HOUSE BILL No. 4586

 

April 5, 2007, Introduced by Rep. Gillard and referred to the Committee on Health Policy.

 

     A bill to amend 1933 PA 167, entitled

 

"General sales tax act,"

 

by amending sections 4g and 25 (MCL 205.54g and 205.75), section 4g

 

as amended by 2004 PA 173 and section 25 as amended by 2006 PA 69.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 4g. (1) The following are exempt from the tax under this

 

act:

 

     (a) Sales of drugs for human use that can only be legally

 

dispensed by prescription or food or food ingredients, except

 

prepared food intended for immediate human consumption.

 

     (b) The deposit on a returnable container for a beverage or

 

the deposit on a carton or case that is used for returnable

 

containers.

 

     (c) Food or tangible personal property purchased under the

 


federal food stamp program or meals eligible to be purchased under

 

the federal food stamp program.

 

     (d) Fruit or vegetable seeds and fruit or vegetable plants if

 

purchased at a place of business authorized to accept food stamps

 

by the food and nutrition service of the United States department

 

of agriculture or a place of business that has made a complete and

 

proper application for authorization to accept food stamps but has

 

been denied authorization and provides proof of denial to the

 

department of treasury.

 

     (e) Live animals purchased with the intent to be slaughtered

 

for human consumption.

 

     (2) Food or drink heated or cooled mechanically, electrically,

 

or by other artificial means to an average temperature above 75

 

degrees Fahrenheit or below 65 degrees Fahrenheit before sale and

 

sold from a vending machine, except milk, nonalcoholic beverages in

 

a sealed container that are not carbonated soft drinks, and fresh

 

fruit, is subject to the tax under this act. The tax due under this

 

act on the sale of food or drink from a vending machine selling

 

both taxable items and items exempt under this subsection shall be

 

calculated under this act based on 1 of the following as determined

 

by the taxpayer:

 

     (a) Actual gross proceeds from sales at retail.

 

     (b) Forty-five percent of proceeds from the sale of items

 

subject to tax under this act or exempt from the tax levied under

 

this act, other than from the sale of carbonated beverages.

 

     (3) "Food and food ingredients" means substances, whether in

 

liquid, concentrated, solid, frozen, dried, or dehydrated form,

 


that are sold for ingestion or chewing by humans and are consumed

 

for their taste or nutritional value. Food and food ingredients do

 

not include alcoholic beverages, carbonated soft drinks, and

 

tobacco.

 

     (4) "Prepared food" means the following:

 

     (a) Food sold in a heated state or that is heated by the

 

seller.

 

     (b) Two or more food ingredients mixed or combined by the

 

seller for sale as a single item.

 

     (c) Food sold with eating utensils provided by the seller,

 

including knives, forks, spoons, glasses, cups, napkins, straws, or

 

plates, but not including a container or packaging used to

 

transport the food.

 

     (5) Prepared food does not include the following:

 

     (a) Food that is only cut, repackaged, or pasteurized by the

 

seller.

 

     (b) Raw eggs, fish, meat, poultry, and foods containing those

 

raw items requiring cooking by the consumer in recommendations

 

contained in section 3-401.11 of part 3-4 of chapter 3 of the 2001

 

food code published by the food and drug administration of the

 

public health service of the department of health and human

 

services, to prevent foodborne illness.

 

     (c) Food sold in an unheated state by weight or volume as a

 

single item, without eating utensils.

 

     (d) Bakery items, including bread, rolls, buns, biscuits,

 

bagels, croissants, pastries, doughnuts, danish, cakes, tortes,

 

pies, tarts, muffins, bars, cookies, and tortillas, sold without

 


eating utensils.

 

     (6) "Prepared food intended for immediate consumption" means

 

prepared food.

 

     Sec. 25. (1) All money received and collected under this act

 

shall be deposited by the department in the state treasury to the

 

credit of the general fund, except as otherwise provided in this

 

section.

 

     (2) Fifteen percent of the collections of the tax imposed at a

 

rate of 4% shall be distributed to cities, villages, and townships

 

pursuant to the Glenn Steil state revenue sharing act of 1971, 1971

 

PA 140, MCL 141.901 to 141.921.

 

     (3) Sixty percent of the collections of the tax imposed at a

 

rate of 4% shall be deposited in the state school aid fund

 

established in section 11 of article IX of the state constitution

 

of 1963 and distributed as provided by law. In addition, all of the

 

collections of the tax imposed at the additional rate of 2%

 

approved by the electors March 15, 1994 shall be deposited in the

 

state school aid fund.

 

     (4) For the fiscal year ending September 30, 1988 and each

 

fiscal year ending after September 30, 1988, of the 25% of the

 

collections of the general sales tax imposed at a rate of 4%

 

directly or indirectly on fuels sold to propel motor vehicles upon

 

highways, on the sale of motor vehicles and on the sale of the

 

parts and accessories of motor vehicles by new and used car

 

businesses, used car businesses, accessory dealer businesses, and

 

gasoline station businesses as classified by the department of

 

treasury remaining after the allocations and distributions are made

 


pursuant to subsections (2) and (3), the following amounts shall be

 

deposited each year into the respective funds:

 

     (a) For the fiscal year ending September 30, 2003 and for the

 

fiscal year ending September 30, 2006 and each fiscal year ending

 

after September 30, 2006, not less than 27.9% to the comprehensive

 

transportation fund. For the fiscal year ending September 30, 2004

 

through the fiscal year ending September 30, 2005, not less than

 

24% to the comprehensive transportation fund. For the fiscal year

 

ending September 30, 2006 only, the amount deposited to the

 

comprehensive transportation fund under this subdivision shall be

 

reduced by $11,100,000.00.

 

     (b) The balance to the state general fund.

 

     (5) After the allocations and distributions are made pursuant

 

to subsections (2) and (3), an amount equal to the collections of

 

the tax imposed at a rate of 4% under this act from the sale at

 

retail of computer software as defined in section 1a shall be

 

deposited in the Michigan health initiative fund created in section

 

5911 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.5911, and

 

shall be considered in addition to, and is not intended as a

 

replacement for any other money appropriated to the department of

 

community health. The funds deposited in the Michigan health

 

initiative fund on an annual basis shall not be less than

 

$9,000,000.00 or more than $12,000,000.00.

 

     (6) For the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008 and each

 

fiscal year thereafter, after the allocations and distributions are

 

made pursuant to subsections (2) through (5), an amount equal to

 

the collections of the tax imposed at a rate of 4% under this act

 


on the sale of carbonated soft drinks shall be deposited into the

 

Michigan catastrophic health care fund.

 

     (7) (6) The balance in the state general fund shall be

 

disbursed only on an appropriation or appropriations by the

 

legislature.