SENATE BILL No. 897

 

 

December 11, 2003, Introduced by Senators BERNERO, BRATER, SCHAUER and CLARKE and referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

 

        

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                 A bill to amend 1933 PA 167, entitled                                             

                                                                                

    "General sales tax act,"                                                    

                                                                                

    by amending sections 4g and 25 (MCL 205.54g and 205.75), section            

                                                                                

    4g as amended by 2000 PA 417 and section 25 as amended by 2003 PA           

                                                                                

    139.                                                                        

                                                                                

                THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:                      

                                                                                

1       Sec. 4g.  (1) A person subject to tax under this act may                    

                                                                                

2   exclude from the amount of the gross proceeds used for the                  

                                                                                

3   computation of the tax 1 or more of the following:                          

                                                                                

4       (a) Sales of prescription drugs for human use or food for                   

                                                                                

5   human consumption, except prepared food intended for immediate              

                                                                                

6   consumption.                                                                

                                                                                

7       (b) The deposit on a returnable container for a beverage or                 

                                                                                

8   the deposit on a carton or case that is used for returnable                 

                                                                                

9   containers.                                                                 

                                                                                


                                                                                

1       (c) Food or tangible personal property purchased with federal               

                                                                                

2   food stamps.                                                                

                                                                                

3       (d) Fruit or vegetable seeds and fruit or vegetable plants if               

                                                                                

4   purchased at a place of business authorized to accept food stamps           

                                                                                

5   by the food and nutrition service of the United States department           

                                                                                

6   of agriculture or a place of business that has made a complete              

                                                                                

7   and proper application for authorization to accept food stamps              

                                                                                

8   but has been denied authorization and provides proof of denial to           

                                                                                

9   the department of treasury.                                                 

                                                                                

10      (2) "Prescription drugs for human use" means insulin or a                   

                                                                                

11  drug dispensed by a licensed pharmacist pursuant to a written               

                                                                                

12  prescription prescribed by a licensed physician or other health             

                                                                                

13  professional as defined by section  21005 of the public health              

                                                                                

14  code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.21005  3501 of the insurance code of             

                                                                                

15  1956, 1956 PA 218, MCL 500.3501, for the use of a designated                

                                                                                

16  person, or oxygen dispensed pursuant to a written prescription or           

                                                                                

17  order issued by a licensed physician or other health professional           

                                                                                

18  as defined in section  21005 of the public health code, 1978                

                                                                                

19  PA 368, MCL 333.21005  3501 of the insurance code of 1956, 1956             

                                                                                

20  PA 218, MCL 500.3501.                                                       

                                                                                

21      (3) "Food for human consumption" means all food and drink                   

                                                                                

22  items, including bottled water, intended primarily for human                

                                                                                

23  consumption, except soft drinks and beverages with an alcohol               

                                                                                

24  content of 1/2 of 1% or more by volume, tobacco and tobacco                 

                                                                                

25  products, and prepared food intended for immediate consumption.             

                                                                                

26  Food for human consumption includes live animals purchased with             

                                                                                

27  the intent to be slaughtered for human consumption.                         


                                                                                

1       (4) "Prepared food intended for immediate consumption" means                

                                                                                

2   a retail sale of 1 or more of the following:                                

                                                                                

3       (a) Food or drink prepared and served for immediate                         

                                                                                

4   consumption at or near the premises or ordinarily sold on a                 

                                                                                

5   takeout basis for immediate consumption either on or off the                

                                                                                

6   premises.  For the purposes of this section premises includes the           

                                                                                

7   total space and facilities in or on which a retailer conducts his           

                                                                                

8   or her business, including, but not limited to, parking areas for           

                                                                                

9   the convenience of in-car consumption, outdoor tables, benches,             

                                                                                

10  chairs, and similar conveniences.                                           

                                                                                

11      (b) Food or drink furnished, prepared, or served for                        

                                                                                

12  immediate consumption at a table, chair, or counter or from a               

                                                                                

13  tray, glass, dish, container, or other tableware.                           

                                                                                

14      (c) Food or drink arranged on a plate or platter, whether                   

                                                                                

15  intended for individual or multiple servings and whether sold by            

                                                                                

16  the pound or by the serving; a sandwich, either hot or cold; or a           

                                                                                

17  combination of taxable and nontaxable items when sold as a plate            

                                                                                

18  or packaged as a meal, even though intended for more than 1                 

                                                                                

19  serving.                                                                    

                                                                                

20      (d) Food that is cooked to the order of the purchaser, or                   

                                                                                

21  that is cooked and maintained at a temperature higher than the              

                                                                                

22  surrounding air temperature before sale, or prepared food that is           

                                                                                

23  sold by the piece rather than by weight or measure.                         

                                                                                

24      (e) Food or drink heated or cooled mechanically,                            

                                                                                

25  electrically, or by other artificial means to an average                    

                                                                                

26  temperature above 75 degrees Fahrenheit or below 65 degrees                 

                                                                                

27  Farenheit before sale and sold from a mobile facility or vending            


                                                                                

1   machine, except milk, nonalcoholic beverages in a sealed                    

                                                                                

2   container other than soft drinks, and fresh fruit.  A refund                

                                                                                

3   shall not be made for any taxes paid after December 31, 1994 and            

                                                                                

4   before January 16, 1997 for food or drink otherwise exempt under            

                                                                                

5   this subdivision.  The tax due under this act on the sale of food           

                                                                                

6   or drink from a vending machine selling both taxable items and              

                                                                                

7   items exempt under this subsection shall be calculated under this           

                                                                                

8   act after December 31, 1994 based on 1 of the following as                  

                                                                                

9   determined by the taxpayer:                                                 

                                                                                

10                                                                               (i) Actual gross proceeds from sales at retail.                                     

                                                                                

11      (ii) Forty-five percent of proceeds from the sale of items                   

                                                                                

12  subject to tax under this act or exempt from the tax levied under           

                                                                                

13  this act, other than from the sale of carbonated beverages.                 

                                                                                

14      (5) Prepared food intended for immediate consumption does not               

                                                                                

15  include bakery products for off-premises consumption, such as               

                                                                                

16  doughnuts, pastry, bread, and cakes; meals eligible to be                   

                                                                                

17  purchased with federal food stamps; or nonalcoholic beverages and           

                                                                                

18  prepared food intended for immediate consumption provided during            

                                                                                

19  work hours for free or at a reduced rate to employees of food               

                                                                                

20  service establishments licensed by the Michigan department of               

                                                                                

21  agriculture.  As used in this subsection, "food service                     

                                                                                

22  establishment" means that term as defined in section 1107 of the            

                                                                                

23  food law of 2000, 2000 PA 92, MCL 289.1107.                                 

                                                                                

24      (6) "Soft drinks" means nonalcoholic beverages that contain                 

                                                                                

25  natural or artificial sweeteners.  Soft drinks do not include               

                                                                                

26  beverages that contain milk or milk products, soy, rice, or                 

                                                                                

27  similar milk substitutes, or greater than 50% of vegetable or               


                                                                                

1   fruit juice by volume.                                                      

                                                                                

2       Sec. 25.  (1) All money received and collected under this                   

                                                                                

3   act shall be deposited by the department in the state treasury to           

                                                                                

4   the credit of the general fund, except as otherwise provided in             

                                                                                

5   this section.                                                               

                                                                                

6       (2) Fifteen percent of the collections of the tax imposed at                

                                                                                

7   a rate of 4% shall be distributed to cities, villages, and                  

                                                                                

8   townships pursuant to the Glenn Steil state revenue sharing act             

                                                                                

9   of 1971, 1971 PA 140, MCL 141.901 to 141.921.                               

                                                                                

10      (3) Sixty percent of the collections of the tax imposed at a                

                                                                                

11  rate of 4% shall be deposited in the state school aid fund                  

                                                                                

12  established in section 11 of article IX of the state constitution           

                                                                                

13  of 1963 and distributed as provided by law.  In addition, all of            

                                                                                

14  the collections of the tax imposed at the additional rate of 2%             

                                                                                

15  approved by the electors March 15, 1994 shall be deposited in the           

                                                                                

16  state school aid fund.                                                      

                                                                                

17      (4) For the fiscal year ending September 30, 1988 and each                  

                                                                                

18  fiscal year ending after September 30, 1988, of the 25% of the              

                                                                                

19  collections of the general sales tax imposed at a rate of 4%                

                                                                                

20  directly or indirectly on fuels sold to propel motor vehicles               

                                                                                

21  upon highways, on the sale of motor vehicles and on the sale of             

                                                                                

22  the parts and accessories of motor vehicles by new and used car             

                                                                                

23  businesses, used car businesses, accessory dealer businesses, and           

                                                                                

24  gasoline station businesses as classified by the department of              

                                                                                

25  treasury remaining after the allocations and distributions are              

                                                                                

26  made pursuant to subsections (2) and (3), the following amounts             

                                                                                

27  shall be deposited each year into the respective funds:                     


                                                                                

1       (a) Through the fiscal year ending September 30, 2003 and for               

                                                                                

2   the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006 and each fiscal year              

                                                                                

3   ending after September 30, 2006, not less than 27.9% to the                 

                                                                                

4   comprehensive transportation fund.  For the fiscal year ending              

                                                                                

5   September 30, 2004 and the fiscal year ending September 30, 2005,           

                                                                                

6   not less than 24% shall be deposited each year in the                       

                                                                                

7   comprehensive transportation fund.                                          

                                                                                

8       (b) The balance to the state general fund.                                  

                                                                                

9       (5) After the allocations and distributions are made pursuant               

                                                                                

10  to subsections (2) and (3), an amount equal to the collections of           

                                                                                

11  the tax imposed at a rate of 4% under this act from the sale at             

                                                                                

12  retail of computer software as defined in section 1 shall be                

                                                                                

13  deposited in the Michigan health initiative fund created in                 

                                                                                

14  section 5911 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL                    

                                                                                

15  333.5911, and shall be considered in addition to, and is not                

                                                                                

16  intended as a replacement for any other money appropriated to the           

                                                                                

17  department of public health.  The funds deposited in the Michigan           

                                                                                

18  health initiative fund on an annual basis shall not be less than            

                                                                                

19  $9,000,000.00 or more than $12,000,000.00.                                  

                                                                                

20      (6) After the allocations and distributions are made under                  

                                                                                

21  subsections (2) and (3), an amount equal to the collections of              

                                                                                

22  the tax imposed at a rate of 4% by this act from the sale of soft           

                                                                                

23  drinks shall be deposited in the healthy schools fund.  The                 

                                                                                

24  healthy schools fund is created in the state treasury.  Funds               

                                                                                

25  from the healthy schools fund shall be used only for programs in            

                                                                                

26  primary and secondary schools that encourage good health and                

                                                                                

27  exercise.                                                                   


                                                                                

1       (7)  (6)  The balance in the state general fund shall be                    

                                                                                

2   disbursed only on an appropriation or appropriations by the                 

                                                                                

3   legislature.