pa011799

Act No. 117

Public Acts of 1999

Approved by the Governor

July 14, 1999

Filed with the Secretary of State

July 14, 1999

EFFECTIVE DATE: July 14, 1999

STATE OF MICHIGAN

90TH LEGISLATURE

REGULAR SESSION OF 1999

Introduced by Rep. Cassis

ENROLLED HOUSE BILL No. 4744

AN ACT to amend 1937 PA 94, entitled ''An act to provide for the levy, assessment and collection of a specific excise tax on the storage, use or consumption in this state of tangible personal property and certain services; to appropriate the proceeds thereof; and to prescribe penalties for violations of the provisions of this act,'' by amending sections 3, 4, and 4h (MCL 205.93, 205.94, and 205.94h), section 3 as amended by 1995 PA 67, section 4 as amended by 1998 PA 491, and section 4h as added by 1986 PA 13, and by adding sections 4o, 4p, 4q, 4r, 4s, 4v, 8, and 9a.

The People of the State of Michigan enact:

Sec. 3. (1) There is levied upon and there shall be collected from every person in this state a specific tax for the privilege of using, storing, or consuming tangible personal property in this state at a rate equal to 6% of the price of the property or services specified in section 3a. Penalties and interest shall be added to the tax if applicable as provided in this act. For the purpose of the proper administration of this act and to prevent the evasion of the tax, it is presumed that tangible personal property purchased is subject to the tax if brought into the state within 90 days of the purchase date and is considered as acquired for storage, use, or other consumption in this state.

(2) The tax imposed by this section for the privilege of using, storing, or consuming a vehicle, ORV, mobile home, aircraft, snowmobile, or watercraft shall be collected before the transfer of the vehicle, ORV, mobile home, aircraft, snowmobile, or watercraft, except a transfer to a licensed dealer or retailer for purposes of resale that arises by reason of a transaction made by a person who does not transfer vehicles, ORVs, mobile homes, aircraft, snowmobiles, or watercraft in the ordinary course of his or her business done in this state. The tax on a vehicle, ORV, snowmobile, and watercraft shall be collected by the secretary of state before the transfer of the vehicle, ORV, snowmobile, or watercraft registration. The tax on a mobile home shall be collected by the department of consumer and industry services, mobile home commission, or its agent before the transfer of the certificate of title. The tax on an aircraft shall be collected by the department of treasury. Notwithstanding any limitation contained in section 2, the price tax base of any vehicle, ORV, mobile home, aircraft, snowmobile, or watercraft subject to taxation under this act shall be not less than its retail dollar value at the time of acquisition as fixed pursuant to rules promulgated by the department.

(3) The following transfers or purchases are not subject to use tax:

(a) A transaction or a portion of a transaction if the transferee or purchaser is the spouse, mother, father, brother, sister, child, stepparent, stepchild, stepbrother, stepsister, grandparent, grandchild, legal ward, or a legally appointed guardian with a certified letter of guardianship, of the transferor.

(b) A transaction or a portion of a transaction if the transfer is a gift to a beneficiary in the administration of an estate.

(c) If a vehicle, ORV, mobile home, aircraft, snowmobile, or watercraft that has once been subjected to the Michigan sales or use tax is transferred in connection with the organization, reorganization, dissolution, or partial liquidation of an incorporated or unincorporated business and the beneficial ownership is not changed.

(d) If an insurance company licensed to conduct business in this state acquires ownership of a late model distressed vehicle as defined in section 12a of the Michigan vehicle code, 1949 PA 300, MCL 257.12a, through payment of damages in response to a claim or when the person who owned the vehicle before the insurance company reacquires ownership from the company as part of the settlement of a claim.

(4) The department may utilize the services, information, or records of any other department or agency of state government in the performance of its duties under this act, and other departments or agencies of state government are required to furnish those services, information, or records upon the request of the department.

Sec. 4. (1) The tax levied under this act does not apply to the following, subject to subsection (2):

(a) Property sold in this state on which transaction a tax is paid under the general sales tax act, 1933 PA 167, MCL 205.51 to 205.78, if the tax was due and paid on the retail sale to a consumer.

(b) Property, the storage, use, or other consumption of which this state is prohibited from taxing under the constitution or laws of the United States, or under the constitution of this state.

(c) Property purchased for resale, demonstration purposes, or lending or leasing to a public or parochial school offering a course in automobile driving except that a vehicle purchased by the school shall be certified for driving education and shall not be reassigned for personal use by the school's administrative personnel. For a dealer selling a new car or truck, exemption for demonstration purposes shall be determined by the number of new cars and trucks sold during the current calendar year or the immediately preceding year without regard to specific make or style according to the following schedule of 0 to 25, 2 units; 26 to 100, 7 units; 101 to 500, 20 units; 501 or more, 25 units; but not to exceed 25 cars and trucks in 1 calendar year for demonstration purposes. Property purchased for resale includes promotional merchandise transferred pursuant to a redemption offer to a person located outside this state or any packaging material, other than promotional merchandise, acquired for use in fulfilling a redemption offer or rebate to a person located outside this state.

(d) Property that is brought into this state by a nonresident person for storage, use, or consumption while temporarily within this state, except if the property is used in this state in a nontransitory business activity for a period exceeding 15 days.

(e) Property the sale or use of which was already subjected to a sales tax or use tax equal to, or in excess of, that imposed by this act under the law of any other state or a local governmental unit within a state if the tax was due and paid on the retail sale to the consumer and the state or local governmental unit within a state in which the tax was imposed accords like or complete exemption on property the sale or use of which was subjected to the sales or use tax of this state. If the sale or use of property was already subjected to a tax under the law of any other state or local governmental unit within a state in an amount less than the tax imposed by this act, this act shall apply, but at a rate measured by the difference between the rate provided in this act and the rate by which the previous tax was computed.

(f) Property sold to a person engaged in a business enterprise and using and consuming the property in the tilling, planting, caring for, or harvesting of the things of the soil or in the breeding, raising, or caring for livestock, poultry, or horticultural products, including transfers of livestock, poultry, or horticultural products for further growth. At the time of the transfer of that tangible personal property, the transferee shall sign a statement, in a form approved by the department, stating that the property is to be used or consumed in connection with the production of horticultural or agricultural products as a business enterprise. The statement shall be accepted by the courts as prima facie evidence of the exemption. This exemption includes agricultural land tile, which means fired clay or perforated plastic tubing used as part of a subsurface drainage system for land used in the production of agricultural products as a business enterprise and includes a portable grain bin, which means a structure that is used or is to be used to shelter grain and that is designed to be disassembled without significant damage to its component parts. This exemption does not include transfers of food, fuel, clothing, or similar tangible personal property for personal living or human consumption. This exemption does not include tangible personal property permanently affixed and becoming a structural part of real estate.

(g) Property or services sold to the United States, an unincorporated agency or instrumentality of the United States, an incorporated agency or instrumentality of the United States wholly owned by the United States or by a corporation wholly owned by the United States, the American red cross and its chapters or branches, this state, a department or institution of this state, or a political subdivision of this state.

(h) Property or services sold to a school, hospital, or home for the care and maintenance of children or aged persons, operated by an entity of government, a regularly organized church, religious, or fraternal organization, a veterans' organization, or a corporation incorporated under the laws of this state, if not operated for profit, and if the income or benefit from the operation does not inure, in whole or in part, to an individual or private shareholder, directly or indirectly, and if the activities of the entity or agency are carried on exclusively for the benefit of the public at large and are not limited to the advantage, interests, and benefits of its members or a restricted group. The tax levied does not apply to property or services sold to a parent cooperative preschool. As used in this subdivision, "parent cooperative preschool" means a nonprofit, nondiscriminatory educational institution, maintained as a community service and administered by parents of children currently enrolled in the preschool that provides an educational and developmental program for children younger than compulsory school age, that provides an educational program for parents, including active participation with children in preschool activities, that is directed by qualified preschool personnel, and that is licensed by the department of consumer and industry services pursuant to 1973 PA 116, MCL 722.111 to 722.128.

(i) Property or services sold to a regularly organized church or house of religious worship except the following:

(i) Sales in which the property is used in activities that are mainly commercial enterprises.

(ii) Sales of vehicles licensed for use on the public highways other than a passenger van or bus with a manufacturer's rated seating capacity of 10 or more that is used primarily for the transportation of persons for religious purposes.

(j) A vessel designed for commercial use of registered tonnage of 500 tons or more, if produced upon special order of the purchaser, and bunker and galley fuel, provisions, supplies, maintenance, and repairs for the exclusive use of a vessel of 500 tons or more engaged in interstate commerce.

(k) Property purchased for use in this state where actual personal possession is obtained outside this state, the purchase price or actual value of which does not exceed $10.00 during 1 calendar month.

(l) A newspaper or periodical classified under federal postal laws and regulations effective September 1, 1985 as second-class mail matter or as a controlled circulation publication or qualified to accept legal notices for publication in this state, as defined by law, or any other newspaper or periodical of general circulation, established at least 2 years, and published at least once a week, and a copyrighted motion picture film. Tangible personal property used or consumed in producing a copyrighted motion picture film, a newspaper published more than 14 times per year, or a periodical published more than 14 times per year, and not becoming a component part of that film, newspaper, or periodical is subject to the tax. After December 31, 1993, tangible personal property used or consumed in producing a newspaper published 14 times or less per year or a periodical published 14 times or less per year and that portion or percentage of tangible personal property used or consumed in producing an advertising supplement that becomes a component part of a newspaper or periodical is exempt from the tax under this subdivision. A claim for a refund for taxes paid before January 1, 1999 under this subdivision shall be made before June 30, 1999. For purposes of this subdivision, tangible personal property that becomes a component part of a newspaper or periodical and consequently not subject to tax, includes an advertising supplement inserted into and circulated with a newspaper or periodical that is otherwise exempt from tax under this subdivision, if the advertising supplement is delivered directly to the newspaper or periodical by a person other than the advertiser, or the advertising supplement is printed by the newspaper or periodical.

(m) Property purchased by persons licensed to operate a commercial radio or television station if the property is used in the origination or integration of the various sources of program material for commercial radio or television transmission. This subdivision does not include a vehicle licensed and titled for use on public highways or property used in the transmitting to or receiving from an artificial satellite.

(n) A person who is a resident of this state who purchases an automobile in another state while in the military service of the United States and who pays a sales tax in the state where the automobile is purchased.

(o) A vehicle for which a special registration is secured in accordance with section 226(12) of the Michigan vehicle code, 1949 PA 300, MCL 257.226.

(p) A hearing aid, contact lenses if prescribed for a specific disease that precludes the use of eyeglasses, or any other apparatus, device, or equipment used to replace or substitute for any part of the human body, or used to assist the disabled person to lead a reasonably normal life when the tangible personal property is purchased on a written prescription or order issued by a health professional as defined by section 4 of former 1974 PA 264, or section 21005 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.21005, or eyeglasses prescribed or dispensed to correct the person's vision by an ophthalmologist, optometrist, or optician.

(q) Water when delivered through water mains or in bulk tanks in quantities of not less than 500 gallons.

(r) A vehicle not for resale used by a nonprofit corporation organized exclusively to provide a community with ambulance or fire department services.

(s) Tangible personal property purchased and installed as a component part of a water pollution control facility for which a tax exemption certificate is issued pursuant to part 37 of the natural resources and environmental protection act, 1994 PA 451, MCL 324.3701 to 324.3708, or an air pollution control facility for which a tax exemption certificate is issued pursuant to part 59 of the natural resources and environmental protection act, 1994 PA 451, MCL 324.5901 to 324.5908.

(t) Tangible real or personal property donated by a manufacturer, wholesaler, or retailer to an organization or entity exempt pursuant to subdivision (h) or (i) or section 4a(a) or (b) of the general sales tax act, 1933 PA 167, MCL 205.54a.

(u) The storage, use, or consumption by a domestic air carrier of an aircraft purchased after December 31, 1992 for use solely in the transport of air cargo that has a maximum certificated takeoff weight of at least 12,500 pounds. For purposes of this subdivision, the term "domestic air carrier" is limited to entities engaged in the commercial transport for hire of cargo or entities engaged in the commercial transport of passengers as a business activity.

(v) The storage, use, or consumption by a domestic air carrier of an aircraft purchased after June 30, 1994 that is used solely in the regularly scheduled transport of passengers. For purposes of this subdivision, the term "domestic air carrier" is limited to entities engaged in the commercial transport for hire of cargo or entities engaged in the commercial transport of passengers as a business activity.

(w) The storage, use, or consumption by a domestic air carrier of an aircraft, other than an aircraft described under subdivision (v), purchased after December 31, 1994, that has a maximum certificated takeoff weight of at least 12,500 pounds and that is designed to have a maximum passenger seating configuration of more than 30 seats and used solely in the transport of passengers. For purposes of this subdivision, the term "domestic air carrier" is limited to entities engaged in the commercial transport for hire of cargo or entities engaged in the commercial transport of passengers as a business activity.

(x) Property or services sold to an organization not operated for profit and exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) of the internal revenue code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. 501; or to a health, welfare, educational, cultural arts, charitable, or benevolent organization not operated for profit that has been issued before June 13, 1994 an exemption ruling letter to purchase items exempt from tax signed by the administrator of the sales, use, and withholding taxes division of the department. The department shall reissue an exemption letter after June 13, 1994 to each of those organizations that had an exemption letter that shall remain in effect unless the organization fails to meet the requirements that originally entitled it to this exemption. The exemption does not apply to sales of tangible personal property and sales of vehicles licensed for use on public highways, that are not used primarily to carry out the purposes of the organization as stated in the bylaws or articles of incorporation of the exempt organization.

(y) The use or consumption of services described in section 3a(a) or (c) by means of a prepaid telephone calling card, a prepaid authorization number for telephone use, or a charge for internet access.

(z) The purchase, lease, use, or consumption of the following by an industrial laundry after December 31, 1997:

(i) Textiles and disposable products including, but not limited to, soap, paper, chemicals, tissues, deodorizers and dispensers, and all related items such as packaging, supplies, hangers, name tags, and identification tags.

(ii) Equipment, whether owned or leased, used to repair and dispense textiles including, but not limited to, roll towel cabinets, slings, hardware, lockers, mop handles and frames, and carts.

(iii) Machinery, equipment, parts, lubricants, and repair services used to clean, process, and package textiles and related items, whether owned or leased.

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

(v) Production washroom equipment and mending and packaging supplies and equipment.

(vi) Material handling equipment including, but not limited to, conveyors, racks, and elevators and related control equipment.

(vii) Wastewater pretreatment equipment and supplies and related maintenance and repair services.

(2) The property or services under subsection (1) are exempt only to the extent that the property or services are used for the exempt purposes if one is stated in subsection (1). The exemption is limited to the percentage of exempt use to total use determined by a reasonable formula or method approved by the department.

Sec. 4h. The tax levied under this act does not apply to tangible real or personal property to the extent the tangible real or personal property is used in a qualified business activity of the purchaser. As used in this section, "qualified business activity" means that term as defined in the enterprise zone act, 1985 PA 224, MCL 125.2101 to 125.2123.

Sec. 4o. (1) The tax levied under this act does not apply to property sold to the following after March 30, 1999, subject to subsection (2):

(a) An industrial processor for use or consumption in industrial processing.

(b) A person, whether or not the person is an industrial processor, if the tangible personal property is intended for ultimate use in and is used in industrial processing by an industrial processor.

(c) A person, whether or not the person is an industrial processor, if the tangible personal property is used by that person to perform an industrial processing activity for or on behalf of an industrial processor.

(d) A person, whether or not the person is an industrial processor, if the tangible personal property is 1 of the following:

(i) A computer used in operating industrial processing equipment.

(ii) Equipment used in a computer assisted manufacturing system.

(iii) Equipment used in a computer assisted design or engineering system integral to an industrial process.

(iv) A subunit or electronic assembly comprising a component in a computer integrated industrial processing system.

(v) Computer equipment used in connection with the computer assisted production, storage, and transmission of data if the equipment would have been exempt had the data transfer been made using tapes, disks, CD-ROMs, or similar media by a company whose business includes publishing doctoral dissertations and information archiving, and that sells the majority of the company's products to nonprofit organizations exempt under section 4(1)(x).

(vi) Equipment used in the production of computer software that is offered for general sale to the public or software modified or adapted to the user's needs or equipment by the seller, only if the software is available for sale from a seller of software on an as-is basis or as an end product without modification or adaption.

(2) The property under subsection (1) is exempt only to the extent that the property is used for the exempt purpose stated in this section. The exemption is limited to the percentage of exempt use to total use determined by a reasonable formula or method approved by the department.

(3) Industrial processing includes the following activities:

(a) Production or assembly.

(b) Research or experimental activities.

(d) Inspection, quality control, or testing to determine whether particular units of materials or products or processes conform to specified parameters at any time before materials or products first come to rest in finished goods inventory storage.

(e) Planning, scheduling, supervision, or control of production or other exempt activities.

(f) Design, construction, or maintenance of production or other exempt machinery, equipment, and tooling.

(g) Remanufacturing.

(h) Processing of production scrap and waste up to the point it is stored for removal from the plant of origin.

(i) Recycling of used materials for ultimate sale at retail or reuse.

(j) Production material handling.

(k) Storage of in-process materials.

(4) Property that is eligible for an industrial processing exemption includes the following:

(a) Property that becomes an ingredient or component part of the finished product to be sold ultimately at retail.

(b) Machinery, equipment, tools, dies, patterns, foundations for machinery or equipment, or other processing equipment used in an industrial processing activity and in their repair and maintenance.

(d) Tangible personal property, not permanently affixed and not becoming a structural part of real estate, that becomes a part of, or is used and consumed in installation and maintenance of, systems used for an industrial processing activity.

(e) Fuel or energy used or consumed for an industrial processing activity.

(f) Machinery, equipment, or materials used within a plant site or between plant sites operated by the same person for movement of tangible personal property in the process of production.

(g) Office equipment, including data processing equipment, used for an industrial processing activity.

(5) Property that is not eligible for an industrial processing exemption includes the following:

(a) Tangible personal property permanently affixed and becoming a structural part of real estate including building utility systems such as heating, air conditioning, ventilating, plumbing, lighting, and electrical distribution, to the point of the last transformer, switch, valve, or other device at which point usable power, water, gas, steam, or air is diverted from distribution circuits for use in industrial processing.

(b) Office equipment, including data processing equipment used for nonindustrial processing purposes.

(d) An industrial processor's own product or finished good that it uses or consumes for purposes other than industrial processing.

(e) Tangible personal property used for receiving and storage of materials, supplies, parts, or components purchased by the user or consumer.

(f) Tangible personal property used for receiving or storage of natural resources extracted by the user or consumer.

(g) Vehicles, including special bodies or attachments, required to display a vehicle permit or license plate to operate on public highways, except for a vehicle bearing a manufacturer's plate or a specially designed vehicle, together with parts, used to mix and agitate materials at a plant or job site in the concrete manufacturing process.

(h) Tangible personal property used for the preparation of food or beverages by a retailer for ultimate sale at retail through its own locations.

(i) Tangible personal property used or consumed for the preservation or maintenance of a finished good once it first comes to rest in finished goods inventory storage.

(j) Returnable shipping containers or materials, except as provided in subsection (4)(f).

(k) Tangible personal property used in the production of computer software originally designed for the exclusive use and special needs of the purchaser.

(6) Industrial processing does not include the following activities:

(a) Purchasing, receiving, or storage of raw materials.

(b) Sales, distribution, warehousing, shipping, or advertising activities.

(d) Design, engineering, construction, or maintenance of real property and nonprocessing equipment.

(e) Plant security, fire prevention, or medical or hospital services.

(7) As used in this section:

(a) "Industrial processing" means the activity of converting or conditioning tangible personal property by changing the form, composition, quality, combination, or character of the property for ultimate sale at retail or for use in the manufacturing of a product to be ultimately sold at retail. Industrial processing begins when tangible personal property begins movement from raw materials storage to begin industrial processing and ends when finished goods first come to rest in finished goods inventory storage.

(b) "Industrial processor" means a person who performs the activity of converting or conditioning tangible personal property for ultimate sale at retail or use in the manufacturing of a product to be ultimately sold at retail.

(c) "Product", as used in subdivision (e), includes, but is not limited to, a prototype, pilot model, process, formula, invention, technique, patent, or similar property, whether intended to be used in a trade or business or to be sold, transferred, leased, or licensed.

(d) "Remanufacturing" means the activity of overhauling, retrofitting, fabricating, or repairing a product or its component parts for ultimate sale at retail.

(e) "Research or experimental activity" means activity incident to the development, discovery, or modification of a product or a product related process. Research or experimental activity also includes activity necessary for a product to satisfy a government standard or to receive government approval. Research or experimental activity does not include the following:

(i) Ordinary testing or inspection of materials or products for quality control purposes.

(ii) Efficiency surveys.

(iii) Management surveys.

(iv) Market or consumer surveys.

(v) Advertising or promotions.

(vi) Research in connection with literacy, historical, or similar projects.

Sec. 4p. (1) The tax under this act does not apply to property sold to an extractive operator for use or consumption in extractive operations.

(2) The property under subsection (1) is exempt only to the extent that the property is used for the exempt purposes stated in this section. The exemption is limited to the percentage of exempt use to total use determined by a reasonable formula or method approved by the department.

(3) Extractive operations include the actual production of oil, gas, brine, or other natural resources. Property eligible for the exemption includes the following:

(a) Casing pipe or drive pipe.

(b) Tubing.

(d) Chemicals.

(e) Explosives or acids used in fracturing, acidizing, or shooting wells.

(f) Christmas trees, derricks, or other wellhead equipment.

(g) Treatment tanks.

(h) Piping, valves, or pumps used before movement or transportation of the natural resource from the production area.

(i) Chemicals or acids used in the treatment of crude oil, gas, brine, or other natural resources.

(j) Tangible personal property used or consumed in depositing tailings from hard rock mining processing.

(k) Tangible personal property used or consumed in extracting the lithologic units necessary to process iron ore.

(4) The extractive operation exemption does not include the following:

(a) Tangible personal property consumed or used in the construction, alteration, improvement, or repair of buildings, storage tanks, and storage and housing facilities.

(b) Tangible personal property consumed or used in transporting the product from the place of extraction, except for tangible personal property consumed or used in transporting extracted materials from the extraction site to the place where the extracted materials first come to rest in finished goods inventory storage.

(c) Tangible personal property that is a product the extractive operator produces and that is consumed or used by the extractive operator for a purpose other than the manufacturing or producing of a product for ultimate sale. The extractor shall account for and remit the tax to the state based upon the product's fair market value.

(d) Equipment, materials, and supplies used in exploring, prospecting, or drilling for oil, gas, brine, or other natural resources.

(e) Equipment, materials, and supplies used in the storing, withdrawing, or distribution of oil, gas, or brine from a storage facility.

(f) Vehicles, including special bodies or attachments, required to display a vehicle permit or license plate to operate on public highways.

(5) As used in this section:

(a) "Extractive operations" means the activity of taking or extracting for resale ore, oil, gas, coal, timber, stone, gravel, clay, minerals, or other natural resource material. An extractive operation begins when contact is made with the actual type of natural raw product being recovered. Extractive operation includes all necessary processing operations before shipment from the place of extraction. Extractive operations includes all necessary processing operations and movement of the natural resource material until the point at which the natural raw product being recovered first comes to rest in finished goods inventory storage at the extraction site.

(b) An extractive operator is a person who, either directly or by contract, performs extractive operations.

Sec. 4q. (1) The tax levied under this act does not apply to the purchase of machinery and equipment for use or consumption in the rendition of any combination of services, the use or consumption of which is taxable under section 3a(a) or (c) except that this exemption is limited to the tangible personal property located on the premises of the subscriber and to central office equipment or wireless equipment, directly used or consumed in transmitting, receiving, or switching, or in the monitoring of switching of a 2-way interactive communication. As used in this subsection, central office equipment or wireless equipment does not include distribution equipment including cable or wire facilities.

(2) Beginning April 1, 1999, the property under subsection (1) is exempt only to the extent that the property is used for the exempt purposes stated in this section. There is an irrebuttable presumption that 90% of total use is for exempt purposes. This presumption is in effect until April 1, 2006, at which time the presumption shall be reviewed and redetermined by the department of treasury using nonexempt and exempt user information for the previous 12-month period. That redetermined irrebuttable presumption shall be in effect for the following 7 years. The irrebuttable presumption shall be reviewed and redetermined every 7 years after April 1, 2006 and applied to the following 7 years.

Sec. 4r. (1) Subject to subsection (2), the tax levied under this act does not apply to property sold to the following after March 30, 1995 but before March 31, 1999:

(a) An industrial processor for use or consumption in industrial processing. Property used or consumed in industrial processing does not include tangible personal property permanently affixed and becoming a structural part of real estate; office furniture, office supplies, and administrative office equipment; or vehicles licensed and titled for use on public highways other than a specially designed vehicle, together with parts, used to mix and agitate materials added at a plant or jobsite in the concrete manufacturing process. Industrial processing does not include receipt and storage of raw materials purchased or extracted by the user or consumer, or the preparation of food and beverages by a retailer for retail sale. As used in this subdivision, "industrial processor" means a person who transforms, alters, or modifies tangible personal property by changing the form, composition, or character of the property for ultimate sale at retail or sale to another industrial processor to be further processed for ultimate sale at retail. Sales to a person performing a service who does not act as an industrial processor while performing the service may not be excluded under this subdivision, except as provided in subdivision (b).

(b) A person, whether or not the person is an industrial processor, when the property is a computer used in operating industrial processing equipment; equipment used in a computer assisted manufacturing system; equipment used in a computer assisted design or engineering system integral to an industrial process; or a subunit or electronic assembly comprising a component in a computer integrated industrial processing system; or computer equipment used in connection with the computer assisted production, storage, and transmission of data if the equipment would have been exempt had the data transfer been made using tapes, disks, CD-ROMs, or similar media by a company whose business includes publishing doctoral dissertations and information archiving, and that sells the majority of the company's products to nonprofit organizations exempt under section 4(1)(x).

Sec. 4s. (1) For taxes levied after June 30, 1999, the tax levied under this act does not apply to property purchased by a person engaged in the business of constructing, altering, repairing, or improving real estate for others to the extent that the property is affixed to and made a structural part of a nonprofit hospital or a nonprofit housing entity qualified as exempt under section 15a of the state housing development authority act of 1966, 1966 PA 346, MCL 125.1415a.

(2) An exemption shall not be granted under this section for any portion of property otherwise qualifying for exemption under this section if income or a benefit inures directly or indirectly to an individual, private stockholder, or other private person from the independent or nonessential operation of that portion of property.

(3) As used in this section:

(a) "Nonprofit hospital" means 1 of the following:

(i) That portion of a building to which 1 of the following applies:

(A) Is owned or operated by an entity exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the internal revenue code of 1986 that is licensed as a hospital under part 215 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.21501 to 333.21568.

(B) Is owned or operated by a governmental unit in which medical attention is provided.

(C) Is owned or operated by an entity or entities exempt under section 501(c)(2) or (3) of the internal revenue code of 1986 in which medical attention is provided.

(ii) That portion of real property necessary and related to a building described in subparagraph (i) in which medical attention is provided.

(iii) A county long-term medical care facility built after December 31, 1995.

(b) "Nonprofit hospital" does not include the following:

(i) A freestanding building or other real property of a nursing home or skilled nursing facility licensed under part 217 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.21701 to 333.21799e.

(ii) A hospice licensed under part 214 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.21401 to 333.21421.

(iii) A home for the aged licensed under part 213 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.21301 to 333.21333.

(c) "Medical attention" means that level of medical care in which a physician provides acute care or active treatment of medical, surgical, obstetrical, psychiatric, chronic, or rehabilitative conditions, that require the observation, diagnosis, and daily treatment by a physician.

Sec. 4v. (1) For taxes levied after December 31, 1990 and before July 1, 1999, the tax levied under this act does not apply to a claimed exemption of tangible personal property used in the construction, alteration, repair, or improvement of the real estate or is affixed to and made a structural part of a building of a nonprofit hospital provided the following criteria have been met:

(a) A nonprofit hospital is an entity described in section 4s(3)(a)(i).

(b) A binding contract had been entered into for the construction, alteration, repair, or improvement of the real estate or the affixation to the building before July 1, 1999.

(2) The provisions of this section shall not be applied to affect any final decision of a court.

(3) A claim for refund for an exemption under this section shall be filed not later than July 15, 1999. The approved refunds shall be paid without interest.

Sec. 8. (1) The commissioner, in his or her discretion, may authorize a person to assume the obligation of self-accruing and remitting use tax due on purchases or leases directly to the department under a direct payment authorization, if the following conditions are met:

(a) The authorization is to be used for the purchase or lease of tangible personal property or services.

(b) The authorization is necessary because it is either impractical at the time of acquisition to determine the manner in which the tangible personal property or services will be used or it will facilitate improved compliance with the tax laws of this state.

(c) The person requesting authorization for direct payment maintains accurate and complete records of all purchases or leases and uses of tangible personal property or services purchased pursuant to the direct payment authorization in a form acceptable to the department.

(2) The commissioner has the authority to identify items that are not eligible for a direct payment authorization.

Sec. 9a. (1) Beginning March 30, 1995, in computing the amount of tax levied under this act for any month, a seller may deduct the amount of bad debts from his or her gross sales, rentals, or services used for the computation of the tax. The amount of gross sales, rentals, or services deducted must be charged off as uncollectible on the books of the seller. If the business consists of taxable and nontaxable transactions, the deduction equals the full amount of the bad debt if the bad debt is documented as a taxable transaction in the seller's records. If documentation is not available, the maximum deduction from gross sales, rentals, or services for any bad debts equals the amount of the bad debt multiplied by the quotient resulting from dividing the sales, rentals, or services taxed under this act during the preceding calendar year by all sales, rentals, or services during the preceding calendar year, whether or not taxed under this act. If a consumer or other person pays all or part of a bad debt with respect to which a seller claimed a deduction under this section, the seller is liable for the amount of taxes deducted in connection with that portion of the debt for which payment is received and shall remit these taxes in his or her next payment to the department.

(2) Any claim for a bad debt deduction under this section shall be supported by that evidence required by the department. The department shall review any change in the rate of taxation applicable to any taxable sales, rentals, or services by a seller claiming a deduction pursuant to this section and shall ensure that the deduction on any bad debt does not result in the seller claiming the deduction recovering any more or less than the taxes imposed on the sale, rental, or service that constitutes the bad debt.

(3) As used in this section, "bad debt" means any portion of a debt resulting from a seller's collection of the use tax on the purchase of tangible personal property or services that is not otherwise deductible or excludable, that has become worthless or uncollectible in the time period between the date when taxes accrue to the state for the seller's preceding use tax return and the date when taxes accrue to the state for the present return, and that is eligible to be claimed, or could be eligible to be claimed if the seller kept accounts on an accrual basis, as a deduction pursuant to section 166 of the internal revenue code. A bad debt does not include any of the following:

(a) Interest or use tax on the purchase price.

(b) Uncollectible amounts on property that remains in the possession of the seller until the full purchase price is paid.

(d) Any accounts receivable that have been sold to a third party for collection.

(e) Repossessed property.

Enacting section 1. This amendatory act clarifies that, with the exception of telecommunications equipment taxed under section 3a of the use tax act, 1937 PA 94, MCL 205.93a, the tax levied does not apply to the price of property or services to the extent that the property or services are stored, used, or consumed for exempt purposes. For telecommunications equipment taxed under section 3a of the use tax act, 1937 PA 94, MCL 205.93a, this amendatory act clarifies that for periods before April 1, 1999, the tax shall not be apportioned and for periods beginning April 1, 1999, the tax shall be apportioned. This amendatory act clarifies that existing law as originally intended provides for a prorated exemption. This amendatory act takes effect for all periods beginning March 31, 1995 and all tax years that are open under the statute of limitations provided in section 27a of 1941 PA 122, MCL 205.27a.

Enacting section 2. This amendatory act does not take effect unless all of the following bills of the 90th Legislature are enacted into law:

(a) House Bill No. 4745.

(b) Senate Bill No. 544.

This act is ordered to take immediate effect.

Clerk of the House of Representatives.

Secretary of the Senate.

Approved

Governor.