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, and those 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         220.197Corporate 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.