BILL REQ. #:  H-2247.2 



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SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1923
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State of Washington59th Legislature2005 Regular Session

By House Committee on Financial Institutions & Insurance (originally sponsored by Representatives P. Sullivan, Haler, Pettigrew, Walsh, Morrell, Strow, Kilmer, Kessler and Simpson)

READ FIRST TIME 03/04/05.   



     AN ACT Relating to the creation of certified capital companies to promote investment in start-up and emerging Washington businesses; adding a new section to chapter 48.14 RCW; adding a new chapter to Title 43 RCW; creating a new section; and providing a contingent effective date.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   DEFINITIONS. The following definitions apply to this chapter:
     (1)(a) "Affiliate" means:
     (i) Any person who, directly or indirectly, beneficially owns, controls, or holds power to vote fifteen percent or more of the outstanding voting securities or other voting ownership interests of the certified capital company or insurance company;
     (ii) Any person, fifteen percent or more of whose outstanding voting securities or other voting ownership interests are directly or indirectly beneficially owned, controlled, or held with power to vote by the certified capital company or insurance company;
     (iii) Any person who, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with the certified capital company or insurance company;
     (iv) A partnership in which the certified capital company or insurance company is a general partner; or
     (v) Any person who is an officer, director, employee, or agent of the certified capital company or insurance company, or an immediate family member of such officer, director, employee, or agent.
     (b) Notwithstanding (a) of this subsection, an investment by a certified investor in a certified capital company pursuant to an allocation of premium tax credits in section 4 of this act shall not cause such certified capital company to become an affiliate of such certified investor.
     (2) "Certification date" means the date on which the certified capital company is so designated by the office for the certified capital company program.
     (3) "Certified capital" means an amount of cash that:
     (a) Is invested by a certified investor in a certified capital company; and
     (b) Fully funds the purchase price of either or both certified investor's equity interest in the certified capital company or a qualified debt instrument issued by the certified capital company.
     (4) "Certified capital company" means a partnership, corporation, trust, or limited liability company, organized on a for-profit basis, that: (a) Has its principal office located or is headquartered in Washington; (b) has as its primary business activity the investment of cash in qualified businesses or qualified rural businesses; and (c) is certified by the department as meeting the criteria of this chapter.
     (5) "Certified investor" means any insurer as defined in RCW 48.01.050 that contributes certified capital.
     (6) "Commissioner" means the state insurance commissioner.
     (7) "Department" means the department of community, trade, and economic development.
     (8) "Director" means the director of the department of community, trade, and economic development.
     (9) "Net profits on certified investments" means the amount of money returned to the certified capital company in repayment of or in exchange for the certified capital company's qualified investment or investments in the qualified business in excess of the amount of such qualified investment or investments. Such number shall aggregate all of the certified capital company's qualified investments where gains on qualified investments are netted against losses on qualified investments.
     (10) "Person" means any natural person or entity, including but not limited to a corporation, general or limited partnership, trust, or limited liability company.
     (11) "Qualified business" means a business that is independently owned and operated and meets all of the following requirements:
     (a) It is headquartered in this state, its principal business operations are located in this state, at least fifty percent of its employees are in Washington, and the certified capital company has a reasonable expectation, based on an affidavit of one of the principal officers of the business or other comparable evidence, that the business intends to preserve its headquarters and principal place of business in Washington for at least three years after the qualified investment and that it will expend substantially all of the qualified investment within Washington pursuant to the criteria adopted by the commissioner by rule;
     (b) That is a small business as defined in RCW 19.85.020;
     (c) Is not predominantly engaged in: (i) Professional services, including but not limited to accountants, doctors, or lawyers; (ii) banking or lending; (iii) real estate development; (iv) insurance; (v) oil and gas exploration; (vi) direct gambling activities; (vii) making loans to or investments in a certified capital company or an affiliate;
     (d) Any business that is classified as a qualified business at the time of the first qualified investment in the business shall remain classified as a qualified business, may receive continuing qualified investments, and such continuing investments shall be qualified investments even though the business may not meet the definition of a qualified business at the time of such continuing investments; except the business shall not be eligible to receive further qualified investments if:
     (i) It has relocated its headquarters or principal business operations outside of this state; or
     (ii) It has not expended substantially all of its prior qualified investments within Washington as required by the program. For the purposes of this chapter and section 2 of this act, the purchase of services and goods from outside Washington is not precluded, if the services are performed or the goods are used in Washington.
     (12) "Qualified debt instrument" means a debt instrument issued by a certified capital company, at par value or a premium, with an original maturity date of at least five years from the date of issuance, a repayment schedule which is not faster than a level principal amortization over five years, and interest, distribution, or payment features which are not related to the profitability of the certified capital company or the performance of the certified capital company's investment portfolio.
     (13) "Qualified distribution" means any distribution or payment by a certified capital company in connection with the following:
     (a) Reasonable costs and expenses of forming, syndicating, and organizing the certified capital company, including reasonable and necessary fees paid for professional services, including, but not limited to, legal and accounting services, related to the formation of the certified capital company, and the costs of financing and insuring the obligations of the certified capital company so long as, at the time the certified capital company initially receives its investment of certified capital from its certified investors, the certified capital company has cash equal to at least fifty percent of the amount of certified capital such certified capital company initially received as investment from its certified investors;
     (b) Reasonable costs and expenses of managing and operating the certified capital company, including an annual management fee in an amount that does not exceed two and one-half percent of certified capital. No such cost or expense shall be paid to a certified investor or affiliate of a certified investor. Such costs and expenses in the aggregate shall not exceed five percent of certified capital in any one year;
     (c) Reasonable and necessary fees in accordance with industry custom for professional services, including but not limited to legal and accounting services, related to the operation of the certified capital company; except that such professional services shall not be construed to include lobbying or governmental relations;
     (d) Any increase or projected increase in federal or state taxes, including penalties and related interest, of the equity owners of a certified capital company resulting from the earnings or other tax liability of the certified capital company to the extent that the increase is related to the ownership, management, or operation of a certified capital company;
     (e) Payments to debt holders of a certified capital company may be made without restriction with respect to repayments of principal and interest on indebtedness owed to them by a certified capital company, including indebtedness of the certified capital company on which certified investors earned tax credits. A debt holder that is also a certified investor or equity holder of a certified capital company may receive payments with respect to such debt without any restriction whatsoever.
     (14) "Qualified investment" means the investment of cash by a certified capital company in a qualified business for the purchase of any debt, debt participation, equity, or hybrid security, of any nature and description whatsoever, including a debt instrument or security which has the characteristics of debt but which provides for conversion into equity or equity participation instruments such as options or warrants. Any qualified investment in the form of a debt instrument, including those owned through debt participations, must have a final stated maturity of at least two years from the date of issuance and a repayment schedule that is no faster than level principal amortization over two years, however, this does not prohibit (a) the qualified business from voluntarily prepaying a qualified investment at any time; or (b) the certified capital company from exercising any of its rights as a creditor, including the acceleration of the debt owed upon a default by the qualified business under the terms of the debt instrument or upon the acquisition, merger, or the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the qualified business.
     (15) "State premium tax liability" means any liability incurred by an insurance company under the provisions of RCW 48.14.020 or in the case of a repeal or a reduction by the state of the liability imposed by RCW 48.14.020, any other tax liability imposed upon an insurance company by the state.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 48.14 RCW to read as follows:
     PREMIUM TAX CREDIT. (1) Any certified investor who makes an investment of certified capital pursuant to an allocation of tax credits under section 4 of this act shall, at the time of investment, earn a vested credit against state premium tax liability equal to one hundred percent of the certified investor's investment of certified capital. A certified investor shall be entitled to take up to ten percent of the vested tax credit to reduce the certified investor's state premium tax liability due under RCW 48.14.020 for any tax year of the certified investor beginning with the prepayment obligation beginning June 15, 2008, for the tax year commencing on January 1, 2008, plus any amount of unused tax credits carried forward pursuant to this section.
     (2) A certified investor taking the credit under this section is subject to all the requirements of chapter 82.32 RCW. The tax credit that may be applied against state premium tax liability in any one tax year may not exceed the state premium tax liability of the certified investor for such tax year. All unused tax credits against state premium tax liability may be carried forward indefinitely and used in any subsequent year until the tax credits are utilized in full.
     (3) A certified investor claiming a tax credit against state premium tax liability earned through an investment in a certified capital company shall not be required to pay any additional retaliatory tax levied pursuant to RCW 48.14.040 as a result of claiming that tax credit.
     (4) A certified investor is not required to reduce the amount of tax pursuant to the state premium tax liability included by the certified investor in connection with ratemaking for any insurance contract written in this state because of a reduction in the certified investor's tax liability based on the tax credit allowed under this act.
     (5) If the taxes paid by a certified investor with respect to its state premium tax liability constitute a credit against any other tax which is imposed by this state, the certified investor's credit against such other tax shall not be reduced by virtue of the reduction in the certified investor's tax liability based on the tax credit allowed under this act.
     (6) Decertification of a certified company shall cause the disallowance and the recapture of the credit allowed under subsection (1) of this section. The commissioner shall assess interest, but not penalties, on the credit for which the person is not eligible. The interest shall be assessed at the rate provided for delinquent excise taxes under chapter 82.32 RCW, shall be assessed retroactively to the date the tax credit was taken, and shall accrue until the taxes for which the credit has been used are repaid. The amount to be disallowed and recaptured shall be assessed as follows:
     (a) Decertification of a certified capital company within two years of its starting date prior to meeting the requirements of section 5(1)(a) of this act shall cause the disallowance of one hundred percent of the credit allowed under subsection (1) of this section and the tax for which the credit shall be immediately due.
     (b) Decertification of a certified capital company which, having met all the requirements of section 5(1)(a) of this act, subsequently fails to meet the requirements of section 5(1)(b) of this act, shall cause the disallowance of seventy percent of the credit allowed under subsection (1) of this section and any portion of such credit in excess of thirty percent that was previously taken shall be immediately due.
     (c) Decertification of a certified capital company which, having met all the requirements of section 5(1) of this act, shall not cause the disallowance of any credits allowed under subsection (1) of this section nor the recapture of any portion of such credits that was previously taken.
     (d) If, after twelve years after a certified capital company receives an investment of certified capital, such certified capital company has failed to invest one hundred percent of its certified capital allocable in qualified investment, such certified capital company shall be required to pay to the commissioner, for deposit in the general fund, an amount equal to two times the amount of net profits on qualified investments as required by section 7(3) of this act at such subsequent time when it was fully invested one hundred percent and has begun to make a distribution of net profits. The requirement shall not apply to a certified capital company in which at least fifty percent of voting stock, capital, membership interests, or other beneficial ownership interest, as the case may be, are owned by an entity that is managed, directly or indirectly, by a nonprofit corporation. This amount of payment to the commissioner shall not be reduced by the amount set forth in section 7(3) of this act.
     (7) Revocation of certification from a certified capital company pursuant to section 9 of this act, before the later of (a) the third anniversary of the certification date of the certified company or (b) the date on which the certified capital company satisfies the requirements of section 5(1)(b) of this act, shall cause the disallowance of one hundred percent of the credits allowed under subsection (1) of this section and the tax for which the credit was given is immediately due.
     (8) No credit shall be allowed in any tax year in which the eligible person, individually or with or through one or more affiliates, be a managing partner of or underwrite or control the direction of a certified capital company for which the credit is allowed under this section. This provision shall not preclude a certified investor, insurance company, or any other party from exercising its legal rights and remedies in the event that a certified capital company is in default of its statutory obligations or its contractual obligations to such certified investor, insurance company, or other party or from monitoring the certified capital company to ensure its compliance with section 3 of this act or disallowing any investments that have not been approved by the department pursuant to section 5(3) of this act.
     (9) A certified investor allowed a credit against its state tax liability earned through an investment in a certified capital company shall not be required to pay any additional retaliatory tax levied pursuant to RCW 48.14.040 as a result of claiming such credit.
     (10) Premium tax credits may be transferred or sold. The commissioner shall adopt rules for the transfer or sale of premium tax credits. Any transfer or sale shall not affect the time schedule for claiming the premium tax credits. Any tax credits recaptured under section . . . of this act shall be the liability of the certified investor that actually claimed the premium tax credits.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   CERTIFICATION. (1) The department shall establish by rule the procedures for making an application to become a certified capital company.
     (2) An applicant is required to:
     (a) File an application with the department;
     (b) Pay a nonrefundable application fee of seven thousand five hundred dollars at the time of filing the application;
     (c) Have an equity capitalization at the time of seeking certification of five hundred thousand dollars or more in the form of unencumbered cash, marketable securities, or other liquid assets. The applicant shall submit as part of its application an audited balance sheet that contains an unqualified opinion of an independent certified public accountant issued not more than thirty-five days before the application date that states whether the applicant satisfies this equity capitalization requirement; and
     (d) Have at least two principals or at least two persons employed to manage the funds who have at least two years of money management experience in the venture capital industry; except that an applicant that seeks to be certified with respect to premium tax credits allocated pursuant to section 4 of this act need only to have at least two years of experience in either venture capital or investment banking industry.
     (3) The department may certify partnerships, corporations, trusts, or limited liability companies, organized on a for-profit basis, which submit an application to be designated as a certified capital company if such applicant is located, headquartered, and licensed or registered to conduct business in Washington, has as its primary business activity the investment of cash in qualified businesses and meets the other criteria set forth in this act.
     (4) The department shall review the organizational documents of each applicant for certification and the business history of each applicant, determine that the applicant's cash, marketable securities, and other liquid assets are at least five hundred thousand dollars, and determine that the officers and the board of directors, general partners, trustees, managers, or members are trustworthy and are thoroughly acquainted with the requirements of this section.
     (5) Any offering material involving the sale of securities of the certified capital company shall include the following statement:
     "By authorizing the formation of a certified capital company, the state does not necessarily endorse the quality of management or the potential for earnings of such company and is not liable for damages or losses to a certified investor in the company. Use of the word "certified" in an offering does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement of the investment by the Washington state insurance commissioner. If any applicable provisions of the "certified capital company act" are violated, the state may require forfeiture of unused premium tax credits and repayment of used premium tax credits."
     (6) Within sixty days after the receipt of an application, the department shall issue the certification or refuse the certification and communicate in detail to the applicant the grounds for refusal, including suggestions for the removal of such grounds. The department shall begin accepting applications to become a certified capital company in the certified capital company program on January 1, 2006.
     (7)(a) No insurance company or affiliate of an insurance company shall, directly or indirectly:
     (i) Beneficially own, whether through rights, options, convertible interests, or otherwise, fifteen percent or more of the voting securities or other voting ownership interest of a certified capital company;
     (ii) Manage a certified capital company; or
     (iii) Control the direction of investments for a certified capital company.
     (b) A certified capital company may obtain a guaranty, indemnity, bond, insurance policy, or other payment undertaking for the benefit of its certified investors from any entity; except that in no case shall more than one certified investor of such certified capital company or affiliate of such certified investor be entitled to provide such guaranty, indemnity, bond, insurance policy, or other payment undertaking in favor of the certified investors of the certified capital company and its affiliates in this state.
     (c) This subsection shall not preclude a certified investor, insurance company, or other party from exercising its legal rights and remedies, including, without limitation, interim management of a certified capital company, in the event that a certified capital company is in default of its statutory obligations or its contractual obligations to such certified investor, insurance company, or other party.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   AGGREGATE LIMITATIONS ON TAX CREDITS; ALLOCATION. (1) The aggregate amount of certified capital for which tax credits will be allocated to all certified investors under this act shall not exceed the amount that would entitle all certified investors of certified capital companies to take aggregate tax credits of one hundred million dollars or ten million dollars per year for ten years. No certified capital company, on an aggregate basis with its affiliates, may file tax credit allocation claims that exceed the maximum amount of certified capital for which tax credits will be allocated as provided in this subsection (1).
     (2) Tax credits shall be allocated to certified investors in the order that the tax credit allocation claims are filed with the department. All tax credit allocation claims filed with the department on the same day shall be treated as having been filed contemporaneously. Any tax credit allocation claims filed with the department prior to the tax credit allocation claim filing date will be deemed to have been filed on the tax credit allocation claim filing date. The department will set the tax credit allocation claim filing date to be ninety days after the department begins to accept applications under section 3 of this act.
     (3) In the event that two or more certified capital companies file tax credit allocation claims with the department on behalf of their respective certified investors on the same day, and the aggregate amount of such tax credit allocation claims exceeds the aggregate limit of tax credits under this section or such lesser amount of tax credits that remain unallocated on such day, then the tax credits shall be allocated among the certified investors who filed on that day on a pro rata basis with respect to the amounts claimed. The pro rata allocation for any one certified investor shall be the product obtained by multiplying a fraction, the numerator of which is the amount of the tax credit allocation claim filed on behalf of such certified investor and the denominator of which is the total of all tax credit allocation claims filed on behalf of all certified investors on such day, by the aggregate limit of tax credits under this section or such lesser amount of tax credits that remain unallocated on such day.
     (4) Within ten business days after the department receives a tax credit allocation claim filed by a certified capital company on behalf of one or more of its certified investors, the department shall notify the certified capital company of the amount of tax credits allocated to each of the certified investors of such certified capital company.
     (5) In the event a certified capital company does not receive aggregate investments of certified capital equaling the amount of tax credits allocated to its certified investors within ten business days of the certified capital company's receipt of notice of allocation, then it shall so notify the department on or before the next business day and that portion of the tax credits allocated to the certified investors of such certified capital company in excess of the amount of certified capital invested in such certified capital company by such date will be forfeited. The department shall then reallocate those forfeited tax credits among the certified investors of the other certified capital companies on a pro rata basis with respect to the tax credit allocation claims filed on behalf of such certified investors.
     (6) The maximum amount of tax credit allocation claims that may be filed on behalf of any one certified investor, on an aggregate basis with its affiliates, in one or more certified capital companies, shall not exceed the lesser of either (a) the greater of ten million dollars or fifteen percent of the aggregate limitation as provided in this section; or (b) ten times the largest annual state premium tax liability incurred by the certified investor on an aggregate basis with its affiliates during the three tax years preceding the year of the allocation date for which final returns have been filed.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   REQUIREMENTS FOR CONTINUANCE OF CERTIFICATION. (1) To continue to be eligible for certification, a certified capital company shall make qualified investments according to the following schedule:
     (a) Within two years after the allocation date, an amount equal to at least twenty-five percent of the certified capital allocable to such certified capital company must be placed in qualified investments.
     (b) Within five years after the allocation date, an amount equal to at least fifty percent of the certified capital allocable to such certified capital company must be placed in qualified investments.
     (2) The aggregate cumulative amount of all qualified investments made by the certified capital company from an allocation date shall be considered in the calculation of the percentage requirements under this act.
     (3) Prior to making a proposed investment in a specific business, a certified capital company will request from the department a written opinion that the proposed investment will qualify as a qualified investment in a qualified business. The department shall have fifteen business days from the receipt of such a request to determine whether the proposed investment qualifies as a qualified investment in a qualified business and to notify the certified capital company of its determination and an explanation thereof. If the department fails to notify the certified capital company of its determination within the fifteen business day period, the proposed investment shall be deemed to be a qualified investment in a qualified business. If the department determines that the proposed investment does not meet the definition of a qualified investment or qualified business or both, the department may nevertheless consider the proposed investment a qualified investment, and if necessary the business a qualified business, if the department determines that the proposed investment will further state economic development.
     (4) All certified capital not placed in qualified investments by the certified capital company may be held or invested in such manner as the certified capital company, in its discretion, deems appropriate. The proceeds of all certified capital returned to a certified capital company after being originally placed in qualified investments may be placed again in qualified investments and shall count toward any requirement of this section with respect to placing certified capital in qualified investments.
     (5) If within ten years after the starting date of the certified capital company program, one hundred percent of the certified capital allocable to a certified capital company participating in such program has not been placed in qualified investments, the specific certified capital company shall no longer be permitted to receive management fees.
     (6) Any business which is classified as a qualified business at the time of the first investment in said business by a certified capital company shall remain classified as a qualified business and may receive follow-on investments from any certified capital company, and such follow-on investments shall be qualified investments even though such business may not meet the definition of a qualified business at the time of the follow-on investments, provided that the business meets the requirements of this section and section 6 of this act and such business reaffirms its intention to maintain its headquarters in Washington and conduct its primary business operations in Washington.
     (7) No qualified investment may be made by a certified capital company to the extent such investment would cause the company's total qualified investment outstanding with respect to the qualified business receiving such investment to exceed fifteen percent of the total certified capital of the certified capital company at the time of such investment.
     (8) Documents and other materials submitted by certified capital companies or by businesses for the purpose of the continuance of certification shall not be public records if such records are determined by the department to be trade or business secrets and shall be maintained in a confidential manner by the department.
     (9) The aggregate cumulative amount of all qualified investments made by a certified capital company will be considered in the calculation of the percentage requirements under this section, provided that any amounts received by a certified capital company from a qualified business as (a) commitment fees, closing fees, or other similar fees, excluding reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses, including legal fees and accounting fees in excess of one percent of the certified company's investment in the qualified business or (b) license fees, royalties, or similar charges shall not be considered in any percentage calculations under this section.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6   CERTIFIED CAPITAL COMPANY REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. Each certified capital company shall report the following to the department:
     (1) As soon as practicable after the receipt of certified capital or an irrevocable funding commitment subject only to the receipt of an allocation pursuant to section 2 of this act:
     (a) The name of each certified investor from which the certified capital was received, including such certified investor's insurance tax identification number;
     (b) The amount of each certified investor's investment of certified capital; and
     (c) The date on which the certified capital was received.
     (2) On an annual basis, on or before January 31st of each year:
     (a) The amount of the certified capital company's certified capital at the end of the immediately preceding taxable year;
     (b) Whether or not the certified capital company has invested more than fifteen percent of its total certified capital in any one business;
     (c) All qualified investments that the certified capital company has made in the previous taxable year, including the number of employees of each qualified business in which it has made investments at the time of such investment and as of December 1st of the preceding taxable year. For any qualified business where the certified capital company no longer has an investment, the certified capital company shall provide employment figures for such company as of the last day before the investment was terminated;
     (d) All qualified investments made in distressed rural areas and distressed urban areas; and
     (e) Other information that the department may reasonably request that will help the department ascertain the impact of the certified capital companies both directly and indirectly on the economy of the state of Washington including but not limited to the number of jobs created by qualified businesses that have received qualified investments.
     (3) Each certified capital company shall provide to the department: (a) Annual audited financial statements, which shall include the opinion of an independent certified public accountant, within ninety days of the close of its fiscal year; and (b) an "agreed upon procedures report" or equivalent regarding the operations of the certified capital company regarding section 5 of this act. Upon receiving notification and documentation by a certified capital company that it has satisfied the requirements of section 5 of this act that it has invested fifty percent of its certified capital, the department shall have sixty days to notify such certified capital company that it has or has not met such requirement. If the department does not provide such notification within sixty days, the certified capital company shall then be deemed to have met such a requirement.
     (4) Each certified capital company shall pay to the department an annual, nonrefundable certification fee of five thousand dollars on or before April 1st, or ten thousand dollars if later. However, no fee is required within six months of the date a certified capital company is first certified by the department.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 7   DISTRIBUTIONS. (1) A certified capital company may make qualified distributions at any time. In order for a certified capital company to make a distribution other than a qualified distribution to its equity holders, the aggregate cumulative amount of all qualified investments of the certified capital company must equal or exceed an amount equal to one hundred percent of its certified capital and, of those investments, an amount equal to or exceeding twenty-five percent of its certified capital must have been invested in a minority and women-owned business as defined by the department and an amount equal to twenty-five percent must have been invested in a qualified rural investment as defined by the department. For the purposes of this act, a certified capital company may elect to count an investment in a minority and women-owned business which is also a qualified rural investment as either but not as both.
     (2) In the event that a business in which a qualified investment is made relocates its principal business operations to another state during such investment, the cumulative amount of qualified investment shall be reduced by the amount of such qualified investment for the purposes of this section unless (a) the certified capital company invests an amount at least equal to the investment of certified capital in the relocated business in a qualified business located in Washington within six months of the relocation or (b) the business demonstrates that it has returned its principal business operations to Washington within three months of such relocation. A business shall be deemed to have relocated its principal business operations outside Washington if the primary workplace of more than fifty percent of the employees of such business within the state is relocated to another state.
     (3)(a) A certified capital company shall pay to the department for deposit in the general fund an amount equal to thirty percent of the net profits on qualified investments. A certified capital company shall make all payments required under this subsection concurrently with distributions of profits and gains to its equity owners; however, nothing contained in this subsection shall be construed to affect qualified distributions.
     (b) The amount of any payment to the department shall be reduced by fifteen percent of such net profits and gains on qualified investments if, at the time of such net profits distribution, such certified capital company irrevocably commits to both: (i) Reinvest the remaining fifteen percent of such net profits not being paid to the general fund into qualified businesses, and (ii) invest an additional amount equal to at least fifteen percent of such net profits distribution into qualified business which additional amount shall come from a separate pool of venture capital that is controlled by the certified capital company but that does not contain certified capital. In making investments from funds under this subsection, the certified capital company shall follow the requirements of this section pertaining to obtaining approval of the investment being in a qualified business. Once qualified investments in qualified businesses have been made pursuant to this subsection equal thirty percent of the net profits on qualified investments, then the requirement under this subsection shall be satisfied and the proceeds from such qualified businesses may be distributed without restriction.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 8   DECERTIFICATION. (1) The department shall conduct an annual review of each certified capital company to determine if the certified capital company is abiding by the requirements of certification, to advise the certified capital company as to the eligibility status of its qualified investments, and to ensure that no investment has been made in violation of this section. The cost of the annual review shall be paid by each certified capital company according to a reasonable fee schedule adopted by the department.
     (2) Any material violation of section 6 of this act shall be grounds for decertification of the certified capital company and the disallowance of credits as set forth in section 2 of this act.
     (3) Once a certified capital company has invested an amount cumulatively equal to one hundred percent of its certified capital in qualified investments and has met all other requirements under this act, the certified capital company shall no longer be subject to regulation by the department and shall no longer be subject to section 6 of this act. Upon receiving documented certification by a certified capital company that it has invested an amount equal to one hundred percent of its certified capital, the department shall have sixty days to notify such certified capital company that it has or has not met the requirements with a reason for such determination if it has not, in the judgment of the director or the director's designee, met such requirement. If the department does not provide such notification within sixty days, the certified capital company shall be deemed to have met such requirements.
     (4) The department shall send written notice of such decertification to the commissioner and to the address of each certified investor whose tax credit has been subject to recapture or forfeiture, using the address shown on the last filing submitted to the department.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 9   REVOCATION OF CERTIFICATION. The department may revoke the certification of a certified capital company if any material representation to the department in connection with the application process proves to have been falsely made or if the application materially violates any requirements established by the department pursuant to this act.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 10   REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS. All investments for which tax credits are allowable under section 2 of this act shall satisfy the conditions of being registered or specifically exempt from registration under section 5 of this act.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 11   REPORTS TO THE GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATURE. The department shall report to the governor and the appropriate committees of the legislature on or before June 1st of each year beginning in 2007:
     (1) The number of certified capital companies holding certified capital;
     (2) The amount of certified capital invested in each certified capital company;
     (3) The cumulative amount that each certified capital company has invested as of January 1, 2007, and the cumulative total each year thereafter;
     (4) The cumulative amount that the investments of each certified capital company have leveraged in terms of capital invested by other sources of capital in qualified businesses at the same time or subsequent to investments made by a certified capital company in such businesses;
     (5) The total amount of tax credits granted under this act for each year the credits have been awarded;
     (6) The performance of each certified capital company with regard to the requirements for continued certification;
     (7) The classification of the companies in which each certified capital company has invested according to industrial sector and size of company;
     (8) The total gross number of jobs created by investments made by each certified capital company using certified capital and the number of jobs retained;
     (9) The location of the companies in which each certified capital company has invested; and
     (10) Those certified capital companies that have been decertified, or have had their certification revoked, including the reasons for decertification or revocation.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 12   RULES. The department shall develop proposed rules as deemed necessary to implement the provisions of this act and shall report to the legislature on these proposed rules by December 1, 2005. These proposed rules will not take effect until the effective date of sections 1 through 11 of this act.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 13   CAPTIONS. Captions used in this act are not any part of the law.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 14   Sections 1 and 3 through 12 of this act constitute a new chapter in Title 43 RCW.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 15   (1) Sections 1 through 11 of this act take effect July 1, 2006, if specific funding for the purposes of this act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number, is provided by June 30, 2006, in the omnibus appropriations act or the supplemental omnibus appropriations act.
     (2) If specific funding for the purposes of this act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number, is not provided by June 30, 2006, in the omnibus appropriations act or the supplemental omnibus appropriations act, this act is null and void.

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