for which the tax credits are earned. For the purposes of this section, "related taxpayer" has the same meaning as defined in subdivision (9) of section 135.100, RSMo;
(8) For the purpose of meeting the existing job retention requirement, if the eligible project replaces a similar facility that closed elsewhere in Missouri prior to the end of the taxpayer's tax period in which the tax credits are earned, it shall be required that at least twenty-five existing jobs be retained at, and in connection with the eligible project, on a full-time basis during the taxpayer's tax period for which the credits are earned. "Retained job" means a person who was previously employed by the taxpayer or related taxpayer, at a facility similar to the eligible project that closed elsewhere in Missouri prior to the end of the taxpayer's tax period in which the tax credits are earned, within the tax period immediately preceding the time the person was employed by the taxpayer to work at, or in connection with, the eligible project on a full-time basis. "Full-time basis" means the employee works an average of at least thirty-five hours per week during the taxpayer's tax period for which the tax credits are earned;
(9) In the case where an eligible project replaces a similar facility that closed elsewhere in Missouri prior to the end of the taxpayer's tax period in which the tax credits are earned, the owner and operator of the eligible project shall provide the director with a written statement explaining the reason for discontinuing operations at the closed facility. The statement shall include a comparison of the activities performed at the closed facility prior to the date the facility ceased operating, to the activities performed at the eligible project, and a detailed account describing the need and rationale for relocating to the eligible project. If the director finds the relocation to the eligible project significantly impaired the economic stability of the area in which the closed facility was located, and that such move was detrimental to the overall economic development efforts of the state, the director may deny the taxpayer's request to claim tax benefits;
(10) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, for the purpose of this section, the number of new jobs created and maintained, the number of existing jobs retained, and the value of new qualified investment used at the eligible project during any tax year shall be determined by dividing by twelve, in the case of jobs, the sum of the number of individuals employed at the eligible project, or in the case of new qualified investment, the value of new qualified investment used at the eligible project, on the last business day of each full calendar month of the tax year. If the eligible project is in operation for less than the entire tax year, the number of new jobs created and maintained, the number of existing jobs retained, and the value of new qualified investment created at the eligible project during any tax year shall be determined by dividing the sum of the number of individuals employed at the eligible project, or in the case of new qualified investment, the value of new qualified investment used at the eligible project, on the last business day of each full calendar month during the portion of the tax year during which the eligible project was in operation, by the number of full calendar months during such period;
(11) For the purpose of this section, "new qualified investment" means new business facility investment as defined and as determined in subdivision (7) of section 135.100, RSMo, which is used at and in connection with the eligible project. "New qualified investment" shall not include small tools, supplies and inventory. "Small tools" means tools that are portable and can be hand held.
2. The determination of the director of economic development pursuant to subsection 1 of this section, shall not affect requirements for the prospective purchaser to obtain the approval of the granting of real property tax abatement by the municipal or county government where the eligible project is located.
3. (1) The director of the department of economic development, with the approval of the director of the department of natural resources, may, in addition to the tax credits allowed in subsection 1 of this section, grant a remediation tax credit to the applicant for up to one hundred percent of the costs of materials, supplies, equipment, labor, professional engineering, consulting and architectural fees, permitting fees and expenses, demolition, asbestos abatement, and direct utility charges for performing the voluntary remediation activities for the preexisting hazardous substance contamination and releases, including, but not limited to, the costs of performing operation and maintenance of the remediation equipment at the property beyond the year in which the systems and equipment are built and installed at the eligible project and the costs of performing the voluntary remediation activities over a period not in excess of four tax years following the taxpayer's tax year in which the system and equipment were first put into use at the eligible project, provided the remediation activities are the subject of a plan submitted to, and approved by, the director of natural resources pursuant to sections 260.565 to 260.575, RSMo. The tax credit may also include up to one hundred percent of the costs of demolition that are not directly part of the remediation activities, provided that the demolition is on the property where the voluntary remediation activities are occurring, the demolition is necessary to accomplish the planned use of the facility where the remediation activities are occurring, and the demolition is part of a redevelopment plan approved by the municipal or county government and the department of economic development. The demolition may occur on an adjacent property if the project is located in a municipality which has a population less than twenty thousand and the above conditions are otherwise met. The adjacent property shall independently qualify as abandoned or underutilized. The amount of the credit available for demolition not associated with remediation can not exceed the total amount of credits approved for remediation including demolition required for remediation.
(2) [The director of the department of economic development, with the approval of the director of the department of natural resources, may, in addition to the tax credits otherwise allowed in this section, grant a demolition tax credit to the applicant for up to one hundred percent of the costs of demolition that are not part of the voluntary remediation activities, provided that the demolition is either on the property where the voluntary remediation activities are occurring or on any adjacent property, and that the demolition is part of a redevelopment plan approved by the municipal or county government and the department of economic development.
(3)] The amount of remediation [and demolition] tax credits issued shall be limited to the least amount necessary to cause the project to occur, as determined by the director of the department of economic development.
[(4)] (3) The director may, with the approval of the director of natural resources, extend the tax credits allowed for performing voluntary remediation maintenance activities, in increments of three-year periods, not to exceed five consecutive three-year periods. The tax credits allowed in this subsection shall be used to offset the tax imposed by chapter 143, RSMo, excluding withholding tax imposed by sections 143.191 to 143.265, RSMo, or the tax otherwise imposed by chapter 147, RSMo, or the tax otherwise imposed by chapter 148, RSMo. The remediation [and demolition] tax credit may be taken in the same tax year in which the tax credits are received or may be taken over a period not to exceed twenty years.
[(5)] (4) The project facility shall be projected to create at least ten new jobs or at least twenty-five retained jobs, or a combination thereof, as determined by the department of economic development, to be eligible for tax credits pursuant to this section.
[(6)] (5) No more than seventy-five percent of earned remediation tax credits may be issued when the remediation costs were paid, and the remaining percentage may be issued when the department of natural resources issues a "Letter of Completion" letter or covenant not to sue following completion of the voluntary remediation activities. It shall not include any costs associated with ongoing operational environmental compliance of the facility or remediation costs arising out of spills, leaks, or other releases arising out of the ongoing business operations of the facility.
4. In the exercise of the sound discretion of the director of the department of economic development or the director's designee, the tax credits and exemptions described in this section may be terminated, suspended or revoked, if the eligible project fails to continue to meet the conditions set forth in this section. In making such a determination, the director shall consider the severity of the condition violation, actions taken to correct the violation, the frequency of any condition violations and whether the actions exhibit a pattern of conduct by the eligible facility owner and operator. The director shall also consider changes in general economic conditions and the recommendation of the director of the department of natural resources, or his or her designee, concerning the severity, scope, nature, frequency and extent of any violations of the environmental compliance conditions. The taxpayer or person claiming the tax credits or exemptions may appeal the decision regarding termination, suspension or revocation of any tax credit or exemption in accordance with the procedures outlined in subsections 4 to 6 of section 135.250, RSMo. The director of the department of economic development shall notify the directors of the departments of natural resources and revenue of the termination, suspension or revocation of any tax credits as determined in this section or pursuant to the provisions of section 447.716.
5. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, no taxpayer shall earn the tax credits, exemptions or refund otherwise allowed in subdivisions (2), (3) and (4) of subsection 1 of this section and the tax credits otherwise allowed in section 135.110, RSMo, or the tax credits, exemptions and refund otherwise allowed in sections 135.215, 135.220, 135.225 and 135.245, RSMo, respectively, for the same facility for the same tax period.
6. The total amount of the tax credits allowed in subsection 1 of this section may not exceed the greater of:
(1) That portion of the taxpayer's income attributed to the eligible project; or
(2) One hundred percent of the total business' income tax if the eligible facility does not replace a similar facility that closed elsewhere in Missouri prior to the end of the taxpayer's tax period in which the tax credits are earned, and further provided the taxpayer does not operate any other facilities besides the eligible project in Missouri; fifty percent of the total business' income tax if the eligible facility replaces a similar facility that closed elsewhere in Missouri prior to the end of the taxpayer's tax period in which the credits are earned, and further provided the taxpayer does not operate any other facilities besides the eligible project in Missouri; or twenty-five percent of the total business income if the taxpayer operates, in addition to the eligible facility, any other facilities in Missouri. In no case shall a taxpayer operating more than one eligible project in Missouri be allowed to offset more than twenty-five percent of the taxpayer's business income in any tax period. That portion of the taxpayer's income attributed to the eligible project as referenced in subdivision (1) of this subsection, for which the credits allowed in sections 135.110 and 135.225, RSMo, and subsection 3 of this section, may apply, shall be determined in the same manner as prescribed in subdivision (6) of section 135.100, RSMo. That portion of the taxpayer's franchise tax attributed to the eligible project for which the remediation tax credit may offset, shall be determined in the same manner as prescribed in paragraph (a) of subdivision (6) of section 135.100, RSMo.
7. Taxpayers claiming the state tax benefits allowed in subdivisions (2) and (3) of subsection 1 of this section shall be required to file all applicable tax credit applications, forms and schedules prescribed by the director during the taxpayer's tax period immediately after the tax period in which the eligible project was first put into use. Otherwise, the taxpayer's right to claim such state tax benefits shall be forfeited. Unused business facility and enterprise zone tax credits shall not be carried forward but shall be initially claimed for the tax period during which the eligible project was first capable of being used, and during any applicable subsequent tax periods.
8. Taxpayers claiming the remediation tax credit allowed in subsection 3 of this section shall be required to file all applicable tax credit applications, forms and schedules prescribed by the director during the taxpayer's tax period immediately after the tax period in which the eligible project was first put into use, or during the taxpayer's tax period immediately after the tax period in which the voluntary remediation activities were performed.
9. The recipient of remediation tax credits, for the purpose of this subsection referred to as assignor, may assign, sell or transfer, in whole or in part, the remediation tax credit allowed in subsection 3 of this section, to any other person, for the purpose of this subsection referred to as assignee. To perfect the transfer, the assignor shall provide written notice to the director of the assignor's intent to transfer the tax credits to the assignee, the date the transfer is effective, the assignee's name, address and the assignee's tax period and the amount of tax credits to be transferred. The number of tax periods during which the assignee may subsequently claim the tax credits shall not exceed twenty tax periods, less the number of tax periods the assignor previously claimed the credits before the transfer occurred.
10. In the case where an operator and assignor of an eligible project has been certified to claim state tax benefits allowed in subdivisions (2) and (3) of subsection 1 of this section, and sells or otherwise transfers title of the eligible project to another taxpayer or assignee who continues the same or substantially similar operations at the eligible project, the director shall allow the assignee to claim the credits for a period of time to be determined by the director; except that, the total number of tax periods the tax credits may be earned by the assignor and the assignee shall not exceed ten. To perfect the transfer, the assignor shall provide written notice to the director of the assignor's intent to transfer the tax credits to the assignee, the date the transfer is effective, the assignee's name, address, and the assignee's tax period, and the amount of tax credits to be transferred.
11. For the purpose of the state tax benefits described in this section, in the case of a corporation described in section 143.471, RSMo, or partnership, in computing Missouri's tax liability, such state benefits shall be allowed to the following:
(1) The shareholders of the corporation described in section 143.471, RSMo;
(2) The partners of the partnership.
The credit provided in this subsection shall be apportioned to the entities described in subdivisions (1) and (2) of this subsection in proportion to their share of ownership on the last day of the taxpayer's tax period.
620.050. 1. There is hereby created, within the department of economic development, the "Entrepreneurial Development Council". The entrepreneurial development council shall consist of seven members from businesses located within the state and licensed attorneys with specialization in intellectual property matters. All members of the council shall be appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate. The terms of membership shall be set by the department of economic development by rule as deemed necessary and reasonable. Once the department of economic development has set the terms of membership, such terms shall not be modified and shall apply to all subsequent members.
2. The entrepreneurial development council may, as provided by department rule, impose a registration fee for entrepreneurs of this state who desire to avail themselves of benefits, provided by the council, to registered entrepreneurs.
3. There is hereby established in the state treasury, the "Entrepreneurial Development and Intellectual Property Right Protection Fund" to be held separate and apart from all other public moneys and funds of the state. The entrepreneurial development and intellectual property right protection fund may accept state and federal appropriations, grants, bequests, gifts, fees and awards to be held for use by the entrepreneurial development council. Notwithstanding provisions of section 33.080, RSMo, to the contrary, moneys remaining in the fund at the end of any biennium shall not revert to general revenue.
4. Upon notification of an alleged infringement of intellectual property rights of a entrepreneur, the entrepreneurial development council shall evaluate such allegations of infringement and may, based upon need, award grants or financial assistance to subsidize legal expenses incurred in instituting legal action necessary to remedy the alleged infringement. Pursuant to rules promulgated by the department, the entrepreneurial development council may allocate moneys from entrepreneurial development and intellectual property right protection fund, in the form of low interest loans and grants, to registered entrepreneurs for the purpose of providing financial aid for product development, manufacturing, and advertising of new products.
5. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010, RSMo, that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536, RSMo, and, if applicable, section 536.028, RSMo. This section and chapter 536, RSMo, are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536, RSMo, to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2008, shall be invalid and void.
620.495. 1. This section shall be known as the "Small Business Incubators Act".
2. As used in this section, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the following words and phrases shall mean:
(1) "Department", the department of economic development;
(2) "Incubator", a program in which small units of space may be leased by a tenant and in which management maintains or provides access to business development services for use by tenants or a program without infrastructure in which participants avail themselves of business development services to assist in the growth of their start-up small businesses;
(3) "Local sponsor" or "sponsor", an organization which enters into a written agreement with the department to establish, operate and administer a small business incubator program or to provide funding to an organization which operates such a program;
(4) "Participant", a sole proprietorship, business partnership or corporation operating a business for profit through which the owner avails himself or herself of business development services in an incubator program;
(5) "Tenant", a sole proprietorship, business partnership or corporation operating a business for profit and leasing or otherwise occupying space in an incubator.
3. There is hereby established under the direction of the department a loan, loan guarantee and grant program for the establishment, operation and administration of small business incubators, to be known as the "Small Business Incubator Program". A local sponsor may submit an application to the department to obtain a loan, loan guarantee or grant to establish an incubator. Each application shall:
(1) Demonstrate that a program exists that can be transformed into an incubator at a specified cost;
(2) Demonstrate the ability to directly provide or arrange for the provision of business development services for tenants and participants of the incubator. These services shall include, but need not be limited to, financial consulting assistance, management and marketing assistance, business education, and physical services;
(3) Demonstrate a potential for sustained use of the incubator program by eligible tenants and participants, through a market study or other means;
(4) Demonstrate the ability to manage and operate the incubator program;
(5) Include such other information as the department may require through its guidelines.
4. The department shall review and accept applications based on the following criteria:
(1) Ability of the local sponsor to carry out the provisions of this section;
(2) Economic impact of the incubator on the community;
(3) Conformance with areawide and local economic development plans, if such exist;
(4) Location of the incubator, in order to encourage geographic distribution of incubators across the state.
5. Loans, loan guarantees and grants shall be administered in the following manner:
(1) Loans awarded or guaranteed and grants awarded shall be used only for the acquisition and leasing of land and existing buildings, the rehabilitation of buildings or other facilities, construction of new facilities, the purchase of equipment and furnishings which are necessary for the creation and operation of the incubator, and business development services including, but not limited to, business management advising and business education;
(2) Loans, loan guarantees and grants may not exceed fifty percent of total eligible project costs;
(3) Payment of interest and principal on loans may be deferred at the discretion of the department.
6. A local sponsor, or the organization receiving assistance through the local sponsor, shall have the following responsibilities and duties in establishing and operating an incubator with assistance from the small business incubator program:
(1) Secure title on a facility for the program or a lease of a facility for the program;
(2) Manage the physical development of the incubator program, including the provision of common conference or meeting space;
(3) Furnish and equip the program to provide business services to the tenants and participants;
(4) Market the program and secure eligible tenants and participants;
(5) Provide financial consulting, marketing and management assistance services or arrange for the provision of these services for tenants and participants of the incubator, including assistance in accessing private financial markets;
(6) Set rental and service fees;
(7) Encourage the sharing of ideas between tenants and participants and otherwise aid the tenants and participants in an innovative manner while they are within the incubator;
(8) Establish policies and criteria for the acceptance of tenants and participants into the incubator and for the termination of occupancy of tenants so as to maximize the opportunity to succeed for the greatest number of tenants, consistent with those specified in this section; and
(9) Provide a report to the department containing the identity of each tenant within the incubator, a brief description of the nature of the business of such tenant, and the date in which such tenant established tenancy within the incubator. Such report shall be updated on an annual basis and provided to the department.
7. The department:
(1) May adopt such rules, statements of policy, procedures, forms and guidelines as may be necessary for the implementation of this section;
(2) May make loans, loan guarantees and grants to local sponsors for incubators;
(3) Shall ensure that local sponsors receiving loans, loan guarantees or grants meet the conditions of this section;
(4) Shall receive and evaluate annual reports from local sponsors. Such annual reports shall include, but need not be limited to, a financial statement for the incubator, evidence that all tenants and participants in the program are eligible under the terms of this section, and a list of companies in the incubator.
8. The department of economic development is also hereby authorized to review any previous loans made under this program and, where appropriate in the department's judgment, convert such loans to grant status.
9. On or before January first of each year, the department shall provide a report to the governor, the chief clerk of the house of representatives and the secretary of the senate which shall include, but need not be limited to:
(1) The number of applications for incubators submitted to the department;
(2) The number of applications for incubators approved by the department;
(3) The number of incubators created through the small business incubator program;
(4) The number of tenants and participants engaged in each incubator;
(5) The number of jobs provided by each incubator and tenants and participant of each incubator;
(6) The occupancy rate of each incubator;
(7) The number of firms still operating in the state after leaving incubators and the number of jobs they have provided; and
(8) The identity of all current tenants, a brief description of the nature of the business of such tenants, and the date in which such tenants established tenancy within incubators in this state.
10. There is hereby established in the state treasury a special fund to be known as the "Missouri Small Business Incubators Fund", which shall consist of all moneys which may be appropriated to it by the general assembly, and also any gifts, contributions, grants or bequests received from federal, private or other sources. Moneys for loans, loan guarantees and grants under the small business incubator program may be obtained from appropriations made by the general assembly from the Missouri small business incubators fund. Any moneys remaining in the Missouri small business incubators fund at the end of any fiscal year shall not lapse to the general revenue fund, as provided in section 33.080, RSMo, but shall remain in the Missouri small business incubators fund.
11. For any taxable year beginning after December 31, 1989, a taxpayer, including any charitable organization which is exempt from federal income tax and whose Missouri unrelated business taxable income, if any, would be subject to the state income tax imposed under chapter 143, RSMo, shall be entitled to a tax credit against any tax otherwise due under the provisions of chapter 143, RSMo, or chapter 147, RSMo, or chapter 148, RSMo, excluding withholding tax imposed by sections 143.191 to 143.265, RSMo, in the amount of fifty percent of any amount contributed by the taxpayer to the Missouri small business incubators fund during the taxpayer's tax year or any contribution by the taxpayer to a local sponsor after the local sponsor's application has been accepted and approved by the department. The tax credit allowed by this subsection shall be claimed by the taxpayer at the time he files his return and shall be applied against the income tax liability imposed by chapter 143, RSMo, or chapter 147, RSMo, or chapter 148, RSMo, after all other credits provided by law have been applied. That portion of earned tax credits which exceeds the taxpayer's tax liability may be carried forward for up to five years. The aggregate of all tax credits authorized under this section shall not exceed [five hundred thousand] two million dollars in any taxable year.
12. Notwithstanding any provision of Missouri law to the contrary, any taxpayer may sell, assign, exchange, convey or otherwise transfer tax credits allowed in subsection 11 of this section under the terms and conditions prescribed in subdivisions (1) and (2) of this subsection. Such taxpayer, hereinafter the assignor for the purpose of this subsection, may sell, assign, exchange or otherwise transfer earned tax credits:
(1) For no less than seventy-five percent of the par value of such credits; and
(2) In an amount not to exceed one hundred percent of annual earned credits.
The taxpayer acquiring earned credits, hereinafter the assignee for the purpose of this subsection, may use the acquired credits to offset up to one hundred percent of the tax liabilities otherwise imposed by chapter 143, RSMo, or chapter 147, RSMo, or chapter 148, RSMo, excluding withholding tax imposed by sections 143.191 to 143.265, RSMo. Unused credits in the hands of the assignee may be carried forward for up to five years. The assignor shall enter into a written agreement with the assignee establishing the terms and conditions of the agreement and shall perfect such transfer by notifying the department of economic development in writing within thirty calendar days following the effective day of the transfer and shall provide any information as may be required by the department of economic development to administer and carry out the provisions of this section. The director of the department of economic development shall prescribe the method for submitting applications for claiming the tax credit allowed under subsection 11 of this section and shall, if the application is approved, certify to the director of revenue that the taxpayer claiming the credit has satisfied all the requirements specified in this section and is eligible to claim the credit.
620.1039. 1. As used in this section, the term "taxpayer" means an individual, a partnership, or any charitable organization which is exempt from federal income tax and whose Missouri unrelated business taxable income, if any, would be subject to the state income tax imposed under chapter 143, RSMo, or a corporation as described in section 143.441 or 143.471, RSMo, or section 148.370, RSMo, and the term "qualified research expenses" has the same meaning as prescribed in 26 U.S.C. 41, except that such qualified research expenses shall be limited to those incurred in the research and development of agricultural biotechnology, plant genomics products, diagnostic and therapeutic medical devices, prescription pharmaceuticals consumed by humans or animals, or qualified research expenses incurred in the research, development or manufacture of power system technology for aerospace, space, defense, or implantable or wearable medical devices.
2. For tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2001, the director of the department of economic development [may] shall authorize a taxpayer to receive a tax credit against the tax otherwise due pursuant to chapter 143, RSMo, or chapter 148, RSMo, other than the taxes withheld pursuant to sections 143.191 to 143.265, RSMo, in an amount up to six and one-half percent of the [excess] of the taxpayer's qualified research expenses, as certified by the director of the department of economic development[, within this state during the taxable year over the average of the taxpayer's qualified research expenses within this state over the immediately preceding three taxable years; except that, no tax credit shall be allowed on that portion of the taxpayer's qualified research expenses incurred within this state during the taxable year in which the credit is being claimed, to the extent such expenses exceed two hundred percent of the taxpayer's average qualified research expenses incurred during the immediately preceding three taxable years].
3. The director of economic development shall prescribe the manner in which the tax credit may be applied for. The tax credit authorized by this section may be claimed by the taxpayer to offset the tax liability imposed by chapter 143, RSMo, or chapter 148, RSMo, that becomes due in the tax year during which such qualified research expenses were incurred. Where the amount of the credit exceeds the tax liability, the difference between the credit and the tax liability may only be carried forward for the next five succeeding taxable years or until the full credit has been claimed, whichever first occurs. The application for tax credits authorized by the director pursuant to subsection 2 of this section shall be made no earlier than January first and no later than [the end of] July first of the calendar year immediately following the calendar year in which the taxpayer's tax period [immediately following the tax period] for which the credits are being claimed ended. The director shall act on any such application for tax credits no sooner than August first but no later than August fifteenth of each year for applications filed in that calendar year.
4. Certificates of tax credit issued pursuant to this section may be transferred, sold or assigned by filing a notarized endorsement thereof with the department which names the transferee and the amount of tax credit transferred. The director of economic development may allow a taxpayer to transfer, sell or assign up to forty percent of the amount of the certificates of tax credit issued to and not claimed by such taxpayer pursuant to this section during any tax year commencing on or after January 1, [1996] 2009, and ending not later than December 31, [1999] 2015. Such taxpayer shall file, by December 31, [2001] 2017, an application with the department which names the transferee, the amount of tax credit desired to be transferred, and a certification that the funds received by the applicant as a result of the transfer, sale or assignment of the tax credit shall be expended within three years at the state university for the sole purpose of conducting research activities agreed upon by the department, the taxpayer and the state university. Failure to expend such funds in the manner prescribed pursuant to this section shall cause the applicant to be subject to the provisions of section 620.017.
5. No rule or portion of a rule promulgated under the authority of this section shall become effective unless it has been promulgated pursuant to the provisions of chapter 536, RSMo. All rulemaking authority delegated prior to June 27, 1997, is of no force and effect and repealed; however, nothing in this section shall be interpreted to repeal or affect the validity of any rule filed or adopted prior to June 27, 1997, if such rule complied with the provisions of chapter 536, RSMo. The provisions of this section and chapter 536, RSMo, are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536, RSMo, including the ability to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule or portion of a rule, are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the purported grant of rulemaking authority and any rule so proposed and contained in the order of rulemaking shall be invalid and void.
6. The aggregate of all tax credits authorized pursuant to this section shall not exceed [nine] ten million [seven hundred thousand] dollars in any calendar year. In the event that total eligible claims for credits received in a calendar year exceed the annual cap, each eligible claimant shall be issued credits based upon the following formula: the eligible credits if the annual cap had not been exceeded multiplied by the ratio of the annual cap divided by the total of all eligible claims for credits filed in that calendar year.
7. [For all tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2005, no tax credits shall be approved, awarded, or issued to any person or entity claiming any tax credit under this section] No one taxpayer shall be issued more than thirty percent of the aggregate of all tax credits authorized under this section in any calendar year.
620.1220. The office of the Missouri film commission [shall] may be located in Jefferson City and shall replace any state agency, division or staff which, on August 28, 1996, sections 620.1200 to 620.1240, provides services to the film industry or is organized to promote film production in Missouri. The department of economic development may transfer staff from any agency replaced by the office of the Missouri film commission to this office.
620.1878. For the purposes of sections 620.1875 to 620.1890, the following terms shall mean:
(1) "Approval", a document submitted by the department to the qualified company that states the benefits that may be provided by this program;
(2) "Average wage", the new payroll divided by the number of new jobs;
(3) "Commencement of operations", the starting date for the qualified company's first new employee, which must be no later than twelve months from the date of the approval;
(4) "County average wage", the average wages in each county as determined by the department for the most recently completed full calendar year. However, if the computed county average wage is above the statewide average wage, the statewide average wage shall be deemed the county average wage for such county for the purpose of determining eligibility. The department shall publish the county average wage for each county at least annually. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subdivision to the contrary, for any qualified company that in conjunction with their project is relocating employees from a Missouri county with a higher county average wage, the company shall obtain the endorsement of the governing body of the community from which jobs are being relocated or the county average wage for their project shall be the county average wage for the county from which the employees are being relocated;
(5) "Department", the Missouri department of economic development;
(6) "Director", the director of the department of economic development;
(7) "Employee", a person employed by a qualified company;
(8) "Full-time employee", an employee of the qualified company that is scheduled to work an average of at least thirty-five hours per week for a twelve-month period, and one for which the qualified company offers health insurance and pays at least fifty percent of such insurance premiums;
(9) "High-impact project", a qualified company that, within two years from commencement of operations, creates one hundred or more new jobs;
(10) "Local incentives", the present value of the dollar amount of direct benefit received by a qualified company for a project facility from one or more local political subdivisions, but shall not include loans or other funds provided to the qualified company that must be repaid by the qualified company to the political subdivision;
(11) "NAICS", the 1997 edition of the North American Industry Classification System as prepared by the Executive Office of the President, Office of Management and Budget. Any NAICS sector, subsector, industry group or industry identified in this section shall include its corresponding classification in subsequent federal industry classification systems;
(12) "New direct local revenue", the present value of the dollar amount of direct net new tax revenues of the local political subdivisions likely to be produced by the project over a ten-year period as calculated by the department, excluding local earnings tax, and net new utility revenues, provided the local incentives include a discount or other direct incentives from utilities owned or operated by the political subdivision;
(13) "New investment", the purchase or leasing of new tangible assets to be placed in operation at the project facility, which will be directly related to the new jobs;
(14) "New job", the number of full-time employees located at the project facility that exceeds the project facility base employment less any decrease in the number of full-time employees at related facilities below the related facility base employment. No job that was created prior to the date of the notice of intent shall be deemed a new job. An employee that spends less than fifty percent of the employee's work time at the facility is still considered to be located at a facility if the employee receives his or her directions and control from that facility, is on the facility's payroll, one hundred percent of the employee's income from such employment is Missouri income, and the employee is paid at or above the state average wage;
(15) "New payroll", the amount of taxable wages of full-time employees, excluding owners, located at the project facility that exceeds the project facility base payroll. If full-time employment at related facilities is below the related facility base employment, any decrease in payroll for full-time employees at the related facilities below that related facility base payroll shall also be subtracted to determine new payroll;
(16) "Notice of intent", a form developed by the department, completed by the qualified company and submitted to the department which states the qualified company's intent to hire new jobs and request benefits under this program;
(17) "Percent of local incentives", the amount of local incentives divided by the amount of new direct local revenue;
(18) "Program", the Missouri quality jobs program provided in sections 620.1875 to 620.1890;
(19) "Project facility", the building used by a qualified company at which the new jobs and new investment will be located. A project facility may include separate buildings that are located within one mile of each other or within the same county such that their purpose and operations are interrelated;
(20) "Project facility base employment", the greater of the number of full-time employees located at the project facility on the date of the notice of intent or for the twelve-month period prior to the date of the notice of intent, the average number of full-time employees located at the project facility. In the event the project facility has not been in operation for a full twelve-month period, the average number of full-time employees for the number of months the project facility has been in operation prior to the date of the notice of intent;
(21) "Project facility base payroll", the total amount of taxable wages paid by the qualified company to full-time employees of the qualified company located at the project facility in the twelve months prior to the notice of intent, not including the payroll of the owners of the qualified company unless the qualified company is participating in an employee stock ownership plan. For purposes of calculating the benefits under this program, the amount of base payroll shall increase each year based on an appropriate measure, as determined by the department;
(22) "Project period", the time period that the benefits are provided to a qualified company;
(23) "Qualified company", a firm, partnership, joint venture, association, private or public corporation whether organized for profit or not, or headquarters of such entity registered to do business in Missouri that is the owner or operator of a project facility, offers health insurance to all full-time employees of all facilities located in this state, and pays at least fifty percent of such insurance premiums. For the purposes of sections 620.1875 to 620.1890, the term "qualified company" shall not include:
(a) Gambling establishments (NAICS industry group 7132);
(b) Retail trade establishments (NAICS sectors 44 and 45);
(c) Food and drinking places (NAICS subsector 722);
(d) Public utilities (NAICS 221 including water and sewer services);
(e) Any company that is delinquent in the payment of any nonprotested taxes or any other amounts due the state or federal government or any other political subdivision of this state;
(f) Any company that has filed for or has publicly announced its intention to file for bankruptcy protection;
(g) Educational services (NAICS sector 61);
(h) Religious organizations (NAICS industry group 8131); [or]
(i) Public administration (NAICS sector 92);
(j) Ethanol distillation or production; or
(k) Biodiesel production.
Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, the headquarters or administrative offices of an otherwise excluded business may qualify for benefits if the offices serve a multistate territory. In the event a national, state, or regional headquarters operation is not the predominant activity of a project facility, the new jobs and investment of such headquarters operation is considered eligible for benefits under this section if the other requirements are satisfied;
(24) "Qualified renewable energy sources" shall not be construed to include ethanol distillation or production or biodiesel production; however, it shall include:
(a) Open-looped biomass;
(b) Close-looped biomass;
(c) Solar;
(d) Wind;
(e) Geothermal; and
(f) Hydropower;
(25) "Related company" means:
(a) A corporation, partnership, trust, or association controlled by the qualified company;
(b) An individual, corporation, partnership, trust, or association in control of the qualified company; or
(c) Corporations, partnerships, trusts or associations controlled by an individual, corporation, partnership, trust or association in control of the qualified company. As used in this subdivision, control of a corporation shall mean ownership, directly or indirectly, of stock possessing at least fifty percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote, control of a partnership or association shall mean ownership of at least fifty percent of the capital or profits interest in such partnership or association, control of a trust shall mean ownership, directly or indirectly, of at least fifty percent of the beneficial interest in the principal or income of such trust, and ownership shall be determined as provided in Section 318 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended;
[(25)] (26) "Related facility", a facility operated by the qualified company or a related company located in this state that is directly related to the operations of the project facility;
[(26)] (27) "Related facility base employment", the greater of the number of full-time employees located at all related facilities on the date of the notice of intent or for the twelve-month period prior to the date of the notice of intent, the average number of full-time employees located at all related facilities of the qualified company or a related company located in this state;
[(27)] (28) "Related facility base payroll", the total amount of taxable wages paid by the qualified company to full-time employees of the qualified company located at a related facility in the twelve months prior to the filing of the notice of intent, not including the payroll of the owners of the qualified company unless the qualified company is participating in an employee stock ownership plan. For purposes of calculating the benefits under this program, the amount of related facility base payroll shall increase each year based on an appropriate measure, as determined by the department;
[(28)] (29) "Rural area", a county in Missouri with a population less than seventy-five thousand or that does not contain an individual city with a population greater than fifty thousand according to the most recent federal decennial census;
[(29)] (30) "Small and expanding business project", a qualified company that within two years of the date of the approval creates a minimum of twenty new jobs if the project facility is located in a rural area or a minimum of forty new jobs if the project facility is not located in a rural area and creates fewer than one hundred new jobs regardless of the location of the project facility;
[(30)] (31) "Tax credits", tax credits issued by the department to offset the state income taxes imposed by chapters 143 and 148, RSMo, or which may be sold or refunded as provided for in this program;
[(31)] (32) "Technology business project", a qualified company that within two years of the date of the approval creates a minimum of ten new jobs involved in the operations of a [technology] company:
(a) Which is a technology company, as determined by a regulation promulgated by the department under the provisions of section 620.1884 or classified by NAICS codes;
(b) Which owns or leases a facility which produces electricity derived from qualified renewable energy sources, or produces fuel for the generation of electricity from qualified renewable energy sources, but does not include any company that has received the alcohol mixture credit, alcohol credit, or small ethanol producer credit pursuant to 26 U.S.C. Section 40 of the tax code in the previous tax year; or
(c) Which researches, develops, or manufactures power system technology for: aerospace; space; defense; hybrid vehicles; or implantable or wearable medical devices;
[(32)] (33) "Withholding tax", the state tax imposed by sections 143.191 to 143.265, RSMo. For purposes of this program, the withholding tax shall be computed using a schedule as determined by the department based on average wages.
620.1881. 1. The department of economic development shall respond within thirty days to a company who provides a notice of intent with either an approval or a rejection of the notice of intent. The department shall give preference to qualified companies and projects targeted at an area of the state which has recently been classified as a disaster area by the federal government. Failure to respond on behalf of the department of economic development shall result in the notice of intent being deemed an approval for the purposes of this section. A qualified company who is provided an approval for a project shall be allowed a benefit as provided in this program in the amount and duration provided in this section. A qualified company may receive additional periods for subsequent new jobs at the same facility after the full initial period if the minimum thresholds are met as set forth in sections 620.1875 to 620.1890. There is no limit on the number of periods a qualified company may participate in the program, as long as the minimum thresholds are achieved and the qualified company provides the department with the required reporting and is in proper compliance for this program or other state programs. A qualified company may elect to file a notice of intent to start a new project period concurrent with an existing project period if the minimum thresholds are achieved and the qualified company provides the department with the required reporting and is in proper compliance for this program and other state programs; however, the qualified company may not receive any further benefit under the original approval for jobs created after the date of the new notice of intent, and any jobs created before the new notice of intent may not be included as new jobs for the purpose of benefit calculation in relation to the new approval.
2. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, any qualified company that is awarded benefits under this program may not simultaneously receive tax credits or exemptions under sections 135.100 to 135.150, sections 135.200 to 135.286, section 135.535, or sections 135.900 to 135.906, RSMo, at the same project facility. The benefits available to the company under any other state programs for which the company is eligible and which utilize withholding tax from the new jobs of the company must first be credited to the other state program before the withholding retention level applicable under the Missouri quality jobs act will begin to accrue. These other state programs include, but are not limited to, the new jobs training program under sections 178.892 to 178.896, RSMo, the job retention program under sections 178.760 to 178.764, RSMo, the real property tax increment allocation redevelopment act, sections 99.800 to 99.865, RSMo, or the Missouri downtown and rural economic stimulus act under sections 99.915 to 99.980, RSMo. If any qualified company also participates in the new jobs training program in sections 178.892 to 178.896, RSMo, the company shall retain no withholding tax, but the department shall issue a refundable tax credit for the full amount of benefit allowed under this subdivision. The calendar year annual maximum amount of tax credits which may be issued to a qualifying company that also participates in the new job training program shall be increased by an amount equivalent to the withholding tax retained by that company under the new jobs training program. However, if the combined benefits of the quality jobs program and the new jobs training program exceed the projected state benefit of the project, as determined by the department of economic development through a cost-benefit analysis, the increase in the maximum tax credits shall be limited to the amount that would not cause the combined benefits to exceed the projected state benefit. Any taxpayer who is awarded benefits under this program who knowingly hires individuals who are not allowed to work legally in the United States shall immediately forfeit such benefits and shall repay the state an amount equal to any state tax credits already redeemed and any withholding taxes already retained.
3. The types of projects and the amount of benefits to be provided are:
(1) Small and expanding business projects: in exchange for the consideration provided by the new tax revenues and other economic stimuli that will be generated by the new jobs created by the program, a qualified company may retain an amount equal to the withholding tax as calculated under subdivision (32) of section 620.1878 from the new jobs that would otherwise be withheld and remitted by the qualified company under the provisions of sections 143.191 to 143.265, RSMo, for a period of three years from the date the required number of new jobs were created if the average wage of the new payroll equals or exceeds the county average wage or for a period of five years from the date the required number of new jobs were created if the average wage of the new payroll equals or exceeds one hundred twenty percent of the county average wage;
(2) Technology business projects: in exchange for the consideration provided by the new tax revenues and other economic stimuli that will be generated by the new jobs created by the program, a qualified company may retain an amount equal to a maximum of five percent of new payroll for a period of five years from the date the required number of jobs were created from the withholding tax of the new jobs that would otherwise be withheld and remitted by the qualified company under the provisions of sections 143.191 to 143.265, RSMo, if the average wage of the new payroll equals or exceeds the county average wage. An additional one-half percent of new payroll may be added to the five percent maximum if the average wage of the new payroll in any year exceeds one hundred twenty percent of the county average wage in the county in which the project facility is located, plus an additional one-half percent of new payroll may be added if the average wage of the new payroll in any year exceeds one hundred forty percent of the average wage in the county in which the project facility is located. The department shall issue a refundable tax credit for any difference between the amount of benefit allowed under this subdivision and the amount of withholding tax retained by the company, in the event the withholding tax is not sufficient to provide the entire amount of benefit due to the qualified company under this subdivision. The calendar year annual maximum amount of tax credits that may be issued to any qualified company for a project or combination of projects is five hundred thousand dollars;
(3) High impact projects: in exchange for the consideration provided by the new tax revenues and other economic stimuli that will be generated by the new jobs created by the program, a qualified company may retain an amount from the withholding tax of the new jobs that would otherwise be withheld and remitted by the qualified company under the provisions of sections 143.191 to 143.265, RSMo, equal to three percent of new payroll for a period of five years from the date the required number of jobs were created if the average wage of the new payroll equals or exceeds the county average wage of the county in which the project facility is located. The percentage of payroll allowed under this subdivision shall be three and one-half percent of new payroll if the average wage of the new payroll in any year exceeds one hundred twenty percent of the county average wage in the county in which the project facility is located. The percentage of payroll allowed under this subdivision shall be four percent of new payroll if the average wage of the new payroll in any year exceeds one hundred forty percent of the county average wage in the county in which the project facility is located. An additional one percent of new payroll may be added to these percentages if local incentives equal between ten percent and twenty-four percent of the new direct local revenue; an additional two percent of new payroll is added to these percentages if the local incentives equal between twenty-five percent and forty-nine percent of the new direct local revenue; or an additional three percent of payroll is added to these percentages if the local incentives equal fifty percent or more of the new direct local revenue. The department shall issue a refundable tax credit for any difference between the amount of benefit allowed under this subdivision and the amount of withholding tax retained by the company, in the event the withholding tax is not sufficient to provide the entire amount of benefit due to the qualified company under this subdivision. The calendar year annual maximum amount of tax credits that may be issued to any qualified company for a project or combination of projects is seven hundred fifty thousand dollars. The calendar year annual maximum amount of tax credit that may be issued to any qualified company for a project or combination of projects may be increased up to one million dollars if the number of new jobs will exceed five hundred and if such action is proposed by the department and approved by the quality jobs advisory task force established in section 620.1887; provided, however, until such time as the initial at-large members of the quality jobs advisory task force are appointed, this determination shall be made by the director of the department of economic development. In considering such a request, the task force shall rely on economic modeling and other information supplied by the department when requesting the increased limit on behalf of the project;
(4) Job retention projects: a qualified company may receive a tax credit for the retention of jobs in this state, provided the qualified company and the project meets all of the following conditions:
(a) For each of the twenty-four months preceding the year in which application for the program is made the qualified company must have maintained at least one thousand full-time employees at the employer's site in the state at which the jobs are based, and the average wage of such employees must meet or exceed the county average wage;
(b) The qualified company retained at the project facility the level of full-time employees that existed in the taxable year immediately preceding the year in which application for the program is made;
(c) The qualified company is considered to have a significant statewide effect on the economy, and has been determined to represent a substantial risk of relocation from the state by the quality jobs advisory task force established in section 620.1887; provided, however, until such time as the initial at-large members of the quality jobs advisory task force are appointed, this determination shall be made by the director of the department of economic development;
(d) The qualified company in the project facility will cause to be invested a minimum of seventy million dollars in new investment prior to the end of two years or will cause to be invested a minimum of thirty million dollars in new investment prior to the end of two years and maintain an annual payroll of at least seventy million dollars during each of the years for which a credit is claimed; and
(e) The local taxing entities shall provide local incentives of at least fifty percent of the new direct local revenues created by the project over a ten-year period.
The quality jobs advisory task force may recommend to the department of economic development that appropriate penalties be applied to the company for violating the agreement. The amount of the job retention credit granted may be equal to up to fifty percent of the amount of withholding tax generated by the full-time jobs at the project facility for a period of five years. The calendar year annual maximum amount of tax credit that may be issued to any qualified company for a job retention project or combination of job retention projects shall be seven hundred fifty thousand dollars per year, but the maximum amount may be increased up to one million dollars if such action is proposed by the department and approved by the quality jobs advisory task force established in section 620.1887; provided, however, until such time as the initial at-large members of the quality jobs advisory task force are appointed, this determination shall be made by the director of the department of economic development. In considering such a request, the task force shall rely on economic modeling and other information supplied by the department when requesting the increased limit on behalf of the job retention project. In no event shall the total amount of all tax credits issued for the entire job retention program under this subdivision exceed three million dollars annually. Notwithstanding the above, no tax credits shall be issued for job retention projects approved by the department after August 30, [2007] 2013;
(5) Small business job retention and flood survivor relief: a qualified company may receive a tax credit under sections 620.1875 to 620.1890 for the retention of jobs and flood survivor relief in this state for each job retained over a three-year period, provided that:
(a) The qualified company did not receive any state or federal benefits, incentives, or tax relief or abatement in locating its facility in a flood plain;
(b) The qualified company and related companies have fewer than one hundred employees at the time application for the program is made;
(c) The average wage of the qualified company's and related companies' employees must meet or exceed the county average wage;
(d) All of the qualified company's and related companies' facilities are located in this state;
(e) The facilities at the primary business site in this state have been directly damaged by floodwater rising above the level of a five hundred year flood at least two years, but fewer than eight years, prior to the time application is made;
(f) The qualified company made significant efforts to protect the facilities prior to any impending danger from rising floodwaters;
(g) For each year it receives tax credits under sections 620.1875 to 620.1890, the qualified company and related companies retained, at the company's facilities in this state, at least the level of full-time, year-round employees that existed in the taxable year immediately preceding the year in which application for the program is made; and
(h) In the years it receives tax credits under sections 620.1875 to 620.1890, the company cumulatively invests at least two million dollars in capital improvements in facilities and equipment located at such facilities that are not located within a five hundred year flood plain as designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and amended from time to time.
The amount of the small business job retention and flood survivor relief credit granted may be equal to up to one hundred percent of the amount of withholding tax generated by the full-time jobs at the project facility for a period of three years. The calendar year annual maximum amount of tax credit that may be issued to any qualified company for a small business job retention and survivor relief project shall be two hundred fifty thousand dollars per year, but the maximum amount may be increased up to five hundred thousand dollars if such action is proposed by the department and approved by the quality jobs advisory task force established in section 620.1887. In considering such a request, the task force shall rely on economic modeling and other information supplied by the department when requesting an increase in the limit on behalf of the small business job retention and flood survivor relief project. In no event shall the total amount of all tax credits issued for the entire small business job retention and flood survivor relief program under this subdivision exceed five hundred thousand dollars annually. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subdivision to the contrary, no tax credits shall be issued for small business job retention and flood survivor relief projects approved by the department after August 30, 2010.
4. The qualified company shall provide an annual report of the number of jobs and such other information as may be required by the department to document the basis for the benefits of this program. The department may withhold the approval of any benefits until it is satisfied that proper documentation has been provided, and shall reduce the benefits to reflect any reduction in full-time employees or new payroll. Upon approval by the department, the qualified company may begin the retention of the withholding taxes when it reaches the minimum number of new jobs and the average wage exceeds the county average wage. Tax credits, if any, may be issued upon satisfaction by the department that the qualified company has exceeded the county average wage and the minimum number of new jobs. In such annual report, if the average wage is below the county average wage, the qualified company has not maintained the employee insurance as required, or if the number of new jobs is below the minimum, the qualified company shall not receive tax credits or retain the withholding tax for the balance of the benefit period. In the case of a qualified company that initially filed a notice of intent and received an approval from the department for high impact benefits and the minimum number of new jobs in an annual report is below the minimum for high impact projects, the company shall not receive tax credits for the balance of the benefit period but may continue to retain the withholding taxes if it otherwise meets the requirements of a small and expanding business under this program.
5. [The maximum calendar year annual tax credits issued for the entire program shall not exceed forty million dollars.] Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the maximum annual tax credits authorized under section 135.535, RSMo, are hereby reduced from ten million dollars to eight million dollars, with the balance of two million dollars transferred to this program. There shall be no limit on the amount of withholding taxes that may be retained by approved companies under this program.
6. The department shall allocate the annual tax credits based on the date of the approval, reserving such tax credits based on the department's best estimate of new jobs and new payroll of the project, and the other factors in the determination of benefits of this program. However, the annual issuance of tax credits is subject to the annual verification of the actual new payroll. The allocation of tax credits for the period assigned to a project shall expire if, within two years from the date of commencement of operations, or approval if applicable, the minimum thresholds have not been achieved. The qualified company may retain authorized amounts from the withholding tax under this section once the minimum new jobs thresholds are met for the duration of the project period. No benefits shall be provided under this program until the qualified company meets the minimum new jobs thresholds. In the event the qualified company does not meet the minimum new job threshold, the qualified company may submit a new notice of intent or the department may provide a new approval for a new project of the qualified company at the project facility or other facilities.
7. For a qualified company with flow-through tax treatment to its members, partners, or shareholders, the tax credit shall be allowed to members, partners, or shareholders in proportion to their share of ownership on the last day of the qualified company's tax period.
8. Tax credits may be claimed against taxes otherwise imposed by chapters 143 and 148, RSMo, and may not be carried forward but shall be claimed within one year of the close of the taxable year for which they were issued, except as provided under subdivision (4) of subsection 3 of this section.
9. Tax credits authorized by this section may be transferred, sold, or assigned by filing a notarized endorsement thereof with the department that names the transferee, the amount of tax credit transferred, and the value received for the credit, as well as any other information reasonably requested by the department.
10. Prior to the issuance of tax credits, the department shall verify through the department of revenue, or any other state department, that the tax credit applicant does not owe any delinquent income, sales, or use tax or interest or penalties on such taxes, or any delinquent fees or assessments levied by any state department and through the department of insurance that the applicant does not owe any delinquent insurance taxes. Such delinquency shall not affect the authorization of the application for such tax credits, except that at issuance credits shall be first applied to the delinquency and any amount issued shall be reduced by the applicant's tax delinquency. If the department of revenue or the department of insurance, or any other state department, concludes that a taxpayer is delinquent after June fifteenth but before July first of any year and the application of tax credits to such delinquency causes a tax deficiency on behalf of the taxpayer to arise, then the taxpayer shall be granted thirty days to satisfy the deficiency in which interest, penalties, and additions to tax shall be tolled. After applying all available credits toward a tax delinquency, the administering agency shall notify the appropriate department and that department shall update the amount of outstanding delinquent tax owed by the applicant. If any credits remain after satisfying all insurance, income, sales, and use tax delinquencies, the remaining credits shall be issued to the applicant, subject to the restrictions of other provisions of law.
11. Except as provided under subdivision (4) of subsection 3 of this section, the director of revenue shall issue a refund to the qualified company to the extent that the amount of credits allowed in this section exceeds the amount of the qualified company's income tax.
12. An employee of a qualified company will receive full credit for the amount of tax withheld as provided in section 143.211, RSMo.
13. If any provision of sections 620.1875 to 620.1890 or application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect other provisions or application of these sections which can be given effect without the invalid provisions or application, and to this end, the provisions of sections 620.1875 to 620.1890 are hereby declared severable.
Section B. Because of the need to continue Missouri's positive economic growth, the repeal and reenactment of section 620.495 of section A of this act is deemed necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health, welfare, peace and safety, and is hereby declared to be an emergency act within the meaning of the constitution, and the repeal and reenactment of section 620.495 of section A of this act shall be in full force and effect upon its passage and approval.
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