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PRINTER'S NO. 829
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
676
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY WARD, SCAVELLO, GREENLEAF, BARTOLOTTA, RAFFERTY,
WILEY, GORDNER, STEFANO, SMITH, BAKER AND YUDICHAK,
MAY 1, 2015
REFERRED TO FINANCE, MAY 1, 2015
AN ACT
Amending the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), entitled "An
act relating to tax reform and State taxation by codifying
and enumerating certain subjects of taxation and imposing
taxes thereon; providing procedures for the payment,
collection, administration and enforcement thereof; providing
for tax credits in certain cases; conferring powers and
imposing duties upon the Department of Revenue, certain
employers, fiduciaries, individuals, persons, corporations
and other entities; prescribing crimes, offenses and
penalties," providing for the PTP Statewide tourism marketing
and promotion tax credit.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as
the Tax Reform Code of 1971, is amended by adding an article to
read:
ARTICLE XIX-D
PTP STATEWIDE TOURISM MARKETING
AND PROMOTION TAX CREDIT
Section 1901-D. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this article
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
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context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Contribution." A donation of cash, personal property, in-
kind contributions or tourism and travel marketing and promotion
services, the value of which is determined by the Department of
Community and Economic Development in cooperation with the
Pennsylvania Tourism Partnership.
"Department." The Department of Community and Economic
Development of the Commonwealth.
"Pass-through entity." A partnership as defined in section
301(n.0), a single-member limited liability company treated as a
disregarded entity for Federal income tax purposes or a
Pennsylvania S corporation as defined in section 301(n.1).
"PTP." The Pennsylvania Tourism Partnership incubated by
Team Pennsylvania Foundation to be established as a not-for-
profit corporation under 15 Pa.C.S. Subpart C (relating to
nonprofit corporations).
"Qualified tax liability." The liability for taxes imposed
under Article III, IV, VI, VII or IX. The term shall not include
any tax withheld by an employer from an employee under Article
III.
"Tax credit." The PTP Statewide tourism marketing and
promotion tax credit established under this article.
"Taxpayer." An entity subject to tax under Article III, IV,
VI, VII or IX. The term shall include the shareholder of a
Pennsylvania S corporation that receives a PTP Statewide tourism
marketing and promotion tax credit.
Section 1902-D. Tax credit.
(a) Eligibility.--A taxpayer shall be eligible for a tax
credit for contributions made to and accepted by the PTP and
approved by the department. The PTP shall notify the department
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in writing of the acceptance of a contribution and shall include
the following:
(1) the name of the donor;
(2) the amount or value of the contribution; and
(3) the type of contribution.
(b) Amount of tax credits.--Except as provided in subsection
(c), the amount of the tax credit for the taxable year shall not
exceed 70% of the value of contributions made to the PTP under
subsection (a). The amount of the tax credit shall not exceed
the total qualified tax liability of the taxpayer for the
taxable year.
(c) Additional amount of tax credit.--The amount of the tax
credit for the taxable year shall not exceed 85% of the value of
contributions made to the PTP under subsection (a), if the
taxpayer provides a written commitment to provide the PTP with
the same amount of contributions for three consecutive years.
The taxpayer must provide the written commitment under this
subsection to the department at the time of application.
(d) Limitation on single taxpayer tax credits.--No single
taxpayer shall receive more than 20% of the total amount of tax
credits authorized under this article in a fiscal year.
(e) Availability of tax credits.--Tax credits shall be made
available by the department on a first-come, first-served basis.
(f) Application for credits.--A taxpayer may apply to the
department for a tax credit. The application shall be on the
form required by the department.
(g) Review and approval.--The department shall establish an
application period not to exceed 90 days each fiscal year. All
applications received during the application period shall be
reviewed by the department to verify that the contributions have
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been made to and accepted by the PTP. Applications not approved
as a result of having exceeded the total amount of tax credits
allowed under section 1906-D may be reviewed and considered in
subsequent application periods.
(h) Contract and tax credit certificate.--If the department
approves the taxpayer's application under this section, the
department and the taxpayer shall enter into a contract and upon
the execution of the contract the department shall award the
taxpayer a tax credit and issue the taxpayer a tax credit
certificate. The taxpayer must present the tax credit
certificate to the Department of Revenue to claim a tax credit
against the qualified tax liability of the taxpayer.
Section 1903-D. PTP Statewide tourism marketing and promotion
tax credits.
A taxpayer may claim a tax credit against the qualified tax
liability of the taxpayer.
Section 1904-D. Carryover, carryback, refund and assignment of
tax credit.
(a) General rule.--If the taxpayer cannot use the entire
amount of the tax credit for the taxable year in which the tax
credit is first approved, the excess may be carried over to
succeeding taxable years and used as a credit against the
qualified tax liability of the taxpayer for those taxable years.
Each time the tax credit is carried over to a succeeding taxable
year, it shall be reduced by the amount that was used as a
credit during the immediately preceding taxable year. The tax
credit provided by this article may be carried over and applied
to succeeding taxable years for not more than three taxable
years following the first taxable year for which the taxpayer
was entitled to claim the tax credit.
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(b) Application.--A tax credit approved by the department in
a taxable year first shall be applied against the taxpayer's
qualified tax liability for the current taxable year as of the
date on which the credit was approved before the tax credit can
be applied against any tax liability under subsection (a). A
taxpayer may not carry back, obtain a refund of or sell or
assign the tax credit.
Section 1905-D. Pass-through entity.
(a) General rule.--If a pass-through entity has any unused
tax credit under section 1902-D, it may elect in writing,
according to procedures established by the Department of
Revenue, to transfer all or a portion of the tax credit to
shareholders, members or partners in proportion to the share of
the entity's distributive income to which the shareholder,
member or partner is entitled.
(b) Limitation.--A pass-through entity and a shareholder,
member or partner of a pass-through entity shall not claim the
tax credit under subsection (a) for the same contributions.
(c) Application.--A shareholder, member or partner of a
pass-through entity to whom a tax credit is transferred under
subsection (a) shall immediately claim the tax credit in the
taxable year in which the transfer is made. The shareholder,
member or partner may not carry forward, carry back, obtain a
refund of or sell or assign the tax credit.
Section 1906-D. Annual cap on tax credits.
The total amount of tax credits approved under this article
shall not be more than $10,000,000 in a fiscal year.
Section 1907-D. Report to General Assembly.
The Secretary of Community and Economic Development shall
submit an annual report to the General Assembly indicating the
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effectiveness of the tax credit not later than June 30 following
the year in which the tax credits were approved. The report
shall include the names of all taxpayers utilizing the tax
credit as of the date of the report and the amount of tax
credits approved and used by each taxpayer. Notwithstanding any
law providing for the confidentiality of tax records, the
information contained in the report shall be public information.
Section 1908-D. Regulations.
The department shall promulgate regulations necessary for the
implementation and administration of this article.
Section 1909-D. Contribution usage.
Contributions shall be used by the PTP or, in the event PTP
ceases to exist, the department for Statewide marketing and
promotion of tourism and travel in this Commonwealth consistent
with the goals established by the PTP steering committee. Up to
2% of contributions may be used by PTP for administrative costs.
In no event may any portion of the contributions be used by the
department for administrative costs.
Section 1910-D. Guidelines.
The department shall consult with the Department of
Agriculture and the Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources for the purpose of developing guidelines indicating
what is acceptable and reasonable in terms of Statewide
marketing and promoting of tourism and travel in this
Commonwealth. These guidelines shall be submitted to the PTP
steering committee for consideration and input.
Section 1911-D. Audit.
The PTP shall submit to an annual audit according to
generally accepted accounting procedures to ensure the
contributions received by the PTP have been used for Statewide
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marketing and promotion of tourism and travel in this
Commonwealth. A copy of the audit report shall be provided to
the General Assembly.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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