AN ACT Relating to the sale and taxation of Washingtonians' personal information and related data; amending RCW 82.04.050, 82.04.066, 82.04.192, 82.04.2907, 82.04.460, 82.04.462, 82.08.0291, and 82.32.087; adding a new section to chapter 82.04 RCW; creating a new section; and providing an effective date.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature intends to update and adapt state tax policy to the forms of commerce that have emerged with expanded internet access. The legislature recognizes that the internet is used: To seek out and apply for jobs, to communicate with health care providers, to apply for regulatory permits and licenses, for mapping and navigation, for social engagement, and for the consumption of news and entertainment.

(2) The legislature further recognizes that those who provide internet services and web applications have access to vast amounts of information about their customers including when we are online, where we are physically located when we are online, how long we stay online, what devices we use to access the internet, what web sites we visit, what applications we use, what sort of medical and health information we search for, what advertisements we view, how we entertain ourselves, and what we purchase.

(3) The legislature finds that there are various businesses engaged in accumulating the personal data that is available to be collected about people as they use the internet, and aggregating or compiling that information and reselling it. This is a new business model that has flourished and is anticipated to grow as more people and more devices are connected to the internet with ever-increasing frequency for an ever greater number of innovative applications. As such, the legislature intends to have this category of business activity set apart with its own individual tax rate, so that the number of businesses and volume of business activity in this category can be transparent to policymakers and our citizens.

(1) Upon every person engaging within this state in the business of making sales of personal information or exchanging personal information for consideration; as to such persons the amount of tax with respect to such business is equal to the gross income of the business multiplied by the rate of 3.3 percent.

(2) For the purposes of this section, "personal information" means information that identifies, relates to, describes, or is capable of being associated with, a particular individual, including but not limited to his or her name; physical address or other location information; telephone number; email address; internet provider address; signature; physical characteristics or description; biometric data; driver's license number, state identification card number, passport number, social security number, or other government-issued identification number; bank account number, debit card number, credit card number, or any other financial information; insurance information; medical information; employment information; and educational information. "Personal information" also includes browser habits, consumer preferences and any other data that can be attributed to an individual and can be used for marketing, or determining access and costs related to insurance, credit, or health care. "Personal information" does not include photographs.

(1)(a) "Sale at retail" or "retail sale" means every sale of tangible personal property (including articles produced, fabricated, or imprinted) to all persons irrespective of the nature of their business and including, among others, without limiting the scope hereof, persons who install, repair, clean, alter, improve, construct, or decorate real or personal property of or for consumers other than a sale to a person who:

(i) Purchases for the purpose of resale as tangible personal property in the regular course of business without intervening use by such person, but a purchase for the purpose of resale by a regional transit authority under RCW 81.112.300 is not a sale for resale; or

(ii) Installs, repairs, cleans, alters, imprints, improves, constructs, or decorates real or personal property of or for consumers, if such tangible personal property becomes an ingredient or component of such real or personal property without intervening use by such person; or

(iii) Purchases for the purpose of consuming the property purchased in producing for sale as a new article of tangible personal property or substance, of which such property becomes an ingredient or component or is a chemical used in processing, when the primary purpose of such chemical is to create a chemical reaction directly through contact with an ingredient of a new article being produced for sale; or

(iv) Purchases for the purpose of consuming the property purchased in producing ferrosilicon which is subsequently used in producing magnesium for sale, if the primary purpose of such property is to create a chemical reaction directly through contact with an ingredient of ferrosilicon; or

(vi) Purchases for the purpose of satisfying the person's obligations under an extended warranty as defined in subsection (7) of this section, if such tangible personal property replaces or becomes an ingredient or component of property covered by the extended warranty without intervening use by such person.

(b) The term includes every sale of tangible personal property that is used or consumed or to be used or consumed in the performance of any activity defined as a "sale at retail" or "retail sale" even though such property is resold or used as provided in (a)(i) through (vi) of this subsection following such use.

(a) The installing, repairing, cleaning, altering, imprinting, or improving of tangible personal property of or for consumers, including charges made for the mere use of facilities in respect thereto, but excluding charges made for the use of self-service laundry facilities, and also excluding sales of laundry service to nonprofit health care facilities, and excluding services rendered in respect to live animals, birds and insects;

(b) The constructing, repairing, decorating, or improving of new or existing buildings or other structures under, upon, or above real property of or for consumers, including the installing or attaching of any article of tangible personal property therein or thereto, whether or not such personal property becomes a part of the realty by virtue of installation, and also includes the sale of services or charges made for the clearing of land and the moving of earth excepting the mere leveling of land used in commercial farming or agriculture;

(c) The constructing, repairing, or improving of any structure upon, above, or under any real property owned by an owner who conveys the property by title, possession, or any other means to the person performing such construction, repair, or improvement for the purpose of performing such construction, repair, or improvement and the property is then reconveyed by title, possession, or any other means to the original owner;

(d) The cleaning, fumigating, razing, or moving of existing buildings or structures, but does not include the charge made for janitorial services; and for purposes of this section the term "janitorial services" means those cleaning and caretaking services ordinarily performed by commercial janitor service businesses including, but not limited to, wall and window washing, floor cleaning and waxing, and the cleaning in place of rugs, drapes and upholstery. The term "janitorial services" does not include painting, papering, repairing, furnace or septic tank cleaning, snow removal or sandblasting;

(f) The furnishing of lodging and all other services by a hotel, rooming house, tourist court, motel, trailer camp, and the granting of any similar license to use real property, as distinguished from the renting or leasing of real property, and it is presumed that the occupancy of real property for a continuous period of one month or more constitutes a rental or lease of real property and not a mere license to use or enjoy the same. For the purposes of this subsection, it is presumed that the sale of and charge made for the furnishing of lodging for a continuous period of one month or more to a person is a rental or lease of real property and not a mere license to enjoy the same;

(h) Persons taxable under (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), and (g) of this subsection when such sales or charges are for property, labor and services which are used or consumed in whole or in part by such persons in the performance of any activity defined as a "sale at retail" or "retail sale" even though such property, labor and services may be resold after such use or consumption. Nothing contained in this subsection may be construed to modify subsection (1) of this section and nothing contained in subsection (1) of this section may be construed to modify this subsection.

(3) The term "sale at retail" or "retail sale" includes the sale of or charge made for personal, business, or professional services including amounts designated as interest, rents, fees, admission, and other service emoluments however designated, received by persons engaging in the following business activities:

(((d))) (c) Landscape maintenance and horticultural services but excluding (i) horticultural services provided to farmers and (ii) pruning, trimming, repairing, removing, and clearing of trees and brush near electric transmission or distribution lines or equipment, if performed by or at the direction of an electric utility;

(C) Separately stated charges for services, such as advertising, massage, nutritional consulting, and body composition testing, that do not require the customer to engage in physical fitness activities to receive the service. The exclusion in this subsection (3)(((g))) (f)(ii)(C) does not apply to personal training services and instruction in a physical fitness activity;

(D) Separately stated charges for physical therapy provided by a physical therapist, as those terms are defined in RCW 18.74.010, or occupational therapy provided by an occupational therapy practitioner, as those terms are defined in RCW 18.59.020, when performed pursuant to a referral from an authorized health care practitioner or in consultation with an authorized health care practitioner. For the purposes of this subsection (3)(((g))) (f)(ii)(D), an authorized health care practitioner means a health care practitioner licensed under chapter 18.83, 18.25, 18.36A, 18.57, 18.57A, 18.71, or 18.71A RCW;

(E) Rent or association fees charged by a landlord or residential association to a tenant or residential owner with access to an athletic or fitness facility maintained by the landlord or residential association, unless the rent or fee varies depending on whether the tenant or owner has access to the facility;

(G) The provision of access to an athletic or fitness facility by an educational institution to its students and staff. However, charges made by an educational institution to its alumni or other members of the public for the use of any of the educational institution's athletic or fitness facilities are a retail sale under this subsection (3)(((g))) (f). For purposes of this subsection (3)(((g))) (f)(ii)(G), "educational institution" has the same meaning as in RCW 82.04.170; and

(H) Yoga, tai chi, or chi gong classes held at a community center, park, gymnasium, college or university, hospital or other medical facility, private residence, or any facility that is not primarily used for physical fitness activities other than yoga, tai chi, or chi gong classes.

(iii) Nothing in (((g))) (f)(ii) of this subsection (3) may be construed to affect the taxation of sales made by the operator of an athletic or fitness facility, where such sales are defined as a retail sale under any provision of this section other than this subsection (3).

(A) "Athletic or fitness facility" means an indoor or outdoor facility or portion of a facility that is primarily used for: Exercise classes; strength and conditioning programs; personal training services; tennis, racquetball, handball, squash, or pickleball; yoga; boxing, kickboxing, wrestling, martial arts, or mixed martial arts training; or other activities requiring the use of exercise or strength training equipment, such as treadmills, elliptical machines, stair climbers, stationary cycles, rowing machines, pilates equipment, balls, climbing ropes, jump ropes, and weightlifting equipment.

(6)(a) The term also includes the sale of prewritten computer software to a consumer, regardless of the method of delivery to the end user. For purposes of (a) and (b) of this subsection, the sale of prewritten computer software includes the sale of or charge made for a key or an enabling or activation code, where the key or code is required to activate prewritten computer software and put the software into use. There is no separate sale of the key or code from the prewritten computer software, regardless of how the sale may be characterized by the vendor or by the purchaser.

(c)(i) The term also includes the charge made to consumers for the right to access and use prewritten computer software, where possession of the software is maintained by the seller or a third party, regardless of whether the charge for the service is on a per use, per user, per license, subscription, or some other basis.

(B) For purposes of this subsection (6)(c)(ii), "data processing" means the systematic performance of operations on data to extract the required information in an appropriate form or to convert the data to usable information. Data processing includes check processing, image processing, form processing, survey processing, payroll processing, claim processing, and similar activities.

(7) The term also includes the sale of or charge made for an extended warranty to a consumer. For purposes of this subsection, "extended warranty" means an agreement for a specified duration to perform the replacement or repair of tangible personal property at no additional charge or a reduced charge for tangible personal property, labor, or both, or to provide indemnification for the replacement or repair of tangible personal property, based on the occurrence of specified events. The term "extended warranty" does not include an agreement, otherwise meeting the definition of extended warranty in this subsection, if no separate charge is made for the agreement and the value of the agreement is included in the sales price of the tangible personal property covered by the agreement. For purposes of this subsection, "sales price" has the same meaning as in RCW 82.08.010.

(b) A retail sale of digital goods, digital codes, or digital automated services under this subsection (8) includes any services provided by the seller exclusively in connection with the digital goods, digital codes, or digital automated services, whether or not a separate charge is made for such services.

(c) For purposes of this subsection, "permanent" means perpetual or for an indefinite or unspecified length of time. A right of permanent use is presumed to have been granted unless the agreement between the seller and the purchaser specifies or the circumstances surrounding the transaction suggest or indicate that the right to use terminates on the occurrence of a condition subsequent.

(9) The term also includes the charge made for providing tangible personal property along with an operator for a fixed or indeterminate period of time. A consideration of this is that the operator is necessary for the tangible personal property to perform as designed. For the purpose of this subsection (9), an operator must do more than maintain, inspect, or set up the tangible personal property.

(10) The term does not include the sale of or charge made for labor and services rendered in respect to the building, repairing, or improving of any street, place, road, highway, easement, right-of-way, mass public transportation terminal or parking facility, bridge, tunnel, or trestle which is owned by a municipal corporation or political subdivision of the state or by the United States and which is used or to be used primarily for foot or vehicular traffic including mass transportation vehicles of any kind.

(11) The term also does not include sales of chemical sprays or washes to persons for the purpose of postharvest treatment of fruit for the prevention of scald, fungus, mold, or decay, nor does it include sales of feed, seed, seedlings, fertilizer, agents for enhanced pollination including insects such as bees, and spray materials to: (a) Persons who participate in the federal conservation reserve program, the environmental quality incentives program, the wetlands reserve program, and the wildlife habitat incentives program, or their successors administered by the United States department of agriculture; (b) farmers for the purpose of producing for sale any agricultural product; (c) farmers for the purpose of providing bee pollination services; and (d) farmers acting under cooperative habitat development or access contracts with an organization exempt from federal income tax under 26 U.S.C. Sec. 501(c)(3) of the federal internal revenue code or the Washington state department of fish and wildlife to produce or improve wildlife habitat on land that the farmer owns or leases.

(12) The term does not include the sale of or charge made for labor and services rendered in respect to the constructing, repairing, decorating, or improving of new or existing buildings or other structures under, upon, or above real property of or for the United States, any instrumentality thereof, or a county or city housing authority created pursuant to chapter 35.82 RCW, including the installing, or attaching of any article of tangible personal property therein or thereto, whether or not such personal property becomes a part of the realty by virtue of installation. Nor does the term include the sale of services or charges made for the clearing of land and the moving of earth of or for the United States, any instrumentality thereof, or a county or city housing authority. Nor does the term include the sale of services or charges made for cleaning up for the United States, or its instrumentalities, radioactive waste and other by-products of weapons production and nuclear research and development.

(13) The term does not include the sale of or charge made for labor, services, or tangible personal property pursuant to agreements providing maintenance services for bus, rail, or rail fixed guideway equipment when a regional transit authority is the recipient of the labor, services, or tangible personal property, and a transit agency, as defined in RCW 81.104.015, performs the labor or services.

(15)(a) The term "sale at retail" or "retail sale" includes amounts charged, however labeled, to consumers to engage in any of the activities listed in this subsection (15)(a), including the furnishing of any associated equipment or, except as otherwise provided in this subsection, providing instruction in such activities, where such charges are not otherwise defined as a "sale at retail" or "retail sale" in this section:

(i)(A) Golf, including any variant in which either golf balls or golf clubs are used, such as miniature golf, hitting golf balls at a driving range, and golf simulators, and including fees charged by a golf course to a player for using his or her own cart. However, charges for golf instruction are not a retail sale, provided that if the instruction involves the use of a golfing facility that would otherwise require the payment of a fee, such as green fees or driving range fees, such fees, including the applicable retail sales tax, must be separately identified and charged by the golfing facility operator to the instructor or the person receiving the instruction.

(B) Notwithstanding (a)(i)(A) of this subsection (15) and except as otherwise provided in this subsection (15)(a)(i)(B), the term "sale at retail" or "retail sale" does not include amounts charged to participate in, or conduct, a golf tournament or other competitive event. However, amounts paid by event participants to the golf facility operator are retail sales under this subsection (15)(a)(i). Likewise, amounts paid by the event organizer to the golf facility are retail sales under this subsection (15)(a)(i), if such amounts vary based on the number of event participants;

(iv) Access to amusement park, theme park, and water park facilities, including but not limited to charges for admission and locker or cabana rentals. Discrete charges for rides or other attractions or entertainment that are in addition to the charge for admission are not a retail sale under this subsection (15)(a)(iv). For the purposes of this subsection, an amusement park or theme park is a location that provides permanently affixed amusement rides, games, and other entertainment, but does not include parks or zoos for which the primary purpose is the exhibition of wildlife, or fairs, carnivals, and festivals as defined in (b)(i) of this subsection;

(vi) Bowling, but not including competitive events, except that amounts paid by the event participants to the bowling alley operator are retail sales under this subsection (15)(a)(vi). Likewise, amounts paid by the event organizer to the operator of the bowling alley are retail sales under this subsection (15)(a)(vi), if such amounts vary based on the number of event participants;

(x) Horseback riding offered to the public, where the seller furnishes the horse to the buyer and providing instruction is not the primary focus of the activity, including guided rides, but not including therapeutic horseback riding provided by an instructor certified by a nonprofit organization that offers national or international certification for therapeutic riding instructors;

(xiii) Swimming, but only in respect to (A) recreational or fitness swimming that is open to the public, such as open swim, lap swimming, and special events like kids night out and pool parties during open swim time, and (B) pool parties for private events, such as birthdays, family gatherings, and employee outings. Fees for swimming lessons, to participate in swim meets and other competitions, or to join a swim team, club, or aquatic facility are not retail sales under this subsection (15)(a)(xiii);

(xv) Indoor or outdoor playground activities, such as inflatable bounce structures and other inflatables; mazes; trampolines; slides; ball pits; games of tag, including laser tag and soft-dart tag; and human gyroscope rides, regardless of whether such activities occur at the seller's place of business, but not including playground activities provided for children by a licensed child day care center or licensed family day care provider as those terms are defined in RCW 43.215.010;

(xvi) Shooting sports and activities, such as target shooting, skeet, trap, sporting clays, "5" stand, and archery, but only in respect to discrete charges to members of the public to engage in these activities, but not including fees to enter a competitive event, instruction that is entirely or predominately classroom based, or to join or renew a membership at a club, range, or other facility;

(xviii) Skating, including ice skating, roller skating, and inline skating, but only in respect to discrete charges to members of the public to engage in skating activities, but not including skating lessons, competitive events, team activities, or fees to join or renew a membership at a skating facility, club, or other organization;

(xix) Nonmotorized snow sports and activities, such as downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, ski jumping, sledding, snow tubing, snowshoeing, and similar snow sports and activities, whether engaged in outdoors or in an indoor facility with or without snow, but only in respect to discrete charges to the public for the use of land or facilities to engage in nonmotorized snow sports and activities, such as fees, however labeled, for the use of ski lifts and tows and daily or season passes for access to trails or other areas where nonmotorized snow sports and activities are conducted. However, fees for the following are not retail sales under this subsection (15)(a)(xix): (A) Instructional lessons; (B) permits issued by a governmental entity to park a vehicle on or access public lands; and (C) permits or leases granted by an owner of private timberland for recreational access to areas used primarily for growing and harvesting timber; and

(i) Made for admission to, and rides or attractions at, fairs, carnivals, and festivals. For the purposes of this subsection, fairs, carnivals, and festivals are events that do not exceed twenty-one days and a majority of the amusement rides, if any, are not affixed to real property;

(ii) Made by an educational institution to its students and staff for activities defined as retail sales by (a)(i) through (xx) of this subsection. However, charges made by an educational institution to its alumni or other members of the general public for these activities are a retail sale under this subsection (15). For purposes of this subsection (15)(b)(ii), "educational institution" has the same meaning as in RCW 82.04.170;

(iv) Made for day camps offered by a nonprofit organization or state or local governmental entity that provide youth not older than age eighteen, or that are focused on providing individuals with disabilities or mental illness, the opportunity to participate in a variety of supervised activities.

"Engaging within this state" and "engaging within the state," when used in connection with any apportionable activity as defined in RCW 82.04.460 or wholesale sales taxable under RCW 82.04.257(1) or 82.04.270, means that a person generates gross income of the business from sources within this state or personal information, as defined in section 2 of this act, of individuals located in this state, such as customers or intangible property located in this state, regardless of whether the person is physically present in this state. For the purposes of this section, an individual is located in this state if the internet provider address utilized by that individual is located in this state.

(ii) The loaning or transferring of money or the purchase, sale, or transfer of financial instruments. For purposes of this subsection (3)(b)(ii), "financial instruments" include cash, accounts receivable and payable, loans and notes receivable and payable, debt securities, equity securities, as well as derivative contracts such as forward contracts, swap contracts, and options;

(B) An institution of higher education as defined in sections 1001 or 1002 of the federal higher education act of 1965 (Title 20 U.S.C. Secs. 1001 and 1002), as existing on July 1, 2009. For purposes of this subsection (3)(b)(ix)(B), an online educational program must be encompassed within the institution's accreditation;

(x) Live presentations, such as lectures, seminars, workshops, or courses, where participants are connected to other participants via the internet or telecommunications equipment, which allows audience members and the presenter or instructor to give, receive, and discuss information with each other in real time;

(xii)(A) A service that allows the person receiving the service to make online sales of products or services, digital or otherwise, using either: (I) The service provider's web site; or (II) the service recipient's web site, but only when the service provider's technology is used in creating or hosting the service recipient's web site or is used in processing orders from customers using the service recipient's web site.

(xiii) Advertising services. For purposes of this subsection (3)(b)(xiii), "advertising services" means all services directly related to the creation, preparation, production, or the dissemination of advertisements. Advertising services include layout, art direction, graphic design, mechanical preparation, production supervision, placement, and rendering advice to a client concerning the best methods of advertising that client's products or services. Advertising services also include online referrals, search engine marketing and lead generation optimization, web campaign planning, the acquisition of advertising space in the internet media, and the monitoring and evaluation of web site traffic for purposes of determining the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. Advertising services do not include web hosting services and domain name registration;

(xiv) The mere storage of digital products, digital codes, computer software, or master copies of software. This exclusion from the definition of digital automated services includes providing space on a server for web hosting or the backing up of data or other information;

(xv) Data processing services. For purposes of this subsection (3)(b)(xv), "data processing service" means a primarily automated service provided to a business or other organization where the primary object of the service is the systematic performance of operations by the service provider on data supplied in whole or in part by the customer to extract the required information in an appropriate form or to convert the data to usable information. Data processing services include check processing, image processing, form processing, survey processing, payroll processing, claim processing, and similar activities. Data processing does not include the service described in RCW 82.04.050(6)(((b))) (c); ((and))

(5) "Digital code" means a code that provides a purchaser with the right to obtain one or more digital products, if all of the digital products to be obtained through the use of the code have the same sales and use tax treatment. "Digital code" does not include a code that represents a stored monetary value that is deducted from a total as it is used by the purchaser. "Digital code" also does not include a code that represents a redeemable card, gift card, or gift certificate that entitles the holder to select digital products of an indicated cash value. A digital code may be obtained by any means, including email or by tangible means regardless of its designation as song code, video code, book code, or some other term.

(6)(a) "Digital goods," except as provided in (b) of this subsection (6), means sounds, images, data, facts, or information, or any combination thereof, transferred electronically, including, but not limited to, specified digital products and other products transferred electronically not included within the definition of specified digital products.

(iv)(A) Except as provided in (b)(iv)(B) of this subsection (6), the representation of a personal or professional service in electronic form, such as an electronic copy of an engineering report prepared by an engineer, where the service primarily involves the application of human effort by the service provider, and the human effort originated after the customer requested the service.

(B) The exclusion in (b)(iv)(A) of this subsection (6) does not apply to photographers in respect to amounts received for the taking of photographs that are transferred electronically to the customer, but only if the customer is an end user, as defined in RCW 82.04.190(11), of the photographs. Such amounts are considered to be for the sale of digital goods; ((and))

(8) "Electronically transferred" or "transferred electronically" means obtained by the purchaser by means other than tangible storage media. It is not necessary that a copy of the product be physically transferred to the purchaser. So long as the purchaser may access the product, it will be considered to have been electronically transferred to the purchaser.

(10) "Subscription radio services" means the sale of audio programming by a radio broadcaster as defined in RCW 82.08.02081, except as otherwise provided in this subsection. "Subscription radio services" does not include audio programming that is sold on a pay-per-program basis or that allows the buyer to access a library of programs at any time for a specific charge for that service.

(11) "Subscription television services" means the sale of video programming by a television broadcaster as defined in RCW 82.08.02081, except as otherwise provided in this subsection. "Subscription television services" does not include video programming that is sold on a pay-per-program basis or that allows the buyer to access a library of programs at any time for a specific charge for that service, but only if the seller is not subject to a franchise fee in this state under the authority of Title 47 U.S.C. Sec. 542(a) on the gross revenue derived from the sale.

(2) For the purposes of this section, "gross income from royalties" means compensation for the use of intangible property, including charges in the nature of royalties, regardless of where the intangible property will be used. For purposes of this subsection, "intangible property" includes copyrights, patents, licenses, franchises, trademarks, trade names, and similar items. "Gross income from royalties" does not include compensation for any natural resource, gross income of the business from the sale of, or exchange for consideration, personal information as defined in section 2 of this act, the licensing of prewritten computer software to the end user, or the licensing of digital goods, digital codes, or digital automated services to the end user as defined in RCW 82.04.190(11).

(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, any person earning apportionable income taxable under this chapter and also taxable in another state must, for the purpose of computing tax liability under this chapter, apportion to this state, in accordance with RCW 82.04.462, that portion of the person's apportionable income derived from business activities performed within this state.

(2) The department must by rule provide a method of apportioning the apportionable income of financial institutions, where such apportionable income is taxable under RCW 82.04.290. The rule adopted by the department must, to the extent feasible, be consistent with the multistate tax commission's recommended formula for the apportionment and allocation of net income of financial institutions as existing on June 1, 2010, or such subsequent date as may be provided by the department by rule, consistent with the purposes of this section, except that:

(3) The department may by rule provide a method or methods of apportioning or allocating gross income derived from sales of telecommunications service and competitive telephone service taxed under this chapter, if the gross proceeds of sales subject to tax under this chapter do not fairly represent the extent of the taxpayer's income attributable to this state. The rule must provide for an equitable and constitutionally permissible division of the tax base.

(a) "Apportionable income" means gross income of the business generated from engaging in apportionable activities, including income received from apportionable activities performed outside this state if the income would be taxable under this chapter if received from activities in this state, less the exemptions and deductions allowable under this chapter. For purposes of this subsection, "apportionable activities" means only those activities taxed under:

(b)(i) "Taxable in another state" means that the taxpayer is subject to a business activities tax by another state on its income received from engaging in apportionable activities; or the taxpayer is not subject to a business activities tax by another state on its income received from engaging in apportionable activities, but any other state has jurisdiction to subject the taxpayer to a business activities tax on such income under the substantial nexus standards in RCW 82.04.067(1).

(1) The apportionable income of a person within the scope of RCW 82.04.460(1) is apportioned to Washington by multiplying its apportionable income by the receipts factor. Persons who are subject to tax under more than one of the tax classifications enumerated in RCW 82.04.460(4)(a) (i) through (((x))) (xi) must calculate a separate receipts factor for each tax classification that the person is taxable under.

(2) For purposes of subsection (1) of this section, the receipts factor is a fraction and is calculated as provided in subsections (3) ((and)), (4), and (5) of this section and, for financial institutions, as provided in the rule adopted by the department under the authority of RCW 82.04.460(2).

(3)(a) The numerator of the receipts factor is the total gross income of the business of the taxpayer attributable to this state during the tax year from engaging in an apportionable activity. The denominator of the receipts factor is the total gross income of the business of the taxpayer from engaging in an apportionable activity everywhere in the world during the tax year.

(i) Where the customer received the benefit of the taxpayer's service or, in the case of gross income from royalties, where the customer used the taxpayer's intangible property. When a customer receives the benefit of the taxpayer's services or uses the taxpayer's intangible property in this and one or more other states and the amount of gross income of the business that was received by the taxpayer in return for the services received or intangible property used by the customer in this state can be reasonably determined by the taxpayer, such amount of gross income must be attributed to this state.

(ii) If the customer received the benefit of the service or used the intangible property in more than one state and if the taxpayer is unable to attribute gross income of the business under the provisions of (b)(i) of this subsection (3), gross income of the business must be attributed to the state in which the benefit of the service was primarily received or in which the intangible property was primarily used.

(iii) If the taxpayer is unable to attribute gross income of the business under the provisions of (b)(i) or (ii) of this subsection (3), gross income of the business must be attributed to the state from which the customer ordered the service or, in the case of royalties, the office of the customer from which the royalty agreement with the taxpayer was negotiated.

(iv) If the taxpayer is unable to attribute gross income of the business under the provisions of (b)(i), (ii), or (iii) of this subsection (3), gross income of the business must be attributed to the state to which the billing statements or invoices are sent to the customer by the taxpayer.

(v) If the taxpayer is unable to attribute gross income of the business under the provisions of (b)(i), (ii), (iii), or (iv) of this subsection (3), gross income of the business must be attributed to the state from which the customer sends payment to the taxpayer.

(vi) If the taxpayer is unable to attribute gross income of the business under the provisions of (b)(i), (ii), (iii), (iv), or (v) of this subsection (3), gross income of the business must be attributed to the state where the customer is located as indicated by the customer's address: (A) Shown in the taxpayer's business records maintained in the regular course of business; or (B) obtained during consummation of the sale or the negotiation of the contract for services or for the use of the taxpayer's intangible property, including any address of a customer's payment instrument when readily available to the taxpayer and no other address is available.

(viii) For purposes of this subsection (3)(b), "customer" means a person or entity to whom the taxpayer makes a sale or renders services or from whom the taxpayer otherwise receives gross income of the business. "Customer" includes anyone who pays royalties or charges in the nature of royalties for the use of the taxpayer's intangible property.

(c) Gross income of the business from engaging in an apportionable activity must be excluded from the denominator of the receipts factor if, in respect to such activity, at least some of the activity is performed in this state, and the gross income is attributable under (b) of this subsection (3) to a state in which the taxpayer is not taxable. For purposes of this subsection (3)(c), "not taxable" means that the taxpayer is not subject to a business activities tax by that state, except that a taxpayer is taxable in a state in which it would be deemed to have a substantial nexus with that state under the standards in RCW 82.04.067(1) regardless of whether that state imposes such a tax. "Business activities tax" means a tax measured by the amount of, or economic results of, business activity conducted in a state. The term includes taxes measured in whole or in part on net income or gross income or receipts. "Business activities tax" does not include a sales tax, use tax, or a similar transaction tax, imposed on the sale or acquisition of goods or services, whether or not denominated a gross receipts tax or a tax imposed on the privilege of doing business.

(d) This subsection (3) does not apply to financial institutions with respect to apportionable income taxable under RCW 82.04.290. Financial institutions must calculate the receipts factor as provided in subsection (4) of this section and the rule adopted by the department under the authority of RCW 82.04.460(2) with respect to apportionable income taxable under RCW 82.04.290. Financial institutions that are subject to tax under any other tax classification enumerated in RCW 82.04.460(4)(a) (i) through (v) and (vii) through (((x))) (xi) must calculate a separate receipts factor, as provided in this section, for each of the other tax classifications that the financial institution is taxable under.

(4) A taxpayer may calculate the receipts factor for the current tax year based on the most recent calendar year for which information is available for the full calendar year. If a taxpayer does not calculate the receipts factor for the current tax year based on previous calendar year information as authorized in this subsection, the business must use current year information to calculate the receipts factor for the current tax year. In either case, a taxpayer must correct the reporting for the current tax year when complete information is available to calculate the receipts factor for that year, but not later than October 31st of the following tax year. Interest will apply to any additional tax due on a corrected tax return. Interest must be computed and assessed as provided in RCW 82.32.050 and accrues until the additional taxes are paid. Penalties as provided in RCW 82.32.090 will apply to any such additional tax due only if the current tax year reporting is not corrected and the additional tax is not paid by October 31st of the following tax year. Interest as provided in RCW 82.32.060 will apply to any tax paid in excess of that properly due on a return as a result of a taxpayer using previous calendar year data or incomplete current-year data to calculate the receipts factor.

(5)(a)(i) Except as provided in (a)(ii) of this subsection (5), for purposes of computing the receipts factor under subsection (3) of this section, gross income of the business generating sales of, or exchanging for consideration, personal information must be attributable to this state in the ratio, expressed as a percentage, that the number of Washington addresses in the personal information bears to all addresses in the personal information. Only personal information used to generate the gross income of the business to be attributed under this subsection (5)(a)(i) is applicable in calculating the ratio described in this subsection (5)(a)(i).

(ii) If the taxpayer is unable to attribute gross income of the business under the provisions of (a)(i) of this subsection (5), gross income of the business generated from making sales of, or exchanging for consideration, personal information must be attributed to this state in the ratio, expressed as percentage, that the population of all the states of the United States in the taxpayer's market, or by any other reasonable methods of attribution allowed by the department.

The tax imposed by RCW 82.08.020 does not apply to sales defined as a sale at retail and retail sale under RCW 82.04.050 (3)(((g))) (f) or (15), by a nonprofit youth organization, as defined in RCW 82.04.4271, to members of the organization; and the tax does not apply to physical fitness classes provided by a local government.

(1) The director may grant a direct pay permit to a taxpayer who demonstrates, to the satisfaction of the director, that the taxpayer meets the requirements of this section. The direct pay permit allows the taxpayer to accrue and remit directly to the department use tax on the acquisition of tangible personal property or sales tax on the sale of or charges made for labor and/or services, in accordance with all of the applicable provisions of this title. Any taxpayer that uses a direct pay permit must remit state and local sales or use tax directly to the department. The agreement by the purchaser to remit tax directly to the department, rather than pay sales or use tax to the seller, relieves the seller of the obligation to collect sales or use tax and requires the buyer to pay use tax on the tangible personal property and sales tax on the sale of or charges made for labor and/or services.

(2)(a) A taxpayer may apply for a permit under this section if: (i) The taxpayer's cumulative tax liability is reasonably expected to be two hundred forty thousand dollars or more in the current calendar year; or (ii) the taxpayer makes purchases subject to the taxes imposed under chapter 82.08 or 82.12 RCW in excess of ten million dollars per calendar year. For the purposes of this section, "tax liability" means the amount required to be remitted to the department for taxes administered under this chapter, except for the taxes imposed or authorized by chapters 82.14A, 82.14B, 82.24, 82.27, 82.29A, and 84.33 RCW.

(c) The director must review a direct pay permit application in a timely manner and must notify the applicant, in writing, of the approval or denial of the application. The department must approve or deny an application based on the applicant's ability to comply with local government use tax coding capabilities and responsibilities; requirements for vendor notification; recordkeeping obligations; electronic data capabilities; and tax reporting procedures. Additionally, an application may be denied if the director determines that denial would be in the best interest of collecting taxes due under this title. The department must provide a direct pay permit to an approved applicant with the notice of approval. The direct pay permit must clearly state that the holder is solely responsible for the accrual and payment of the tax imposed under chapters 82.08 and 82.12 RCW and that the seller is relieved of liability to collect tax imposed under chapters 82.08 and 82.12 RCW on all sales to the direct pay permit holder. The taxpayer may petition the director for reconsideration of a denial.

(d) A taxpayer who uses a direct pay permit must continue to maintain records that are necessary to a determination of the tax liability in accordance with this title. A direct pay permit is not transferable and the use of a direct pay permit may not be assigned to a third party.

(3) Taxes for which the direct pay permit is used are due and payable on the tax return for the reporting period in which the taxpayer (a) receives the tangible personal property purchased or in which the labor and/or services are performed or (b) receives an invoice for such property or such labor and/or services, whichever period is earlier.

(4) The holder of a direct pay permit must furnish a copy of the direct pay permit to each vendor with whom the taxpayer has opted to use a direct pay permit. Sellers who make sales upon which the sales or use tax is not collected by reason of the provisions of this section, in addition to existing requirements under this title, must maintain a copy of the direct pay permit and any such records or information as the department may specify.

(5) A direct pay permit is subject to revocation by the director at any time the department determines that the taxpayer has violated any provision of this section or that revocation would be in the best interests of collecting the taxes due under this title. The notice of revocation must be in writing and is effective either as of the end of the taxpayer's next normal reporting period or a date deemed appropriate by the director and identified in the revocation notice. The taxpayer may petition the director for reconsideration of a revocation and reinstatement of the permit.

(6) Any taxpayer who chooses to no longer use a direct pay permit or whose permit is revoked by the department, must return the permit to the department and immediately make a good faith effort to notify all vendors to whom the permit was given, advising them that the permit is no longer valid.


State of Washington	65th Legislature	2017 Regular Session