HOUSE BILL No. 4128

 

 

January 31, 2017, Introduced by Reps. Brinks, Elder, Lasinski, Hertel, Hammoud, Wittenberg, Sabo, Green, Geiss, Pagan, Ellison, Faris, Greig, Moss, Hoadley and Chang and referred to the Committee on Tax Policy.

 

     A bill to amend 1937 PA 94, entitled

 

"Use tax act,"

 

by amending section 4 (MCL 205.94), as amended by 2016 PA 432.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 4. (1) The following are exempt from the tax levied under

 

this act, subject to subsection (2):

 

     (a) Property sold in this state on which transaction a tax is

 

paid under the general sales tax act, 1933 PA 167, MCL 205.51 to

 

205.78, if the tax was due and paid on the retail sale to a

 

consumer.

 

     (b) Property, the storage, use, or other consumption of which

 

this state is prohibited from taxing under the constitution or laws

 

of the United States, or under the constitution of this state.

 

     (c) All of the following:

 

     (i) Property purchased for resale. Property purchased for


resale includes promotional merchandise transferred pursuant to a

 

redemption offer to a person located outside this state or any

 

packaging material, other than promotional merchandise, acquired

 

for use in fulfilling a redemption offer or rebate to a person

 

located outside this state.

 

     (ii) Property purchased for lending or leasing to a public or

 

parochial school offering a course in automobile driving except

 

that a vehicle purchased by the school shall be certified for

 

driving education and shall not be reassigned for personal use by

 

the school's administrative personnel.

 

     (iii) Property purchased for demonstration purposes. For a new

 

vehicle dealer selling a new car or truck, exemption for

 

demonstration purposes shall be determined by the number of new

 

cars and trucks sold during the current calendar year or the

 

immediately preceding calendar year, without regard to specific

 

make or style, according to the following schedule but not to

 

exceed 25 cars and trucks in 1 calendar year for demonstration

 

purposes:

 

     (A) 0 to 25, 2 units.

 

     (B) 26 to 100, 7 units.

 

     (C) 101 to 500, 20 units.

 

     (D) 501 or more, 25 units.

 

     (iv) Motor vehicles purchased for resale purposes by a new

 

vehicle dealer licensed under section 248(8)(a) of the Michigan

 

vehicle code, 1949 PA 300, MCL 257.248.

 

     (d) Property that is brought into this state by a nonresident

 

person for storage, use, or consumption while temporarily within


this state, except if the property is used in this state in a

 

nontransitory business activity for a period exceeding 15 days.

 

     (e) Property the sale or use of which was already subjected to

 

a sales tax or use tax equal to, or in excess of, that imposed by

 

this act under the law of any other state or a local governmental

 

unit within a state if the tax was due and paid on the retail sale

 

to the consumer and the state or local governmental unit within a

 

state in which the tax was imposed accords like or complete

 

exemption on property the sale or use of which was subjected to the

 

sales or use tax of this state. If the sale or use of property was

 

already subjected to a tax under the law of any other state or

 

local governmental unit within a state in an amount less than the

 

tax imposed by this act, this act shall apply, but at a rate

 

measured by the difference between the rate provided in this act

 

and the rate by which the previous tax was computed.

 

     (f) Property sold to a person engaged in a business enterprise

 

and using and consuming the property in the tilling, planting,

 

draining, caring for, or harvesting of the things of the soil, in

 

the breeding, raising, or caring for livestock, poultry, or

 

horticultural products, including transfers of livestock, poultry,

 

or horticultural products for further growth, or in the direct

 

gathering of fish, by net, by line, or otherwise only by an owner-

 

operator of the business enterprise, not including a charter

 

fishing business enterprise. This exemption includes machinery that

 

is capable of simultaneously harvesting grain or other crops and

 

biomass and machinery used for the purpose of harvesting biomass.

 

This exemption includes agricultural land tile, which means fired


clay or perforated plastic tubing used as part of a subsurface

 

drainage system for land, and subsurface irrigation pipe, if the

 

land tile or irrigation pipe is used in the production of

 

agricultural products as a business enterprise. This exemption

 

includes a portable grain bin, which means a structure that is used

 

or is to be used to shelter grain and that is designed to be

 

disassembled without significant damage to its component parts.

 

This exemption includes grain drying equipment and the fuel or

 

energy source that powers that equipment for agricultural purposes.

 

This exemption also includes tangible personal property affixed to

 

or to be affixed to and directly used in the operation of either a

 

portable grain bin or grain drying equipment. This exemption also

 

includes the sale or acquisition of agricultural land tile,

 

portable grain bins, and grain drying equipment purchased or

 

acquired by a person in the business of constructing, altering,

 

repairing, or improving real estate for others to the extent that

 

it is affixed to or made a structural part of real estate used for

 

a purpose exempt under this subsection. This exemption does not

 

include transfers of food, fuel, clothing, or similar tangible

 

personal property for personal living or human consumption. Except

 

for agricultural land tile, subsurface irrigation pipe, portable

 

grain bins, and grain drying equipment, this exemption does not

 

include tangible personal property permanently affixed to and

 

becoming a structural part of real estate. As used in this

 

subdivision, "biomass" means crop residue used to produce energy or

 

agricultural crops grown specifically for the production of energy.

 

     (g) Property or services sold to the United States, an


unincorporated agency or instrumentality of the United States, an

 

incorporated agency or instrumentality of the United States wholly

 

owned by the United States or by a corporation wholly owned by the

 

United States, the American Red Cross and its chapters or branches,

 

this state, a department or institution of this state, or a

 

political subdivision of this state.

 

     (h) Property or services sold to a school, hospital, or home

 

for the care and maintenance of children or aged persons, operated

 

by an entity of government, a regularly organized church,

 

religious, or fraternal organization, a veterans' organization, or

 

a corporation incorporated under the laws of this state, if not

 

operated for profit, and if the income or benefit from the

 

operation does not inure, in whole or in part, to an individual or

 

private shareholder, directly or indirectly, and if the activities

 

of the entity or agency are carried on exclusively for the benefit

 

of the public at large and are not limited to the advantage,

 

interests, and benefits of its members or a restricted group. The

 

tax levied does not apply to property or services sold to a parent

 

cooperative preschool. As used in this subdivision, "parent

 

cooperative preschool" means a nonprofit, nondiscriminatory

 

educational institution, maintained as a community service and

 

administered by parents of children currently enrolled in the

 

preschool that provides an educational and developmental program

 

for children younger than compulsory school age, that provides an

 

educational program for parents, including active participation

 

with children in preschool activities, that is directed by

 

qualified preschool personnel, and that is licensed pursuant to


1973 PA 116, MCL 722.111 to 722.128.

 

     (i) Property or services sold to a regularly organized church

 

or house of religious worship except the following:

 

     (i) Sales in which the property is used in activities that are

 

mainly commercial enterprises.

 

     (ii) Sales of vehicles licensed for use on the public highways

 

other than a passenger van or bus with a manufacturer's rated

 

seating capacity of 10 or more that is used primarily for the

 

transportation of persons for religious purposes.

 

     (j) A vessel designed for commercial use of registered tonnage

 

of 500 tons or more, if produced upon special order of the

 

purchaser, and bunker and galley fuel, provisions, supplies,

 

maintenance, and repairs for the exclusive use of a vessel of 500

 

tons or more engaged in interstate commerce.

 

     (k) Property purchased for use in this state where actual

 

personal possession is obtained outside this state, the purchase

 

price or actual value of which does not exceed $10.00 during 1

 

calendar month.

 

     (l) A newspaper or periodical classified under federal postal

 

laws and regulations effective September 1, 1985 as second-class

 

mail matter or as a controlled circulation publication or qualified

 

to accept legal notices for publication in this state, as defined

 

by law, or any other newspaper or periodical of general

 

circulation, established at least 2 years, and published at least

 

once a week, and a copyrighted motion picture film. Tangible

 

personal property used or consumed in producing a copyrighted

 

motion picture film, a newspaper published more than 14 times per


year, or a periodical published more than 14 times per year, and

 

not becoming a component part of that film, newspaper, or

 

periodical is subject to the tax. After December 31, 1993, tangible

 

personal property used or consumed in producing a newspaper

 

published 14 times or less per year or a periodical published 14

 

times or less per year and that portion or percentage of tangible

 

personal property used or consumed in producing an advertising

 

supplement that becomes a component part of a newspaper or

 

periodical is exempt from the tax under this subdivision. A claim

 

for a refund for taxes paid before January 1, 1999 under this

 

subdivision shall be made before June 30, 1999. For purposes of

 

this subdivision, tangible personal property that becomes a

 

component part of a newspaper or periodical and consequently not

 

subject to tax, includes an advertising supplement inserted into

 

and circulated with a newspaper or periodical that is otherwise

 

exempt from tax under this subdivision, if the advertising

 

supplement is delivered directly to the newspaper or periodical by

 

a person other than the advertiser, or the advertising supplement

 

is printed by the newspaper or periodical.

 

     (m) Property purchased by persons licensed to operate a

 

commercial radio or television station if the property is used in

 

the origination or integration of the various sources of program

 

material for commercial radio or television transmission. This

 

subdivision does not include a vehicle licensed and titled for use

 

on public highways or property used in the transmitting to or

 

receiving from an artificial satellite.

 

     (n) A person who is a resident of this state who purchases an


automobile in another state while in the military service of the

 

United States and who pays a sales tax in the state where the

 

automobile is purchased.

 

     (o) A vehicle for which a special registration is secured in

 

accordance with section 226(9) of the Michigan vehicle code, 1949

 

PA 300, MCL 257.226.

 

     (p) The sale of a prosthetic device, durable medical

 

equipment, or mobility enhancing equipment.

 

     (q) Water when delivered through water mains, water sold in

 

bulk tanks in quantities of not less than 500 gallons, or the sale

 

of bottled water.

 

     (r) A vehicle not for resale used by a nonprofit corporation

 

organized exclusively to provide a community with ambulance or fire

 

department services.

 

     (s) Tangible personal property purchased and installed as a

 

component part of a water pollution control facility for which a

 

tax exemption certificate is issued pursuant to part 37 of the

 

natural resources and environmental protection act, 1994 PA 451,

 

MCL 324.3701 to 324.3708, or an air pollution control facility for

 

which a tax exemption certificate is issued pursuant to part 59 of

 

the natural resources and environmental protection act, 1994 PA

 

451, MCL 324.5901 to 324.5908.

 

     (t) Tangible real or personal property donated by a

 

manufacturer, wholesaler, or retailer to an organization or entity

 

exempt pursuant to subdivision (h) or (i) or section 4a(1)(a) or

 

(b) of the general sales tax act, 1933 PA 167, MCL 205.54a.

 

     (u) The storage, use, or consumption of an aircraft by a


domestic air carrier for use solely in the transport of air cargo,

 

passengers, or a combination of air cargo and passengers, that has

 

a maximum certificated takeoff weight of at least 6,000 pounds. For

 

purposes of this subdivision, the term "domestic air carrier" is

 

limited to a person engaged primarily in the commercial transport

 

for hire of air cargo, passengers, or a combination of air cargo

 

and passengers as a business activity. The state treasurer shall

 

estimate on January 1 each year the revenue lost by this act from

 

the school aid fund and deposit that amount into the school aid

 

fund from the general fund.

 

     (v) The storage, use, or consumption of an aircraft by a

 

person who purchases the aircraft for subsequent lease to a

 

domestic air carrier operating under a certificate issued by the

 

federal aviation administration under 14 CFR part 121, for use

 

solely in the regularly scheduled transport of passengers.

 

     (w) Property or services sold to an organization not operated

 

for profit and exempt from federal income tax under section

 

501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) of the internal revenue code, 26 USC 501; or

 

to a health, welfare, educational, cultural arts, charitable, or

 

benevolent organization not operated for profit that has been

 

issued before June 13, 1994 an exemption ruling letter to purchase

 

items exempt from tax signed by the administrator of the sales,

 

use, and withholding taxes division of the department. The

 

department shall reissue an exemption letter after June 13, 1994 to

 

each of those organizations that had an exemption letter that shall

 

remain in effect unless the organization fails to meet the

 

requirements that originally entitled it to this exemption. The


exemption does not apply to sales of tangible personal property and

 

sales of vehicles licensed for use on public highways, that are not

 

used primarily to carry out the purposes of the organization as

 

stated in the bylaws or articles of incorporation of the exempt

 

organization.

 

     (x) The use or consumption of services described in section

 

3a(1)(a) or (b) or 3b by means of a prepaid telephone calling card,

 

a prepaid authorization number for telephone use, or a charge for

 

internet access.

 

     (y) The purchase, lease, use, or consumption of the following

 

by an industrial laundry after December 31, 1997:

 

     (i) Textiles and disposable products including, but not

 

limited to, soap, paper, chemicals, tissues, deodorizers and

 

dispensers, and all related items such as packaging, supplies,

 

hangers, name tags, and identification tags.

 

     (ii) Equipment, whether owned or leased, used to repair and

 

dispense textiles including, but not limited to, roll towel

 

cabinets, slings, hardware, lockers, mop handles and frames, and

 

carts.

 

     (iii) Machinery, equipment, parts, lubricants, and repair

 

services used to clean, process, and package textiles and related

 

items, whether owned or leased.

 

     (iv) Utilities such as electric, gas, water, or oil.

 

     (v) Production washroom equipment and mending and packaging

 

supplies and equipment.

 

     (vi) Material handling equipment including, but not limited

 

to, conveyors, racks, and elevators and related control equipment.


     (vii) Wastewater pretreatment equipment and supplies and

 

related maintenance and repair services.

 

     (z) Property purchased or manufactured by a person engaged in

 

the business of constructing, altering, repairing, or improving

 

real estate for others, to the extent that the property is affixed

 

to and made a structural part of real estate located in another

 

state, regardless of whether sales or use tax was due and paid in

 

the state in which the property is affixed to real estate.

 

     (aa) The sale of feminine hygiene products after June 30,

 

2017. As used in this subdivision, "feminine hygiene products"

 

means tampons, sanitary napkins, and other similar tangible

 

personal property.

 

     (2) The property or services under subsection (1) are exempt

 

only to the extent that the property or services are used for the

 

exempt purposes if one is stated in subsection (1). The exemption

 

is limited to the percentage of exempt use to total use determined

 

by a reasonable formula or method approved by the department.

 

     Enacting section 1. The legislature shall annually appropriate

 

sufficient funds from the state general fund to the state school

 

aid fund created in section 11 of article IX of the state

 

constitution of 1963 to fully compensate for any loss of revenue to

 

the state school aid fund resulting from the enactment of this

 

amendatory act.