PRINTER'S NO. 594

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


HOUSE BILL

No. 561 Session of 1995


        INTRODUCED BY LESCOVITZ, GORDNER, GODSHALL, COY, BELARDI,
           MARKOSEK, COLAIZZO, HERMAN, VAN HORNE, MELIO, STABACK, PESCI,
           COLAFELLA, LAUGHLIN, McCALL, DALEY, PISTELLA, BELFANTI,
           MUNDY, WOZNIAK, TULLI, BATTISTO, CAPPABIANCA, ROONEY, VEON
           AND TRELLO, FEBRUARY 2, 1995

        REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON FINANCE, FEBRUARY 2, 1995

                                     AN ACT

     1  Amending the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), entitled "An
     2     act relating to tax reform and State taxation by codifying
     3     and enumerating certain subjects of taxation and imposing
     4     taxes thereon; providing procedures for the payment,
     5     collection, administration and enforcement thereof; providing
     6     for tax credits in certain cases; conferring powers and
     7     imposing duties upon the Department of Revenue, certain
     8     employers, fiduciaries, individuals, persons, corporations
     9     and other entities; prescribing crimes, offenses and
    10     penalties," providing for an export mentoring tax credit.

    11     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
    12  hereby enacts as follows:
    13     Section 1.  The act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as
    14  the Tax Reform Code of 1971, is amended by adding an article to
    15  read:
    16                            ARTICLE XXII
    17                          EXPORT MENTORING
    18                             TAX CREDIT
    19     Section 2201.  Short Title.--This article shall be known and
    20  may be cited as the "Export Mentoring Tax Credit Law."


     1     Section 2202.  Legislative Intent.--It is the intent of the
     2  General Assembly and the purpose of this article to provide
     3  incentives to exporting businesses to aid fellow Commonwealth
     4  businesses in developing their export capabilities and reaching
     5  foreign markets.
     6     Section 2203.  Definitions.--The following words, terms and
     7  phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings
     8  ascribed to them in this section, except where the context
     9  clearly indicates a different meaning:
    10     "Department."  The Department of Revenue of the Commonwealth.
    11     "Mentor."  A person, business or organization that meets the
    12  criteria in section 2204 and provides mentoring services to
    13  Commonwealth businesses.
    14     "Pupil business."  A business receiving mentoring services in
    15  accordance with this article.
    16     Section 2204.  Eligibility.--Individuals, businesses or
    17  organizations shall be eligible for a tax credit for providing
    18  mentoring services if all of the following conditions are met:
    19     (1)  The individual, business or organization is based in
    20  this Commonwealth and is currently engaged in international
    21  marketing.
    22     (2)  The individual, business or organization provides a
    23  person with at least five years of experience in completing
    24  export transactions on a daily basis with knowledge in all of
    25  the following areas of an export transaction:
    26     (i)  Export financing.
    27     (ii)  Methods of payment.
    28     (iii)  Methods of shipping.
    29     (iv)  Foreign market plan development.
    30     (v)  International quality systems.
    19950H0561B0594                  - 2 -

     1     (vi)  International standards and regulations.
     2     (vii)  International contracts and law.
     3     (viii)  Documentation for completion of export transactions.
     4     Section 2205.  Tax Credit.--(a)  All mentors that provide
     5  export assistance to pupil businesses shall receive a tax credit
     6  against the amount of one of the taxes due under Article III, IV
     7  or VI of this act.
     8     (b)  The amount of the tax credit for each mentor shall be
     9  determined by the following:
    10     (1)  For the tax imposed under Article III, the amount of the
    11  tax credit shall not exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000) or
    12  fifty per cent of the annual tax paid by the mentor, whichever
    13  is less.
    14     (2)  For the tax imposed under Article IV, the amount of the
    15  tax credit shall not exceed one hundred fifty thousand dollars
    16  ($150,000) annually or twenty-five per cent of the annual tax
    17  paid by the mentor, whichever is less.
    18     (3)  For the tax imposed under Article VI, the amount of the
    19  tax credit shall not exceed one hundred fifty thousand dollars
    20  ($150,000) annually or twenty-five per cent of the annual tax
    21  paid by the mentor, whichever is less.
    22     (c)  Any tax credit allowed under this article and not used
    23  in the fiscal year during which the investment was made may be
    24  carried over for the next five fiscal years or until the full
    25  credit has been used.
    26     (d)  The total amount of all tax credits allowed under this
    27  article shall not exceed five million dollars ($5,000,000) in
    28  any one fiscal year.
    29     Section 2206.  Powers and Duties.--The department shall have
    30  the power and duty to:
    19950H0561B0594                  - 3 -

     1     (1)  Publish rules and regulations to administer and enforce
     2  the provisions of this article.
     3     (2)  Publish as a notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin, no
     4  later than January 1 of each year, forms upon which taxpayers
     5  may apply for the credit authorized by this article.
     6     (3)  Furnish annually to the members of the General Assembly
     7  the following information:
     8     (i)  The total amount of tax credits used by taxpayers under
     9  this article in the preceding fiscal year.
    10     (ii)  The amount of tax credits granted according to the
    11  classification of business as determined by the standard
    12  industrial classification code.
    13     (iii)  The amount of tax credits applied to the personal
    14  income tax, corporate net income tax or capital stock-franchise
    15  tax.
    16     (iv)  The total amount of tax credits available under this
    17  article in the following fiscal year.
    18     (v)  The amount of employment, State and local tax revenues,
    19  profits, capital investment, increases in export sales and
    20  economic growth which may be attributed to the use of this
    21  program.
    22     Section 2207.  Application of Article.--A credit under this
    23  article shall apply to a mentor meeting the requirements of this
    24  article on the first day of the mentor's taxable year which
    25  begins on or after the first day of the first Commonwealth
    26  fiscal year following the effective date of this article.
    27     Section 2.  This act shall expire in five years unless sooner
    28  reenacted.
    29     Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 1995, or
    30  immediately, whichever is later.
    A10L72WMB/19950H0561B0594        - 4 -