AN ACT Relating to a pilot program that provides incentives for investments in Washington state job creation and economic development; amending RCW 82.85.010, 82.85.020, and 82.85.040; providing an effective date; and providing expiration dates.

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

Sec. 1.  RCW 82.85.010 and 2015 3rd sp.s. c 6 s 401 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Businesses that invest capital create jobs and generate economic activity that supports a healthy Washington economy. The legislature finds that these investments result in future revenues that support schools and our communities. Therefore, the legislature finds that a pilot program must be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a program that invests business taxes from new investments into workforce training programs that support manufacturing businesses in the state of Washington thereby creating jobs and capital investments in the state for the benefit of its citizens.

(2)(a) This subsection is the tax preference performance statement for the sales and use tax deferral provided in RCW 82.85.040 on expenditures made to build or expand qualified investment projects and purchases of machinery and equipment. This performance statement is only intended to be used for subsequent evaluation of the tax preference. It is not intended to create a private right of action by any party or be used to determine eligibility for preferential tax treatment.

(b) The legislature categorizes the tax preference as one intended to create or retain jobs and to provide funding to support job readiness training, professional development, or apprenticeship programs in manufacturing or production occupations, as indicated in RCW 82.32.808(2) (c) and (f).

(c) It is the legislature's specific public policy objective to provide a pilot program that would provide a sales tax deferral on the construction and expenditure costs of up to ((five)) two new manufacturing facilities per calendar year, ((two)) one of which must be located in eastern Washington and one of which must be located in western Washington. When deferred taxes are repaid, the deferred taxes are reinvested to support job readiness training, professional development, or apprenticeship programs in manufacturing or production occupations.

(d) To measure the effectiveness of the deferral provided in this part in achieving the specific public policy objective described in (c) of this subsection, the joint legislative audit and review committee should refer to information available from the employment security department and department of revenue. If a review finds that each eligible investment project generated at least twenty full-time jobs and increased training opportunities for manufacturing and production jobs, then the legislature intends for the legislative auditor to recommend extending the expiration date of the tax preference. For purposes of this subsection (2)(d), (([the term])) the term full-time jobs ((includes [include])) include both temporary construction jobs and permanent full-time employment positions created at the eligible investment project within one year of the date that the facility became operationally complete as determined by the department of revenue.

Sec. 2.  RCW 82.85.020 and 2015 3rd sp.s. c 6 s 402 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

(((1))) (a) "Applicant" means a person applying for a tax deferral under this chapter.

(((2))) (b) "Eligible investment project" means an investment project for qualified buildings and machinery and equipment on ((five)) two new, renovated, or expanded manufacturing operations per calendar year, ((at least two)) one of which must be located east of the crest of the Cascade mountains and one of which must be located west of the crest of the Cascade mountains. The deferral provided in this section only applies to the state and local sales and use taxes due on the first ten million dollars in costs for qualified buildings and machinery and equipment.

(((3))) (c) "Initiation of construction" has the same meaning as in RCW 82.63.010.

(((4))) (d) "Investment project" means an investment in qualified buildings or qualified machinery and equipment, including labor and services rendered in the planning, installation, and construction of the project.

(((5))) (e) "Manufacturing" has the same meaning as provided in RCW 82.04.120.

(((6))) (f) "Person" has the same meaning as provided in RCW 82.04.030.

(((7))) (g) "Qualified buildings" means construction of new structures, and expansion or renovation of existing structures for the purpose of increasing floor space or production capacity, used for manufacturing, including plant offices and warehouses or other buildings for the storage of raw material or finished goods if such facilities are an essential or an integral part of a factory, mill, plant, or laboratory used for manufacturing. If a qualified building is used partly for manufacturing and partly for other purposes, the applicable tax deferral must be determined by apportionment of the costs of construction under rules adopted by the department.

(((8))) (h) "Qualified machinery and equipment" means all new industrial fixtures, equipment, and support facilities that are an integral and necessary part of a manufacturing operation. "Qualified machinery and equipment" includes: Computers; software; data processing equipment; laboratory equipment; manufacturing components such as belts, pulleys, shafts, and moving parts; molds, tools, and dies; operating structures; and all equipment used to control, monitor, or operate the machinery.

(((9))) (i) "Recipient" means a person receiving a tax deferral under this chapter.

Sec. 3.  RCW 82.85.040 and 2015 3rd sp.s. c 6 s 404 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Application for deferral of taxes under this chapter must be made before initiation of the construction of the investment project or acquisition of equipment or machinery. The application must be made to the department in a form and manner prescribed by the department. The deferrals are available on a first-in-time basis. The application must contain information regarding the location of the investment project, the applicant's average employment in the state for the prior year, estimated or actual new employment related to the project, estimated or actual wages of employees related to the project, estimated or actual costs, time schedules for completion and operation, and other information required by the department. The department must rule on the application within sixty days.

(2) The department may not approve applications for more than five eligible investment projects per calendar year.

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