MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2012 Regular Session

To: Ways and Means

By: Representative Smith (39th)

House Bill 1364

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 57-105-1, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE TIME WITHIN WHICH A QUALIFIED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ENTITY ALLOCATED A QUALIFIED EQUITY INVESTMENT TAX CREDIT MUST ISSUE THE QUALIFIED EQUITY INVESTMENT FOR WHICH THE CREDIT WAS ALLOCATED; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.    

     BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

     SECTION 1.  Section 57-105-1, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

     57-105-1.  (1)  As used in this section:

          (a)  "Adjusted purchase price" means the investment in the qualified community development entity for the qualified equity investment, substantially all of the proceeds of which are used to make qualified low-income community investments in Mississippi.

     For the purposes of calculating the amount of qualified low-income community investments held by a qualified community development entity, an investment will be considered held by a qualified community development entity even if the investment has been sold or repaid; provided that the qualified community development entity reinvests an amount equal to the capital returned to or recovered by the qualified community development entity from the original investment, exclusive of any profits realized, in another qualified low-income community investment in Mississippi within twelve (12) months of the receipt of such capital.  A qualified community development entity will not be required to reinvest capital returned from the qualified low-income community investments after the sixth anniversary of the issuance of the qualified equity investment, the proceeds of which were used to make the qualified low-income community investment, and the qualified low-income community investment will be considered held by the qualified community development entity through the seventh anniversary of the qualified equity investment's issuance.

          (b)  "Applicable percentage" means:

              (i)  For any equity investment issued prior to July 1, 2008, four percent (4%) for each of the second through seventh credit allowance dates for purposes of the taxes imposed by Section 27-7-5 and one and one-third percent (1-1/3%) for each of the second through seventh credit allowance dates for purposes of the taxes imposed by Sections 27-15-103, 27-15-109 and 27-15-123.

              (ii)  For any equity investment issued from and after July 1, 2008, eight percent (8%) for each of the first through third credit allowance dates for purposes of the taxes imposed by Section 27-7-5 or the taxes imposed by Sections 27-15-103, 27-15-109 and 27-15-123.

          (c)  "Credit allowance date" means, with respect to any qualified equity investment:

              (i)  The date upon which the investment is initially made; and

              (ii)  1.  For equity investments issued prior to July 1, 2008, each of the subsequent six (6) anniversary dates of the date upon which the investment is initially made; or

                   2.  For equity investments issued from and after July 1, 2008, each of the subsequent two (2) anniversary dates of the date upon which the investment is initially made.

          (d)  "Qualified community development entity" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 45D of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, if the entity has entered into an Allocation Agreement with the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund of the United States Department of the Treasury with respect to credits authorized by Section 45D of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

          (e)  "Qualified active low-income community business" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 45D of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

          (f)  "Qualified equity investment" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 45D of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.  The investment does not have to be designated as a qualified equity investment by the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund of the United States Treasury to be considered a qualified equity investment under this section but otherwise must meet the definition under the Internal Revenue Code.  In addition to meeting the definition in Section 45D of the Internal Revenue Code such investment must also:

              (i)  Have been acquired after January 1, 2007, at its original issuance solely in exchange for cash; and

              (ii)  Have been allocated by the Mississippi Development Authority.

          (g)  "Qualified low-income community investment" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 45D of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended; provided, however, that the maximum amount of qualified low-income community investments issued for a single qualified active low-income community business, on an aggregate basis with all of its affiliates, that may be included for purposes of allocating any credits under this section shall not exceed Ten Million Dollars ($10,000,000.00), in the aggregate, whether issued by one (1) or several qualified community development entities.

     (2)  A taxpayer that holds a qualified equity investment on the credit allowance date of the qualified equity investment shall be entitled to a credit applicable against the taxes imposed by Sections 27-7-5, 27-15-103, 27-15-109 and 27-15-123 during the taxable year that includes the credit allowance date.  The amount of the credit shall be equal to the applicable percentage of the adjusted purchase price paid to the qualified community development entity for the qualified equity investment.  The amount of the credit that may be utilized in any one (1) tax year shall be limited to an amount not greater than the total tax liability of the taxpayer for the taxes imposed by the above-referenced sections.  The credit shall not be refundable or transferable.  Any unused portion of the credit may be carried forward for seven (7) taxable years beyond the credit allowance date on which the credit was earned.  The maximum aggregate amount of qualified equity investments that may be allocated by the Mississippi Development Authority may not exceed an amount that would result in taxpayers claiming in any one (1) state fiscal year credits in excess of Fifteen Million Dollars ($15,000,000.00), exclusive of credits that might be carried forward from previous taxable years; however, a maximum of one-third (1/3) of this amount may be allocated as credits for taxes imposed by Sections 27-15-103, 27-15-109 and 27-15-123.  Any taxpayer claiming a credit under this section against the taxes imposed by Sections 27-7-5, 27-15-103, 27-15-109 and 27-15-123 shall not be required to pay any additional tax under Section 27-15-123 as a result of claiming such credit.  The Mississippi Development Authority shall allocate credits within this limit as provided for in subsection (4) of this section.

     (3)  Tax credits authorized by this section that are earned by a partnership, limited liability company, S corporation or other similar pass-through entity, shall be allocated among all partners, members or shareholders, respectively, either in proportion to their ownership interest in such entity or as the partners, members or shareholders mutually agree as provided in an executed document.  Such allocation shall be made each taxable year of such pass-through entity which contains a credit allowance date.

     (4)  The qualified community development entity shall apply for credits with the Mississippi Development Authority on forms prescribed by the Mississippi Development Authority.  The qualified community development entity must pay an application fee of One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) to the Mississippi Development Authority at the time the application is submitted.  In the application the qualified community development entity shall certify to the Mississippi Development Authority the anticipated dollar amount of the qualified equity investments to be made in this state during the first twelve-month period following the initial credit allowance date.  The Mississippi Development Authority shall allocate credits based on the anticipated dollar amount of qualified equity investments as certified in the application.  Once the Mississippi Development Authority has allocated credits to a qualified community development entity, such entity shall have sixty (60) days from the date of such allocation to issue the corresponding qualified equity investments.  If the qualified equity investment is not issued within such time period, the allocation shall be cancelled and returned to the Mississippi Development Authority for reallocation.  Upon final documentation of the qualified low-income community investments, if the actual dollar amount of the investments is lower than the amount estimated, the Mississippi Development Authority shall adjust the tax credit allowed under this section.  The Department of Revenue may recapture all of the credit allowed under this section if:

          (a)  Any amount of federal tax credits available with respect to a qualified equity investment that is eligible for a tax credit under this section is recaptured under Section 45D of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended; or

          (b)  The qualified community development entity redeems or makes any principal repayment with respect to a qualified equity investment prior to the seventh anniversary of the issuance of the qualified equity investment; or

          (c)  The qualified community development entity fails to maintain at least eighty-five percent (85%) of the proceeds of the qualified equity investment in qualified low-income community investments in Mississippi at any time prior to the seventh anniversary of the issuance of the qualified equity investment.

     Any credits that are subject to recapture under this subsection shall be recaptured from the taxpayer that actually claimed the credit.

     The Mississippi Development Authority shall not allocate any credits under this section after January 1, 2014.

     (5)  Each qualified community development entity that receives qualified equity investments to make qualified low-income community investments in Mississippi must annually report to the Mississippi Development Authority the North American Industry Classification System Code, the county, the dollars invested, the number of jobs assisted and the number of jobs assisted with wages over one hundred percent (100%) of the federal poverty level for a family of four (4) of each qualified low-income community investment.

     (6)  The Mississippi Development Authority shall file an annual report on all qualified low-income community investments with the Governor, the Clerk of the House of Representatives, the Secretary of the Senate and the Secretary of State describing the North American Industry Classification System Code, the county, the dollars invested, the number of jobs assisted and the number of jobs assisted with wages over one hundred percent (100%) of the federal poverty level for a family of four (4) of each qualified low-income community investment.  The annual report will be posted on the Mississippi Development Authority's Internet website.

     (7)  The Mississippi Development Authority shall promulgate rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this section.

     SECTION 2.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2012.