HOUSE BILL No. 5555

 

December 12, 2007, Introduced by Reps. Condino and Bieda and referred to the Committee on Tax Policy.

 

     A bill to amend 1933 PA 167, entitled

 

"General sales tax act,"

 

by amending sections 1, 1a, 4g, 4k, 4bb, 12, 18, and 21 (MCL

 

205.51, 205.51a, 205.54g, 205.54k, 205.54bb, 205.62, 205.68, and

 

205.71), sections 1, 4g, and 4k as amended by and sections 12, 18,

 

and 21 as added by 2004 PA 173, section 1a as amended by 2006 PA

 

434, and section 4bb as added by 2004 PA 301; and to repeal acts

 

and parts of acts.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 1. (1) As used in this act:

 

     (a) "Person" means an individual, firm, partnership, joint

 

venture, association, social club, fraternal organization,

 

municipal or private corporation whether organized for profit or

 

not, company, estate, trust, receiver, trustee, syndicate, the

 


United States, this state, county, or any other group or

 

combination acting as a unit, and includes the plural as well as

 

the singular number, unless the intention to give a more limited

 

meaning is disclosed by the context.

 

     (b) "Sale at retail" or "retail sale" means a sale, lease, or

 

rental of tangible personal property for any purpose other than for

 

resale, sublease, or subrent.

 

     (c) "Gross proceeds" means sales price.

 

     (d) "Sales price" means the total amount of consideration,

 

including cash, credit, property, and services, for which tangible

 

personal property or services are sold, leased, or rented, valued

 

in money, whether received in money or otherwise, and applies to

 

the measure subject to sales tax. Sales price includes the

 

following subparagraphs (i) through (vi) (vii) and excludes

 

subparagraphs (vii) (viii) through (viii) (ix):

 

     (i) Seller's cost of the property sold.

 

     (ii) Cost of materials used, labor or service cost, interest,

 

losses, costs of transportation to the seller, taxes imposed on the

 

seller other than taxes imposed by this act, and any other expense

 

of the seller.

 

     (iii) Charges by the seller for any services necessary to

 

complete the sale, other than the following:

 

     (A) An amount received or billed by the taxpayer for

 

remittance to the employee as a gratuity or tip, if the gratuity or

 

tip is separately identified and itemized on the guest check or

 

billed to the customer.

 

     (B) Labor or service charges involved in maintenance and

 


repair work on tangible personal property of others if separately

 

itemized.

 

     (iv) Delivery charges incurred or to be incurred before the

 

completion of the transfer of ownership of tangible personal

 

property subject to the tax levied under this act from the seller

 

to the purchaser. A seller is not liable under this act for

 

delivery charges allocated to the delivery of exempt property.

 

     (v) Installation charges incurred or to be incurred before the

 

completion of the transfer of ownership of tangible personal

 

property from the seller to the purchaser.

 

     (vi) Credit for any trade-in.

 

     (vii) Consideration received by the seller from third parties

 

if all of the following conditions are met:

 

     (A) The seller actually receives consideration from a party

 

other than the purchaser and the consideration is directly related

 

to a price reduction or discount on the sale.

 

     (B) The seller has an obligation to pass the price reduction

 

or discount through to the purchaser.

 

     (C) The amount of the consideration attributable to the sale

 

is fixed and determinable by the seller at the time of the sale of

 

the item to the purchaser.

 

     (D) One of the following criteria is met:

 

     (I) The purchaser presents a coupon, certificate, or other

 

documentation to the seller to claim a price reduction or discount

 

where the coupon, certificate, or documentation is authorized,

 

distributed, or granted by a third party with the understanding

 

that the third party will reimburse any seller to whom the coupon,

 


certificate, or documentation is presented.

 

     (II) The purchaser identifies himself or herself to the seller

 

as a member of a group or organization entitled to a price

 

reduction or discount. A preferred customer card that is available

 

to any patron does not constitute membership in a group or

 

organization.

 

     (III) The price reduction or discount is identified as a third

 

party price reduction or discount on the invoice received by the

 

purchaser or on a coupon, certificate, or other documentation

 

presented by the purchaser.

 

     (viii) (vii) Interest, financing, or carrying charges from credit

 

extended on the sale of personal property or services, if the

 

amount is separately stated on the invoice, bill of sale, or

 

similar document given to the purchaser.

 

     (ix) (viii) Any taxes legally imposed directly on the consumer

 

that are separately stated on the invoice, bill of sale, or similar

 

document given to the purchaser.

 

     (e) "Business" includes an activity engaged in by a person or

 

caused to be engaged in by that person with the object of gain,

 

benefit, or advantage, either direct or indirect.

 

     (f) "Tax year" or "taxable year" means the fiscal year of the

 

state or the taxpayer's fiscal year if permission is obtained by

 

the taxpayer from the department to use the taxpayer's fiscal year

 

as the tax period instead.

 

     (g) "Department" means the department of treasury.

 

     (h) "Taxpayer" means a person subject to a tax under this act.

 

     (i) "Tax" includes a tax, interest, or penalty levied under

 


this act.

 

     (j) "Textiles" means goods that are made of or incorporate

 

woven or nonwoven fabric, including, but not limited to, clothing,

 

shoes, hats, gloves, handkerchiefs, curtains, towels, sheets,

 

pillows, pillow cases, tablecloths, napkins, aprons, linens, floor

 

mops, floor mats, and thread. Textiles also include materials used

 

to repair or construct textiles, or other goods used in the rental,

 

sale, or cleaning of textiles.

 

     (2) If the department determines that it is necessary for the

 

efficient administration of this act to regard an unlicensed

 

person, including a salesperson, representative, peddler, or

 

canvasser as the agent of the dealer, distributor, supervisor, or

 

employer under whom the unlicensed person operates or from whom the

 

unlicensed person obtains the tangible personal property sold by

 

the unlicensed person, irrespective of whether the unlicensed

 

person is making sales on the unlicensed person's own behalf or on

 

behalf of the dealer, distributor, supervisor, or employer, the

 

department may so regard the unlicensed person and may regard the

 

dealer, distributor, supervisor, or employer as making sales at

 

retail at the retail price for the purposes of this act.

 

     Sec. 1a. As used in this act:

 

     (a) "Alcoholic beverage" means a beverage suitable for human

 

consumption that contains 1/2 of 1% or more of alcohol by volume.

 

     (b) "Bundled transaction" means the retail sale of 2 or more

 

distinct and identifiable products, except real property and

 

services to real property, where the products are sold for a single

 

nonitemized price. A bundled transaction does not include the sale

 


of any products in which the sales price varies, or is negotiable,

 

based on the selection by the purchaser of the products included in

 

the transaction. As used in this subdivision:

 

     (i) "Distinct and identifiable products" does not include any

 

of the following:

 

     (A) Packaging, such as containers, boxes, sacks, bags, and

 

bottles or other materials such as wrapping, labels, tags, and

 

instruction guides, that accompany the retail sale of the products

 

and are incidental or immaterial to the retail sale of the

 

products, including grocery sacks, shoeboxes, dry cleaning garment

 

bags, and express delivery envelopes and boxes.

 

     (B) A product provided free of charge with the required

 

purchase of another product. A product is provided free of charge

 

if the sales price of the product purchased does not vary depending

 

on the inclusion of the product provided free of charge.

 

     (C) Items included in the sales price.

 

     (ii) "Purchase price" means the price paid by the seller for

 

the property.

 

     (iii) "Single nonitemized price" does not include a price that

 

is separately identified by product on binding sales or other

 

supporting sales-related documentation made available to the

 

purchaser in paper or electronic form, including, but not limited

 

to, an invoice, bill of sale, receipt, contract, service agreement,

 

lease agreement, periodic notice of rates and services, rate card,

 

or price list.

 

     (iv) Bundled transaction does not include any of the following:

 

     (A) The retail sale of tangible personal property and a

 


service if the tangible personal property is essential to the use

 

of the service and is provided exclusively in connection with the

 

service and the true object of the transaction is the service.

 

     (B) The retail sale of services if 1 service is provided that

 

is essential to the use or receipt of a second service and the

 

first service is provided exclusively in connection with the second

 

service and the true object of the transaction is the second

 

service.

 

     (C) A transaction that includes taxable and nontaxable

 

products and the purchase price or sales price of the taxable

 

products is de minimis. As used in this sub-subparagraph, "de

 

minimis" means the seller's purchase price or sales price of the

 

taxable products is 10% or less of the total purchase price or

 

sales price of the products. A seller shall use either the purchase

 

price or sales price of the products to determine if the taxable

 

products are de minimis. Sellers may not use a combination of the

 

purchase price and sales price of the products to determine if the

 

taxable products are de minimis. A seller shall use the full term

 

of a service contract to determine if the taxable products are de

 

minimis.

 

     (D) The retail sale of exempt tangible personal property and

 

taxable tangible personal property if all of the following

 

conditions are satisfied:

 

     (I) The transaction includes food and food ingredients,

 

prescription or over-the-counter drugs, durable medical equipment,

 

mobility enhancing equipment, medical supplies, or prosthetic

 

devices.

 


     (II) The seller's purchase price or sales price of the taxable

 

tangible personal property is 50% or less of the total purchase

 

price or sales price of the bundled tangible personal property. A

 

seller may not use a combination of the purchase price and sales

 

price of the tangible personal property when making the 50%

 

determination for a transaction.

 

     (c) (b) "Computer" means an electronic device that accepts

 

information in digital or similar form and manipulates it for a

 

result based on a sequence of instructions.

 

     (d) (c) "Computer software" means a set of coded instructions

 

designed to cause a computer or automatic data processing equipment

 

to perform a task.

 

     (e) (d) "Delivered electronically" means delivered from the

 

seller to the purchaser by means other than tangible storage media.

 

     (f) (e) "Delivery charges" means charges by the seller for

 

preparation and delivery to a location designated by the purchaser

 

of tangible personal property or services. Delivery charges

 

include, but are not limited to, transportation, shipping, postage,

 

handling, crating, and packing. Beginning September 1, 2004,

 

delivery charges do not include the charges for delivery of direct

 

mail if the charges are separately stated on an invoice or similar

 

billing document given to the purchaser. If a shipment includes

 

both exempt property and taxable property, the seller shall

 

allocate the delivery charge using 1 of the following methods:

 

     (i) Multiply the delivery price by a fraction, the numerator of

 

which is the total sales prices of the taxable property and the

 

denominator of which is the total sales prices of all property in

 


the shipment.

 

     (ii) Multiply the delivery price by a fraction, the numerator

 

of which is the total weight of the taxable property and the

 

denominator of which is the total weight of all property in the

 

shipment.

 

     (g) (f) "Dietary supplement" means any product, other than

 

tobacco, intended to supplement the diet that is all of the

 

following:

 

     (i) Required to be labeled as a dietary supplement identifiable

 

by the "supplemental facts" box found on the label as required by

 

21 CFR 101.36.

 

     (ii) Contains 1 or more of the following dietary ingredients:

 

     (A) A vitamin.

 

     (B) A mineral.

 

     (C) An herb or other botanical.

 

     (D) An amino acid.

 

     (E) A dietary substance for use by humans to supplement the

 

diet by increasing the total dietary intake.

 

     (F) A concentrate, metabolite, constituent, extract, or

 

combination of any ingredient listed in sub-subparagraphs (A)

 

through (E).

 

     (iii) Intended for ingestion in tablet, capsule, powder,

 

softgel, gelcap, or liquid form, or if not intended for ingestion

 

in 1 of those forms, is not represented as conventional food or for

 

use as a sole item of a meal or of the diet.

 

     (h) (g) "Direct mail" means printed material delivered or

 

distributed by United States mail or other delivery service to a

 


mass audience or to addressees on a mailing list provided by the

 

purchaser or at the direction of the purchaser when the cost of the

 

items are not billed directly to the recipients, including tangible

 

personal property supplied directly or indirectly by the purchaser

 

to the direct mail seller for inclusion in the package containing

 

the printed material, but not including multiple items of printed

 

material delivered to a single address.

 

     (i) (h) "Drug" means a compound, substance, or preparation, or

 

any component of a compound, substance, or preparation, other than

 

food or food ingredients, dietary supplements, or alcoholic

 

beverages, intended for human use that is 1 or more of the

 

following:

 

     (i) Recognized in the official United States pharmacopoeia,

 

official homeopathic pharmacopoeia of the United States, or

 

official national formulary, or in any of their supplements.

 

     (ii) Intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation,

 

treatment, or prevention of disease.

 

     (iii) Intended to affect the structure or any function of the

 

body.

 

     (j) (i) "Durable medical equipment" means equipment for home

 

use, other than mobility enhancing equipment, dispensed pursuant to

 

a prescription, including durable medical equipment repair or

 

replacement parts, for that equipment, that does all of the

 

following:

 

     (i) Can withstand repeated use.

 

     (ii) Is primarily and customarily used to serve a medical

 

purpose.

 


     (iii) Is not useful generally to a person in the absence of

 

illness or injury.

 

     (iv) Is not worn in or on the body.

 

     (k) "Durable medical equipment repair or replacement parts"

 

includes all components or attachments used in conjunction with

 

durable medical equipment.

 

     (l) (j) "Electronic" means relating to technology having

 

electrical, digital, magnetic, wireless, optical, electromagnetic,

 

or similar capabilities.

 

     (m) (k) "Lease or rental" means any transfer of possession or

 

control of tangible personal property for a fixed or indeterminate

 

term for consideration and may include future options to purchase

 

or extend. This definition applies only to leases and rentals

 

entered into after September 1, 2004 and has no retroactive impact

 

on leases and rentals that existed on that date. Lease or rental

 

does not include the following subparagraphs (i) through (iii) and

 

includes subparagraph (iv):

 

     (i) A transfer of possession or control of tangible personal

 

property under a security agreement or deferred payment plan that

 

requires the transfer of title upon completion of the required

 

payments.

 

     (ii) A transfer of possession or control of tangible personal

 

property under an agreement requiring transfer of title upon

 

completion of the required payments and payment of an option price

 

that does not exceed $100.00 or 1% of the total required payments,

 

whichever is greater.

 

     (iii) The provision of tangible personal property along with an

 


operator for a fixed or indeterminate period of time, where that

 

operator is necessary for the equipment to perform as designed. To

 

be necessary, an operator must do more than maintain, inspect, or

 

set up the tangible personal property.

 

     (iv) An agreement covering motor vehicles or trailers if the

 

amount of consideration may be increased or decreased by reference

 

to the amount realized upon sale or disposition of the property as

 

defined in section 7701(h)(1) of the internal revenue code, 26 USC

 

7701.

 

     (n) (l) "Mobility enhancing equipment" means equipment, other

 

than durable medical equipment or a motor vehicle or equipment on a

 

motor vehicle normally provided by a motor vehicle manufacturer,

 

dispensed pursuant to a prescription, including repair or

 

replacement parts for that equipment, that is all of the following:

 

     (i) Primarily and customarily used to provide or increase the

 

ability to move from 1 place to another and is appropriate for use

 

at home or on a motor vehicle.

 

     (ii) Not generally used by a person with normal mobility.

 

     (o) (m) "Prescription" means an order, formula, or recipe,

 

issued in any form of oral, written, electronic, or other means of

 

transmission by a licensed physician or other health professional

 

as defined in section 3501 of the insurance code of 1956, 1956 PA

 

218, MCL 500.3501. For a hearing aid, prescription includes an

 

order, instruction, or direction of a hearing aid dealer or

 

salesperson licensed under article 13 of the occupational code,

 

1980 PA 299, MCL 339.1301 to 339.1309.

 

     (p) (n) "Prewritten computer software" means computer

 


software, including prewritten upgrades, that is delivered by any

 

means and that is not designed and developed by the author or other

 

creator to the specifications of a specific purchaser. Prewritten

 

computer software includes the following:

 

     (i) Any combination of 2 or more prewritten computer software

 

programs or portions of prewritten computer software programs.

 

     (ii) Computer software designed and developed by the author or

 

other creator to the specifications of a specific purchaser if it

 

is sold to a person other than that specific purchaser.

 

     (iii) The modification or enhancement of prewritten computer

 

software or portions of prewritten computer software where the

 

modification or enhancement is designed and developed to the

 

specifications of a specific purchaser unless there is a

 

reasonable, separately stated charge or an invoice or other

 

statement of the price is given to the purchaser for the

 

modification or enhancement. If a person other than the original

 

author or creator modifies or enhances prewritten computer

 

software, that person is considered to be the author or creator of

 

only that person's modifications or enhancements.

 

     (q) (o) "Prosthetic device" means a replacement, corrective,

 

or supportive device, other than contact lenses and dental

 

prosthesis, dispensed pursuant to a prescription, including repair

 

or replacement parts for that device, worn on or in the body to do

 

1 or more of the following:

 

     (i) Artificially replace a missing portion of the body.

 

     (ii) Prevent or correct a physical deformity or malfunction of

 

the body.

 


     (iii) Support a weak or deformed portion of the body.

 

     (r) (p) "Tangible personal property" means personal property

 

that can be seen, weighed, measured, felt, or touched or that is in

 

any other manner perceptible to the senses and includes

 

electricity, water, gas, steam, and prewritten computer software.

 

     (s) (q) "Tobacco" means cigarettes, cigars, chewing or pipe

 

tobacco, or any other item that contains tobacco.

 

     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 sold by a person exempt from

 

the tax under this act that are 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, 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 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. 4k. (1) The sale of tangible personal property that is

 

part of a drop shipment is exempt from the tax under this act if

 

the taxpayer complies with the requirements of subsection (3).

 

     (2) As used in this section, "drop shipment" means the direct

 

delivery of tangible personal property to a purchaser in Michigan

 

by a person who has sold the property to another person not

 

licensed under this act but possessing a resale or exemption

 

certificate, or other written evidence of exemption authorized by

 

another state, or any other acceptable information evidencing

 


qualification for a resale exemption, for resale to the Michigan

 

purchaser.

 

     (3) For each transaction for which an exemption is claimed

 

under subsection (1), the taxpayer shall provide, but not more

 

frequently than annually, any information required by the board

 

under the streamlined sales and use tax agreement in addition to

 

the following information in a form prescribed by the department to

 

the department:

 

     (a) The name, address, and, if readily available, the federal

 

taxpayer identification number of the person to whom the property

 

is sold for resale.

 

     (b) The name, address, and, if readily available, the federal

 

taxpayer identification number of the person to whom the property

 

is shipped in Michigan.

 

     (4) A sale at retail includes a drop shipment.

 

     Sec. 4bb. (1) Beginning January 1, 2005, a qualified

 

organization subject to the tax under this act may exclude from the

 

gross proceeds used for the computation of the tax the sale of an

 

eligible automobile to a qualified recipient the sale of an

 

eligible automobile to a qualified recipient by a qualified

 

organization that is subject to the tax under this act is exempt.

 

     (2) As used in this section:

 

     (a) "Eligible automobile" means an automobile that meets all

 

of the following requirements:

 

     (i) The automobile has been inspected by a mechanic certified

 

under the motor vehicle service and repair act, 1974 PA 300, MCL

 

257.1301 to 257.1340.

 


     (ii) The automobile is insured as required under state law.

 

     (iii) The automobile is registered to a qualified recipient.

 

     (b) "Qualified organization" means an organization that

 

applies for certification not later than July 1 of the year in

 

which an exemption is claimed under this section and is certified

 

by the department of treasury as meeting all of the following

 

requirements:

 

     (i) The organization is exempt from taxation under section

 

501(c)(3) of the internal revenue code, 26 USC 501.

 

     (ii) The organization is licensed under the charitable

 

organizations and solicitations act, 1975 PA 169, MCL 400.271 to

 

400.294.

 

     (iii) The organization administers a program to provide a

 

qualified recipient with an eligible automobile for transportation

 

to his or her place of employment or for employment-related

 

activities.

 

     (c) "Qualified recipient" means a person certified by a

 

qualified organization as meeting all of the following

 

qualifications:

 

     (i) The qualified recipient receives or, if he or she applied,

 

would be eligible to receive public assistance through a program

 

created and administered under the social welfare act, 1939 PA 280,

 

MCL 400.1 to 400.119b.

 

     (ii) The qualified recipient has a valid Michigan operator's or

 

chauffeur's license.

 

     (iii) The qualified recipient is financially capable of meeting

 

any loan payment, insurance payment, or other expenditure

 


associated with the eligible vehicle.

 

     (iv) Public transportation is not reasonably available to the

 

qualified recipient, the qualified recipient has no other reliable

 

means by which to commute to his or her place of employment, and

 

the qualified recipient will use the eligible vehicle as his or her

 

primary means of transportation to commute to and from his or her

 

place of employment.

 

     (v) The qualified recipient has a demonstrated ability to

 

maintain employment.

 

     (vi) If the qualified recipient is currently employed for not

 

less than an average of 20 hours per week, the qualified recipient

 

requires an automobile to retain his or her current employment or

 

to accept a verified offer of employment in a position that is

 

demonstrably superior to his or her current position of employment.

 

     (vii) If the qualified recipient is not currently employed or

 

is employed for less than an average of 20 hours per week, the

 

qualified recipient requires an automobile to accept a verified

 

offer of employment of not less than an average of 20 hours per

 

week and cannot begin employment in that position without an

 

automobile.

 

     Sec. 12. (1) If an exemption from the tax under this act is

 

claimed, the seller shall obtain identifying information of the

 

purchaser and the reason for claiming the exemption at the time of

 

the purchase or at a later date. The seller shall obtain the same

 

information for a claimed exemption regardless of the medium in

 

which the transaction occurred.

 

     (2) A seller shall use a standard format for claiming an

 


exemption electronically as adopted by the governing board under

 

the streamlined sales and use tax agreement.

 

     (3) A purchaser is not required to provide a signature to

 

claim an exemption under this act unless a paper exemption form is

 

used.

 

     (4) A seller shall maintain a proper record of all exempt

 

transactions and shall provide the record if requested by the

 

department.

 

     (5) A seller who complies with the requirements of this

 

section is not liable for the tax if a purchaser improperly claims

 

an exemption. A purchaser who improperly claims an exemption is

 

liable for the tax due under this act. This subsection does not

 

apply if a seller fraudulently fails to collect the tax, or

 

solicits a purchaser to make an improper claim for exemption, . or

 

accepts an exemption form when the purchaser claims an entity-based

 

exemption if both of the following circumstances occur:

 

     (a) The subject of the transaction sought to be covered by the

 

exemption form is actually received by the purchaser at a location

 

operated by the seller.

 

     (b) The state in which that location operated by the seller is

 

located provides an exemption form that clearly and affirmatively

 

indicates that the claimed exemption is not available in that

 

state.

 

     (6) A seller who obtains a fully completed exemption form or

 

captures the relevant data elements as outlined in this section

 

within 90 days after the date of sale is not liable for the tax.

 

     (7) If the seller has not obtained an exemption form or all

 


relevant data elements, the seller may, within 120 days after a

 

request for substantiation by the department, either prove that the

 

transaction was not subject to tax by other means or obtain a fully

 

completed exemption form from the purchaser, taken in good faith.

 

The department may, in its discretion, allow a seller additional

 

time to comply with this subsection.

 

     (8) A seller is not liable for the tax if the seller obtains a

 

blanket exemption form for a purchaser with which the seller has a

 

recurring business relationship. Renewals of blanket exemption

 

forms or updates of exemption form information or data elements are

 

not required if there is a recurring business relationship between

 

the seller and the purchaser. For purposes of this section, a

 

recurring business relationship exists when a period of not more

 

than 12 months elapses between sales transactions.

 

     (9) A certified service provider shall be considered a seller

 

under this section. As used in this section, "certified service

 

provider" means that term as defined in section 25 of the

 

streamlined sales and use tax administration act, 2004 PA 174, MCL

 

205.825.

 

     Sec. 18. (1) A person liable for any tax imposed under this

 

act shall keep accurate and complete beginning and annual inventory

 

and purchase records of additions to inventory, complete daily

 

sales records, receipts, invoices, bills of lading, and all

 

pertinent documents in a form the department requires. If an

 

exemption from the tax under this act is claimed by a person

 

because the sale is for resale at retail, a record shall be kept of

 

the sales tax license number if the person has a sales tax license.

 


These records shall be retained for a period of 4 years after the

 

tax imposed under this act to which the records apply is due or as

 

otherwise provided by law.

 

     (2) If the department considers it necessary, the department

 

may require a person, by notice served upon that person, to make a

 

return, render under oath certain statements, or keep certain

 

records the department considers sufficient to show whether or not

 

that person is liable for the tax under this act.

 

     (3) A person knowingly making a sale of tangible personal

 

property for the purpose of resale at retail to another person not

 

licensed under this act is liable for the tax under this act unless

 

the transaction is exempt under the provisions of section 4k.

 

     (4) If the taxpayer fails to file a return or to maintain or

 

preserve proper records as prescribed in this section, or the

 

department has reason to believe that any records maintained or

 

returns filed are inaccurate or incomplete and that additional

 

taxes are due, the department may assess the amount of the tax due

 

from the taxpayer based on information that is available or that

 

may become available to the department. That assessment is

 

considered prima facie correct for the purpose of this act and the

 

burden of proof of refuting the assessment is upon the taxpayer.

 

     (5) If all the information is maintained as provided under

 

section 12, an exemption certificate is not required for an

 

exemption claim by the following:

 

     (a) A person licensed by the Michigan liquor control

 

commission as a wholesaler for purposes of sales of alcoholic

 

liquor to another person licensed by the Michigan liquor control

 


commission. As used in this subsection, "alcoholic liquor",

 

"authorized distribution agent", and "wholesaler" mean those terms

 

as defined in the Michigan liquor control code of 1998, 1998 PA 58,

 

MCL 436.1101 to 436.2303.

 

     (b) The Michigan liquor control commission or a person

 

certified by the commission as an authorized distribution agent for

 

purposes of the sale and distribution of alcoholic liquor to a

 

person licensed by the Michigan liquor control commission.

 

     (6) For purposes of this act, a blanket exemption claim covers

 

all exempt transfers between the taxpayer and the buyer for a

 

period of 4 years or for a period of less than 4 years as stated on

 

the blanket exemption claim if that period is agreed to by the

 

buyer and taxpayer. Renewal of a blanket exemption claim or an

 

update of exemption claim information or data elements is not

 

required if there is a recurring business relationship between the

 

seller and the purchaser. For purposes of this subsection, a

 

recurring business relationship exists when a period of not more

 

than 12 months elapses between sales transactions.

 

     (7) This section applies if this state is a member state of

 

the streamlined sales and use tax agreement.

 

     Sec. 21. (1) A purchaser of direct mail other than a holder of

 

a direct pay permit under section 8 of the use tax act, 1937 PA 94,

 

MCL 205.98, shall provide to the seller at the time of purchase

 

either a direct mail an exemption form as prescribed by the

 

department or information indicating the taxing jurisdictions to

 

which the direct mail is delivered to recipients.

 

     (2) Upon receipt of the direct mail exemption form, the seller

 


is relieved of all obligation to collect, pay, or remit the

 

applicable tax and the purchaser is then obligated to pay the

 

applicable tax on a direct pay basis.

 

     (3) A direct mail An exemption form remains in effect for all

 

subsequent sales of direct mail by the seller to the purchaser

 

until revoked in writing.

 

     (4) Upon receipt of information from the purchaser indicating

 

the taxing jurisdictions to which the direct mail is delivered to

 

recipients, the seller shall collect the tax according to that

 

delivery information. In the absence of bad faith, the seller is

 

relieved of any further obligation to collect the tax if the seller

 

collected the tax using the delivery information provided by the

 

purchaser.

 

     (5) If the purchaser does not have a direct pay permit and

 

does not provide the seller with a direct mail an exemption form or

 

delivery information as required in subsection (1), the seller

 

shall collect the tax in the same manner as provided in section 19.

 

Nothing in this subsection limits a purchaser's obligation for the

 

tax under this act.

 

     (6) A purchaser who provides the seller with documentation of

 

a direct pay permit is not required to provide a direct mail an

 

exemption form or delivery information.

 

     Enacting section 1. Sections 17 and 20 of the general sales

 

tax act, 1933 PA 167, MCL 205.67 and 205.70, are repealed.