HOUSE BILL No. 4314

 

February 15, 2005, Introduced by Reps. Hoogendyk, Gosselin, Garfield, Baxter, Drolet, Sheen and Stahl and referred to the Committee on Tax Policy.

 

     A bill to amend 1975 PA 228, entitled

 

"Single business tax act,"

 

by amending sections 9, 39e, and 73 (MCL 208.9, 208.39e, and

 

208.73), section 9 as amended by 2004 PA 258, section 39e as

 

amended by 2002 PA 622, and section 73 as amended by 1995 PA 80.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 9. (1) "Tax base" means business income, before

 

apportionment or allocation as provided in chapter 3, even if zero

 

or negative, subject to the adjustments in this section.

 

     (2) Add gross interest income and dividends derived from

 

obligations or securities of states other than Michigan, in the

 

same amount that was excluded from federal taxable income, less the

 

related portion of expenses not deducted in computing federal

 


taxable income because of sections 265 and 291 of the internal

 

revenue code.

 

     (3) Add all taxes on or measured by net income and the tax

 

imposed by this act to the extent the taxes were deducted in

 

arriving at federal taxable income.

 

     (4) Add the following, to the extent deducted in arriving at

 

federal taxable income:

 

     (a) A carryback or carryover of a net operating loss.

 

     (b) A carryback or carryover of a capital loss.

 

     (c) A deduction for depreciation, amortization, or immediate

 

or accelerated write-off related to the cost of tangible assets.

 

     (d) A dividend paid or accrued except a dividend that

 

represents a reduction of premiums to policyholders of insurance

 

companies.

 

     (e) A deduction or exclusion by a taxpayer due to a

 

classification as, or the payment of commissions or other fees to,

 

a domestic international sales corporation or any like special

 

classification the purpose of which is to reduce or postpone the

 

federal income tax liability. This subdivision does not apply to

 

the special provisions of sections 805, 809, and 815(c)(2)(A) of

 

the internal revenue code.

 

     (f) All interest including amounts paid, credited, or reserved

 

by insurance companies as amounts necessary to fulfill the policy

 

and other contract liability requirements of sections 805 and 809

 

of the internal revenue code. Interest does not include payments or

 

credits made to or on behalf of a taxpayer by a manufacturer,

 

distributor, or supplier of inventory to defray any part of the

 


taxpayer's floor plan interest, if these payments are used by the

 

taxpayer to reduce interest expense in determining federal taxable

 

income. For purposes of this section, "floor plan interest" means

 

interest paid that finances any part of the taxpayer's purchase of

 

automobile inventory from a manufacturer, distributor, or supplier.

 

However, amounts attributable to any invoiced items used to provide

 

more favorable floor plan assistance to a taxpayer than to a person

 

who is not a taxpayer is considered interest paid by a

 

manufacturer, distributor, or supplier.

 

     (g) All royalties except for the following:

 

     (i) On and after July 1, 1985, oil and gas royalties that are

 

excluded in the depletion deduction calculation under the internal

 

revenue code.

 

     (ii) Cable television franchise fees described in section 622

 

of part III of title VI of the communications act of 1934, 47

 

U.S.C. USC 542.

 

     (iii) Except as provided in subparagraph (iv), for the tax years

 

1986 and after 1986, a franchise fee as defined by section 3 of the

 

franchise investment law, 1974 PA 269, MCL 445.1503, in the

 

following amounts:

 

     (A) For the tax years 1986, 1987, and 1988, 20% of the

 

franchise fee.

 

     (B) For the tax years 1989 and 1990, 50% of the franchise fee.

 

     (C) For the tax years 1991 and after 1991, 100% of the

 

franchise fee.

 

     (iv) For the tax years ending before 1991, this subdivision

 

does not apply to a fee for services paid by a franchisee that,

 


with respect to a specific provision of a franchise agreement, a

 

court of competent jurisdiction, before June 5, 1985, has

 

determined is not a royalty payment under this act.

 

     (v) Film rental or royalty payments paid by a theater owner to

 

a film distributor, a film producer, or a film distributor and

 

producer.

 

     (vi) Royalties, fees, charges, or other payments or

 

consideration paid or incurred by radio or television broadcasters

 

for program matter or signals.

 

     (vii) Royalties, fees, charges, or other payments or

 

consideration paid by a film distributor for copyrighted motion

 

picture films, program matter, or signals to a film producer.

 

     (viii) For tax years that begin after December 31, 1993,

 

royalties paid by a licensee of application computer software,

 

operating system software, or system software pursuant to a license

 

agreement. As used in this subparagraph and subsection (7)(c)(vii):

 

     (A) "Application computer software" means a set of statements

 

or instructions that when incorporated in a machine usable medium

 

is capable of causing a machine or device having information

 

processing capabilities to indicate, perform, or achieve a

 

particular business function, task, or result for the nontechnical

 

end user. Application computer software includes any other computer

 

software that does not qualify under sub-subparagraph (B) or (C).

 

     (B) "Operating system software" means a set of statements or

 

instructions that when incorporated into a machine or device having

 

information processing capabilities is an interface between the

 

computer hardware and the application computer software or system

 


software.

 

     (C) "System software" means a set of statements or

 

instructions that interacts with operating system software that is

 

developed, licensed, and intended for the exclusive use of data

 

processing professionals to build, test, manage, or maintain

 

application computer software for which a license agreement is

 

signed by the licensor and licensee at the time of the transfer of

 

the software and that is not transferred to the licensee as part of

 

or in conjunction with a sale or lease of computer hardware.

 

     (ix) For tax years that begin after December 31, 2000,

 

royalties, fees, or other payments or consideration paid or

 

incurred by a franchisee to a franchisor to establish or maintain

 

the franchise relationship other than payments for the sale or

 

lease of inventory, equipment, fixtures, or real property at fair

 

rental or fair market value.

 

     (h) A deduction for rent attributable to a lease back that

 

continues in effect under the former provisions of section

 

168(f)(8) of the internal revenue code of 1954 as that section

 

provided immediately before the tax reform act of 1986, Public Law

 

99-514, became effective or to a lease back of property to which

 

the amendments made by the tax reform act of 1986 do not apply as

 

provided in section 204 of the tax reform act of 1986.

 

     (5) Add compensation.

 

     (6) Add a capital gain related to business activity of

 

individuals to the extent excluded in arriving at federal taxable

 

income.

 

     (7) Deduct the following, to the extent included in arriving

 


at federal taxable income:

 

     (a) A dividend received or considered received, including the

 

foreign dividend gross-up provided for in the internal revenue

 

code.

 

     (b) All interest except amounts paid, credited, or reserved by

 

an insurance company as amounts necessary to fulfill the policy and

 

other contract liability requirements of sections 805 and 809 of

 

the internal revenue code.

 

     (c) All royalties except for the following:

 

     (i) On and after July 1, 1985, oil and gas royalties that are

 

included in the depletion deduction calculation under the internal

 

revenue code.

 

     (ii) Except as provided in subparagraph (iii), for the 1986 tax

 

year and after the 1986 tax year, a franchise fee as defined in

 

section 3 of the franchise investment law, 1974 PA 269, MCL

 

445.1503, in the following amounts:

 

     (A) For the tax years 1986, 1987, and 1988, 20% of the

 

franchise fee.

 

     (B) For the tax years 1989 and 1990, 50% of the franchise fee.

 

     (C) For the tax years 1991 and after 1991, 100% of the

 

franchise fee.

 

     (iii) For the tax years ending before 1991, this subdivision

 

does not apply to a fee for services paid by a franchisee that,

 

with respect to a specific provision of a franchise agreement, a

 

court of competent jurisdiction, before June 5, 1985, has

 

determined is not a royalty payment under this act.

 

     (iv) Film rental or royalty payments paid by a theater owner to

 


a film distributor, a film producer, or a film distributor and

 

producer.

 

     (v) Royalties, fees, charges, or other payments or

 

consideration paid or incurred by radio or television broadcasters

 

for program matter or signals.

 

     (vi) Royalties, fees, charges, or other payments or

 

consideration paid by a film distributor for copyrighted motion

 

picture films, program matter, or signals to a film producer.

 

     (vii) For tax years that begin after December 31, 1997,

 

royalties received by a licensor, distributor, developer, marketer,

 

or copyright holder of application computer software or operating

 

system software pursuant to a license agreement. System software is

 

not included within the exception under this subparagraph.

 

     (viii) For tax years that begin after December 31, 2000,

 

royalties, fees, or other payments or consideration paid or

 

incurred by a franchisee to a franchisor to establish or maintain

 

the franchise relationship other than payments for the sale or

 

lease of inventory, equipment, fixtures, or real property at fair

 

rental or fair market value.

 

     (d) Rent attributable to a lease back that continues in effect

 

under the former provisions of section 168(f)(8) of the internal

 

revenue code of 1954 as that section provided immediately before

 

the tax reform act of 1986, Public Law 99-514, became effective or

 

to a lease back of property to which the amendments made by the tax

 

reform act of 1986 do not apply as provided in section 204 of the

 

tax reform act of 1986.

 

     (8) Deduct a capital loss not deducted in arriving at federal

 


taxable income in the year the loss occurred.

 

     (9) To the extent included in federal taxable income, add the

 

loss or subtract the gain from the tax base that is attributable to

 

another entity whose business activities are taxable under this act

 

or would be taxable under this act if the business activities were

 

in this state.

 

     (10) For tax years that begin after December 31, 2004, deduct,

 

to the extent included in federal taxable income, income received

 

from either of the following:

 

     (a) Small business innovation research grants and small

 

business technology transfer programs established under the small

 

business innovation development act of 1982, Public Law 97-219,

 

reauthorized under the small business research and development

 

enhancement act, Public Law 102-564, and subsequently reauthorized

 

under the small business reauthorization act of 2000, Public Law

 

106-554.

 

     (b) Grants from the Michigan technology tri-corridor SBIR

 

emerging business fund administered by the Michigan economic

 

development corporation.

 

     (11) For tax years that begin after December 31, 2005, deduct

 

$350,000.00. For tax years that begin after December 31, 2005, the

 

deduction allowed under this subsection shall be adjusted by the

 

percentage increase in the United States consumer price index for

 

the immediately preceding calendar year. As used in this

 

subsection, "United States consumer price index" means the United

 

States consumer price index for all urban consumers as defined and

 

reported by the United States department of labor, bureau of labor

 


statistics.

 

     Sec. 39e. (1) A taxpayer may claim a credit against the tax

 

imposed by this act for 1 or more of the following as applicable:

 

     (a) The credit allowed under subsection (2).

 

     (b) The credit allowed under subsection (6).

 

     (2) For tax years that begin after December 31, 2002, a

 

taxpayer that is certified under the Michigan next energy authority

 

act, 2002 PA 593, MCL 207.821 to 207.827, as an eligible taxpayer

 

may claim a nonrefundable credit for the tax year equal to the

 

amount determined under subdivision (a) or (b), whichever is less:

 

     (a) The amount by which the taxpayer's tax liability

 

attributable to qualified business activity for the tax year

 

exceeds the taxpayer's baseline tax liability attributable to

 

qualified business activity.

 

     (b) For tax years that begin after December 31, 2002, 10% of

 

the amount by which the taxpayer's adjusted qualified business

 

activity performed in this state outside of a renaissance zone for

 

the tax year exceeds the taxpayer's adjusted qualified business

 

activity performed in this state outside of a renaissance zone for

 

the 2001 tax year.

 

     (3) For any tax year in which the eligible taxpayer's tax

 

liability attributable to qualified business activity for the tax

 

year does not exceed the taxpayer's baseline tax liability

 

attributable to qualified business activity, the eligible taxpayer

 

shall not claim the credit allowed under subsection (2).

 

     (4) An affiliated group as defined in this act, a controlled

 

group of corporations as defined in section 1563 of the internal

 


revenue code and further described in 26  C.F.R.  CFR 1.414(b)-1

 

and 1.414(c)-1 to 1.414(c)-5, or an entity under common control as

 

defined by the internal revenue code shall not take the credit

 

allowed under subsection (2) unless the qualified business activity

 

of the group or entities is consolidated.

 

     (5) A taxpayer that claims a credit under subsection (2) shall

 

attach a copy of each of the following as issued pursuant to the

 

Michigan next energy authority act, 2002 PA 593, MCL 207.821 to

 

207.827, to the annual return required under this act for each tax

 

year in which the taxpayer claims the credit allowed under

 

subsection (2):

 

     (a) The proof of certification that the taxpayer is an

 

eligible taxpayer for the tax year.

 

     (b) The proof of certification of the taxpayer's tax liability

 

attributable to qualified business activity for the tax year.

 

     (c) The proof of certification of the taxpayer's baseline tax

 

liability attributable to qualified business activity.

 

     (6) For tax years that begin after December 31, 2002, a

 

taxpayer that is a qualified alternative energy entity may claim a

 

credit for the taxpayer's qualified payroll amount. A taxpayer

 

shall claim the credit under this subsection after all allowable

 

nonrefundable credits under this act.

 

     (7) If the credit allowed under subsection (6) exceeds the tax

 

liability of the taxpayer for the tax year, that portion of the

 

credit that exceeds the tax liability shall be refunded.

 

     (8) Notwithstanding any other provision of this act and for

 

tax years that begin after December 31, 2002 and before January 1,

 


2006, a person whose apportioned or allocated gross receipts are

 

less than $350,000.00 for the tax year need not file a return or

 

pay the tax as provided under this act.

 

     (9) As used in this section:

 

     (a) "Adjusted qualified business activity performed in this

 

state outside of a renaissance zone" means either of the following:

 

     (i) Except as provided in subparagraph (ii), the taxpayer's

 

payroll for qualified business activity performed in this state

 

outside of a renaissance zone.

 

     (ii) For a partnership, limited liability company, S

 

corporation, or individual, the amount determined under

 

subparagraph (i) plus the product of the following as related to the

 

taxpayer:

 

     (A) Business income.

 

     (B) The apportionment factor as determined under chapter 3.

 

     (C) The alternative energy business activity factor.

 

     (b) "Alternative energy business activity factor" means a

 

fraction the numerator of which is the ratio of the value of the

 

taxpayer's property used for qualified business activity and

 

located in this state outside of a renaissance zone for the year

 

for which the factor is being calculated to the value of all of the

 

taxpayer's property located in this state for that year plus the

 

ratio of the taxpayer's payroll for qualified business activity

 

performed in this state outside of a renaissance zone for that year

 

to all of the taxpayer's payroll in this state for that year and

 

the denominator of which is 2.

 

     (c) "Alternative energy marine propulsion system",

 


"alternative energy system", "alternative energy vehicle", and

 

"alternative energy technology" mean those terms as defined in the

 

Michigan next energy authority act, 2002 PA 593, MCL 207.821 to

 

207.827.

 

     (d) "Alternative energy zone" means a renaissance zone

 

designated as an alternative energy zone by the board of the

 

Michigan strategic fund under section 8a of the Michigan

 

renaissance zone act, 1996 PA 376, MCL 125.2688a.

 

     (e) "Baseline tax liability attributable to qualified business

 

activity" means the taxpayer's tax liability for the 2001 tax year

 

multiplied by the taxpayer's alternative energy business activity

 

factor for the 2001 tax year. A taxpayer with a 2001 tax year of

 

less than 12 months shall annualize the amount calculated under

 

this subdivision as necessary to determine baseline tax liability

 

attributable to qualified business activity that reflects a 12-

 

month period.

 

     (f) "Eligible taxpayer" means a taxpayer that has proof of

 

certification of qualified business activity under the Michigan

 

next energy authority act, 2002 PA 593, MCL 207.821 to 207.827.

 

     (g) "Payroll" means total salaries and wages before deducting

 

any personal or dependency exemptions.

 

     (h) "Qualified alternative energy entity" means a taxpayer

 

located in an alternative energy zone.

 

     (i) "Qualified business activity" means research, development,

 

or manufacturing of an alternative energy marine propulsion system,

 

an alternative energy system, an alternative energy vehicle,

 

alternative energy technology, or renewable fuel.

 


     (j) "Qualified employee" means an individual who is employed

 

by a qualified alternative energy entity, whose job

 

responsibilities are related to the research, development, or

 

manufacturing activities of the qualified alternative energy

 

entity, and whose regular place of employment is within an

 

alternative energy zone.

 

     (k) "Qualified payroll amount" means an amount equal to

 

payroll of the qualified alternative energy entity attributable to

 

all qualified employees in the tax year of the qualified

 

alternative energy entity for which the credit under subsection (6)

 

is being claimed, multiplied by the tax rate for that tax year.

 

     (l) "Renaissance zone" means a renaissance zone designated

 

under the Michigan renaissance zone act, 1996 PA 376, MCL 125.2681

 

to 125.2696.

 

     (m) "Renewable fuel" means 1 or more of the following:

 

     (i) Biodiesel or biodiesel blends containing at least 20%

 

biodiesel. As used in this subparagraph, "biodiesel" means a diesel

 

fuel substitute consisting of methyl or ethyl esters produced from

 

the transesterification of animal or vegetable fats with methanol

 

or ethanol.

 

     (ii) Biomass. As used in this subparagraph, "biomass" means

 

residues from the wood and paper products industries, residues from

 

food production and processing, trees and grasses grown

 

specifically to be used as energy crops, and gaseous fuels produced

 

from solid biomass, animal wastes, municipal waste, or landfills.

 

     (n) "Tax liability attributable to qualified business

 

activity" means the taxpayer's tax liability multiplied by the

 


taxpayer's alternative energy business activity factor for the tax

 

year.

 

     (o) "Tax rate" means the rate imposed under sections 51, 51d,

 

and 51e of the income tax act of 1967, 1967 PA 281, MCL 206.51,

 

206.51d, and 206.51e, annualized as necessary, for the tax year in

 

which the qualified alternative energy entity claims a credit under

 

subsection (6).

 

     Sec. 73. (1) An annual or final return shall be filed with the

 

department in the form and content prescribed by the department by

 

the last day of the fourth month after the end of the taxpayer's

 

tax year. Any final liability shall be remitted with this return.  

 

A person whose apportioned or allocated gross receipts plus the

 

adjustments provided in section 23b(a) , (b), and (c) to (g) are

 

less than the following amount for the appropriate year need not

 

file a return or pay the tax provided under this act:

 

     (a) $40,000.00 for tax years beginning before January 1, 1991.

 

     (b) $60,000.00 for tax years beginning after December 31, 1990

 

and before January 1, 1992.

 

     (c) $100,000.00 for tax years beginning after December 31,

 

1991 and before January 1, 1994.

 

     (d) $137,500.00 for tax years beginning after December 31,

 

1993 and before January 1, 1995.

 

     (e) $250,000.00 for tax years beginning after December 31,

 

1994 and before January 1, 2003.

 

     (f) $350,000.00 for tax years beginning after December 31,

 

2002 and before January 1, 2006.

 

     (2) For a person whose apportioned or allocated gross receipts

 


plus the adjustments provided in section 23b(a), (b), and (c), are

 

for a tax year less than 12 months, the amount in subsection (1)

 

shall be multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the

 

number of months in the tax year and the denominator of which is

 

12.

 

      (3)  The  commissioner  department upon application of the

 

taxpayer and for good cause shown may extend the date for filing

 

the annual return. Interest at the rate of 9% per annum shall be

 

added to the amount of the tax unpaid for the period of the

 

extension. The  commissioner  department shall require a tentative

 

return and payment of an estimated tax.

 

      (4)  If a taxpayer is granted an extension of time within

 

which to file the federal income tax return for any taxable year,

 

the filing of a copy of the request for extension together with a

 

tentative return and payment of an estimated tax with the

 

commissioner by the due date provided in subsection (1) shall

 

automatically extend the due date for the filing of a final return

 

under this act for an equivalent period plus 60 days. Interest at

 

the rate of 9% per annum shall be added to the amount of the tax

 

unpaid for the period of the extension.

 

      (5)  For tax years that end after July 6, 1994, an affiliated

 

group as defined in this act, a controlled group of corporations as

 

defined in section 1563 of the internal revenue code and further

 

described in 26  C.F.R.  CFR 1.414(b)-1 and 1.414(c)-1 to 1.414(c)-

 

5, or an entity under common control as defined in the internal

 

revenue code shall consolidate the gross receipts of the members of

 

the affiliated group, member corporations of the controlled group,

 


or entities under common control that have apportioned or allocated

 

gross receipts, plus the adjustments provided in section 23b(a) ,

 

(b), and (c)  to (g), of $100,000.00 or more to determine if the

 

group or entity shall pay a tax or file a return as provided under

 

subsection (1). An individual member of an affiliated group or

 

controlled group of corporations or an entity under common control

 

is not required to file a return or pay the tax under this act if

 

that member or entity has apportioned or allocated gross receipts,

 

plus the adjustments provided in section 23b(a)  , (b), and (c)  to

 

(g), of less than $100,000.00.