PRINTER'S NO. 2165

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


HOUSE BILL

No. 1720 Session of 1975


        INTRODUCED BY BONETTO, SEPTEMBER 23, 1975

        REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, SEPTEMBER 23, 1975

                                     AN ACT

     1  Amending the act of January 14, 1952 (P.L.1965, No.550),
     2     entitled, as amended, "An act imposing a permanent and a
     3     temporary State tax on fuels used within the Commonwealth in
     4     internal combustion engines for the generation of power to
     5     propel motor vehicles using the public highways; imposing a
     6     permanent tax on the fuels used in aircraft or aircraft
     7     engines; providing for the collection and lien of the tax and
     8     the distribution and use of the proceeds thereof; requiring
     9     dealer-users to secure licenses and to file bonds as a
    10     guarantee of payment of taxes, penalties, interest, fines,
    11     uncollectible check fees and Attorney General's fees, to file
    12     reports and to compile and retain certain records; requiring
    13     registration of carriers for hire; imposing duties on such
    14     persons; requiring persons selling or delivering fuels to
    15     licensed dealer-users to furnish information; imposing
    16     certain costs on counties; conferring powers and imposing
    17     duties on State officers and departments; providing for
    18     refunds of taxes, penalties and interest illegally or
    19     erroneously collected from licensees; and providing
    20     penalties," increasing the tax further providing for its
    21     disposition and making a repeal.

    22     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
    23  hereby enacts as follows:
    24     Section 1.  Section 4, act of January 14, 1952 (P.L.1965,
    25  No.550), known as the "Fuel Use Tax Act," amended February 1,
    26  1974 (P.L.24, No.9), is amended to read:
    27     Section 4.  Imposition of Tax Exemptions.--A permanent excise
    28  tax at the rate of [eight cents (8¢)] eleven cents (11¢) a

     1  gallon or fractional part thereof is hereby imposed on all
     2  dealer-users upon the use of fuel within this Commonwealth,
     3  except the use of fuel in aircraft or aircraft engines, to be
     4  computed in the manner hereinafter set forth. The tax herein
     5  imposed shall not apply on fuels not within the taxing power of
     6  this Commonwealth under the Commerce Clause of the Constitution
     7  of the United States. The tax herein imposed and assessed shall
     8  be paid to the Commonwealth but once in respect to any fuels
     9  used within the Commonwealth. No tax is hereby imposed upon (1)
    10  any fuel that is used by or sold and delivered to the United
    11  States government, when such sales and deliveries are supported
    12  by documentary evidence satisfactory to the department, or (2)
    13  upon any fuel not in excess of fifty (50) gallons brought into
    14  this Commonwealth in the fuel supply tanks or other fueling
    15  receptacles or devices of a motor vehicle, or (3) upon any fuel
    16  used by or sold or delivered for use in farm machinery or
    17  equipment, engaged in the production or harvesting of farm or
    18  agricultural products involving the use of the public highways
    19  within a ten (10) mile radius of the domicile of the owner of
    20  the machinery or equipment, when such sales and deliveries are
    21  supported by documentary evidence satisfactory to the
    22  department, or (4) upon any fuel used by or sold or delivered to
    23  the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, its political subdivisions,
    24  any second class county port authority and any nonpublic schools
    25  not operated for profit, when such sales and deliveries are
    26  supported by documentary evidence satisfactory to the
    27  department.
    28     In lieu of the foregoing taxes, a permanent excise tax at the
    29  rate of one and one-half cents a gallon, or fractional part
    30  thereof, is hereby imposed on all dealer-users upon the use of
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     1  fuel in propeller-driven piston engine aircraft or aircraft
     2  engines, and except as hereinafter provided, one and one-half
     3  cents a gallon or fractional part thereof of fuel used in
     4  turbine propeller jet, turbo-jet, or jet driven aircraft or
     5  aircraft engines, to be computed in the manner hereinafter set
     6  forth. Beginning January 1, 1960, and thereafter, a State tax of
     7  one cent a gallon, or fractional part thereof, is hereby imposed
     8  and assessed upon all liquid fuels used or sold and delivered by
     9  distributors within this Commonwealth for use as fuel in turbine
    10  propeller jet, turbo-jet, or jet driven aircraft and aircraft
    11  engines. The tax herein imposed shall not apply on fuels not
    12  within the taxing power of this Commonwealth under The Commerce
    13  Clause of the Constitution of the United States. The tax herein
    14  imposed and assessed shall be paid to the Commonwealth but once
    15  in respect to any fuels. No tax is hereby imposed upon (1) any
    16  fuel that is used by or sold and delivered to the United States
    17  government when such sales and deliveries are supported by
    18  documentary evidence satisfactory to the department, or (2) upon
    19  any fuel brought into this Commonwealth in the fuel supply tanks
    20  or other fueling receptacles or devices of an aircraft or
    21  aircraft engine, or (3) upon any fuel used or sold or delivered
    22  to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, its political subdivisions,
    23  any second class county port authority and nonpublic schools not
    24  operated for profit, for official use when such sales and
    25  deliveries are supported by documentary evidence satisfactory to
    26  the department.
    27     The Pennsylvania Aeronautics Commission is authorized to make
    28  allocations of taxes collected under this act to airports in
    29  proportion to the average of their allocations received from the
    30  Pennsylvania Aeronautics Commission during the period for which
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     1  they have received such allocations not to exceed five (5) years
     2  or, in the case of airports having no such allocation
     3  experience, in equal proportion with other airports based upon
     4  comparative collections under this tax.
     5     Section 2.  Section 10 of the act is reenacted to read:
     6     Section 10.  Disposition and Use of Tax.--The permanent and
     7  additional State taxes collected under the provisions of this
     8  act, less discounts allowed, shall be paid into the Liquid Fuels
     9  Tax Fund, and the Motor License Fund in the same proportions as
    10  are liquid fuels taxes and are hereby specifically appropriated
    11  for the same uses and purposes.
    12     Section 3.  The act of July 12, 1974 (P.L.458, No.161),
    13  entitled "An act imposing an additional State tax on certain
    14  fuels; providing for collection, lien and administration of the
    15  tax; and making an appropriation," is repealed.
    16     Section 4.  This act shall take effect November 1, 1975.










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