MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2005 Regular Session
To: Ways and Means
By: Representative Compretta, Upshaw
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 27-65-17, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO IMPOSE THE SALES TAX AT A REDUCED RATE ON CERTAIN SALES OF MACHINERY AND MACHINE PARTS TO A TECHNOLOGY INTENSIVE BUSINESS FOR PLANT USE; TO AMEND SECTION 27-65-19, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REDUCE THE SALES TAX ON CERTAIN FUELS SOLD TO OR USED BY TECHNOLOGY INTENSIVE ENTERPRISES; TO AMEND SECTION 27-65-101, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO EXEMPT FROM SALES TAXATION SALES OF COMPONENT MATERIALS USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF A FACILITY, OR ANY ADDITION OR IMPROVEMENT TO SUCH FACILITY, AND SALES OF MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT TO BE USED IN SUCH FACILITIES, ADDITIONS OR IMPROVEMENTS, TO TECHNOLOGY INTENSIVE ENTERPRISES FOR INDUSTRIAL PURPOSES IN A TIER THREE AREA; TO REDUCE THE SALES TAXATION ON SALES OF COMPONENT MATERIALS USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF A FACILITY, OR ANY ADDITION OR IMPROVEMENT TO SUCH FACILITY, AND SALES OF MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT, TO TECHNOLOGY INTENSIVE ENTERPRISES FOR INDUSTRIAL PURPOSES IN A TIER ONE OR TIER TWO AREA; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 27-65-17, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
27-65-17. (1) (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, upon every person engaging or continuing within this state in the business of selling any tangible personal property whatsoever there is hereby levied, assessed and shall be collected a tax equal to seven percent (7%) of the gross proceeds of the retail sales of the business * * *.
(b) Retail sales of farm tractors shall be taxed at the rate of one percent (1%) when made to farmers for agricultural purposes.
(c) Retail sales of farm implements sold to farmers and used directly in the production of poultry, ratite, domesticated fish as defined in Section 69-7-501, livestock, livestock products, agricultural crops or ornamental plant crops or used for other agricultural purposes shall be taxed at the rate of three percent (3%) when used on the farm. The three percent (3%) rate shall alsoapply to all equipment used in logging, pulpwood operations or tree farming which is either:
(i) Self-propelled, or * * *
(ii) Mounted so that it is * * * permanently attached to other equipment which is self-propelled or * * * permanently attached to other equipment drawn by a vehicle which is self-propelled.
(d) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (3) of this section, retail sales of aircraft, automobiles, trucks, truck-tractors, semitrailers and mobile homes shall be taxed at the rate of three percent (3%).
(e) Sales of manufacturing machinery or manufacturing machine parts when made to a manufacturer or custom processor for plant use only when the machinery and machine parts will be used exclusively and directly within this state in manufacturing a commodity for sale, rental or in processing for a fee shall be taxed at the rate of one and one-half percent (1-1/2%).
(f) Sales of machinery and machine parts when made to a technology intensive enterprise for plant use only when the machinery and machine parts will be used exclusively and directly within this state for industrial purposes, including, but not limited to, manufacturing or research and development activities, shall be taxed at the rate of one and one-half percent (1-1/2%). In order to be considered a technology intensive enterprise for purposes of this paragraph:
(i) The enterprise shall meet minimum criteria established by the Mississippi Development Authority;
(ii) The enterprise shall employ at least ten (10) persons in full-time jobs;
(iii) At least ten percent (10%) of the workforce in the facility operated by the enterprise shall be scientists, engineers or computer specialists;
(iv) The enterprise shall manufacture plastics, chemicals, automobiles, aircraft, computers or electronics; or shall be a research and development facility, a computer design or related facility, or a software publishing facility or other technology intensive facility or enterprise as determined by the Mississippi Development Authority;
(v) The average wage of all workers employed by the enterprise at the facility shall be at least one hundred fifty percent (150%) of the state average annual wage; and
(vi) The enterprise must provide a basic health care plan to all employees at the facility.
(g) Sales of materials for use in track and track structures to a railroad whose rates are fixed by the Interstate Commerce Commission or the Mississippi Public Service Commission shall be taxed at the rate of three percent (3%).
(h) Sales of tangible personal property to electric power associations for use in the ordinary and necessary operation of their generating or distribution systems shall be taxed at the rate of one percent (1%).
(i) Wholesale sales of beer shall be taxed at the rate of seven percent (7%), and the retailer shall file a return and compute the retail tax on retail sales but may take credit for the amount of the tax paid to the wholesaler on the return covering the subsequent sales of same property, provided adequate invoices and records are maintained to substantiate the credit.
(j) Wholesale sales of food and drink for human consumption to full service vending machine operators to be sold through vending machines located apart from and not connected with other taxable businesses shall be taxed at the rate of eight percent (8%).
* * *
(2) From and after January 1, 1995, retail sales of private carriers of passengers and light carriers of property, as defined in Section 27-51-101, shall be taxed an additional two percent (2%).
(3) In lieu of the tax levied in subsection (1) of this section, there is levied on retail sales of truck-tractors and semitrailers used in interstate commerce and registered under the International Registration Plan (IRP) or any similar reciprocity agreement or compact relating to the proportional registration of commercial vehicles entered into as provided for in Section 27-19-143, a tax at the rate of three percent (3%) of the portion of the sale that is attributable to the usage of such truck-tractor or semitrailer in Mississippi. The portion of the retail sale that is attributable to the usage of such truck-tractor or semitrailer in Mississippi is the retail sales price of the truck-tractor or semitrailer multiplied by the percentage of the total miles traveled by the vehicle that are traveled in Mississippi. The tax levied pursuant to this subsection (3) shall be collected by the State Tax Commission from the purchaser of such truck-tractor or semitrailer at the time of registration of such truck-tractor or semitrailer.
(4) A manufacturer selling at retail in this state shall be required to make returns of the gross proceeds of such sales and pay the tax imposed in this section.
(5) Any person exercising any privilege taxable under Section 27-65-15 and selling his natural resource products at wholesale or to exempt persons shall pay the tax levied by such section in lieu of the tax levied by this section.
SECTION 2. Section 27-65-19, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
27-65-19. (1) (a) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, upon every person selling to consumers, electricity, current, power, potable water, steam, coal, natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas or other fuel, there is hereby levied, assessed and shall be collected a tax equal to seven percent (7%) of the gross income of the business. Provided, gross income from sales to consumers of electricity, current, power, natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas or other fuel for residential heating, lighting or other residential noncommercial or nonagricultural use, and sales of potable water for residential, noncommercial or nonagricultural use shall be excluded from taxable gross income of the business. Provided further, upon every such seller using electricity, current, power, potable water, steam, coal, natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas or other fuel for nonindustrial purposes, there is hereby levied, assessed and shall be collected a tax equal to seven percent (7%) of the cost or value of the product or service used.
(b) There is hereby levied, assessed and shall be collected a tax equal to one and one-half percent (1-1/2%) of the gross income of the business when the electricity, current, power, steam, coal, natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas or other fuel is sold to or used by a manufacturer, custom processor, technology intensive enterprise meeting the criteria provided for in Section 27-65-17(1)(f), or public service company for industrial purposes, which shall include that used to generate electricity, to operate an electrical distribution or transmission system, to operate pipeline compressor or pumping stations or to operate railroad locomotives; however,sales of fuel used to produce electric power by a company primarily engaged in the business of producing, generating or distributing electric power for sale shall be exempt from sales tax as provided in Section 27-65-107.
(c) The one and one-half percent (1-1/2%) industrial rate provided for in this subsection shall also apply when the electricity, current, power, steam, coal, natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas or other fuel is sold to a producer or processor for use directly in the production of poultry or poultry products, the production of livestock and livestock products, the production of domesticated fish and domesticated fish products, the production of marine aquaculture products, the production of plants or food by commercial horticulturists, the processing of milk and milk products, the processing of poultry and livestock feed, and the irrigation of farm crops.
(d) The one and one-half percent (1-1/2%) rate provided for in this subsection shall not apply to sales of fuel for automobiles, trucks, truck-tractors, buses, farm tractors or airplanes.
(e) Upon every person operating a telegraph or telephone business for the transmission of messages or conversations between points within this state, there is hereby levied, assessed and shall be collected a tax equal to seven percent (7%) of the gross income of such business, with no deduction or allowance for any part of an intrastate rate charge because of routing across a state line. Charges by one telecommunications provider to another telecommunications provider holding a permit issued under Section 27-65-27 for services that are resold by such other telecommunications provider, including, but not limited to, access charges, shall not be subject to the tax levied pursuant to this paragraph (e). However, any sale of a prepaid telephone calling card or prepaid authorization number, or both, shall be deemed to be the sale of tangible personal property subject only to such taxes imposed by law on the sale of tangible personal property. If the sale of a prepaid telephone calling card or prepaid authorization number does not take place at the vendor's place of business, it shall be conclusively determined to take place at the customer's shipping address. The reauthorization of a prepaid telephone calling card or a prepaid authorization number shall be conclusively determined to take place at the customer's billing address. Except for the provisions governing the sale of a prepaid telephone calling card or prepaid authorization number, this paragraph (e) shall not apply to persons providing mobile telecommunications services that are taxed pursuant to paragraph (g) of this section.
(f) Upon every person operating a telegraph or telecommunications business for the transmission of messages or conversations originating in this state or terminating in this state via interstate telecommunications, which are charged to the customer's service address in this state, regardless of where such amount is billed or paid, there is hereby levied, assessed and shall be collected a tax equal to seven percent (7%) of the gross income received by such business from such interstate telecommunications. However, a person, upon proof that he has paid a tax in another state on such event, shall be allowed a credit against the tax imposed in this paragraph (f) on interstate telecommunications charges to the extent that the amount of such tax is properly due and actually paid in such other state and to the extent that the rate of sales tax imposed by and paid to such other state does not exceed the rate of sales tax imposed by this paragraph (f). Charges by one telecommunications provider to another telecommunications provider holding a permit issued under Section 27-65-27 for services that are resold by such other telecommunications provider, including, but not limited to, access charges, shall not be subject to the tax levied pursuant to this paragraph (f). This paragraph (f) shall not apply to persons providing mobile telecommunications services that are taxed pursuant to paragraph (g) of this subsection.
(g) (i) Upon every person providing mobile telecommunications services in this state there is hereby levied, assessed and shall be collected:
1. A tax equal to seven percent (7%) of the gross income received on such services from all charges for transmission of messages or conversations between points within any single state as they shall be construed to be within this state; and
2. A tax equal to seven percent (7%) on the gross income received from all charges for services that originate in one state and terminate in any other state.
Charges by one telecommunications provider to another telecommunications provider holding a permit issued under Section 27-65-27 for services that are resold by such other telecommunications provider, including, but not limited to, access charges, shall not be subject to the tax levied pursuant to this paragraph (g).
(ii) Subject to the provisions of 4 USCS 116(c), the tax levied by this paragraph (g) shall apply only to those charges for mobile telecommunications services subject to tax which are deemed to be provided to a customer by a home service provider pursuant to 4 USCS 117(a), if the customer's place of primary use is located within this state.
(iii) A home service provider shall be responsible for obtaining and maintaining the customer's place of primary use. The home service provider shall be entitled to rely on the applicable residential or business street address supplied by such customer, if the home service provider's reliance is in good faith; and the home service provider shall be held harmless from liability for any additional taxes based on a different determination of the place of primary use for taxes that are customarily passed on to the customer as a separate itemized charge. A home service provider shall be allowed to treat the address used for purposes of the tax levied by this chapter for any customer under a service contract in effect on August 1, 2002, as that customer's place of primary use for the remaining term of such service contract or agreement, excluding any extension or renewal of such service contract or agreement. Month-to-month services provided after the expiration of a contract shall be treated as an extension or renewal of such contract or agreement.
If the commissioner determines that the address used by a home service provider as a customer's place of primary use does not meet the definition of the term "place of primary use" as defined in this paragraph, the commissioner shall give binding notice to the home service provider to change the place of primary use on a prospective basis from the date of notice of determination; however, the customer shall have the opportunity, prior to such notice of determination, to demonstrate that such address satisfies such definition.
The commission has the right to collect any taxes due directly from the home service provider's customer that has failed to provide an address that meets the definition of the term "place of primary use" which resulted in a failure of tax otherwise due being remitted.
(iv) For purposes of this paragraph (g):
1. "Place of primary use" means the street address representative of where the customer's use of mobile telecommunications services primarily occurs, which shall be either the residential street address of the customer or the primary business street address of the customer.
2. "Customer" means the person or entity that contracts with the home service provider for mobile telecommunications services. For determining the place of primary use, in those instances in which the end user of mobile telecommunications services is not the contracting party, the end user of the mobile telecommunications services shall be deemed the customer. The term "customer" shall not include a reseller of mobile telecommunications service, or a serving carrier under an arrangement to serve the customer outside the home service provider's licensed service area.
3. "Home service provider" means the facilities-based carrier or reseller with which the customer contracts for the provision of mobile telecommunications services.
(h) (i) For purposes of this paragraph (h), "bundled transaction" means a transaction that consists of distinct and identifiable properties or services which are sold for a single nonitemized price but which are treated differently for tax purposes.
(ii) In the case of a bundled transaction that includes telecommunications services taxed under this section in which the price of the bundled transaction is attributable to properties or services that are taxable and nontaxable, the portion of the price that is attributable to any nontaxable property or service shall be subject to the tax unless the provider can reasonably identify that portion from its books and records kept in the regular course of business.
(iii) In the case of a bundled transaction that includes telecommunications services subject to tax under this section in which the price is attributable to properties or services that are subject to the tax but the tax revenue from the different properties or services are dedicated to different funds or purposes, the provider shall allocate the price among the properties or services:
1. By reasonably identifying the portion of the price attributable to each of the properties and services from its books and records kept in the regular course of business; or
2. Based on a reasonable allocation methodology approved by the commission.
(iv) This paragraph (h) shall not create a right of action for a customer to require that the provider or the commission, for purposes of determining the amount of tax applicable to a bundled transaction, allocate the price to the different portions of the transaction in order to minimize the amount of tax charged to the customer. A customer shall not be entitled to rely on the fact that a portion of the price is attributable to properties or services not subject to tax unless the provider elects, after receiving a written request from the customer in the form required by the provider, to provide verifiable data based upon the provider's books and records that are kept in the regular course of business that reasonably identifies the portion of the price attributable to the properties or services not subject to the tax.
(2) Persons making sales to consumers of electricity, current, power, natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas or other fuel for residential heating, lighting or other residential noncommercial or nonagricultural use or sales of potable water for residential, noncommercial or nonagricultural use shall indicate on each statement rendered to customers that such charges are exempt from sales taxes.
(3) There is hereby levied, assessed and shall be paid on transportation charges on shipments moving between points within this state when paid directly by the consumer, a tax equal to the rate applicable to the sale of the property being transported. Such tax shall be reported and paid directly to the State Tax Commission by the consumer.
SECTION 3. Section 27-65-101, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
27-65-101. (1) The exemptions from the provisions of this chapter which are of an industrial nature or which are more properly classified as industrial exemptions than any other exemption classification of this chapter shall be confined to those persons or property exempted by this section or by the provisions of the Constitution of the United States or the State of Mississippi. No industrial exemption as now provided by any other section except Section 57-3-33 shall be valid as against the tax herein levied. Any subsequent industrial exemption from the tax levied hereunder shall be provided by amendment to this section. No exemption provided in this section shall apply to taxes levied by Section 27-65-15 or 27-65-21.
The tax levied by this chapter shall not apply to the following:
(a) Sales of boxes, crates, cartons, cans, bottles and other packaging materials to manufacturers and wholesalers for use as containers or shipping materials to accompany goods sold by said manufacturers or wholesalers where possession thereof will pass to the customer at the time of sale of the goods contained therein and sales to anyone of containers or shipping materials for use in ships engaged in international commerce.
(b) Sales of raw materials, catalysts, processing chemicals, welding gases or other industrial processing gases (except natural gas) to a manufacturer for use directly in manufacturing or processing a product for sale or rental or repairing or reconditioning vessels or barges of fifty (50) tons load displacement and over. For the purposes of this exemption, electricity used directly in the electrolysis process in the production of sodium chlorate shall be considered a raw material. This exemption shall not apply to any property used as fuel except to the extent that such fuel comprises by-products which have no market value.
(c) The gross proceeds of sales of dry docks, offshore drilling equipment for use in oil exploitation or production, vessels or barges of fifty (50) tons load displacement and over, when sold by the manufacturer or builder thereof.
(d) Sales to commercial fishermen of commercial fishing boats of over five (5) tons load displacement and not more than fifty (50) tons load displacement as registered with the United States Coast Guard and licensed by the Mississippi Commission on Marine Resources.
(e) The gross income from repairs to vessels and barges engaged in foreign trade or interstate transportation.
(f) Sales of petroleum products to vessels or barges for consumption in marine international commerce or interstate transportation businesses.
(g) Sales and rentals of rail rolling stock (and component parts thereof) for ultimate use in interstate commerce and gross income from services with respect to manufacturing, repairing, cleaning, altering, reconditioning or improving such rail rolling stock (and component parts thereof).
(h) Sales of raw materials, catalysts, processing chemicals, welding gases or other industrial processing gases (except natural gas) used or consumed directly in manufacturing, repairing, cleaning, altering, reconditioning or improving such rail rolling stock (and component parts thereof). This exemption shall not apply to any property used as fuel.
(i) Sales of machinery or tools or repair parts therefor or replacements thereof, fuel or supplies used directly in manufacturing, converting or repairing ships of three thousand (3,000) tons load displacement and over, but not to include office and plant supplies or other equipment not directly used on the ship being built, converted or repaired.
(j) Sales of tangible personal property to persons operating ships in international commerce for use or consumption on board such ships. This exemption shall be limited to cases in which procedures satisfactory to the commissioner, ensuring against use in this state other than on such ships, are established.
(k) Sales of materials used in the construction of a building, or any addition or improvement thereon, and sales of any machinery and equipment not later than three (3) months after the completion of construction of the building, or any addition thereon, to be used therein, to qualified businesses, as defined in Section 57-51-5, which are located in a county or portion thereof designated as an enterprise zone pursuant to Sections 57-51-1 through 57-51-15.
(l) Sales of materials used in the construction of a building, or any addition or improvement thereon, and sales of any machinery and equipment not later than three (3) months after the completion of construction of the building, or any addition thereon, to be used therein, to qualified businesses, as defined in Section 57-54-5.
(m) Income from storage and handling of perishable goods by a public storage warehouse.
(n) The value of natural gas lawfully injected into the earth for cycling, repressuring or lifting of oil, or lawfully vented or flared in connection with the production of oil; however, if any gas so injected into the earth is sold for such purposes, then the gas so sold shall not be exempt.
(o) The gross collections from self-service commercial laundering, drying, cleaning and pressing equipment.
(p) Sales of materials used in the construction of a building, or any addition or improvement thereon, and sales of any machinery and equipment not later than three (3) months after the completion of construction of the building, or any addition thereon, to be used therein, to qualified companies, certified as such by the Mississippi Development Authority under Section 57-53-1.
(q) Sales of component materials used in the construction of a building, or any addition or improvement thereon, sales of machinery and equipment to be used therein, and sales of manufacturing or processing machinery and equipment which is permanently attached to the ground or to a permanent foundation and which is not by its nature intended to be housed within a building structure, not later than three (3) months after the initial start-up date, to permanent business enterprises engaging in manufacturing or processing in Tier Three areas (as such term is defined in Section 57-73-21), which businesses are certified by the State Tax Commission as being eligible for the exemption granted in this paragraph (q).
(r) Sales of component materials used in the construction of a building, or any addition or improvement thereon, and sales of any machinery and equipment not later than three (3) months after the completion of the building, addition or improvement thereon, to be used therein, for any company establishing or transferring its national or regional headquarters from within or outside the State of Mississippi and creating a minimum of thirty-five (35) jobs at the new headquarters in this state. The Tax Commission shall establish criteria and prescribe procedures to determine if a company qualifies as a national or regional headquarters for the purpose of receiving the exemption provided in this paragraph.
(s) The gross proceeds from the sale of semitrailers, trailers, boats, travel trailers, motorcycles and all-terrain cycles if exported from this state within forty-eight (48) hours and registered and first used in another state.
(t) Gross income from the storage and handling of natural gas in underground salt domes and in other underground reservoirs, caverns, structures and formations suitable for such storage.
(u) Sales of machinery and equipment to nonprofit organizations if the organization: (i) is tax-exempt pursuant to Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended; (ii) assists in the implementation of the national contingency plan or area contingency plan, and which is created in response to the requirements of Title IV, Subtitle B of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, Public Law 101-380; and (iii) engages primarily in programs to contain, clean up and otherwise mitigate spills of oil or other substances occurring in the United States coastal and tidal waters. For purposes of this exemption, "machinery and equipment" means any ocean-going vessels, barges, booms, skimmers and other capital equipment used primarily in the operations of nonprofit organizations referred to herein.
(v) Sales or leases of materials and equipment to approved business enterprises as provided under the Growth and Prosperity Act.
(w) From and after July 1, 2001, sales of pollution control equipment to manufacturers or custom processors for industrial use. For the purposes of this exemption, "pollution control equipment" means equipment, devices, machinery or systems used or acquired to prevent, control, monitor or reduce air, water or groundwater pollution, or solid or hazardous waste as required by federal or state law or regulation.
(x) Sales or leases to a manufacturer of motor vehicles operating a project that has been certified by the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority as a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(iv)1 of machinery and equipment; special tooling such as dies, molds, jigs and similar items treated as special tooling for federal income tax purposes; or repair parts therefor or replacements thereof; repair services thereon; fuel, supplies, electricity, coal and natural gas used directly in the manufacture of motor vehicles or motor vehicle parts or used to provide climate control for manufacturing areas.
(y) Sales or leases of component materials, machinery and equipment used in the construction of a building, or any addition or improvement thereon to an enterprise operating a project that has been certified by the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority as a project as defined in Section 57-75-5(f)(iv)1 and any other sales or leases required to establish or operate such project.
(z) Sales of component materials and equipment to a business enterprise as provided under Section 57-64-33.
(aa) The gross income from the stripping and painting of commercial aircraft engaged in foreign or interstate transportation business.
(bb) Sales of production items used in the production of motion pictures such as film; videotape; component building materials used in the construction of a set; makeup; fabric used as or in the making of costumes; clothing, including, shoes, accessories and jewelry used as wardrobes; materials used as set dressing; materials used as props on a set or by an actor; materials used in the creation of special effects; and expendable items purchased for limited use by grip, electric and camera departments such as tape, fasteners and compressed air. For the purposes of this paragraph * * * the term "motion picture" means a nationally distributed feature-length film, video, television series or commercial made in Mississippi, in whole or in part, for theatrical or television viewing or as a television pilot. The term "motion picture" shall not include the production of television coverage of news and athletic events, or a film, video, television series or commercial that contains any material or performance defined in Section 97-29-103.
(cc) Sales of component materials used in the construction of a facility, or any addition or improvement thereto, and sales of machinery and equipment not later than three (3) months after the completion of construction of the facility, or any addition or improvement thereto, to be used in the facility or any addition or improvement thereto, to technology intensive enterprises for industrial purposes in Tier Three areas (as such areas are designated in accordance with Section 57-73-21), as certified by the State Tax Commission. For purposes of this paragraph, an enterprise must meet the criteria provided for in Section 27-65-17(1)(f) in order to be considered a technology intensive enterprise.
(2) Sales of component materials used in the construction of a building, or any addition or improvement thereon, sales of machinery and equipment to be used therein, and sales of manufacturing or processing machinery and equipment which is permanently attached to the ground or to a permanent foundation and which is not by its nature intended to be housed within a building structure, not later than three (3) months after the initial start-up date, to permanent business enterprises engaging in manufacturing or processing in Tier Two areas and Tier One areas (as such areas are designated in accordance with Section 57-73-21), which businesses are certified by the State Tax Commission as being eligible for the exemption granted in this paragraph, shall be exempt from one-half (1/2) of the taxes imposed on such transactions under this chapter.
(3) Sales of component materials used in the construction of a facility, or any addition or improvement thereto, and sales of machinery and equipment not later than three (3) months after the completion of construction of the facility, or any addition or improvement thereto, to be used in the building or any addition or improvement thereto, to technology intensive enterprises for industrial purposes in Tier Two areas and Tier One areas (as such areas are designated in accordance with Section 57-73-21), which businesses are certified by the State Tax Commission as being eligible for the exemption granted in this paragraph, shall be exempt from one-half (1/2) of the taxes imposed on such transactions under this chapter. For purposes of this subsection, an enterprise must meet the criteria provided for in Section 27-65-17(1)(f) in order to be considered a technology intensive enterprise.
(4) (a) For purposes of this subsection:
(i) "Telecommunications enterprises" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 57-73-21(13);
(ii) "Tier One areas" mean counties designated as Tier One areas pursuant to Section 57-73-21(1);
(iii) "Tier Two areas" mean counties designated as Tier Two areas pursuant to Section 57-73-21(1);
(iv) "Tier Three areas" mean counties designated as Tier Three areas pursuant to Section 57-73-21(1); and
(v) "Equipment used in the deployment of broadband technologies" means any equipment capable of being used for or in connection with the transmission of information at a rate, prior to taking into account the effects of any signal degradation, that is not less than three hundred eighty-four (384) kilobits per second in at least one direction, including, but not limited to, asynchronous transfer mode switches, digital subscriber line access multiplexers, routers, servers, multiplexers, fiber optics and related equipment.
(b) Sales of equipment to telecommunications enterprises after June 30, 2003, and before July 1, 2013, that is installed in Tier One areas and used in the deployment of broadband technologies shall be exempt from one-half (1/2) of the taxes imposed on such transactions under this chapter.
(c) Sales of equipment to telecommunications enterprises after June 30, 2003, and before July 1, 2013, that is installed in Tier Two and Tier Three areas and used in the deployment of broadband technologies shall be exempt from the taxes imposed on such transactions under this chapter.
SECTION 4. Nothing in this act shall affect or defeat any claim, assessment, appeal, suit, right or cause of action for taxes due or accrued under the sales tax laws before the date on which this act becomes effective, whether such claims, assessments, appeals, suits or actions have been begun before the date on which this act becomes effective or are begun thereafter; and the provisions of the sales tax laws are expressly continued in full force, effect and operation for the purpose of the assessment, collection and enrollment of liens for any taxes due or accrued and the execution of any warrant under such laws before the date on which this act becomes effective, and for the imposition of any penalties, forfeitures or claims for failure to comply with such laws.
SECTION 5. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2005.