HOUSE BILL No. 5208

 

September 12, 2007, Introduced by Reps. Gaffney, Hune, Rocca and Caswell and referred to the Committee on Tax Policy.

 

     A bill to amend 2007 PA 36, entitled

 

"Michigan business tax act,"

 

(MCL 208.1106 to 208.1601) by adding section 451.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 451. (1) A qualified taxpayer that hires a qualified

 

graduate for full-time employment, which graduate has completed,

 

during the tax year for which the credit is initially sought, at

 

least 12 months of uninterrupted full-time employment in this state

 

with that taxpayer, may claim a credit against the tax imposed by

 

this act in an amount equal to 25% of the salary paid to each

 

qualified graduate for his or her first year of full-time

 

employment.

 

     (2) The taxpayer shall claim 20% of the amount of the credit

 

allowed under this section in the first tax year and 20% of the


 

amount of the credit allowed under this section in each of the

 

subsequent 4 tax years. If the amount of the credit allowed under

 

this section exceeds the tax liability of the taxpayer for the tax

 

year, that portion of the credit that exceeds the tax liability

 

shall be refunded.

 

     (3) The credit allowed under this section shall be claimed on

 

a form developed by the department that is a form separate from the

 

annual return required under this act and shall be filed with the

 

taxpayer's annual return each year that a credit under this section

 

is claimed. The department may require the taxpayer to provide

 

documentation to verify the employment and salary of the qualified

 

graduate.

 

     (4) As used in this section:

 

     (a) "Eligible educational institution" means that term as

 

defined in section 529 of the internal revenue code or a college,

 

university, community college, or junior college described in

 

section 4, 5, or 6 of article VIII of the state constitution of

 

1963.

 

     (b) "Full-time employment" means a job performed for 35 hours

 

or more a week by an individual whose income and social security

 

taxes are subject to withholding for federal income tax purposes.

 

     (c) "Qualified graduate" means an individual who has received

 

his or her first bachelor's degree from an eligible educational

 

institution located in this state and was hired by a qualified

 

employer within 3 years of receiving that degree.

 

     (d) "Qualified taxpayer" means an employer that hires

 

individuals for full-time employment and that is located in this


 

state.