Bill Text: NJ A556 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires sellers collecting New Jersey sales tax for locations in New Jersey to record and report on their returns the amount of sales tax collected within each municipality in New Jersey.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-01-10 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Appropriations Committee [A556 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-A556-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
215th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2012 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman CONNIE WAGNER
District 38 (Bergen and Passaic)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman Prieto
SYNOPSIS
Requires sellers collecting New Jersey sales tax for locations in New Jersey to record and report on their returns the amount of sales tax collected within each municipality in New Jersey.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Act requiring sellers collecting New Jersey sales tax for locations in New Jersey to record and report on their returns the amount of sales tax collected within each municipality in New Jersey, amending P.L.1966, c.30.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 16 of P.L.1966, c.30 (C.54:32B-16) is amended to read as follows:
16. Every person required to collect any tax imposed by this act shall keep records of every purchase, purchase for lease, sale or amusement charge or occupancy and of all amounts paid, charged or due thereon and of the tax payable thereon, and, other than a person with a single business location, of the municipality in which the taxable transaction occurred, in such form as the director may by regulation require, except that for the sale of energy and telecommunications services, the municipal information shall not be required. Such records shall include a true copy of each sales slip, invoice, receipt, statement or memorandum upon which subsection (a) of section 12 requires that the tax be stated separately. Such records shall be available for inspection and examination at any time upon demand by the director or his duly authorized agent or employee and shall be preserved for a period of four years, except that the director may consent to their destruction within that period or may require that they be kept longer.
(cf: P.L.2008, c.123, s.14)
2. Section 17 of P.L.1966, c.30 (C.54:32B-17) is amended to read as follows:
17. (a) Every person required to collect tax or pay tax under this act shall on or before August 28, 1966, and on or before the twentieth day of each month thereafter, make and file a return for the preceding month with the director. The return of a seller of tangible personal property, digital property or services shall show [his] the seller's receipts from sales and also the aggregate value of tangible personal property, digital property and services sold by [him] the seller, the use of which is subject to tax under this act, and the amount of taxes required to be collected with respect to such sales and use. The return of a recipient of amusement charges shall show all such charges and the amount of tax thereon, and the return of a person required to collect tax on leases or rentals shall show all lease or rental payments received or charged and the amount of tax thereon. The return of a recipient of initiation fees, membership fees or dues for access to or use of the property or facilities of a health and fitness, athletic, sporting or shopping club or organization shall show all such charges and the amount of tax thereon. The return of the recipient of charges from parking, storing or garaging a motor vehicle shall show all such charges and the amount of tax thereon.
The return of a person required to collect tax, other than a person with a single business location, shall also show the aggregate amount of the taxes required to be collected from sales, other than the sales of energy and telecommunications services, at locations identified for each municipality in the State.
(b) The director may permit or require returns to be made covering other periods and upon such dates as [he] the director may specify. In addition, the director may require payments of tax liability at such intervals and based upon such classifications as [he] the director may designate. In prescribing such other periods to be covered by the return or intervals or classifications for payment of tax liability, the director may take into account the dollar volume of tax involved as well as the need for insuring the prompt and orderly collection of the taxes imposed.
(c) The form of returns shall be prescribed by the director and shall contain such information as [he] the director may deem necessary for the proper administration of this act. The director may require amended returns to be filed within 20 days after notice and to contain the information specified in the notice.
(d) Pursuant to the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement, the director is authorized to accept certified automated systems and certified service providers to aid in the administration of the collection of the tax imposed under the "Sales and Use Tax Act".
(e) Subject to the limitations of this subsection and other provisions of the "Sales and Use Tax Act":
(1) In addition to the powers of the director prescribed pursuant to section 24 of P.L.1966, c.30 (C.54:32B-24) and the "State Uniform Tax Procedure Law," R.S.54:48-1 et seq., and notwithstanding the provisions of any other law to the contrary, the director shall grant "amnesty" for uncollected or unpaid sales or use tax to a seller that registers to collect and remit applicable sales or use tax on sales made to purchasers in this State in accordance with the terms of the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement, provided that the seller was not so registered in this State in the twelve-month period preceding the commencement of this State's participation in the agreement.
(2) Under terms of the "amnesty" granted pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection, a seller that registers shall not be assessed for uncollected or unpaid sales or use tax and shall not be assessed penalties or interest for sales made during the period the seller was not registered in this State, provided that the seller registers pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection within twelve months of the effective date of this State's participation in the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement.
(3) The limitations on deficiency assessments, penalties and interest pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection shall not be available to a seller with respect to any matter for which the seller received notice of the commencement of an audit and which audit is not yet finally resolved including any related administrative and judicial processes.
(4) The limitations on deficiency assessments, penalties and interest pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection shall not be available for sales or use taxes already paid or remitted to the State or to taxes already collected by the seller.
(5) The "amnesty" limitations on deficiency assessments, penalties and interest pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection shall be in full effect and the director shall not assess deficiencies for uncollected or unpaid sales or use tax and shall not assess penalties or interest for sales made during the period the seller was not registered in this State so long as the seller continues registration and continues collection and remittance of applicable sales or use taxes for a period of at least 36 months; provided however that the director may make such assessments by reason of the seller's fraud or intentional misrepresentation of a material fact. The statutes of limitations applicable to asserting tax liabilities, deficiencies, penalties and interest are tolled for this 36-month period.
(6) The "amnesty" granted pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection shall apply only to sales or use taxes due from a seller in its capacity as a seller and shall not apply to sales or use taxes due from a seller in its capacity as a buyer.
(cf: P.L.2008, c.123, s.15)
3. This act shall take effect immediately and but sections 1 and 2 shall remain inoperative until the first day of the third month following enactment.
STATEMENT
The bill requires sellers that collect New Jersey sales tax for locations in New Jersey to record and report the amount of sales tax collected within each municipality in the State.
The bill does not make any changes to the imposition and collection of the sales and use tax, so the sellers that currently collect sales tax and make tax returns to the State will continue to follow the same procedures they follow currently, but they will also compile that same sales tax collection information in an additional way and transmit that information to the State when they make their regular returns of tax. The bill exempts businesses with a single business location (which generally collect all of their sales from transactions that occur at that location), and sales of energy and telecommunications services by any business, from the recording and reporting requirements.
The Division of Taxation in the Department of the Treasury already collects data from New Jersey gross income tax returns enabling the identification of the amount of income tax collections by municipality. This type of tax collection data, which this bill will make available for sales tax collections, can help State public policy makers better identify the municipalities and surrounding demographical concentrations that generate much of the revenues that fund many of the functions of State government.
