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        PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 2053                      PRINTER'S NO. 2375

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


HOUSE BILL

No. 1626 Session of 2003


        INTRODUCED BY NICKOL AND TURZAI, JUNE 16, 2003

        AS AMENDED ON THIRD CONSIDERATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
           JULY 8, 2003

                                     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," further defining "taxable income" for purposes of
    11     corporate net income tax.

    12     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
    13  hereby enacts as follows:
    14     Section 1.  Section 401(3)4(c) of the act of March 4, 1971
    15  (P.L.6, No.2), known as the Tax Reform Code of 1971, amended
    16  June 29, 2002 (P.L.559, No.89), is amended to read:
    17     Section 401.  Definitions.--The following words, terms, and
    18  phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meaning
    19  ascribed to them in this section, except where the context
    20  clearly indicates a different meaning:
    21     * * *


     1     (3)  "Taxable income."  * * *
     2     4.  * * *
     3     (c)  (1)  [The] Except as provided in subparagraph 3 (3), the  <--
     4  net loss deduction shall be the lesser of two million dollars
     5  ($2,000,000) or the amount of the net loss or losses which may
     6  be carried over to the taxable year or taxable income as
     7  determined under subclause 1 or, if applicable, subclause 2. In
     8  no event shall the net loss deduction include more than five
     9  hundred thousand dollars ($500,000), in the aggregate, of net
    10  losses from taxable years 1988 through 1994.
    11     (2)  A net loss for a taxable year may only be carried over
    12  pursuant to the following schedule:
    13             Taxable Year                        Carryover
    14                 1981                        1 taxable year
    15                 1982                        2 taxable years
    16                 1983-1987                   3 taxable years
    17                 1988                        2 taxable years plus
    18                                             1 taxable year
    19                                             starting with the
    20                                             1995 taxable year
    21                 1989                        1 taxable year plus
    22                                             2 taxable years
    23                                             starting with the
    24                                             1995 taxable year
    25                 1990-1993                   3 taxable years
    26                                             starting with the
    27                                             1995 taxable year
    28                 1994                        1 taxable year
    29                 1995-1997                   10 taxable years
    30                 1998 and thereafter         20 taxable years
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     1  The earliest net loss shall be carried over to the earliest
     2  taxable year to which it may be carried under this schedule. The
     3  total net loss deduction allowed in any taxable year shall not
     4  exceed two million dollars ($2,000,000).
     5     (3)  The two million dollar ($2,000,000) limit on the net
     6  operating loss deduction in a taxable year under paragraphs (1)   <--
     7  and (2) shall not apply to the deduction of start-up period
     8  losses. For the purposes of this paragraph, start-up period
     9  losses are the sum of the net loss or losses incurred in the
    10  corporation's first taxable year plus its nine succeeding
    11  taxable years. A reorganization, as the term is defined under
    12  section 303(a)(3)(iv)(B) of this act, shall be disregarded for
    13  the purposes of applying this paragraph. LOSS DEDUCTION IN A      <--
    14  TAXABLE YEAR UNDER SUBPARAGRAPHS (1) AND (2) SHALL NOT APPLY TO
    15  THE DEDUCTION OF START-UP PERIOD LOSSES INCURRED BY A START-UP
    16  CORPORATION. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SUBPARAGRAPH:
    17     (A)  THE TERM "START-UP PERIOD LOSSES" SHALL MEAN THE SUM OF
    18  THE NET LOSS OR LOSSES INCURRED IN THE CORPORATION'S FIRST
    19  TAXABLE YEAR BEGINNING WITH THE CORPORATION'S DATE OF
    20  INCORPORATION PLUS ITS NINE SUCCEEDING TAXABLE YEARS.
    21     (B)  THE TERM "START-UP CORPORATION" SHALL MEAN A CORPORATION
    22  THAT IS:
    23     (I) NEWLY ORGANIZED;
    24     (II)  NOT A SUBSIDIARY OR AFFILIATE OF A PREEXISTING
    25  CORPORATION; AND
    26     (III)  NOT A CORPORATION RESULTING FROM A REORGANIZATION, AS
    27  THE TERM IS DEFINED UNDER SECTION 303(A)(3)(IV)(B) OF THIS ACT,
    28  OF RELATED OR AFFILIATED CORPORATIONS.
    29     (C)  IN THE EVENT OF A STATUTORY MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION
    30  INVOLVING TWO OR MORE UNRELATED OR UNAFFILIATED START-UP
    20030H1626B2375                  - 3 -     

     1  CORPORATIONS, THE REMAINING START-UP PERIOD OF THE SURVIVING
     2  START-UP CORPORATION SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE LEAST REMAINING
     3  NUMBER OF TAXABLE YEARS AVAILABLE FOR ANY START-UP CORPORATION A
     4  PARTY TO THE MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION.
     5     (D)  THIS SUBPARAGRAPH SHALL APPLY TO A FOREIGN START-UP
     6  CORPORATION FROM THE DATE OF ITS INCORPORATION AND NOT FROM THE
     7  DATE OF FIRST BECOMING SUBJECT TO TAXATION IN THIS COMMONWEALTH.
     8     (4)  IN ENACTING SUBPARAGRAPH (3), THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FINDS
     9  THAT:
    10     (A)  THE CONTINUING HEALTH, STABILITY AND GROWTH OF BUSINESS
    11  AND INDUSTRY IN THIS COMMONWEALTH IS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO THIS
    12  COMMONWEALTH'S ECONOMY AND TO THE RESIDENTS OF THIS
    13  COMMONWEALTH.
    14     (B)  THE ATTRACTION, ESTABLISHMENT AND GROWTH OF NEW START-UP
    15  CORPORATIONS IN THIS COMMONWEALTH WILL HELP TO FOSTER THESE
    16  OBJECTIVES.
    17     (C)  START-UP CORPORATIONS GENERALLY INCUR SUBSTANTIAL START-
    18  UP PERIOD LOSSES.
    19     (D)  THE ABILITY OF START-UP CORPORATIONS TO DEDUCT AVAILABLE
    20  START-UP PERIOD LOSSES AT THEIR EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY IS
    21  ESSENTIAL IN ORDER TO ENSURE THEIR VIABILITY AND CONTINUED
    22  EXISTENCE IN THIS COMMONWEALTH.
    23     (E)  IT IS IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST TO PERMIT START-UP
    24  CORPORATIONS TO USE AVAILABLE START-UP PERIOD LOSSES AT THEIR
    25  EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY TO HELP TO ENSURE THE HEALTH, STABILITY AND
    26  GROWTH OF NEW BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY IN THIS COMMONWEALTH AND ITS
    27  ATTENDANT BENEFITS TO ALL RESIDENTS OF THIS COMMONWEALTH.
    28     * * *
    29     SECTION 2.  THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT ARE SEVERABLE. IF ANY   <--
    30  PROVISION OF THIS ACT OR ITS APPLICATION TO ANY PERSON OR
    20030H1626B2375                  - 4 -     

     1  CIRCUMSTANCE IS HELD INVALID, THE INVALIDITY SHALL NOT AFFECT
     2  OTHER PROVISIONS OR APPLICATIONS OF THIS ACT WHICH CAN BE GIVEN
     3  EFFECT WITHOUT THE INVALID PROVISION OR APPLICATION.
     4     Section 2 3.  This act shall apply to net operating loss       <--
     5  deductions for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2002    <--
     6  2003.
     7     Section 3 4.  This act shall take effect immediately.          <--
















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