Bill Text: GA HB481 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Jobs, Opportunity, and Business Success Act of 2009; enact
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 7-0)
Status: (Vetoed) 2009-05-11 - Veto V3 [HB481 Detail]
Download: Georgia-2009-HB481-Comm_Sub.html
LC
18 8416ERS
COMMITTEE
OF CONFERENCE SUBSTITUTE TO HB 481
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
enact the Jobs, Opportunity, and Business Success Act of 2009; to amend and
enact provisions intended to provide for tax relief and encourage employment
opportunities and business stimulation; to amend Title 14 of the Official Code
of Georgia Annotated, relating to corporations, partnerships, and associations,
so as to provide for a period of time for the waiver of certain filing fees
otherwise charged in connection with such entities; to amend Title 34 of the
Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to labor and industrial relations,
so as to provide that for a period of time employers who hire persons receiving
employment security benefits shall be entitled to a credit against employer
contributions; to amend Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, the
"Georgia Public Revenue Code," so as to provide that a portion of net long-term
capital gains shall be excluded from state taxable income of corporations and
individuals; to provide for credits against state income tax for employers
employing certain previously unemployed persons; to eliminate the requirement
for dealers to make returns and remittances with respect to estimated sales and
use tax liability; to eliminate the corporate net worth tax; to provide for
other related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting
laws; and for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
This
Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Jobs, Opportunity, and Business
Success Act of 2009."
SECTION
2.
Title
14 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to corporations,
partnerships, and associations, is amended by revising Code Section 14-2-122,
relating to fees for filings related to business corporations, as
follows:
"14-2-122.
(a)
The Secretary of State shall collect the following fees and penalties when the
documents described in this Code section are delivered to him or her for
filing:
Document
|
Fee
|
(1)
Articles of incorporation
|
$
100.00
|
(2)
Application for certificate of authority
|
225.00
|
(3)
Annual registration
|
30.00
|
(4)
Penalty for late filing of annual registration
|
25.00
|
(5)
Agent's statement of resignation
|
No
fee
|
(6)
Certificate of judicial dissolution
|
No
fee
|
(7)
Articles of dissolution or intent to dissolve
|
No
fee
|
(8)
Application of withdrawal
|
No
fee
|
(9)
Application for reservation of a corporate name
|
25.00
|
(10)
Civil penalty for a foreign corporation transacting business in this state
without a certificate of authority
|
500.00
|
(11)
Statement of change of address of registered agent...$5.00 per corporation but
not less than
|
20.00
|
(12)
Application for reinstatement
|
100.00
|
(13)
Certificate of conversion
|
95.00
|
(14)
Any other document required or permitted to be filed by this chapter . .
|
20.00
|
(b)
For the period of time beginning July 1, 2009, and ending June 30, 2010, the
fees specified in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a) of this Code section
shall be waived, and there shall be no fee for such
filings."
SECTION
3.
Said
Title 14 is further amended by revising Code Section 14-9-1101, relating to fees
for filings related to limited partnerships, as follows:
"14-9-1101.
(a)
The Secretary of State shall charge and collect for filing:
Document
|
Fee
|
(1)
A certificate of limited partnership
|
$
100.00
|
(2)
A registration of a foreign limited partnership
|
225.00
|
(3)
An annual registration
|
30.00
|
(4)
Penalty for late filing of annual registration
|
25.00
|
(5)
Agent's statement of resignation
|
No
fee
|
(6)
Certificate of cancellation
|
No
fee
|
(7)
Application of withdrawal
|
No
fee
|
(8)
Statement of change of address of registered agent or registered office... $5.00
per limited partnership but not less than
|
20.00
|
(9)
An amendment to a certificate of limited partnership for the purpose of becoming
a limited liability partnership
|
100.00
|
(10)
Certificate of election to become a limited partnership
|
80.00
|
(11)
Certificate of conversion
|
95.00
|
(12)
Application for reservation of a name
|
25.00
|
(13)
Any other document required or permitted pursuant to this chapter
|
20.00
|
(b)
For the period of time beginning July 1, 2009, and ending June 30, 2010, the
fees specified in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a) of this Code section
shall be waived, and there shall be no fee for such
filings."
SECTION
4.
Said
Title 14 is further amended by revising Code Section 14-11-1101, relating to
fees for filings related to limited liability companies, as
follows:
"14-11-1101.
(a)
The Secretary of State shall collect the following fees when the documents
described below are delivered to the Secretary of State for filing pursuant to
this chapter:
Document
|
Fee
|
(1)
Articles of organization
|
$
100.00
|
(2)
Articles of amendment
|
20.00
|
(3)
Articles of merger
|
20.00
|
(4)
Certificate of election under Code Section 14-11-212 (together with articles of
organization)
|
95.00
|
(5)
Application for certificate of authority to transact business
|
225.00
|
(6)
Statement of commencement of winding up
|
No
Fee
|
(7)
Certificate of termination
|
No
Fee
|
(8)
Application of withdrawal
|
No
fee
|
(9)
Articles of correction
|
20.00
|
(10)
Application for reservation of a name
|
25.00
|
(11)
Statement of change of registered office or registered agent...$5.00 per limited
liability company (foreign or domestic), but not less than
|
20.00
|
(12)
Registered agent's statement of resignation pursuant to subsection (d) of Code
Section 14-11-209 or subsection (d) of Code Section 14-11-703
|
No
fee
|
(13)
Certificate of judicial dissolution
|
No
fee
|
(14)
Annual registration (foreign or domestic)
|
30.00
|
(15)
Penalty for late filing of annual registration
|
25.00
|
(16)
Reinstatement fee
|
100.00
|
(17)
Any other document required or permitted to be filed by
this
chapter
|
20.00
|
(18)
Certificate of conversion
|
95.00
|
(b)
The Secretary of State shall collect the penalty provided for in paragraph (2)
of subsection (c) of Code Section 14-11-711.
(c)
For the period of time beginning July 1, 2009, and ending June 30, 2010, the
fees specified in paragraphs (1) and (5) of subsection (a) of this Code section
shall be waived, and there shall be no fee for such
filings."
SECTION
5.
Title
34 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to labor and industrial
relations, is amended by revising Code Section 34-8-156, relating to the
State-wide Reserve ratio and reduction in tax rate, by adding a new subsection
as follows:
"(g)(1)
The Commissioner shall make an expedited request within 15 days of the effective
date of this Act for a determination by the United States secretary of labor
that implementation of paragraph (3) of this subsection is in conformity with
federal law. If the United States secretary of labor determines that paragraph
(3) of this subsection is not in conformity with federal law and cannot be
adjusted procedurally by the Commissioner pursuant to Code Section 34-8-93
pending action of the General Assembly to bring about conformity with federal
law, paragraph (3) of this subsection shall not become effective. Upon such
determination the Commissioner shall take all necessary steps to obtain a waiver
of conformity with federal law from the United States secretary of labor. If
such waiver is granted, paragraph (3) of this subsection shall become effective
immediately. If the United States secretary of labor determines that paragraph
(3) of this subsection could be implemented in conformity with federal law if
procedurally adjusted by the Commissioner, the Commissioner shall exercise the
authority granted under Code Section 34-8-93 to make such adjustments and
paragraph (3) of this subsection shall become effective immediately following
such adjustment. If the United States secretary of labor determines that
paragraph (3) of this subsection is in conformity with federal law, paragraph
(3) of this subsection shall become effective immediately.
(2)
In the event paragraph (3) of this subsection becomes effective, it shall not be
implemented unless the Commissioner determines that the employer contribution
and reimbursement liability shall not increase as a result of such
implementation.
(3)
If this paragraph becomes effective, for calendar quarters beginning on or after
July 1, 2009, there shall be a credit to be known as the Georgia Works Tax
Credit. The amount of the credit shall be not less than $25.00 and not more
than $125.00 per individual employee per calendar quarter, as further described
in this subsection. The determination of the amount of the credit, within the
permissible range, shall be made and periodically revised by the Commissioner
based on the Commissioner's evaluation of conditions in the Georgia labor
market, the state of the economy, and the State-wide Reserve Ratio. The credit
may be claimed by an employer for up to four calendar quarters with respect to
an individual hired by that employer for services to be performed in this state
under the following conditions:
(A)
Such individual:
(i)
Has filed a claim for unemployment compensation in this state and is currently
receiving weekly unemployment compensation benefits on that claim under the
provisions of Article 7 of this chapter and such benefits are chargeable to the
experience rating account of an employer under Code Section
34-8-157;
(ii)
Has been profiled by the department as likely to exhaust benefits;
(iii)
Has no return to work date or promise of future employment; and
(iv)
Has at least eight weeks of benefit eligibility remaining on his or her current
claim at the time the employer hires the individual;
(B)
The credit for each such hired individual per calendar quarter may be claimed on
the reports required to be filed under Code Section 34-8-165 as a reduction from
amounts otherwise due with respect to each of the four calendar quarters
immediately following the hire date of the individual; provided, however, that
the credit may not be claimed for any hired individual with respect to more than
one hiring by the employer claiming the credit or for more than four calendar
quarters with respect to that one hiring;
(C)
For each calendar quarter for which the credit is claimed, such individual shall
be continuously employed by the employer claiming the credit, and such
individual's employment with that employer shall consist of at least 30 hours
per week during each week of that calendar quarter;
(D)
The credit shall be timely claimed for the calendar quarter to which the credit
is applicable, and in no event later than the last day of the reporting month
following the end of the calendar quarter to which the credit is applicable.
The credit shall not be refundable. The credit cannot reduce tax liability
below zero; provided, however, that the credit, if properly and timely claimed,
may be carried forward and applied against contributions due in any subsequent
calendar quarter in the same calendar year as claimed. Any unused credit
remaining at the end of a calendar year may not be carried forward to another
calendar year and shall be deemed to have expired; and
(E)
No credit shall be claimed or taken by any employer who fails to timely file any
report or to timely pay all amounts otherwise due for all calendar quarters
during the calendar year for which the credit is claimed. In the event an
employer has claimed a credit under this Code section and fails to timely file
any report or to timely pay all amounts otherwise due during the year the credit
is claimed, the amount of any credits claimed with respect to the calendar year
shall be canceled and become delinquent as of the date originally due under Code
Section 34-8-165 and subject to all the provisions of this article as if no
credit had ever been available or
claimed."
SECTION
6.
Title
48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, the "Georgia Public Revenue Code,"
is amended in Code Section 48-7-21, relating to taxation of corporations, by
adding at the end of subsection (b) a new paragraph (16) to read as
follows:
"(16)(A)
For the taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2010, and prior to January
1, 2011, there shall be subtracted from taxable income an amount equal to 25
percent of the total net amount of long-term capital gains subject to federal
income taxation.
(B)
For all taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2011, there shall be
subtracted from taxable income an amount equal to 50 percent of the total net
amount of long-term capital gains subject to federal income
taxation."
SECTION
7.
Said
Title 48 is further amended in subsection (a) of Code Section 48-7-27, relating
to computation of taxable net income of individuals, by deleting "and" at the
end of paragraph (14); replacing the period at the end of paragraph (15) with ";
and"; and adding a new paragraph (16) to read as follows:
"(16)(A)
For the taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2010, and prior to January
1, 2011, an amount equal to 25 percent of the total net amount of long-term
capital gains subject to federal income taxation.
(B)
For all taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2011, an amount equal to
50 percent of the total net amount of long-term capital gains subject to federal
income taxation."
SECTION
8.
Said
Title 48 is further amended by adding a new Code section as
follows:
"48-7-29.17.
(a)
As used in this Code section, the term 'creditable employee' means an employee
of an employer who:
(1)
Is first employed by the employer on or after the effective date of this Code
section and prior to July 1, 2010;
(2)
Was unemployed at least four weeks immediately prior to becoming so
employed;
(3)
Remains so employed by the employer for at least 24 consecutive
months;
(4)
Executes and provides a notarized affidavit swearing or affirming that such
employee is eligible to work in the United States because such person is either
a United States citizen or a lawfully present alien according to federal law;
and
(5)
During the entire period of such employment receives monthly compensation in an
amount at least equal to the average monthly employment compensation benefit
paid to persons receiving employment compensation benefits in this
state.
(b)
An employer who has one or more creditable employees and who provides a
notarized affidavit attesting to use of the federal employment verification
system now known as 'E-Verify' or any future federal employment verification
system shall be eligible to apply for and receive a credit against taxes imposed
under this chapter. The amount of the credit shall be $2,400.00 for each
creditable employee. Eligibility for the credit shall be established as of the
time the creditable employee completes 24 consecutive months of employment; and
the credit shall be claimed for the taxable year in which the twenty-fourth
month of such employment is completed.
(c)
In no event shall the total amount of any tax credit under this Code section for
a taxable year exceed the taxpayer's income tax liability. Any unused tax
credit shall be allowed to be carried forward to apply to the taxpayer's
succeeding two years' tax liability. No such tax credit shall be allowed the
taxpayer against prior years' tax liability.
(d)
The credit shall be claimed and granted in such manner as shall be specified by
rules adopted by the commissioner; and such rules shall specifically provide for
the manner of establishing the qualifying status of unemployment of the employee
prior to employment. The average monthly employment security benefit shall be
computed on a monthly basis by the Commissioner of Labor.
(e)
For the purpose of determining whether an employee is employed by the employer
under subsection (a) of this Code section, employment may include up to 13 weeks
continuous prior service for the employer as a temporary employee of a staffing
firm. As used in this Code section, staffing firm means an organization that
hires its own employees and assigns them to a client to support or supplement
the client's work force in special work situations such as employee absences,
temporary skill shortages, seasonal workloads, and special assignments and
projects."
SECTION
9.
Said
Title 48 is further amended in Code Section 48-8-49, relating to dealers' sales
and use tax returns, by revising subsection (b) as follows:
"(b)(1)
As used in this subsection, the term 'estimated tax liability' means a dealer's
tax liability, adjusted to account for any subsequent change in the state sales
and use tax rate, based on the dealer's average monthly payments for the last
fiscal year.
(2)(A)
If the estimated tax liability of a dealer for any taxable period
prior to
January 1, 2010, exceeds $5,000.00, the
dealer shall file a return and remit to the commissioner not less than 50
percent of the estimated tax liability for the taxable period on or before the
twentieth day of the period. The amount of the payment of the estimated tax
liability shall be credited against the amount to be due on the return required
under subsection (a) of this Code section. This
subsection
subparagraph
shall not apply to any dealer unless during the previous fiscal year the
dealer's monthly payments exceeded $5,000.00 per month for three consecutive
months or more nor shall this
subsection
subparagraph
apply to any dealer whose primary business is the sale of motor fuels who is
remitting prepaid state tax under paragraph (2) of subsection (b) of Code
Section 48-9-14. No local sales taxes shall be included in determining any
estimated tax liability.
(B)
If the estimated tax liability of a dealer for any taxable period on or after
January 1, 2010, and prior to January 1, 2011, exceeds $10,000.00, the
dealer shall file a return and remit to the commissioner not less than 50
percent of the estimated tax liability for the taxable period on or before the
twentieth day of the period. The amount of the payment of the estimated tax
liability shall be credited against the amount to be due on the return required
under subsection (a) of this Code section. This subparagraph shall not apply to
any dealer unless during the previous calendar year the dealer's monthly
payments exceeded $10,000.00 per month for three consecutive months or more nor
shall this subparagraph apply to any dealer whose primary business is the sale
of motor fuels who is remitting prepaid state tax under paragraph (2) of
subsection (b) of Code Section 48-9-14. This paragraph shall cease to apply to
a dealer if such dealer falls below the threshold specified in this
subparagraph. No local sales taxes shall be included in determining any
estimated tax liability.
(C)
If the estimated tax liability of a dealer for any taxable period on or after
January 1, 2011, and prior to January 1, 2012, exceeds $20,000.00, the
dealer shall file a return and remit to the commissioner not less than 50
percent of the estimated tax liability for the taxable period on or before the
twentieth day of the period. The amount of the payment of the estimated tax
liability shall be credited against the amount to be due on the return required
under subsection (a) of this Code section. This subparagraph shall not apply to
any dealer unless during the previous calendar year the dealer's monthly
payments exceeded $20,000.00 per month for three consecutive months or more nor
shall this subparagraph apply to any dealer whose primary business is the sale
of motor fuels who is remitting prepaid state tax under paragraph (2) of
subsection (b) of Code Section 48-9-14. This paragraph shall cease to apply to
a dealer if such dealer falls below the threshold specified in this
subparagraph. No local sales taxes shall be included in determining any
estimated tax liability.
(D)
If the estimated tax liability of a dealer for any taxable period on or after
January 1, 2012, and prior to January 1, 2013, exceeds $40,000.00, the
dealer shall file a return and remit to the commissioner not less than 50
percent of the estimated tax liability for the taxable period on or before the
twentieth day of the period. The amount of the payment of the estimated tax
liability shall be credited against the amount to be due on the return required
under subsection (a) of this Code section. This subparagraph shall not apply to
any dealer unless during the previous calendar year the dealer's monthly
payments exceeded $40,000.00 per month for three consecutive months or more nor
shall this subparagraph apply to any dealer whose primary business is the sale
of motor fuels who is remitting prepaid state tax under paragraph (2) of
subsection (b) of Code Section 48-9-14. This paragraph shall cease to apply to
a dealer if such dealer falls below the threshold specified in this
subparagraph. No local sales taxes shall be included in determining any
estimated tax liability.
(E)
For any taxable period on or after January 1, 2013, a dealer shall not be
required to file a return and remit to the commissioner any estimated tax
liability and shall be issued a refund check by the commissioner for the amount
of any estimated tax liability which has been remitted and has not been credited
against the amount due on the dealer's return under subsection (a) of this Code
section.
(3)
A dealer who in any month does not meet the applicable threshold under
subparagraph (A), (B), (C), or (D) of paragraph (2) of this subsection shall be
issued a refund check by the commissioner for the amount of any estimated tax
liability which has been remitted and has not been credited against the amount
due on the dealer's return under subsection (a) of this Code section within 30
days of the determination that such dealer is below such threshold. Prior to or
in conjunction with the mailing of such refund check, the commissioner shall
mail the dealer the following notice:
'Dear
Georgia business owner,
This
is a refund of your sales tax deposit, which is returned to you in compliance
with the Jobs, Opportunity, and Business Success Act of 2009
(J.O.B.S).
The
Georgia State House and State Senate passed and the Governor signed the J.O.B.S.
Act (O.C.G.A. 48-8-49) believing that entrepreneurs and business owners, not
government, are best equipped to create jobs and sustainable economic growth for
Georgia.
We
appreciate your efforts to create true economic stimulus for our great
state.
Thank
you!
Georgia
General Assembly'"
SECTION
10.
Said
Title 48 is further amended by revising Article 4, relating to the corporate net
worth tax, in its entirety as follows:
"ARTICLE
4
48-13-70.
(a)
On and after January 1, 2010, there shall be no corporate net worth taxes
whatsoever levied or collected under this article and no corporate net worth
returns are required.
(b)
Tax, penalty, and interest liabilities and refund eligibility for prior taxable
years shall not be affected by the enactment of this revised article and shall
continue to be governed by the provisions of this article as it existed
immediately prior to the effective date of this
Act."
SECTION
11.
This
Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its
becoming law without such approval.
SECTION
12.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.