Florida Senate - 2012 SB 1288 By Senator Garcia 40-01343-12 20121288__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to small business growth; amending s. 3 220.02, F.S.; specifying the order for applying the 4 corporate income tax credit for corporations 5 contracting with small businesses; amending s. 220.13, 6 F.S.; adding the tax credit for corporations 7 contracting with small businesses to the allowable 8 adjustment of federal income; creating s. 220.197, 9 F.S.; providing definitions; authorizing a tax credit 10 of a specified amount for application against the 11 corporate income tax for certain corporations engaging 12 in contractual business relationships with certain 13 small businesses; specifying eligibility requirements; 14 providing for certification of eligibility by the 15 Department of Economic Opportunity; providing 16 limitations on the amount of the tax credit and 17 prohibiting a corporation from carrying forward or 18 backward any unused amount; authorizing the Department 19 of Economic Opportunity and the Department of Revenue 20 to adopt rules; providing an effective date. 21 22 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 23 24 Section 1. Subsection (8) of section 220.02, Florida 25 Statutes, is amended to read: 26 220.02 Legislative intent.— 27 (8) It is the intent of the Legislature that credits 28 against either the corporate income tax or the franchise tax be 29 applied in the following order: those enumerated in s. 631.828, 30 those enumerated in s. 220.191, those enumerated in s. 220.181, 31 those enumerated in s. 220.183, those enumerated in s. 220.182, 32 those enumerated in s. 220.1895, those enumerated in s. 220.195, 33 those enumerated in s. 220.184, those enumerated in s. 220.186, 34 those enumerated in s. 220.1845, those enumerated in s. 220.19, 35 those enumerated in s. 220.185, those enumerated in s. 220.1875, 36 those enumerated in s. 220.192, those enumerated in s. 220.193, 37 those enumerated in s. 288.9916, those enumerated in s. 38 220.1899, those enumerated in s. 220.1896, those enumerated in 39 s. 220.194,andthose enumerated in s. 220.196, and those 40 enumerated in s. 220.197. 41 Section 2. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section 42 220.13, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 43 220.13 “Adjusted federal income” defined.— 44 (1) The term “adjusted federal income” means an amount 45 equal to the taxpayer’s taxable income as defined in subsection 46 (2), or such taxable income of more than one taxpayer as 47 provided in s. 220.131, for the taxable year, adjusted as 48 follows: 49 (a) Additions.—There shall be added to such taxable income: 50 1. The amount of any tax upon or measured by income, 51 excluding taxes based on gross receipts or revenues, paid or 52 accrued as a liability to the District of Columbia or any state 53 of the United States which is deductible from gross income in 54 the computation of taxable income for the taxable year. 55 2. The amount of interest which is excluded from taxable 56 income under s. 103(a) of the Internal Revenue Code or any other 57 federal law, less the associated expenses disallowed in the 58 computation of taxable income under s. 265 of the Internal 59 Revenue Code or any other law, excluding 60 percent of any 60 amounts included in alternative minimum taxable income, as 61 defined in s. 55(b)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code, if the 62 taxpayer pays tax under s. 220.11(3). 63 3. In the case of a regulated investment company or real 64 estate investment trust, an amount equal to the excess of the 65 net long-term capital gain for the taxable year over the amount 66 of the capital gain dividends attributable to the taxable year. 67 4. That portion of the wages or salaries paid or incurred 68 for the taxable year which is equal to the amount of the credit 69 allowable for the taxable year under s. 220.181. This 70 subparagraph shall expire on the date specified in s. 290.016 71 for the expiration of the Florida Enterprise Zone Act. 72 5. That portion of the ad valorem school taxes paid or 73 incurred for the taxable year which is equal to the amount of 74 the credit allowable for the taxable year under s. 220.182. This 75 subparagraph shall expire on the date specified in s. 290.016 76 for the expiration of the Florida Enterprise Zone Act. 77 6. The amount taken as a credit under s. 220.195 which is 78 deductible from gross income in the computation of taxable 79 income for the taxable year. 80 7. That portion of assessments to fund a guaranty 81 association incurred for the taxable year which is equal to the 82 amount of the credit allowable for the taxable year. 83 8. In the case of a nonprofit corporation which holds a 84 pari-mutuel permit and which is exempt from federal income tax 85 as a farmers’ cooperative, an amount equal to the excess of the 86 gross income attributable to the pari-mutuel operations over the 87 attributable expenses for the taxable year. 88 9. The amount taken as a credit for the taxable year under 89 s. 220.1895. 90 10. Up to nine percent of the eligible basis of any 91 designated project which is equal to the credit allowable for 92 the taxable year under s. 220.185. 93 11. The amount taken as a credit for the taxable year under 94 s. 220.1875. The addition in this subparagraph is intended to 95 ensure that the same amount is not allowed for the tax purposes 96 of this state as both a deduction from income and a credit 97 against the tax. This addition is not intended to result in 98 adding the same expense back to income more than once. 99 12. The amount taken as a credit for the taxable year under 100 s. 220.192. 101 13. The amount taken as a credit for the taxable year under 102 s. 220.193. 103 14. Any portion of a qualified investment, as defined in s. 104 288.9913, which is claimed as a deduction by the taxpayer and 105 taken as a credit against income tax pursuant to s. 288.9916. 106 15. The costs to acquire a tax credit pursuant to s. 107 288.1254(5) that are deducted from or otherwise reduce federal 108 taxable income for the taxable year. 109 16. The amount taken as a credit for the taxable year 110 pursuant to s. 220.194. 111 17. The amount taken as a credit for the taxable year under 112 s. 220.196. The addition in this subparagraph is intended to 113 ensure that the same amount is not allowed for the tax purposes 114 of this state as both a deduction from income and a credit 115 against the tax. The addition is not intended to result in 116 adding the same expense back to income more than once. 117 18. The amount taken as a credit for the taxable year 118 pursuant to s. 220.197. 119 Section 3. Section 220.197, Florida Statutes, is created to 120 read: 121 220.197 Corporate tax credit for corporations contracting 122 with small businesses.— 123 (1) As used in this section, the term: 124 (a) “Business contract” means a written agreement between a 125 corporation and a small business that has been executed. 126 (b) “Corporation” means a business that employs 300 or more 127 full-time employees in this state, but does not include a 128 financial organization as defined in s. 220.15(6) or a bank, 129 savings association, international banking facility, or banking 130 organization as defined in s. 220.62. 131 (c) “Department” means the Department of Economic 132 Opportunity. 133 (d) “Small business” means a business that employs 25 or 134 fewer full-time employees in the state and 25 or fewer full-time 135 employees outside the state. If the total number of jobs in the 136 state increases to more than 25 full-time employees, due to the 137 requirements provided in subparagraph (3)(c)4., the business 138 still qualifies as a small business. 139 (e) “New employee” means a person who begins a full-time 140 job within a small business, and who has not been previously 141 employed in a full-time job within the preceding 12 months by 142 the small business. 143 (f) “Job” means a full-time employed position, as 144 consistent with terms used by the Department of Economic 145 Opportunity and the United States Department of Labor for 146 purposes of unemployment compensation tax administration and 147 employment estimation resulting directly from a business 148 operation in this state. 149 (2) If the department determines that a corporation and a 150 small business have met the requirements of this section, the 151 corporation is eligible for a credit against its corporate 152 income tax liability under s. 220.11. 153 (3) In order to qualify for the credits provided in 154 subsection (2): 155 (a) A corporation must execute a business contract with a 156 small business for the purchase of goods or services. The terms 157 of the business contract must include, but are not limited to, 158 the following: 159 1. The corporation must pay at least $100,000 to the small 160 business for goods or services within 1 year after the business 161 contract is executed; and 162 2. The small business must hire, within 60 days after the 163 business contract is executed, at least two new employees for 1 164 year. 165 (b) The corporation and the small business must not be 166 related parties or engaged in a business contract before July 1, 167 2012. 168 (c) The corporation and the small business must submit an 169 application to the department, within 90 days after the business 170 contract is executed, which includes, but need not be limited 171 to: 172 1. A copy of the business contract; 173 2. The name, address, and salary or hourly wages paid to 174 each new employee of the small business within the past year; 175 3. The name, address, and salary or hourly wages paid to 176 each new employee of the small business hired after the 177 execution of the business contract; and 178 4. Evidence that demonstrates to the department that the 179 total number of jobs in the small business is at least two more 180 than the total number before the date the business contract was 181 executed. 182 (4) The department shall review the initial application and 183 notify the corporation and small business of any omission and 184 request additional information, if needed. The application shall 185 be deemed complete upon receipt of all requested information. 186 The department shall provisionally certify, within 10 working 187 days, each complete application that contains the information 188 required pursuant to this subsection, and a copy of the 189 provisional certification must be transmitted to the executive 190 director of the Department of Revenue. The department shall 191 notify the corporation and the small business, within 10 working 192 days, in writing, if the application has been provisionally 193 certified. 194 (5) The corporation and the small business, within 60 days 195 after satisfying the terms of the business contract, must 196 certify to the department, in writing, and demonstrate to the 197 satisfaction of the department that the conditions of this 198 section have been met. The corporation must also notify the 199 department that it intends to claim the credit authorized under 200 this section against its corporate income tax liability under s. 201 220.11 on the first tax return due after receipt of final 202 approval from the department. 203 (6) Upon final certification by the department, the 204 corporation may take a credit equal to 10 percent of the 205 payments made to the small business under the terms of the 206 business contract during the taxable year against its corporate 207 income tax liability under s. 220.11, except: 208 (a) A corporation may not claim a tax credit in excess of 209 its corporate income tax liability under s. 220.11. If the 210 credit granted under this section is not fully taken in any 211 single year because of insufficient tax liability on the part of 212 the corporation, the unused amount may not be carried forward or 213 backward. 214 (b) The credits earned in this section may not be sold or 215 transferred. 216 (7) Any corporation who fraudulently claims to have 217 qualified for the credits provided in this section is liable for 218 repayment of any credits taken plus a mandatory penalty of 100 219 percent of the credit plus interest at the rate provided in this 220 chapter, and such corporation commits a misdemeanor of the 221 second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 222 775.083. 223 (8) The department and the Department of Revenue may adopt 224 rules to administer this section. 225 Section 4. This act shall take effect January 1, 2013.