Current Status Bill Number:3484 Type of Legislation:General Bill GB Introducing Body:House Introduced Date:19970219 Primary Sponsor:Fleming All Sponsors:Fleming, Knotts, Littlejohn, Limehouse, Koon and Riser Drafted Document Number:pt\3870mm.97 Residing Body:House Current Committee:Ways and Means Committee 30 HWM Subject:Property Tax Relief Sales Tax Act, Taxation, food stamps, sales tax exemption, Acts Cited By Popular Name
Body Date Action Description Com Leg Involved
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House 19970219 Introduced, read first time, 30 HWM
referred to Committee
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TO AMEND CHAPTER 36, TITLE 12, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE SALES AND USE TAX, BY ADDING ARTICLE 10 SO AS TO ENACT THE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF SALES TAX ACT WHICH IMPOSES AN ADDITIONAL FOUR PERCENT SALES TAX BEGINNING JULY 1, 1997, TO BE USED TO RETIRE BONDED INDEBTEDNESS AND LEASE-PURCHASE OBLIGATIONS AND FOR CERTAIN AD VALOREM PROPERTY TAX RELIEF; TO AMEND SECTION 12-36-2110, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE MAXIMUM SALES TAX ON ANY TRANSACTION, SO AS TO REVISE THIS MAXIMUM TAX; TO AMEND SECTION 12-36-2120, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO SALES TAX EXEMPTIONS, SO AS TO DELETE CERTAIN EXEMPTIONS, REVISE OTHER EXEMPTIONS, AND ADD EXEMPTIONS INCLUDING AN EXEMPTION FOR FOOD PURCHASED LAWFULLY WITH UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOOD STAMPS; AND TO REPEAL SECTIONS 11-11-330 AND 12-37-251 RELATING TO THE STATE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FUND AND CHAPTER 10 OF TITLE 4 RELATING TO THE LOCAL SALES AND USE TAX.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Chapter 36, Title 12 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
Section 12-36-1010. This article may be cited as the Property Tax Relief Sales Tax Act.
Section 12-36-1020. An additional tax equal to four percent is added to the taxes imposed pursuant to Articles 9, 13, and 17 of this chapter. For all purposes of this title, this additional tax is considered a tax levied pursuant to the South Carolina Sales and Use Tax Act. The department shall prescribe tables establishing the total amount that may be added to the sales price to reflect all tax levied pursuant to this chapter.
Section 12-36-1030. (A) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter providing for the distribution of sales, use, and casual excise tax revenues, beginning July 1, 1997, the revenue from the taxes imposed by this chapter in a fiscal year must be credited to a separate fund in the State Treasury entitled the Property Tax Relief Fund.
(B) The State Treasurer shall first use the proceeds of the Property Tax Relief Fund to pay the current interest and principal on general obligation bonds and lease payments on certificates of participation in lease-purchase agreements of all political subdivisions of the State outstanding as of July 1, 1997.
(C)(1) After deduction of amounts paid pursuant to subsection (B), the State Treasurer shall next distribute revenues in the Property Tax Relief Fund quarterly to the several political subdivisions in the manner and in the amounts specified in item (2).
(2) A political subdivision shall receive each year from the Property Tax Relief Fund an amount equal to the entity's ad valorem tax revenues for property tax year 1996. Beginning with revenues credited to the fund in fiscal year 1998-99, the total amount distributed each year to a political subdivision under this item must be adjusted by a percentage equal to any consumer price index increase in the twelve months ending on December thirty-first of the preceding year.
(D) Sales, use, and casual excise tax revenues not distributed pursuant to subsections (B) and (C) must be placed in a fund separate and distinct from the state general fund entitled the 'South Carolina Income Tax Relief Fund', the monies in which must be used to provide the taxpayers of this State on a per capita basis state income tax relief in the manner the General Assembly shall provide.
Section 12-36-1040. For property tax year 1997, the millage imposed by a political subdivision is reduced by fifty percent over the millage rate imposed by the entity in the prior tax year. After 1997 and until all outstanding general obligation bonds issued by a political subdivision are repaid, no political subdivision may impose a property tax except to avoid default on general obligation bonds of the entity. When all outstanding general obligation bonds of a political subdivision are repaid, the entity may not levy property tax for any purpose.
Section 12-36-1050. After June 30, 1997, general obligation bonds of a political subdivision may not be issued pledging property tax revenues for repayment and bonds of a political subdivision pledging any Property Tax Relief Fund revenues for repayment may not be issued without the prior permission of the State Budget and Control Board."
SECTION 2. Section 12-36-2110 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 431 of 1996, is further amended to read:
"Section 12-36-2110. (A) The maximum tax imposed by this chapter is three hundred dollars for each sale made after June 30, 1984, or lease executed after August 31, 1985, of each:
(1) aircraft, including unassembled aircraft which is to be assembled by the purchaser, but not items to be added to the unassembled aircraft;
(2) motor vehicle;
(3) motorcycle;
(4) boat;
(5)(2) trailer or semitrailer, pulled by a truck tractor, as defined in Section 56-3-20, but not including house trailers or campers as defined in Section 56-3-710;
(3) commercial vehicles with a manufacturer's gross weight rating in excess of ten thousand pounds.
(6) recreational vehicle, including tent campers, travel trailer, park model, park trailer, motor home, and fifth wheel; or
(7) self-propelled light construction equipment with compatible attachments limited to a maximum of one hundred sixty net engine horsepower.
In the case of a lease, the total tax rate required by law applies on each payment until the total tax paid equals three hundred dollars. Nothing in this section prohibits a taxpayer from paying the total tax due at the time of execution of the lease, or with any payment under the lease. To qualify for the tax limitation provided by this section, a lease must be in writing and specifically state the term of, and remain in force for, a period in excess of ninety continuous days.
(B) For the sale of a manufactured home, as defined in Section 40-29-20, the tax is calculated as follows:
(1) subtract trade-in allowance from the sales price;
(2) multiply the result from (1) by sixty-five percent;
(3) if the result from (2) is no greater than six thousand dollars, multiply by five percent for the amount of tax due;
(4) if the result from (2) is greater than six thousand dollars, the tax due is three hundred dollars plus two percent of the amount greater than six thousand dollars.
However, a manufactured home is exempt from any tax that may be due above three hundred dollars as a result of the calculation in item (4) if it meets these energy efficiency levels: storm or double pane glass windows, insulated or storm doors, a minimum thermal resistance rating of the insulation only of R-11 for walls, R-19 for floors, and R-30 for ceilings. However, variations in the energy efficiency levels for walls, floors, and ceilings are allowed and the exemption on tax due above three hundred dollars applies if the total heat loss does not exceed that calculated using the levels of R-11 for walls, R-19 for floors, and R-30 for ceilings. The edition of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers Guide in effect at the time is the source for heat loss calculation. The dealer selling the manufactured home must maintain records, on forms provided by the State Energy Office, on each manufactured home sold which contains the above calculations and verifying whether or not the manufactured home met the energy efficiency levels provided for in this subsection. These records must be maintained for three years and must be made available for inspection upon request of the Department of Consumer Affairs or the State Energy Office. Notwithstanding the rates of tax imposed by this chapter, a tax rate of three percent is imposed on the sale or lease of motor vehicles and motorcycles and on the sale or lease of each:
(1) boat;
(2) recreational vehicle, including tent campers, travel trailer, park model, park trailer, motor home, and fifth wheel;
(3) self-propelled light construction equipment with compatible attachments limited to a maximum of one hundred sixty net engine horsepower;
(4) manufactured home,
(5) musical instrument, or
(6) item of machinery for research and development.
In the case of a lease of an item subject to the tax limit imposed by this subsection, the total tax rate required by law applies on each payment. Nothing in this section prohibits a taxpayer from paying the total tax due at the time of execution of the lease, or with any payment under the lease.
(C) For the sale of each musical instrument, or each piece of office equipment, purchased by a religious organization exempt under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3), the maximum tax imposed by this chapter is three hundred dollars. The musical instrument or office equipment must be located on church property and used exclusively for the organizations exempt purpose. The religious organization must furnish to the seller an affidavit on forms prescribed by the commission. The affidavit must be retained by the seller.
(D) The maximum tax levied pursuant to this chapter on the sale or use of each item of machinery for research and development is three hundred dollars. As used in this subsection, "machinery for research and development" means machinery used directly and exclusively in research and development in the experimental or laboratory sense for new products, new uses for existing products, or for improving existing products. To be eligible for the limitation imposed by this subsection, the machinery must be located in a separate facility devoted exclusively to research and development as defined in this subsection. The limitation does not extend to machinery used in connection with efficiency surveys, management studies, consumer surveys, economic surveys, advertising, promotion, or research in connection with literary, historical, or similar projects."
SECTION 3. Section 12-36-2120 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 462 of 1996, is further amended to read:
"Section 12-36-2120. Exempted from the taxes imposed by this chapter are the gross proceeds of sales, or sales price of:
(1) tangible personal property or receipts of any business which the State is prohibited from taxing by the Constitution or laws of the United States of America or by the Constitution or laws of this State;
(2) tangible personal property sold to the federal government;
(3) (a) textbooks, books, magazines, periodicals, newspapers, and access to on-line information systems sold to primary and secondary schools and institutions of higher learning for use in a course of study in primary and secondary schools and institutions of higher learning or for students' use in the school library of these schools and institutions;
(b) books, magazines, periodicals, newspapers, and access to on-line information systems sold to publicly supported state, county, or regional libraries;
Items in this category may be in any form, including microfilm, microfiche, and CD ROM;
(4)(3) livestock. 'Livestock' is defined as domesticated animals customarily raised on South Carolina farms for use primarily as beasts of burden, or food, and certain mammals when raised for their pelts or fur. Animals such as dogs, cats, reptiles, fowls (except baby chicks and poults), and animals of a wild nature, are not considered livestock;
(5)(4) feed used for the production and maintenance of poultry and livestock;
(6)(5) insecticides, chemicals, fertilizers, soil conditioners, seeds, or seedlings, or nursery stock, used solely in the production for sale of farm, dairy, grove, vineyard, or garden products or in the cultivation of poultry or livestock feed;
(7)(6) containers and labels used in:
(a) preparing agricultural, dairy, grove, or garden products for sale; or
(b) preparing turpentine gum, gum spirits of turpentine, and gum resin for sale.
For purposes of this exemption, containers mean boxes, crates, bags, bagging, ties, barrels, and other containers;
(8) newsprint paper, newspapers, and religious publications, including the Holy Bible and the South Carolina Department of Agricultures The Market Bulletin;
(9) coal, or coke or other fuel sold to manufacturers, electric power companies, and transportation companies for:
(a) use or consumption in the production of by-products;
(b) the generation of heat or power used in manufacturing tangible personal property for sale. For purposes of this item, `manufacturer' or `manufacturing' includes the activities of a processor;
(c) the generation of electric power or energy for use in manufacturing tangible personal property for sale; or
(d) the generation of motive power for transportation. For the purposes of this exemption, `manufacturer' or `manufacturing' includes the activities of mining and quarrying;
(10)(7)(a) meals or foodstuffs used in furnishing meals to school children, if the sales or use are within school buildings and are not for profit;
(b) meals or foodstuffs provided to elderly or disabled persons at home by nonprofit organizations that receive only charitable contributions in addition to sale proceeds from the meals;
(c) food stuffs, either prepared or packaged for the homeless or needy that are sold to nonprofit organizations, or food stuffs that are subsequently sold or donated by a nonprofit organization to another nonprofit organization. This subitem is only applicable to food stuffs which are eligible for purchase under the USDA food stamp program;
(11) (a) toll charges for the transmission of voice or messages between telephone exchanges;
(b) charges for telegraph messages; and
(c) carrier access charges and customer access line charges established by the Federal Communications Commission or the South Carolina Public Service Commission;
(12) water sold by public utilities, if rates and charges are of the kind determined by the Public Service Commission, or water sold by nonprofit corporations organized pursuant to Sections 33-35-10 to 33-35-170;
(13) fuel, lubricants, and supplies for use or consumption aboard ships in intercostal trade or foreign commerce. This exemption does not exempt or exclude from the tax the sale of materials and supplies used in fulfilling a contract for the painting, repair, or reconditioning of ships and other watercraft;
(14) wrapping paper, wrapping twine, paper bags, and containers, used incident to the sale and delivery of tangible personal property;
(15)(8)(a) gasoline and other fuels subject to tax under Chapter 27 of Title 12; however, gasoline used in aircraft is not exempt from the sales and use tax;
(b) fuels subject to tax under Chapter 29 of Title 12; however, if the fuel tax is subsequently refunded under Section 12-29-380, the sales or use tax is due unless otherwise exempt, and the person receiving the refund is liable for the sales or use tax;
(c) fuels used in farm machinery and farm tractors; and
(d) fuels used in commercial fishing vessels.
(16)(9) farm machinery and their replacement parts and attachments, used in planting, cultivating, or harvesting farm crops, including bulk coolers (farm dairy tanks) used in the production and preservation of milk on dairy farms, and machines used in the production of poultry and poultry products on poultry farms, when such products are sold in the original state of production or preparation for sale. This exemption does not include automobiles or trucks;
(17) machines used in manufacturing, processing, recycling, compounding, mining, or quarrying tangible personal property for sale. "Machines" include the parts of machines, attachments, and replacements used, or manufactured for use, on or in the operation of the machines and which are necessary to the operation of the machines and are customarily so used. This exemption does not include automobiles or trucks. As used in this item "recycling" means any process by which materials which would otherwise become solid waste are collected, separated, or processed and reused, or returned to use in the form of raw materials or products, including composting, for sale. However, in applying this exemption to machines used in recycling, the following percentage of the gross proceeds of sale, or sales price of, machines used in recycling are exempt from the taxes imposed by this chapter:
Fiscal Year of Sale Percentage
Fiscal year 1997-98 fifty percent
After June 30, 1998 one hundred percent;
(18)(10) fuel used exclusively to cure agricultural products;
(19) electricity used by cotton gins, manufacturers, miners, or quarriers to manufacture, mine, or quarry tangible personal property for sale. For purposes of this item, "manufacture" or "manufacture" includes the activities of processors;
(20) railroad cars, locomotives, and their parts, monorail cars, and the engines or motors that propel them, and their parts;
(21) vessels and barges of more than fifty tons burden;
(22) materials necessary to assemble missiles to be used by the Armed Forces of the United States;
(23)(11) farm, grove, vineyard, and garden products, if sold in the original state of production or preparation for sale, when sold by the producer or by members of the producer's immediate family;
(24) supplies and machinery used by laundries, cleaning, dyeing, pressing, or garment or other textile rental establishments in the direct performance of their primary function, but not sales of supplies and machinery used by coin-operated laundromats;
(25) motor vehicles (excluding trucks) or motorcycles, which are required to be licensed to be used on the highways, sold to a resident of another state, but who is located in South Carolina by reason of orders of the United States Armed Forces. This exemption is allowed only if within ten days of the sale the vendor is furnished a statement from a commissioned officer of the Armed Forces of a higher rank than the purchaser certifying that the buyer is a member of the Armed Forces on active duty and a resident of another state or if the buyer furnishes a leave and earnings statement from the appropriate department of the armed services which designates the state of residence of the buyer;
(26) all supplies, technical equipment, machinery, and electricity sold to radio and television stations, and cable television systems, for use in producing, broadcasting, or distributing programs. For the purpose of this exemption, radio stations, television stations, and cable television systems are deemed to be manufacturers;
(27) all plants and animals sold to any publicly supported zoological park or garden or to any of its nonprofit support corporations;
(28)(12)(a) medicine and prosthetic devices sold by prescription, and free samples of prescription medicine distributed by its manufacturer and any use of these free samples;
(b) hypodermic needles, insulin, alcohol swabs, blood sugar testing strips, monolet lancets, dextrometer supplies, blood glucose meters, and other similar diabetic supplies sold to diabetics under the authorization and direction of a physician;
(c) medicine donated by its manufacturer to a public institution of higher education for research or for the treatment of indigent patients; and
(d) dental prosthetic devices;.
(29)(13) tangible personal property purchased by persons under a written contract with the federal government when the contract necessitating the purchase provides that title and possession of the property is to transfer from the contractor to the federal government at the time of purchase or subsequent to the time of purchase. This exemption also applies to purchases or tangible personal property used to fabricate, assemble, construct, or modify personal or real property when title and possession of the property fabricated, assembled, constructed, or modified is transferred to the federal government as required by a written contract necessitating the purchase;
(14) food which may be purchased lawfully with United States Department of Agriculture food stamps;
(30) office supplies, or other commodities, and services resold by the Division of General Services of the State Budget and Control Board to departments and agencies of the state government, if the tax was paid on the divisions original purchase;
(31) vacation time sharing lease plans as provided by Chapter 32 of Title 27;
(32)(15) natural and liquefied petroleum gas and electricity used exclusively in the production of poultry, livestock, swine, and milk;
(33) electricity, natural gas, fuel oil, kerosene, LP gas, coal, or any other combustible heating material or substance used for residential purposes. Individual sales of kerosene of twenty gallons or less by retailers are considered used for residential heating purposes;
(34) thirty-five percent of the gross proceeds of the sale of modular homes as defined in Section 31-17-20;
(35) motion picture film sold or rented to or by theaters;
(36) tangible personal property where the seller, by contract of sale, is obligated to deliver to the buyer, or to an agent or donee of the buyer, at a point outside this State or to deliver it to a carrier or to the mails for transportation to the buyer, or to an agent or donee of the buyer, at a point outside this State;
(37) petroleum asphalt products, commonly used in paving, purchased in this State, which are transported and consumed out of this State;
(38) hearing aids, as defined by Section 40-25-20(5);
(39) concession sales at a festival by an organization devoted exclusively to public or charitable purposes, if:
(a) all the net proceeds are used for those purposes;
(b) the festival is listed as a special event in the calendar of events provided by the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism; and
(c) in advance of the festival, its organizers provide the commission, on a form it prescribes, information necessary to insure compliance with this item. For purposes of this item, a `festival' does not include a recognized state or county fair;
(40) containers and chassis, including all parts, components, and attachments, sold to international shipping lines which have a contractual relationship with the South Carolina State Ports Authority and which are used in the import or export of goods to and from this State. The exemption allowed by this item is effective for sales after June 30, 1982;
(41) items sold by organizations exempt under Section 12-37-220 A(3) and (4) and B(5), (6), (7), (8), (12), (16), (19), (22), and (24), if the net proceeds are used exclusively for exempt purposes and no benefit inures to any individual. An organization whose sales are exempted by this item is also exempt from the retail license tax provided in Article 5 of this chapter. The exemption allowed by this item is effective for sales after June 30, 1989;
(42) depreciable assets, used in the operation of a business, pursuant to the sale of the business. This exemption only applies when the entire business is sold by the owner of it, pursuant to a written contract and the purchaser continues operation of the business. The exemption allowed by this item is effective for sales after June 30, 1987.
(43) all supplies, technical equipment, machinery, and electricity sold to motion picture companies for use in filming or producing motion pictures. For the purposes of this item, `motion picture' means any audiovisual work with a series of related images either on film, tape, or other embodiment, where the images shown in succession impart an impression of motion together with accompanying sound, if any, which is produced, adapted, or altered for exploitation as entertainment, advertising, promotional, industrial, or educational media; and a `motion picture company' means a company generally engaged in the business of filming or producing motion pictures;
(44)(16) electricity used to irrigate crops; and
(45)(17) building materials, supplies, fixtures, and equipment for the construction, repair, or improvement of or that become a part of a self-contained enclosure or structure specifically designed, constructed, and used for the commercial housing of poultry or livestock.
(46) War memorials or monuments honoring units or contingents of the Armed Forces of the United States or of the National Guard, including United States military vessels, which memorials or monuments are affixed to public property;
(47) tangible personal property sold to charitable hospitals predominantly serving children exempt under Section 12-37-220, where care is provided without charge to the patient.
(48) solid waste disposal collection bags required pursuant to the solid waste disposal plan of a county or other political subdivision if the plan requires the purchase of a specifically designated containment bag for solid waste disposal;
(49) postage purchased by a person engaged in the business of selling advertising services for clients consisting of mailing, or directing the mailing of, printed advertising material through the United States mail directly to the client's customers or potential customers or by a person to mail or direct the mailing of printed advertising material through the United States mail to a potential customer;
(50)(a) recycling property;
(b) electricity, natural gas, propane, or fuels of any type, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, or gasses of any type, and fluids and lubricants used by a qualified recycling facility;
(c) tangible personal property which becomes, or will become, an ingredient or component part of products manufactured for sale by a qualified recycling facility;
(d) tangible personal property of or for a qualified recycling facility which is or will be used (1) for the handling or transfer of postconsumer waste material, (2) in or for the manufacturing process, or (3) in or for the handling or transfer of manufactured products;
(e) machinery and equipment foundations used or to be used by a qualified recycling facility;
(f) as used in this item, "recycling property", "qualified recycling facility", and "postconsumer waste material" have the meanings provided in Section 12-7-1275(A);
(51) material handling systems and material handling equipment including, but not limited to, racks, whether or not the racks are used to support a facility structure or part thereof, used in the operation of a distribution facility or a manufacturing facility. In order to qualify for this exemption, the taxpayer shall notify the department before the first month it uses the exemption and shall invest at least forty million dollars in any real or personal property in this State over the five-year period beginning on the date provided by the taxpayer to the department in its notices.
(52) parts and supplies used by persons engaged in the business of repairing or reconditioning aircraft owned by or leased to the federal government or commercial air carriers. This exemption does not extend to tools and other equipment not attached to or that do not become a part of the aircraft.
(53) motor vehicle extended service contracts and motor vehicle extended warranty contracts."
SECTION 4. The additional revenue generated each fiscal year beginning on July 1, 1997, as determined by the State Treasurer from the amendments to Sections 12-36-2110 and 12-36-2120 of the 1976 Code as contained in this act must be transferred from the state general fund to the credit of the Property Tax Relief Fund herein established and used for purposes of the fund.
SECTION 5. Sections 11-11-330 and 12-37-251 and Chapter 10 of Title 4 of the 1976 Code are repealed.
SECTION 6. This act takes effect July 1, 1997.