1821

1821.E AMS WM WILS 001

EHB 1821 - S COMM AMD

By Committee on Ways & Means

Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:

"Sec. 1. RCW 82.04.255 and 1996 c 1 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

Upon every person engaging within the state as a real estate broker; as to such persons, the amount of the tax with respect to such business shall be equal to the gross income of the business, multiplied by the rate of ((~~1.75~~)) 1.5 percent.

The measure of the tax on real estate commissions earned by the real estate broker shall be the gross commission earned by the particular real estate brokerage office including that portion of the commission paid to salesmen or associate brokers in the same office on a particular transaction: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That where a real estate commission is divided between an originating brokerage office and a cooperating brokerage office on a particular transaction, each brokerage office shall pay the tax only upon their respective shares of said commission: AND PROVIDED FURTHER, That where the brokerage office has paid the tax as provided herein, salesmen or associate brokers within the same brokerage office shall not be required to pay a similar tax upon the same transaction.

Sec. 2. RCW 82.04.290 and 1996 c 1 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) ((Upon every person engaging within this state in the business of providing selected business services other than or in addition to those enumerated in RCW 82.04.250 or 82.04.270; as to such persons the amount of tax on account of such activities shall be equal to the gross income of the business multiplied by the rate of 2.0 percent.

(2) Upon every person engaging within this state in banking, loan, security, investment management, investment advisory, or other financial businesses, other than or in addition to those enumerated in subsection (3) of this section; as to such persons, the amount of the tax with respect to such business shall be equal to the gross income of the business, multiplied by the rate of 1.6 percent.

~~(3)~~)) Upon every person engaging within this state in the business of providing international investment management services, as to such persons, the amount of tax with respect to such business shall be equal to the gross income or gross proceeds of sales of the business multiplied by a rate of 0.275 percent.

((~~(4)~~)) (2) Upon every person engaging within this state in any business activity other than or in addition to those enumerated in RCW 82.04.230, 82.04.240, 82.04.250, 82.04.255, 82.04.260, 82.04.270, and 82.04.280, and subsection((s)) (1)((~~, (2), and (3)~~)) of this section; as to such persons the amount of tax on account of such activities shall be equal to the gross income of the business multiplied by the rate of ((~~1.75~~)) 1.5 percent.

This section includes, among others, and without limiting the scope hereof (whether or not title to materials used in the performance of such business passes to another by accession, confusion or other than by outright sale), persons engaged in the business of rendering any type of service which does not constitute a "sale at retail" or a "sale at wholesale." The value of advertising, demonstration, and promotional supplies and materials furnished to an agent by his principal or supplier to be used for informational, educational and promotional purposes shall not be considered a part of the agent's remuneration or commission and shall not be subject to taxation under this section.

Sec. 3. RCW 82.04.293 and 1995 c 229 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

For purposes of RCW 82.04.290((~~(3)~~)):

(1) A person is engaged in the business of providing international investment management services, if:

(a) Such person is engaged primarily in the business of providing investment management services; and

(b) At least ten percent of the gross income of such person is derived from providing investment management services to any of the following: (i) Persons or collective investment funds residing outside the United States; or (ii) persons or collective investment funds with at least ten percent of their investments located outside the United States.

(2) "Investment management services" means investment research, investment consulting, portfolio management, fund administration, fund distribution, investment transactions, or related investment services.

(3) "Collective investment fund" includes:

(a) A mutual fund or other regulated investment company, as defined in section 851(a) of the internal revenue code of 1986, as amended;

(b) An "investment company," as that term is used in section 3(a) of the investment company act of 1940, as well as any entity that would be an investment company for this purpose but for the exemptions contained in section 3(c)(1) or (11);

(c) An "employee benefit plan," which includes any plan, trust, commingled employee benefit trust, or custodial arrangement that is subject to the employee retirement income security act of 1974, as amended, 29 U.S.C. Sec. 1001 et seq., or that is described in sections 125, 401, 403, 408, 457, and 501(c)(9) and (17) through (23) of the internal revenue code of 1986, as amended, or a similar plan maintained by a state or local government, or a plan, trust, or custodial arrangement established to self-insure benefits required by federal, state, or local law;

(d) A fund maintained by a tax-exempt organization, as defined in section 501(c)(3) of the internal revenue code of 1986, as amended, for operating, quasi-endowment, or endowment purposes;

(e) Funds that are established for the benefit of such tax-exempt organizations, such as charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trusts, charitable annuity trusts, or other similar trusts; or

(f) Collective investment funds similar to those described in (a) through (e) of this subsection created under the laws of a foreign jurisdiction.

(4) Investments are located outside the United States if the underlying assets in which the investment constitutes a beneficial interest reside or are created, issued or held outside the United States.

Sec. 4. RCW 82.04.4452 and 1994 sp.s. c 5 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) In computing the tax imposed under this chapter, a credit is allowed for each person whose research and development spending during the year in which the credit is claimed exceeds 0.92 percent of the person's taxable amount during the same calendar year.

(2) The credit is equal to the greater of the amount of qualified research and development expenditures of a person or eighty percent of amounts received by a person other than a public educational or research institution in compensation for the conduct of qualified research and development, multiplied by the rate ((~~of 0.515 percent~~)) provided in RCW 82.04.260(6) in the case of a nonprofit corporation or nonprofit association engaging within this state in research and development, and ((~~2.5 percent~~)) the rate provided in RCW 82.04.290(2) for every other person.

(3) Any person entitled to the credit provided in subsection (2) of this section as a result of qualified research and development conducted under contract may assign all or any portion of the credit to the person contracting for the performance of the qualified research and development.

(4) The credit, including any credit assigned to a person under subsection (3) of this section, shall be taken against taxes due for the same calendar year in which the qualified research and development expenditures are incurred. The credit, including any credit assigned to a person under subsection (3) of this section, for each calendar year shall not exceed the lesser of two million dollars or the amount of tax otherwise due under this chapter for the calendar year.

(5) Any person taking the credit, including any credit assigned to a person under subsection (3) of this section, whose research and development spending during the calendar year in which the credit is claimed fails to exceed 0.92 percent of the person's taxable amount during the same calendar year shall be liable for payment of the additional taxes represented by the amount of credit taken together with interest, but not penalties. Interest shall be due at the rate provided for delinquent excise taxes retroactively to the date the credit was taken until the taxes are paid. Any credit assigned to a person under subsection (3) of this section that is disallowed as a result of this section may be taken by the person who performed the qualified research and development subject to the limitations set forth in subsection (4) of this section.

(6) Any person claiming the credit, and any person assigning a credit as provided in subsection (3) of this section, shall file an affidavit form prescribed by the department which shall include the amount of the credit claimed, an estimate of the anticipated qualified research and development expenditures during the calendar year for which the credit is claimed, an estimate of the taxable amount during the calendar year for which the credit is claimed, and such additional information as the department may prescribe.

(7) A person claiming the credit shall agree to supply the department with information necessary to measure the results of the tax credit program for qualified research and development expenditures.

(8) The department shall use the information required under subsection (7) of this section to perform three assessments on the tax credit program authorized under this section. The assessments will take place in 1997, 2000, and 2003. The department shall prepare reports on each assessment and deliver their reports by September 1, 1997, September 1, 2000, and September 1, 2003. The assessments shall measure the effect of the program on job creation, the number of jobs created for Washington residents, company growth, the introduction of new products, the diversification of the state's economy, growth in research and development investment, the movement of firms or the consolidation of firms' operations into the state, and such other factors as the department selects.

(9) For the purpose of this section:

(a) "Qualified research and development expenditures" means operating expenses, including wages, compensation of a proprietor or a partner in a partnership as determined under rules adopted by the department, benefits, supplies, and computer expenses, directly incurred in qualified research and development by a person claiming the credit provided in this section. The term does not include amounts paid to a person other than a public educational or research institution to conduct qualified research and development. Nor does the term include capital costs and overhead, such as expenses for land, structures, or depreciable property.

(b) "Qualified research and development" shall have the same meaning as in RCW 82.63.010.

(c) "Research and development spending" means qualified research and development expenditures plus eighty percent of amounts paid to a person other than a public educational or research institution to conduct qualified research and development.

(d) "Taxable amount" means the taxable amount subject to the tax imposed in this chapter required to be reported on the person's combined excise tax returns during the year in which the credit is claimed, less any taxable amount for which a credit is allowed under RCW 82.04.440.

(10) This section shall expire December 31, 2004.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. RCW 82.04.055 and 1993 sp.s. c 25 s 201 are each repealed.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. This act does not affect any existing right acquired or liability or obligation incurred under the sections amended or repealed in this act or under any rule or order adopted under those sections, nor does it affect any proceeding instituted under those sections.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. This act takes effect July 1, 1998."

EHB 1821 - S COMM AMD

By Committee on Ways & Means

On page 1, on line 2 of the title, after "categories;", strike the remainder of the title and insert "amending RCW 82.04.255, 82.04.290, 82.04.293, and 82.04.4452; creating a new section; repealing RCW 82.04.055; and providing an effective date."