SENATE BILL No. 951

 

 

February 4, 2004, Introduced by Senators VAN WOERKOM, KUIPERS, JELINEK and McMANUS and referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

 

        

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                 A bill to amend 1937 PA 94, entitled                                              

                                                                                

    "Use tax act,"                                                              

                                                                                

    by amending section 4 (MCL 205.94), as amended by 2002 PA 669.              

                                                                                

                THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:                      

                                                                                

1       Sec. 4.  (1) The tax levied under this act does not apply to                

                                                                                

2   the following, subject to subsection (2):                                   

                                                                                

3       (a) Property sold in this state on which transaction a tax                  

                                                                                

4   is paid under the general sales tax act, 1933 PA 167, MCL 205.51            

                                                                                

5   to 205.78, if the tax was due and paid on the retail sale to a              

                                                                                

6   consumer.  Beginning April 1, 2003, in lieu of the exclusion in             

                                                                                

7   this subdivision, an interstate motor carrier shall be entitled             

                                                                                

8   to a credit under this act for 6% of the price of diesel fuel               

                                                                                

9   purchased in this state and used in a qualified commercial motor            

                                                                                

10  vehicle.  This credit shall be claimed on the returns filed under           

                                                                                

11  the international fuel tax agreement.                                       

                                                                                


                                                                                

1       (b) Property, the storage, use, or other consumption of                     

                                                                                

2   which this state is prohibited from taxing under the constitution           

                                                                                

3   or laws of the United States, or under the constitution of this             

                                                                                

4   state.                                                                      

                                                                                

5       (c) Property purchased for resale, demonstration purposes,                  

                                                                                

6   or lending or leasing to a public or parochial school offering a            

                                                                                

7   course in automobile driving except that a vehicle purchased by             

                                                                                

8   the school shall be certified for driving education and shall not           

                                                                                

9   be reassigned for personal use by the school's administrative               

                                                                                

10  personnel.  For a dealer selling a new car or truck, exemption              

                                                                                

11  for demonstration purposes shall be determined by the number of             

                                                                                

12  new cars and trucks sold during the current calendar year or the            

                                                                                

13  immediately preceding year without regard to specific make or               

                                                                                

14  style according to the following schedule of 0 to 25, 2 units; 26           

                                                                                

15  to 100, 7 units; 101 to 500, 20 units; 501 or more, 25 units; but           

                                                                                

16  not to exceed 25 cars and trucks in 1 calendar year for                     

                                                                                

17  demonstration purposes.  Property purchased for resale includes             

                                                                                

18  promotional merchandise transferred pursuant to a redemption                

                                                                                

19  offer to a person located outside this state or any packaging               

                                                                                

20  material, other than promotional merchandise, acquired for use in           

                                                                                

21  fulfilling a redemption offer or rebate to a person located                 

                                                                                

22  outside this state.                                                         

                                                                                

23      (d) Property that is brought into this state by a                           

                                                                                

24  nonresident person for storage, use, or consumption while                   

                                                                                

25  temporarily within this state, except if the property is used in            

                                                                                

26  this state in a nontransitory business activity for a period                

                                                                                

27  exceeding 15 days.  Beginning April 1, 2003, this subdivision               


                                                                                

1   does not apply to diesel fuel that is used, stored, or consumed             

                                                                                

2   in this state by interstate motor carriers in qualified                     

                                                                                

3   commercial vehicles.                                                        

                                                                                

4       (e) Property the sale or use of which was already subjected                 

                                                                                

5   to a sales tax or use tax equal to, or in excess of, that imposed           

                                                                                

6   by this act under the law of any other state or a local                     

                                                                                

7   governmental unit within a state if the tax was due and paid on             

                                                                                

8   the retail sale to the consumer and the state or local                      

                                                                                

9   governmental unit within a state in which the tax was imposed               

                                                                                

10  accords like or complete exemption on property the sale or use of           

                                                                                

11  which was subjected to the sales or use tax of this state.  If              

                                                                                

12  the sale or use of property was already subjected to a tax under            

                                                                                

13  the law of any other state or local governmental unit within a              

                                                                                

14  state in an amount less than the tax imposed by this act, this              

                                                                                

15  act shall apply, but at a rate measured by the difference between           

                                                                                

16  the rate provided in this act and the rate by which the previous            

                                                                                

17  tax was computed.  Beginning April 1, 2003, this subdivision does           

                                                                                

18  not apply to diesel fuel that is used, stored, or consumed in               

                                                                                

19  this state by interstate motor carriers in qualified motor                  

                                                                                

20  vehicles.                                                                   

                                                                                

21      (f) Property sold to a person engaged in a business                         

                                                                                

22  enterprise and using and consuming the property in the tilling,             

                                                                                

23  planting, caring for, or harvesting of the things of the soil or            

                                                                                

24  in the breeding, raising, or caring for livestock, poultry, or              

                                                                                

25  horticultural products, including transfers of livestock,                   

                                                                                

26  poultry, or horticultural products for further growth.  At the              

                                                                                

27  time of the transfer of that tangible personal property, the                


                                                                                

1   transferee shall sign a statement, in a form approved by the                

                                                                                

2   department, stating that the property is to be used or consumed             

                                                                                

3   in connection with the production of horticultural or                       

                                                                                

4   agricultural products as a business enterprise.  The statement              

                                                                                

5   shall be accepted by the courts as prima facie evidence of the              

                                                                                

6   exemption.  This exemption includes agricultural land tile, which           

                                                                                

7   means fired clay or perforated plastic tubing used as part of a             

                                                                                

8   subsurface drainage system for land used in the production of               

                                                                                

9   agricultural products as a business enterprise and includes a               

                                                                                

10  portable grain bin, which means a structure that is used or is to           

                                                                                

11  be used to shelter grain and that is designed to be disassembled            

                                                                                

12  without significant damage to its component parts.  This                    

                                                                                

13  exemption does not include transfers of food, fuel, clothing, or            

                                                                                

14  similar tangible personal property for personal living or human             

                                                                                

15  consumption.  This exemption does not include tangible personal             

                                                                                

16  property permanently affixed and becoming a structural part of              

                                                                                

17  real estate.                                                                

                                                                                

18      (g) Property or services sold to the United States, an                      

                                                                                

19  unincorporated agency or instrumentality of the United States, an           

                                                                                

20  incorporated agency or instrumentality of the United States                 

                                                                                

21  wholly owned by the United States or by a corporation wholly                

                                                                                

22  owned by the United States, the American red cross and its                  

                                                                                

23  chapters or branches, this state, a department or institution of            

                                                                                

24  this state, or a political subdivision of this state.                       

                                                                                

25      (h) Property or services sold to a school, hospital, or home                

                                                                                

26  for the care and maintenance of children or aged persons,                   

                                                                                

27  operated by an entity of government, a regularly organized                  


                                                                                

1   church, religious, or fraternal organization, a veterans'                   

                                                                                

2   organization, or a corporation incorporated under the laws of               

                                                                                

3   this state, if not operated for profit, and if the income or                

                                                                                

4   benefit from the operation does not inure, in whole or in part,             

                                                                                

5   to an individual or private shareholder, directly or indirectly,            

                                                                                

6   and if the activities of the entity or agency are carried on                

                                                                                

7   exclusively for the benefit of the public at large and are not              

                                                                                

8   limited to the advantage, interests, and benefits of its members            

                                                                                

9   or a restricted group.  The tax levied does not apply to property           

                                                                                

10  or services sold to a parent cooperative preschool.  As used in             

                                                                                

11  this subdivision, "parent cooperative preschool" means a                    

                                                                                

12  nonprofit, nondiscriminatory educational institution, maintained            

                                                                                

13  as a community service and administered by parents of children              

                                                                                

14  currently enrolled in the preschool that provides an educational            

                                                                                

15  and developmental program for children younger than compulsory              

                                                                                

16  school age, that provides an educational program for parents,               

                                                                                

17  including active participation with children in preschool                   

                                                                                

18  activities, that is directed by qualified preschool personnel,              

                                                                                

19  and that is licensed by the department of consumer and industry             

                                                                                

20  services pursuant to 1973 PA 116, MCL 722.111 to 722.128.                   

                                                                                

21      (i) Property or services sold to a regularly organized                      

                                                                                

22  church or house of religious worship except the following:                  

                                                                                

23                                                                               (i) Sales in which the property is used in activities that                          

                                                                                

24  are mainly commercial enterprises.                                          

                                                                                

25      (ii) Sales of vehicles licensed for use on the public                        

                                                                                

26  highways other than a passenger van or bus with a manufacturer's            

                                                                                

27  rated seating capacity of 10 or more that is used primarily for             


                                                                                

1   the transportation of persons for religious purposes.                       

                                                                                

2       (j) A vessel designed for commercial use of registered                      

                                                                                

3   tonnage of 500 tons or more, if produced upon special order of              

                                                                                

4   the purchaser, and bunker and galley fuel, provisions, supplies,            

                                                                                

5   maintenance, and repairs for the exclusive use of a vessel of 500           

                                                                                

6   tons or more engaged in interstate commerce.                                

                                                                                

7       (k) Property purchased for use in this state where actual                   

                                                                                

8   personal possession is obtained outside this state, the purchase            

                                                                                

9   price or actual value of which does not exceed $10.00 during 1              

                                                                                

10  calendar month.                                                             

                                                                                

11                                                                               (l) A newspaper or periodical classified under federal                              

                                                                                

12  postal laws and regulations effective September 1, 1985 as                  

                                                                                

13  second-class mail matter or as a controlled circulation                     

                                                                                

14  publication or qualified to accept legal notices for publication            

                                                                                

15  in this state, as defined by law, or any other newspaper or                 

                                                                                

16  periodical of general circulation, established at least 2 years,            

                                                                                

17  and published at least once a week, and a copyrighted motion                

                                                                                

18  picture film.  Tangible personal property used or consumed in               

                                                                                

19  producing a copyrighted motion picture film, a newspaper                    

                                                                                

20  published more than 14 times per year, or a periodical published            

                                                                                

21  more than 14 times per year, and not becoming a component part of           

                                                                                

22  that film, newspaper, or periodical is subject to the tax.  After           

                                                                                

23  December 31, 1993, tangible personal property used or consumed in           

                                                                                

24  producing a newspaper published 14 times or less per year or a              

                                                                                

25  periodical published 14 times or less per year and that portion             

                                                                                

26  or percentage of tangible personal property used or consumed in             

                                                                                

27  producing an advertising supplement that becomes a component part           


                                                                                

1   of a newspaper or periodical is exempt from the tax under this              

                                                                                

2   subdivision.  A claim for a refund for taxes paid before January            

                                                                                

3   1, 1999 under this subdivision shall be made before June 30,                

                                                                                

4   1999.  For purposes of this subdivision, tangible personal                  

                                                                                

5   property that becomes a component part of a newspaper or                    

                                                                                

6   periodical and consequently not subject to tax, includes an                 

                                                                                

7   advertising supplement inserted into and circulated with a                  

                                                                                

8   newspaper or periodical that is otherwise exempt from tax under             

                                                                                

9   this subdivision, if the advertising supplement is delivered                

                                                                                

10  directly to the newspaper or periodical by a person other than              

                                                                                

11  the advertiser, or the advertising supplement is printed by the             

                                                                                

12  newspaper or periodical.                                                    

                                                                                

13      (m) Property purchased by persons licensed to operate a                     

                                                                                

14  commercial radio or television station if the property is used in           

                                                                                

15  the origination or integration of the various sources of program            

                                                                                

16  material for commercial radio or television transmission.  This             

                                                                                

17  subdivision does not include a vehicle licensed and titled for              

                                                                                

18  use on public highways or property used in the transmitting to or           

                                                                                

19  receiving from an artificial satellite.                                     

                                                                                

20      (n) A person who is a resident of this state who purchases                  

                                                                                

21  an automobile in another state while in the military service of             

                                                                                

22  the United States and who pays a sales tax in the state where the           

                                                                                

23  automobile is purchased.                                                    

                                                                                

24      (o) A vehicle for which a special registration is secured in                

                                                                                

25  accordance with section 226(12) of the Michigan vehicle code,               

                                                                                

26  1949 PA 300, MCL 257.226.                                                   

                                                                                

27      (p) A hearing aid, contact lenses if prescribed for a                       


                                                                                

1   specific disease that precludes the use of eyeglasses, or any               

                                                                                

2   other apparatus, device, or equipment used to replace or                    

                                                                                

3   substitute for any part of the human body, or used to assist the            

                                                                                

4   disabled person to lead a reasonably normal life when the                   

                                                                                

5   tangible personal property is purchased on a written prescription           

                                                                                

6   or order issued by a health professional as defined by section 4            

                                                                                

7   of former 1974 PA 264, or section 3501 of the insurance code of             

                                                                                

8   1956, 1956 PA 218, MCL 500.3501, or eyeglasses prescribed or                

                                                                                

9   dispensed to correct the person's vision by an ophthalmologist,             

                                                                                

10  optometrist, or optician.                                                   

                                                                                

11      (q) Water when delivered through water mains or in bulk                     

                                                                                

12  tanks in quantities of not less than 500 gallons.                           

                                                                                

13      (r) A vehicle not for resale used by a nonprofit corporation                

                                                                                

14  organized exclusively to provide a community with ambulance or              

                                                                                

15  fire department services.                                                   

                                                                                

16      (s) Tangible personal property purchased and installed as a                 

                                                                                

17  component part of a water pollution control facility for which a            

                                                                                

18  tax exemption certificate is issued pursuant to part 37 of the              

                                                                                

19  natural resources and environmental protection act, 1994 PA 451,            

                                                                                

20  MCL 324.3701 to 324.3708, or an air pollution control facility              

                                                                                

21  for which a tax exemption certificate is issued pursuant to part            

                                                                                

22  59 of the natural resources and environmental protection act,               

                                                                                

23  1994 PA 451, MCL 324.5901 to 324.5908.                                      

                                                                                

24      (t) Tangible real or personal property donated by a                         

                                                                                

25  manufacturer, wholesaler, or retailer to an organization or                 

                                                                                

26  entity exempt pursuant to subdivision (h) or (i) or section 4a(a)           

                                                                                

27  or (b) of the general sales tax act, 1933 PA 167, MCL 205.54a.              


                                                                                

1       (u) The storage, use, or consumption by a domestic air                      

                                                                                

2   carrier of an aircraft purchased after December 31, 1992 but                

                                                                                

3   before October 1, 1996 for use solely in the transport of air               

                                                                                

4   cargo that has a maximum certificated takeoff weight of at least            

                                                                                

5   12,500 pounds.  For purposes of this subdivision, the term                  

                                                                                

6   "domestic air carrier" is limited to entities engaged in the                

                                                                                

7   commercial transport for hire of cargo or entities engaged in the           

                                                                                

8   commercial transport of passengers as a business activity.                  

                                                                                

9       (v) The storage, use, or consumption by a domestic air                      

                                                                                

10  carrier of an aircraft purchased after June 30, 1994 but before             

                                                                                

11  October 1, 1996 that is used solely in the regularly scheduled              

                                                                                

12  transport of passengers.  For purposes of this subdivision, the             

                                                                                

13  term "domestic air carrier" is limited to entities engaged in the           

                                                                                

14  commercial transport for hire of cargo or entities engaged in the           

                                                                                

15  commercial transport of passengers as a business activity.                  

                                                                                

16      (w) The storage, use, or consumption by a domestic air                      

                                                                                

17  carrier of an aircraft, other than an aircraft described under              

                                                                                

18  subdivision  (v), purchased after December 31, 1994 but before              

                                                                                

19  October 1, 1996, that has a maximum certificated takeoff weight             

                                                                                

20  of at least 12,500 pounds and that is designed to have a maximum            

                                                                                

21  passenger seating configuration of more than 30 seats and used              

                                                                                

22  solely in the transport of passengers.  For purposes of this                

                                                                                

23  subdivision, the term "domestic air carrier" is limited to                  

                                                                                

24  entities engaged in the commercial transport for hire of cargo or           

                                                                                

25  entities engaged in the commercial transport of passengers as a             

                                                                                

26  business activity.                                                          

                                                                                

27      (x) The storage, use, or consumption of an aircraft by a                    


                                                                                

1   domestic air carrier after September 30, 1996 for use solely in             

                                                                                

2   the transport of air cargo, passengers, or a combination of air             

                                                                                

3   cargo and passengers, that has a maximum certificated takeoff               

                                                                                

4   weight of at least 6,000 pounds.  For purposes of this                      

                                                                                

5   subdivision, the term "domestic air carrier" is limited to a                

                                                                                

6   person engaged primarily in the commercial transport for hire of            

                                                                                

7   air cargo, passengers, or a combination of air cargo and                    

                                                                                

8   passengers as a business activity.  The state treasurer shall               

                                                                                

9   estimate on January 1 each year the revenue lost by this act from           

                                                                                

10  the school aid fund and deposit that amount into the school aid             

                                                                                

11  fund from the general fund.                                                 

                                                                                

12      (y) The storage, use, or consumption of an aircraft by a                    

                                                                                

13  person who purchases the aircraft for subsequent lease to a                 

                                                                                

14  domestic air carrier operating under a certificate issued by the            

                                                                                

15  federal aviation administration under  14 C.F.R. part 121  14 CFR           

                                                                                

16  part 121, for use solely in the regularly scheduled transport of            

                                                                                

17  passengers.                                                                 

                                                                                

18      (z) Property or services sold to an organization not                        

                                                                                

19  operated for profit and exempt from federal income tax under                

                                                                                

20  section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) of the internal revenue code,  of            

                                                                                

21  1986, 26 U.S.C. 501  26 USC 501; or to a health, welfare,                   

                                                                                

22  educational, cultural arts, charitable, or benevolent                       

                                                                                

23  organization not operated for profit that has been issued before            

                                                                                

24  June 13, 1994 an exemption ruling letter to purchase items exempt           

                                                                                

25  from tax signed by the administrator of the sales, use, and                 

                                                                                

26  withholding taxes division of the department.  The department               

                                                                                

27  shall reissue an exemption letter after June 13, 1994 to each of            


                                                                                

1   those organizations that had an exemption letter that shall                 

                                                                                

2   remain in effect unless the organization fails to meet the                  

                                                                                

3   requirements that originally entitled it to this exemption.  The            

                                                                                

4   exemption does not apply to sales of tangible personal property             

                                                                                

5   and sales of vehicles licensed for use on public highways, that             

                                                                                

6   are not used primarily to carry out the purposes of the                     

                                                                                

7   organization as stated in the bylaws or articles of incorporation           

                                                                                

8   of the exempt organization.                                                 

                                                                                

9       (aa) The use or consumption of services described in                        

                                                                                

10  section 3a(a) or (c) or 3b by means of a prepaid telephone                  

                                                                                

11  calling card, a prepaid authorization number for telephone use,             

                                                                                

12  or a charge for internet access.                                            

                                                                                

13      (bb) The purchase, lease, use, or consumption of the                        

                                                                                

14  following by an industrial laundry after December 31, 1997:                 

                                                                                

15                                                                               (i) Textiles and disposable products including, but not                             

                                                                                

16  limited to, soap, paper, chemicals, tissues, deodorizers and                

                                                                                

17  dispensers, and all related items such as packaging, supplies,              

                                                                                

18  hangers, name tags, and identification tags.                                

                                                                                

19      (ii) Equipment, whether owned or leased, used to repair and                  

                                                                                

20  dispense textiles including, but not limited to, roll towel                 

                                                                                

21  cabinets, slings, hardware, lockers, mop handles and frames, and            

                                                                                

22  carts.                                                                      

                                                                                

23      (iii) Machinery, equipment, parts, lubricants, and repair                    

                                                                                

24  services used to clean, process, and package textiles and related           

                                                                                

25  items, whether owned or leased.                                             

                                                                                

26      (iv) Utilities such as electric, gas, water, or oil.                         

                                                                                

27      (v) Production washroom equipment and mending and packaging                 


                                                                                

1   supplies and equipment.                                                     

                                                                                

2       (vi) Material handling equipment including, but not limited                  

                                                                                

3   to, conveyors, racks, and elevators and related control                     

                                                                                

4   equipment.                                                                  

                                                                                

5       (vii) Wastewater pretreatment equipment and supplies and                     

                                                                                

6   related maintenance and repair services.                                    

                                                                                

7       (cc) A returnable pallet or container leased to a farmer or                 

                                                                                

8   other person involved in agricultural production or processing,             

                                                                                

9   including, but not limited to, a packer, shipper, manufacturer,             

                                                                                

10  or retailer.                                                                

                                                                                

11      (2) The property or services under subsection (1) are exempt                

                                                                                

12  only to the extent that the property or services are used for the           

                                                                                

13  exempt purposes if one is stated in subsection (1).  The                    

                                                                                

14  exemption is limited to the percentage of exempt use to total use           

                                                                                

15  determined by a reasonable formula or method approved by the                

                                                                                

16  department.