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Introduced Version Senate Bill 421 History

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Key: Green = existing Code. Red = new code to be enacted

FISCAL NOTEWEST virginia legislature

2016 regular session

Introduced

Senate Bill 421

By Senator  Kessler
(By Request of the Executive)

[Introduced January 28, 2016;
Referred to the Committee on Finance.
]

A BILL to amend and reenact §11-13A-3 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; and to amend and reenact §11-15-9i of said code, all relating to the termination of the behavioral health severance and business privilege tax; specifying the effective date of the termination; establishing the method of payment of outstanding refund claims; generating a replacement revenue stream by changing the durable medical goods sales tax exemption to home users only; specifying the effective date of this amendment; providing the method to claim this exemption; and providing definitions for clarification.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:


That §11-13A-3 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, be amended and reenacted; and that §11-15-9i of said code be amended and reenacted, all to read as follows:

ARTICLE 13A. SEVERANCE AND BUSINESS PRIVILEGE TAX.

§11-13A-3. Imposition of tax or on privilege of severing coal, limestone or sandstone, or furnishing certain health care services, effective dates therefor; reduction of severance rate for coal mined by underground methods based on seam thickness.


(a) Imposition of tax. -- Upon every person exercising the privilege of engaging or continuing within this state in the business of severing, extracting, reducing to possession and producing for sale, profit or commercial use coal, limestone or sandstone, or in the business of furnishing certain health care services, there is hereby levied and shall be collected from every person exercising such privilege an annual privilege tax.

(b) Rate and measure of tax.-- The Subject to the provisions of subsection (g) of this section, the tax imposed in subsection (a) of this section shall be five percent of the gross value of the natural resource produced or the health care service provided, as shown by the gross income derived from the sale or furnishing thereof by the producer or the provider of the health care service, except as otherwise provided in this article. In the case of coal, this five percent rate of tax includes the thirty-five one hundredths of one percent additional severance tax on coal imposed by the state for the benefit of counties and municipalities as provided in section six of this article.

(c) “Certain health care services” defined. -- For purposes of this section, the term “certain health care services” means, and is limited to, behavioral health services.

(d) Tax in addition to other taxes. -- The tax imposed by this section shall apply to all persons severing or processing (or both severing and processing) in this state natural resources enumerated in subsection (a) of this section and to all persons providing certain health care services in this state as enumerated in subsection (c) of this section and shall be in addition to all other taxes imposed by law.

(e) Effective date. -- This section, as amended in the year 1993, shall apply to gross proceeds derived after May 31, 1993. The language of this section, as in effect on January 1, 1993, shall apply to gross proceeds derived prior to June 1, 1993 and, with respect to such gross proceeds, shall be fully and completely preserved.

(f) Reduction of severance tax rate. -- For tax years beginning after the effective date of this subsection, any person exercising the privilege of engaging within this state in the business of severing coal for the purposes provided in subsection (a) of this section shall be allowed a reduced rate of tax on coal mined by underground methods in accordance with the following:

(i) (1) For coal mined by underground methods from seams with an average thickness of thirty-seven inches to forty-five inches, the tax imposed in subsection (a) of this section shall be two percent of the gross value of the coal produced. For coal mined by underground methods from seams with an average thickness of less than thirty-seven inches, the tax imposed in subsection (a) of this section shall be one percent of the gross value of the coal produced. Gross value is determined from the sale of the mined coal by the producer. This rate of tax includes the thirty-five one hundredths of one percent additional severance tax imposed by the state for the benefit of counties and municipalities as provided in section six of this article.

(ii) (2) This reduced rate of tax applies to any new underground mine producing coal after the effective date of this subsection, from seams of less than forty-five inches in average thickness or any existing mine that has not produced coal from seams forty-five inches or less in thickness in the one hundred eighty days immediately preceding the effective date of this subsection.

(iii) (3) The seam thickness shall be based on the weighted average isopach mapping of actual coal thickness by mine as certified by a professional engineer.

(g)(1) Termination of the behavioral health severance and business privilege tax. -- For taxable years beginning on and after July 1, 2016, there shall be no tax imposed upon providers of health care services under the provisions of this article.

(2) Refunds made. -- The Tax Commissioner will issue his or her requisition on the treasury for any amount finally administratively or judicially determined to be an overpayment of the tax terminated under this subsection. The Auditor shall issue his or her warrant on the Treasurer for any refund requisitioned under this subsection payable to the taxpayer entitled to the refund, and the Treasurer shall pay the warrant out of the fund into which the amount refunded was originally paid.

ARTICLE 15. CONSUMERS SALE AND SERVICE TAX.

§11-15-9i. Exempt drugs, durable medical equipment, mobility enhancing equipment and prosthetic devices.


(a) Notwithstanding any provision of this article, article fifteen-a or article fifteen-b of this chapter, the purchase by a health care provider of drugs, durable medical equipment, mobility enhancing equipment and prosthetic devices, all as defined in section two, article fifteen-b of this chapter, to be dispensed upon prescription and intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of injury or disease are exempt from the tax imposed by this article.

(b) Notwithstanding any provision of this article, article fifteen-a or article fifteen-b of this chapter, the purchase of durable medical equipment, as defined in section two, article fifteen-b of this chapter, to be dispensed upon prescription by a health care provider and intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of injury or disease is exempt from the tax imposed by this article: Provided, That the durable medical equipment is purchased by an individual for exclusive use by the purchaser or another individual, and used predominantly by the recipient individual in his or her home environment.

(1) Effective Date.-- The provisions of this subsection (b) shall apply to purchases made on and after July 1, 2016.

(2) Per se exemption.-- The exemption set forth by subsection (b) shall be given without the necessity of an exemption certificate, direct pay permit or refund or credit request.

(c) Definitions. -- The following definitions shall apply.

(1) For purposes of this section, “used predominantly by the recipient individual in his or her home environment,” with reference to durable medical equipment, means that the equipment is sold to an individual for use by the individual purchaser or by another individual at home, regardless of where the individual resides. For purposes of this definition, the term “home” means and includes facilities such as nursing homes, assisted care centers, and school dormitories, of which a user or purchaser is a resident. A purchase of such equipment shall not be disqualified from the exemption because the equipment is incidentally used on the streets, in commercial establishments, in public places, and in locations other than the home, so long as use in the home is the predominant use. For purposes of this definition, the term “individual” means and is limited to a single, separate human being, and specifically excludes any health care provider, or provider of nursing services, personal care services, behavioral care services, residential care or assisted living care, or any entity or organization other than a human being.

(2) When the equipment is sold to a facility such as a hospital, nursing home, medical clinic, dental office, chiropractor or optician office, then this shall not constitute a “use of the equipment by the recipient individual in his or her home environment.” The fact that a nursing home may use the equipment only for its residents does not make the equipment exempt for home use: Provided, That nothing in this section shall be interpreted to void or abrogate lawful assertion and application of the purchases for resale exemption as it may apply to any purchaser of durable medical equipment.

 (b) (3) For purposes of this exemption section, “health care provider” means any person licensed to prescribe drugs, durable medical equipment, mobility enhancing equipment and prosthetic devices intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of injury or disease. For purposes of this section, the term “health care provider” includes any hospital, medical clinic, nursing home or provider of inpatient hospital services and any provider of outpatient hospital services, physician services, nursing services, ambulance services, surgical services or veterinary services: Provided, That the amendment to this subsection enacted during the 2009 regular legislative session shall be effective on or after July 1, 2009.

(c) (4) The term “durable medical goods” as used in this article means “durable medical equipment” as defined in article fifteen-b of this chapter.

(5) For purposes of this section, the term “nursing home or facility” means any institution, residence or place, or any part or unit thereof, however named, in this state which is advertised, offered, maintained or operated by the ownership or management, whether for a consideration or not, for the express or implied purpose of providing accommodations and care, for a period of more than twenty-four hours, for four or more persons who are ill or otherwise incapacitated and in need of extensive, ongoing nursing care due to physical or mental impairment or which provides services for the rehabilitation of persons who are convalescing from illness or incapacitation: Provided, That the care or treatment in a household, whether for compensation or not, of any person related by blood or marriage, within the degree of consanguinity of second cousin to the head of the household, or his or her spouse, may not be deemed to constitute a nursing home within the meaning of this article.

(6) For purposes of this section, the term “assisted care center” means any living facility, residence or place of accommodation, however named, available for four or more residents, in this state which is advertised, offered, maintained or operated by the ownership or management, whether for a consideration or not, for the express or implied purpose of having personal assistance or supervision, or both, provided to any residents therein who are dependent upon the services of others by reason of physical or mental impairment and who may also require nursing care at a level that is not greater than limited and intermittent nursing care: Provided, That the care or treatment in a household, whether for compensation or not, of any person related by blood or marriage, within the degree of consanguinity of second cousin to the head of the household, or his or her spouse, may not be deemed to constitute an assisted living residence within the meaning of this article.

(7) For purposes of this section, the term “school dormitory” means housing or a unit of housing provided primarily for students as a temporary or permanent dwelling place or abode and owned, operated or controlled by an institution of higher education, and shall be synonymous with the term “residence hall.”

 

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to terminate the Behavioral Health Severance and Business Privilege Tax; to specify the effective date of this termination; to establish the method of payment of outstanding refund claims; to generate a replacement revenue stream by changing the durable medical goods sales tax exemption to home users only; to specify the effective date of this amendment; to provide the method of claiming this exemption; and to provide definitions for clarification.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.

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