An Act To Make Minor Substantive Changes to the Tax Laws
Sec. 1. 27 MRSA §511, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 539, Pt. WW, §1, is amended to read:
When performing the certification required by this subsection, the director shall interpret the provisions of this subsection in a manner consistent with the provisions of the federal Internal Revenue Code, Section 47.
Sec. 2. 30-A MRSA §4722, sub-§1, ¶BB, as amended by PL 2007, c. 645, §2, is further amended to read:
Sec. 3. 30-A MRSA §4722, sub-§1, ¶CC, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 645, §3, is amended to read:
Sec. 4. 30-A MRSA §4722, sub-§1, ¶DD is enacted to read:
(1) For purposes of this paragraph, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.
(a) "Affordable housing" means a decent, safe and sanitary dwelling, apartment or other living accommodation for a household whose income does not exceed 60% of the median income for the area as defined by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development under the United States Housing Act of 1937, Public Law 412, 50 Stat. 888, Section 8, as amended.
(b) "Affordable housing project" means a project in which:
(i) At least 50% of the aggregate square feet of the completed project is housing of which at least 50% of the aggregate square feet of the completed housing creates new affordable housing; or
(ii) At least 33% of the aggregate square feet of the completed project creates new affordable housing.
(2) An affordable housing project for which the owner of the property received the income tax credit increase under Title 36, section 5219-BB, subsection 3 must remain an affordable housing project for 30 years from the date the affordable housing project is placed in service. If the property does not remain an affordable housing project for 30 years from the date the affordable housing project is placed in service, the owner of the property shall pay to the Maine State Housing Authority for application to the Housing Opportunities for Maine Fund established under section 4853 an amount equal to the income tax credit increase allowed under Title 36, section 5219-BB, subsection 3, plus interest on that amount at the rate of 7% per annum from the date the property is placed in service until the date of payment of all amounts due. The affordability requirements and the repayment obligation in this subparagraph must be set forth in a restrictive covenant executed by the owner of the property and the affordable housing project for the benefit of and enforceable by the Maine State Housing Authority and recorded in the appropriate registry of deeds before the owner of the property claims the income tax credit increase under Title 36, section 5219-BB, subsection 3.
(3) If the repayment obligation in subparagraph (2) is not fully satisfied after written notice is sent by certified mail or registered mail to the owner of the property at the owner's last known address, the Maine State Housing Authority may file a notice of lien in the registry of deeds of the county in which the real property subject to the lien is located. The notice of lien must specify the amount and interest due, the name and last known address of the owner, a description of the property subject to the lien and the Maine State Housing Authority's address and the name and address of its attorney, if any. The Maine State Housing Authority shall send a copy of the notice of lien filed in the registry by certified mail or registered mail to the owner of the property at the owner's last known address and to any person who has a security interest, mortgage, lien, encumbrance or other interest in the property that is properly recorded in the registry of deeds in which the property is located. The lien arises and becomes perfected at the time the notice is filed in the appropriate registry of deeds in accordance with this subparagraph. The lien constitutes a lien on all property with respect to which the owner receives the income tax credit increase under Title 36, Section 5219-BB, subsection 3 and the proceeds of any disposition of the property that occurs after notice to the owner of the repayment obligation. The lien is prior to any mortgage and security interest, lien, restrictive covenant or other encumbrance recorded, filed or otherwise perfected after the notice of lien is filed in the appropriate registry of deeds. The lien may be enforced by a turnover or sale order in accordance with Title 14, section 3131 or any other manner in which a judgment lien may be enforced under the law. The lien must be in the amount of the income tax credit increase allowed under Title 36, section 5219-BB, subsection 3, plus interest on that amount at the rate of 7% per annum from the date the property is placed in service until the date of payment of all amounts due. Upon receipt of payment of all amounts due under the lien, the Maine State Housing Authority shall execute a discharge lien for filing in the registry or offices in which the notice of lien was filed.
(4) Annually by every August 1st until and including August 1, 2013, the Maine State Housing Authority shall review the report issued pursuant to Title 27, section 511, subsection 5, paragraph A to determine the percentage of the total aggregate square feet of completed projects that constitutes new affordable housing, rehabilitated and developed using:
(a) Either of the income tax credits under Title 36, section 5219-BB, subsection 2; and
(b) The income tax credit increase under Title 36, section 5219-BB, subsection 3.
If the total aggregate square feet of new affordable housing does not equal or exceed 30% of the total aggregate square feet of rehabilitated and developed completed projects eligible for a credit under Title 36, section 5219-BB, the Maine State Housing Authority and Maine Historic Preservation Commission shall notify the State Tax Assessor of this fact.
Sec. 5. 36 MRSA §112, sub-§13 is enacted to read:
Sec. 6. 36 MRSA §183-A is enacted to read:
§ 183-A. Subsequent offenses
Sec. 7. 36 MRSA §184, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 452, Pt. U, §1 and affected by Pt. X, §2, is repealed.
Sec. 8. 36 MRSA §184-A, sub-§1-A, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 452, Pt. U, §2 and affected by Pt. X, §2, is repealed.
Sec. 9. 36 MRSA §184-A, sub-§2-A, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 452, Pt. U, §2 and affected by Pt. X, §2, is repealed.
Sec. 10. 36 MRSA §185, sub-§4 is enacted to read:
Sec. 11. 36 MRSA §191, sub-§2, ¶K, as repealed and replaced by PL 1987, c. 769, Pt. A, §145, is amended to read:
Sec. 12. 36 MRSA §191, sub-§2, ¶JJ, as amended by PL 2007, c. 539, Pt. M, §3 and Pt. OO, §6; c. 693, §8; and c. 694, §2, is further amended to read:
Sec. 13. 36 MRSA §191, sub-§2, ¶KK, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 539, Pt. M, §4, is amended to read:
Sec. 14. 36 MRSA §191, sub-§2, ¶KK, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 539, Pt. OO, §7, is reallocated to 36 MRSA §191, sub-§2, ¶LL.
Sec. 15. 36 MRSA §191, sub-§2, ¶KK, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 693, §9, is reallocated to 36 MRSA §191, sub-§2, ¶MM.
Sec. 16. 36 MRSA §191, sub-§2, ¶KK, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 694, §3, is reallocated to 36 MRSA §191, sub-§2, ¶NN.
Sec. 17. 36 MRSA §191, sub-§2, ¶OO is enacted to read:
Sec. 18. 36 MRSA §1760, sub-§25, as amended by PL 2007, c. 438, §39, is further amended to read:
Sec. 19. 36 MRSA §1760, sub-§41, as amended by PL 1999, c. 759, §3 and affected by §4, is further amended to read:
Sec. 20. 36 MRSA §2554, sub-§4 is enacted to read:
Sec. 21. 36 MRSA §2557, sub-§3, ¶G-1 is enacted to read:
Sec. 22. 36 MRSA §4366-A, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2007, c. 438, §§91 and 92, is repealed.
Sec. 23. 36 MRSA §4366-A, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2007, c. 438, §93, is further amended to read:
Sec. 24. 36 MRSA §4366-A, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 458, §10, is amended to read:
Sec. 25. 36 MRSA §4366-A, sub-§6, as repealed and replaced by PL 2003, c. 452, Pt. U, §13 and affected by Pt. X, §2, is amended to read:
Except as otherwise specifically provided, violation of this subsection is a strict liability crime as defined in Title 17-A, section 34, subsection 4-A.
Title 17-A, section 9-A governs the use of prior convictions when determining a sentence.
Sec. 26. 36 MRSA §4641-C, sub-§7, as amended by PL 2003, c. 344, Pt. D, §26, is further amended to read:
Sec. 27. 36 MRSA §4715, as enacted by PL 1987, c. 513, §10 and amended by PL 1991, c. 376, §61, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:
§ 4715. Dealer reports of purchases and payment of taxes
Every dealer shall keep, as a part of its permanent records, a record of all mahogany quahogs purchased at point of first sale. These records must be open for inspection by the State Tax Assessor at all times. On or before the last day of each month, every dealer shall file a return with the assessor on a form furnished by the assessor stating the number of bushels of mahogany quahogs purchased by the dealer during the preceding calendar month. At the same time, the dealer shall pay to the assessor a tax of $1.20 per bushel on all mahogany quahogs purchased by the dealer during the preceding calendar month. A dealer whose annual tax liability under this chapter does not exceed $1,000 may file an annual return with payment on or before January 31st covering the prior calendar year. If the assessor determines that additional tax is due or that an overpayment of tax has been made, assessments or refunds must be made by the assessor to the dealer.
Sec. 28. 36 MRSA §5219-BB, as amended by PL 2007, c. 693, §32 and affected by §37, is further amended to read:
§ 5219-BB. Credit for rehabilitation of historic properties after 2007
A taxpayer is allowed a credit under paragraph A or B but not both. A credit may not be claimed for expenditures incurred before January 1, 2008 or after December 31, 2013.
By August 1, 2009 and annually every August 1st thereafter to 2013, the Maine Historic Preservation Commission and the Maine State Housing Authority shall review the report issued pursuant to Title 27, section 511, subsection 5, paragraph A to determine the percentage of the total aggregate square feet rehabilitated and developed using both the 25% credit under subsection 2 and the 30% credit under this subsection that constitutes new affordable housing. If the total aggregate square feet of new affordable housing does not equal or exceed 30% of the total aggregate square feet of rehabilitated and developed completed projects eligible for a credit under this section, the commission and the authority shall notify the State Tax Assessor and the credit authorized in subsection 2, paragraph B is increased by 1% for that tax year and for each succeeding year in which the 30% affordable housing threshold is not reached until a maximum credit rate of 35% is reached.
§5219-BB. Dental care access credit as enacted by PL 2007, c. 690, §1 was repealed by PL 2009. c. 141, §1
Sec. 29. 36 MRSA §5220, sub-§7 is enacted to read:
Sec. 30. 36 MRSA §5276, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2005, c. 332, §25, is further amended to read:
Sec. 31. 36 MRSA §5332, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 452, Pt. U, §17 and affected by Pt. X, §2, is repealed.
Sec. 32. 36 MRSA §5333, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 452, Pt. U, §18 and affected by Pt. X, §2, is repealed.
Sec. 33. 36 MRSA §6665, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 12, Pt. BBB, §5, is repealed.
Sec. 34. 36 MRSA §6758, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 669, §5, is amended to read:
Sec. 35. 36 MRSA §6902, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2007, c. 693, §36, is further amended to read:
Sec. 36. Application. That section of this Act that repeals and replaces Title 36, section 4715 applies to tax periods beginning on or after January 1, 2010.
Sec. 37. Retroactivity. That section of this Act that enacts the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 36, section 2557, subsection 3, paragraph N applies retroactively to October 1, 2007. That section of this Act that amends Title 36, section 4641-C, subsection 7 applies retroactively to July 1, 2003. Those sections of this Act that amend Title 27, section 511, subsection 2; Title 30-A, section 4722, subsection 1, paragraphs BB and CC; and Title 36, section 5219-BB; and that section that enacts Title 30-A, section 4722, subsection 1, paragraph DD apply retroactively to June 30, 2008. The portion of this Act that enacts Title 36, section 1760, subsection 41, paragraph B applies retroactively to January 1, 2008. The portion of this Act that enacts Title 36, section 1760, subsection 41, paragraph C applies retroactively to June 15, 2001.