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PRINTER'S NO. 191
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
225
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY BOSCOLA, COSTA, HUGHES, FONTANA, BROWNE, BREWSTER,
KITCHEN, SCHWANK, TARTAGLIONE AND RAFFERTY, JANUARY 23, 2015
REFERRED TO FINANCE, JANUARY 23, 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 a school-to-work 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 XVII-J
SCHOOL-TO-WORK TAX CREDIT
Section 1701-J. Scope of article.
This article relates to school-to-work tax credits.
Section 1702-J. 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:
"Department." The Department of Revenue of the Commonwealth.
"Pass-through entity." Any of the following:
(1) A partnership, limited partnership, limited
liability company, business trust or other unincorporated
entity that for Federal income tax purposes is taxable as a
partnership.
(2) A Pennsylvania S corporation.
"Qualified intern." An individual who is:
(1) enrolled and in good standing at a four-year
institution of higher education, a community college or an
accredited postsecondary business, technical, trade or
vocational school located in this Commonwealth;
(2) employed and supervised in this Commonwealth in a
position that provides training and experience to the
individual in the chosen field of study; and
(3) paid a wage of no less than $8 per hour by the
taxpayer during a term of employment that lasts at least 12
weeks and includes a minimum of 14 hours of service per week.
"Qualified tax liability." The liability for taxes imposed
under Article III, IV or VI. The term shall include the
liability for taxes imposed under Article III on an owner of a
pass-through entity.
"Secretary." The Secretary of Revenue of the Commonwealth.
"Small business." An employer who employs 50 or fewer
individuals.
"Tax credit." The school-to-work tax credit authorized under
this article.
"Taxpayer." A business subject to tax under Article III, IV
or VI. The term shall include the shareholder, owner or member
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of a pass-through entity that receives a tax credit.
Section 1703-J. Employer credit for employing qualified
interns.
(a) Application.--A taxpayer who employs a qualified intern
in a taxable year may apply for a tax credit as provided under
this article. By September 15 of each year, a taxpayer must
submit an application for the tax credit to the department,
which shall include the following certifications by the
taxpayer:
(1) the qualified intern was employed and supervised in
this Commonwealth in a position that provides training and
experience to the individual in the chosen field of study;
(2) the qualified intern was paid a wage of no less than
$8 per hour for a term of employment that lasts at least 12
weeks and includes a minimum of 14 hours of service per week;
(3) the total hours and weeks worked by the qualified
intern for the taxable year; and
(4) the total compensation paid to the qualified intern
for the taxable year.
(b) Amount.--A taxpayer that is qualified under subsection
(a) shall receive a tax credit for the taxable year in the
amount of 50% of the value of the salaries, wages or other
remuneration for services paid to a qualified intern, or $1,000,
whichever is less.
(c) Notification.--By December 15 of the calendar year
following the close of the taxable year during which the
qualified intern was employed, the department shall notify the
taxpayer of the amount of the taxpayer's tax credit approved by
the department.
Section 1704-J. Carryover, carryback, refund and assignment of
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credit.
(a) Carryover.--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
that 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 may be carried over and applied to succeeding taxable
years for no more than 15 taxable years following the first
taxable year for which the taxpayer was entitled to claim the
credit.
(b) Application.--A school-to-work tax credit approved by
the department for employing qualified interns 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 is applied against
any tax liability under subsection (a).
(c) Unused credit.--A taxpayer shall not be entitled to
assign, carry back or obtain a refund of an unused tax credit.
Section 1705-J. Limitation on credits.
(a) Total amount.--The total amount of school-to-work tax
credits approved by the department shall not exceed $10,000,000
in any fiscal year, except that the sum of $2,500,000 shall be
used exclusively for school-to-work tax credits for small
businesses.
(b) Proration among applicants.--If the total amount of tax
credits applied for by all taxpayers exceeds the amount
allocated for those credits, the tax credit to be received by
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each applicant shall be prorated by the department among all
applicants who have qualified for the credit.
Section 1706-J. Shareholder, owner or member pass-through.
(a) Shareholder credit.--If a Pennsylvania S corporation
does not have an eligible tax liability against which the tax
credit may be applied, a shareholder of the Pennsylvania S
corporation is entitled to a tax credit equal to the tax credit
determined for the Pennsylvania S corporation for the taxable
year multiplied by the percentage of the Pennsylvania S
corporation's distributive income to which the shareholder is
entitled.
(b) Pass-through entity credit.--If a pass-through entity
other than a Pennsylvania S corporation does not have an
eligible tax liability against which the tax credit may be
applied, an owner or member of the pass-through entity is
entitled to a tax credit equal to the tax credit determined for
the pass-through entity for the taxable year multiplied by the
percentage of the pass-through entity's distributive income to
which the owner or member is entitled.
(c) Credit cumulation.--The credit provided under subsection
(a) or (b) shall be in addition to any tax credit to which a
shareholder, owner or member of a pass-through entity is
otherwise entitled under this article, except that a pass-
through entity and a shareholder, owner or member of a pass-
through entity may not claim a credit under this article for the
same expense.
Section 1707-J. Report to General Assembly.
The secretary shall submit an annual report to the General
Assembly indicating the effectiveness of the credit provided
under this article no later than March 15 following the year in
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which the credits were approved. The report shall include the
names of all taxpayers utilizing the credit as of the date of
the report and the amount of credits approved and utilized by
each taxpayer. Notwithstanding any law providing for the
confidentiality of tax records, the information contained in the
report shall be public information. The report may include any
recommendations for changes in the calculation or administration
of the credit.
Section 1708-J. Regulations.
The secretary shall promulgate regulations necessary for the
implementation and administration of this article.
Section 2. The addition of Article XVII-J of the act shall
apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015.
Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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