An Act To Amend the Maine Tax Laws
PART A
Sec. A-1. 36 MRSA §1752, sub-§3-F is enacted to read:
Sec. A-2. 36 MRSA §1752, sub-§11-B is enacted to read:
Sec. A-3. 36 MRSA §1752, sub-§14, ¶A, as amended by PL 2007, c. 627, §43, is further amended to read:
(1) Any consideration for services that are a part of a retail sale; and
(2) All receipts, cash, credits and property of any kind or nature and any amount for which credit is allowed by the seller to the purchaser, without any deduction on account of the cost of the property sold, the cost of the materials used, labor or service cost, interest paid, losses or any other expenses . ; and
(3) All consideration received for the rental of living quarters in this State or for facilitation of the rental of living quarters in this State, including any service charge or other charge or amount required to be paid as a condition for occupancy, valued in money, whether received in money or otherwise and whether received by the owner, occupant, manager or operator of the living quarters, by a room remarketer, by a person that operates a transient rental platform or by another person on behalf of any of those persons.
Sec. A-4. 36 MRSA §1752, sub-§17-B, as amended by PL 2013, c. 156, §2, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:
Sec. A-5. 36 MRSA §1752, sub-§20-C is enacted to read:
Sec. A-6. 36 MRSA §1754-B, sub-§1, ¶F, as amended by PL 2005, c. 218, §19, is further amended to read:
Sec. A-7. 36 MRSA §1754-B, sub-§1, ¶¶F-1 and F-2 are enacted to read:
Sec. A-8. 36 MRSA §1811, as amended by PL 2015, c. 267, Pt. OOOO, §5 and affected by §7 and amended by c. 300, Pt. A, §25, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:
§ 1811. Sales tax
(1) Eight percent on the value of prepared food;
(2) Eight percent on the value of liquor sold in licensed establishments as defined in Title 28-A, section 2, subsection 15, in accordance with Title 28-A, chapter 43;
(3) Eight percent on the value of rental of living quarters in any hotel, rooming house or tourist or trailer camp; and
(4) Ten percent on the value of rental for a period of less than one year of an automobile, of a pickup truck or van with a gross vehicle weight of less than 26,000 pounds rented from a person primarily engaged in the business of renting automobiles or of a loaner vehicle that is provided other than to a motor vehicle dealer's service customers pursuant to a manufacturer's or dealer's warranty.
(1) Eight percent on the value of prepared food;
(2) Eight percent on the value of liquor sold in licensed establishments as defined in Title 28-A, section 2, subsection 15, in accordance with Title 28-A, chapter 43;
(3) Nine percent on the value of rental of living quarters in any hotel, rooming house or tourist or trailer camp; and
(4) Ten percent on the value of rental for a period of less than one year of an automobile, of a pickup truck or van with a gross vehicle weight of less than 26,000 pounds rented from a person primarily engaged in the business of renting automobiles or of a loaner vehicle that is provided other than to a motor vehicle dealer's service customers pursuant to a manufacturer's or dealer's warranty.
(1) Eight percent on the value of prepared food;
(2) Eight percent on the value of liquor sold in licensed establishments as defined in Title 28-A, section 2, subsection 15, in accordance with Title 28-A, chapter 43;
(3) Nine percent on the value of rental of living quarters in any hotel, rooming house or tourist or trailer camp;
(4) Nine percent on the value of the facilitation of the rental of living quarters; and
(5) Ten percent on the value of rental for a period of less than one year of an automobile, of a pickup truck or van with a gross vehicle weight of less than 26,000 pounds rented from a person primarily engaged in the business of renting automobiles or of a loaner vehicle that is provided other than to a motor vehicle dealer's service customers pursuant to a manufacturer's or dealer's warranty.
(1) The total monthly lease payment multiplied by the number of payments in the lease or rental;
(2) The amount of equity involved in any trade-in; and
(3) The value of any cash down payment.
Collection and remittance of the tax is the responsibility of the person that negotiates the lease transaction with the lessee.
Sec. A-9. Application. Those sections of this Part that enact the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 36, section 1752, subsections 3-F, 11-B and 20-C and Title 36, section 1754-B, subsection 1, paragraphs F-1 and F-2, that amend Title 36, section 1752, subsection 14, paragraph A and that repeal and replace Title 36, section 1752, subsection 17-B apply to sales occurring on or after October 1, 2018.
PART B
Sec. B-1. 36 MRSA §§2521-D and 2521-E are enacted to read:
§ 2521-D. Limitation on credit or refund
If a claim for credit or refund of an overpayment of any tax imposed by this chapter is filed by the taxpayer, the amount of the credit or refund may not exceed the portion of the tax that was paid within the 3 years immediately preceding the filing of the claim plus the period of any extension of time for filing the return. If a claim is not filed, any credit or refund allowed upon an audit of the taxpayer may not exceed the amount that would be allowable under this section if a claim had been filed by the taxpayer on the date the credit or refund is allowed upon the audit.
§ 2521-E. Interest on overpayment
PART C
Sec. C-1. 36 MRSA §5122, sub-§2, ¶E, as amended by PL 1999, c. 414, §40 and affected by §57 and amended by PL 2007, c. 58, §3, is further amended to read:
Sec. C-2. 36 MRSA §5219-PP, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 2017, c. 211, Pt. D, §10, is amended to read:
Sec. C-3. Application. That section of this Part that amends the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 36, section 5219-PP, subsection 4 applies to tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2018.
PART D
Sec. D-1. 36 MRSA §191, sub-§2, ¶DDD, as enacted by PL 2017, c. 284, Pt. UUUU, §16, is reallocated to 36 MRSA §191, sub-§2, ¶EEE.
Sec. D-2. 36 MRSA §191, sub-§2, ¶DDD, as enacted by PL 2017, c. 297, §1, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:
Sec. D-3. 36 MRSA §5219-QQ, sub-§2, ¶E, as enacted by PL 2017, c. 297, §2, is amended to read:
Sec. D-4. 36 MRSA §5219-QQ, sub-§§3 and 4, as enacted by PL 2017, c. 297, §2, are amended to read:
(1) A credit is not allowed for any tax year during which the taxpayer does not meet or exceed the following employment targets as measured on the last day of the tax year.
(a) For each of the first 10 tax years for which the credit is claimed, there must be a total of at least 80 additional full-time employees based in the State whose jobs were added since the first day of the first tax year for which the credit was claimed multiplied by the number of years for which the credit has been claimed , including the tax year for which the credit is currently being claimed.
(b) For each tax year after the 10th tax year for which the credit is claimed, the taxpayer must employ a total of at least 800 additional full-time employees based in the State whose jobs were added since the first day of the first tax year for which the credit was claimed.
Jobs for additional full-time employees that are counted for determining eligibility for the credit under one certificate of completion may not be counted for determining eligibility for the credit under a separate certificate of completion. For purposes of this paragraph, "additional full-time employees" does not include employees who are shifted to a certified applicant's headquarters in the State from an affiliated business in the State. The commissioner shall determine whether a shifting of employees has occurred. For purposes of this paragraph, "affiliated business" has the same meaning as in section 6753, subsection 1-A.
(2) Cumulative credits under this subsection may not exceed $16,000,000 under any one certificate.
(1) The number of full-time employees based in this State of the certified applicant on the last day of the tax year ending during the calendar year immediately preceding the report year; and
(2) The incremental amount of qualified investment made in the report year.
The commissioner may prescribe forms for the annual report described in this paragraph. The commissioner shall provide copies of the report to the State Tax Assessor and to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over taxation matters at the time the report is received.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the reports provided under this subsection are public records as defined in Title 1, section 402, subsection 3.
Sec. D-5. 36 MRSA §5219-QQ, sub-§5 is enacted to read:
PART E
Sec. E-1. 23 MRSA §4210-B, sub-§7-A, as amended by PL 2011, c. 649, Pt. E, §2, is further amended to read:
PART F
Sec. F-1. 36 MRSA §1282, as amended by PL 1991, c. 846, §13, is further amended by adding after the 5th paragraph a new paragraph to read:
A discharge of a tax lien mortgage given after the right of redemption has expired that has been recorded by the State Tax Assessor in the registry of deeds has the force and effect of a discharge given and recorded before the right of redemption has expired, unless the State has conveyed any interest based upon the title acquired from the affected lien. This paragraph applies to discharges of tax lien mortgages given after October 1, 1935.
Sec. F-2. 36 MRSA §1283, 2nd ¶, as amended by PL 1999, c. 414, §14 and PL 2011, c. 657, Pt. W, §6, is further amended to read:
The State Tax Assessor, whenever Whenever the State acquires title to real estate under this subchapter, except real estate that is a permanent residence, as defined in section 681, the State Tax Assessor shall cause an inventory to be made of all the real estate. The inventory must contain a description of the real estate, amount of accrued taxes by years and any other information necessary in the administration and supervision of the real estate. A copy of the inventory must be furnished to the Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry and the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife prior to the convening of the Legislature. The assessor shall report annually to the Legislature not later than 15 days after it convenes. The report must contain a copy of the inventory of real estate then owned by the State and such recommendations as to the disposition of this real estate the assessor, the Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry and the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife may wish to make. Whenever the State acquires title to real estate that is a permanent residence, as defined in section 681, the State Tax Assessor may cause an inventory to be made of that real estate; that inventory must comply with the requirements of this paragraph.
Sec. F-3. 36 MRSA §1283, 3rd ¶, as amended by PL 1967, c. 271, §8, is further amended to read:
The State Tax Assessor shall, after authorization by the Legislature, sell and convey any such real estate; but shall in all cases of sales, except sales to the former owners of the real estate, give public notice of the proposal to sell such real estate and shall ask for competitive bids and shall sell to the highest bidder, with the right of rejecting all bids. No sales Sales of such real estate or any stumpage thereon shall on that real estate may not be made by the State Tax Assessor except by authorization of the Legislature. Notwithstanding any provisions of this chapter to the contrary, if the State Tax Assessor has not yet conveyed such real estate, the State Tax Assessor may convey the real estate to the prior owner under the authorization of this section if the tax, interest and costs are satisfied by way of full payment, compromise or abatement.
Sec. F-4. Retroactivity. This Part applies retroactively to October 1, 1935.
PART G
Sec. G-1. 36 MRSA §191, sub-§2, ¶SS, as amended by PL 2011, c. 548, §11, is further amended to read:
Sec. G-2. 36 MRSA §5219-HH, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 548, §33 and affected by §35, is repealed.
SUMMARY
This bill does the following:
Part A expands the provision for sellers required to register to collect and report sales taxes to include online real property rental platforms and those engaged in the facilitation of the rental of living quarters. Definitions for "room remarketer," "transient rental platform" and "facilitation of the rental of living quarters" are added. The definition of "sale price" is amended to include as consideration receipts by room remarketers and transient rental platform operators. The definition of "taxable service" is amended to include facilitation of the rental of living quarters in a hotel, rooming house or tourist or trailer camp. It restructures and reorganizes the section of law specifying the rate of sales tax. The clarification regarding the registration requirements for the rental of living quarters takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the Second Regular Session of the 128th Legislature. The changes apply to sales occurring on or after October 1, 2018;
Part B:
1. Limits insurance premium tax refunds to the amount of tax paid within the 3-year period immediately preceding the filing of a refund claim or audit. The provision is similar to that provided with respect to income tax refund claims; and
2. Prohibits the payment of interest on an overpayment of insurance premiums tax if the overpayment is refunded by the State Tax Assessor within 60 days of the taxpayer's filing of the claim with Maine Revenue Services. The provision is similar to that provided with respect to income tax refund claims;
Part C:
1. Allows the subtraction of pick-up contributions distributed to the taxpayer by the Maine Public Employees Retirement System in the form of a rollover from taxable income within 3 years beginning with the year of the rollover. The change applies to tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2018; and
2. Makes the credit for homestead modifications available in the tax year during which the certification of eligibility is made. Current law ties the credit to the year during which the qualified expenditures are paid, but the credit may be claimed only once the Maine State Housing Authority certifies to the State Tax Assessor that the expenditures incurred qualify for the credit. The change applies to tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2018;
Part D makes the following changes to the tax credit for major business headquarters expansions. It:
1. Clarifies that the information regarding revenue loss attributable to the tax credit reported by the State Tax Assessor to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over taxation matters is not confidential taxpayer information. It also corrects a numbering conflict created when 2 public laws enacted the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 36, section 191, subsection 2, paragraph DDD;
2. Clarifies that a revocation of a certificate of approval or a certificate of completion due to ceasing operations of the headquarters also applies to a certificate held by a transferee;
3. Clarifies that the credit is available only to a certified applicant who has received a certificate of completion;
4. Clarifies that the required job threshold calculation includes the tax year for which the credit is currently being claimed, in addition to the tax years for which the credit has been claimed;
5. Clarifies that the amount recovered by the State when a certificate is revoked is a tax due in the taxable year during which the certificate is revoked and is subject to the collection and enforcement provisions contained in Title 36, Part 1, including the application of applicable interest and penalties;
6. Provides that, when determining the number of employees for eligibility for the credit, employees who are shifted to a qualified applicant's headquarters from an affiliated business in the State are not counted;
7. Removes the requirement that the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over taxation matters aggregate data on employment levels and qualified investment amounts of certified applicants for each year;
8. Delays the State Tax Assessor's yearly reporting requirement until December 31st and clarifies that the report is for the tax year ending during the immediately preceding calendar year;
9. Defines the term "revenue loss" for the purposes of the State Tax Assessor's yearly reporting requirement and the confidentiality exception applying to the report; and
10. Adds rule-making authority for the commissioner and the State Tax Assessor;
Part E clarifies that the amount of sales tax revenue transferred to the Multimodal Transportation Fund is calculated after a reduction for the amount transferred to the Local Government Fund is made;
Part F aligns certain parts of the Unorganized Territory Educational and Services Tax lien foreclosure process with the municipal tax lien foreclosure process retroactively to October 1, 1935. It:
1. Authorizes the State Tax Assessor to issue a discharge of a tax lien mortgage on real estate after the prior owner's right of redemption has expired, unless the State has conveyed any interest based upon the title acquired from the affected lien;
2. Allows the State Tax Assessor to not perform certain inventory and reporting procedures with respect to real estate that is a permanent residence that has been acquired by the State through the tax lien foreclosure process; and
3. Authorizes the State Tax Assessor to convey real estate acquired by the State through the tax lien foreclosure process to the prior owner without further legislative authorization if the tax due on the real estate has been satisfied; and
Part G makes a technical clarification by repealing the provision regarding the new markets capital investment credit requiring the Commissioner of Administrative and Financial Services to enter into a memorandum of agreement. The memorandum is a nonbinding document with no substantive legal effect.