HOUSE BILL No. 5817

April 22, 2004, Introduced by Rep. Bisbee and referred to the Committee on Commerce.

        

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                 A bill to amend 1995 PA 24, entitled                                              

                                                                                

    "Michigan economic growth authority act,"                                   

                                                                                

    by amending section 8 (MCL 207.808), as amended by 2003 PA 248.             

                                                                                

                THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:                      

                                                                                

1       Sec. 8.  (1) After receipt of an application, the authority                 

                                                                                

2   may enter into an agreement with an eligible business for a tax             

                                                                                

3   credit under section 9 if the authority determines that all of              

                                                                                

4   the following are met:                                                      

                                                                                

5       (a) Except as provided in subsection (5), the eligible                      

                                                                                

6   business creates 1 or more of the following within 12 months of             

                                                                                

7   the expansion or location as determined by the authority:                   

                                                                                

8                                                                                (i) A minimum of  75  50 qualified new jobs at the facility                         

                                                                                

9   if expanding in this state.                                                 

                                                                                

10      (ii) A minimum of  150  100 qualified new jobs at the                        

                                                                                

11  facility if locating in this state.                                         

                                                                                


                                                                                

1       (iii) A minimum of 25 qualified new jobs at the facility if                  

                                                                                

2   the facility is located in a neighborhood enterprise zone as                

                                                                                

3   determined under the neighborhood enterprise zone act, 1992 PA              

                                                                                

4   147, MCL 207.771 to  207.787  207.786, is located in a                      

                                                                                

5   renaissance zone under the Michigan renaissance zone act, 1996 PA           

                                                                                

6   376, MCL 125.2681 to 125.2696, or is located in a federally                 

                                                                                

7   designated empowerment zone, rural enterprise community, or                 

                                                                                

8   enterprise community.                                                       

                                                                                

9       (iv) A minimum of 5 qualified new jobs at the facility if the                

                                                                                

10  eligible business is a qualified high-technology business.                  

                                                                                

11      (v) A minimum of 5 qualified new jobs at the facility if the                

                                                                                

12  eligible business is a rural business.                                      

                                                                                

13      (b) Except as provided in subsection (5), the eligible                      

                                                                                

14  business agrees to maintain 1 or more of the following for each             

                                                                                

15  year that a credit is authorized under this act:                            

                                                                                

16                                                                               (i) A minimum of  75  50 qualified new jobs at the facility                         

                                                                                

17  if expanding in this state.                                                 

                                                                                

18      (ii) A minimum of  150  100 qualified new jobs at the                        

                                                                                

19  facility if locating in this state.                                         

                                                                                

20      (iii) A minimum of 25 qualified new jobs at the facility if                  

                                                                                

21  the facility is located in a neighborhood enterprise zone as                

                                                                                

22  determined under the neighborhood enterprise zone act, 1992 PA              

                                                                                

23  147, MCL 207.771 to  207.787  207.786, is located in a                      

                                                                                

24  renaissance zone under the Michigan renaissance zone act, 1996 PA           

                                                                                

25  376, MCL 125.2681 to 125.2696, or is located in a federally                 

                                                                                

26  designated empowerment zone, rural enterprise community, or                 

                                                                                

27  enterprise community.                                                       


                                                                                

1       (iv) If the eligible business is a qualified high-technology                 

                                                                                

2   business, all of the following apply:                                       

                                                                                

3       (A) A minimum of 5 qualified new jobs at the facility.                      

                                                                                

4       (B) A minimum of 25 qualified new jobs at the facility within               

                                                                                

5   5 years after the date of the expansion or location as determined           

                                                                                

6   by the authority and a minimum of 25 qualified new jobs at the              

                                                                                

7   facility each year thereafter for which a credit is authorized              

                                                                                

8   under this act.                                                             

                                                                                

9       (v) If the eligible business is a rural business, all of the                

                                                                                

10  following apply:                                                            

                                                                                

11      (A) A minimum of 5 qualified new jobs at the facility.                      

                                                                                

12      (B) A minimum of 25 qualified new jobs at the facility within               

                                                                                

13  5 years after the date of the expansion or location as determined           

                                                                                

14  by the authority.                                                           

                                                                                

15      (c) Except as provided in subsection (5), in addition to the                

                                                                                

16  jobs specified in subdivision (b), the eligible business, if                

                                                                                

17  already located within this state, agrees to maintain a number of           

                                                                                

18  full-time jobs equal to or greater than the number of full-time             

                                                                                

19  jobs it maintained in this state prior to the expansion, as                 

                                                                                

20  determined by the authority.                                                

                                                                                

21      (d) Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision, the                   

                                                                                

22  average wage paid for all retained jobs and qualified new jobs is           

                                                                                

23  equal to or greater than 150% of the federal minimum wage.                  

                                                                                

24  However, if the eligible business is a qualified high-technology            

                                                                                

25  business, then the average wage paid for all qualified new jobs             

                                                                                

26  is equal to or greater than 400% of the federal minimum wage.               

                                                                                

27      (e) Except for a qualified high-technology business, the                    


                                                                                

1   expansion, retention, or location of the eligible business will             

                                                                                

2   not occur in this state without the tax credits offered under               

                                                                                

3   this act.                                                                   

                                                                                

4       (f)  The  Except for an eligible business described in                      

                                                                                

5   subsection (5)(b)(ii), the local governmental unit in which the              

                                                                                

6   eligible business will expand, be located, or maintain retained             

                                                                                

7   jobs, or a local economic development corporation or similar                

                                                                                

8   entity, will make a staff, financial, or economic commitment to             

                                                                                

9   the eligible business for the expansion, retention, or location.            

                                                                                

10      (g) The financial statements of the eligible business                       

                                                                                

11  indicated that it is financially sound or has submitted a chapter           

                                                                                

12  11 plan of reorganization to the bankruptcy court and that its              

                                                                                

13  plans for the expansion, retention, or location are economically            

                                                                                

14  sound.                                                                      

                                                                                

15      (h) Except  as provided  for an eligible business described                 

                                                                                

16  in subsection (5)(c), the eligible business has not begun                   

                                                                                

17  construction of the facility.                                               

                                                                                

18      (i) The expansion, retention, or location of the eligible                   

                                                                                

19  business will benefit the people of this state by increasing                

                                                                                

20  opportunities for employment and by strengthening the economy of            

                                                                                

21  this state.                                                                 

                                                                                

22      (j) The tax credits offered under this act are an incentive                 

                                                                                

23  to expand, retain, or locate the eligible business in Michigan              

                                                                                

24  and address the competitive disadvantages with sites outside this           

                                                                                

25  state.                                                                      

                                                                                

26      (k) A cost/benefit analysis reveals that authorizing the                    

                                                                                

27  eligible business to receive tax credits under this act will                


                                                                                

1   result in an overall positive fiscal impact to the state.                   

                                                                                

2                                                                                (l) If feasible, as determined by the authority, in locating                        

                                                                                

3   the facility, the authorized business reuses or redevelops                  

                                                                                

4   property that was previously used for an industrial or commercial           

                                                                                

5   purpose.                                                                    

                                                                                

6       (m) If the eligible business is a qualified high-technology                 

                                                                                

7   business described in section 3(m)(i), the eligible business                

                                                                                

8   agrees that not less than 25% of the total operating expenses of            

                                                                                

9   the business will be maintained for research and development for            

                                                                                

10  the first 3 years of the written agreement.                                 

                                                                                

11      (2) If the authority determines that the requirements of                    

                                                                                

12  subsection (1) or (5) have been met, the authority shall                    

                                                                                

13  determine the amount and duration of tax credits to be authorized           

                                                                                

14  under section 9, and shall enter into a written agreement as                

                                                                                

15  provided in this section.  The duration of the tax credits shall            

                                                                                

16  not exceed 20 years or for an authorized business that is a                 

                                                                                

17  distressed business, 3 years.  In determining the amount and                

                                                                                

18  duration of tax credits authorized, the authority shall consider            

                                                                                

19  the following factors:                                                      

                                                                                

20      (a) The number of qualified new jobs to be created or                       

                                                                                

21  retained jobs to be maintained.                                             

                                                                                

22      (b) The average wage level of the qualified new jobs or                     

                                                                                

23  retained jobs relative to the average wage paid by private                  

                                                                                

24  entities in the county in which the facility is located.                    

                                                                                

25      (c) The total capital investment or new capital investment                  

                                                                                

26  the eligible business will make.                                            

                                                                                

27      (d) The cost differential to the business between expanding,                


                                                                                

1   locating, or retaining new jobs in Michigan and a site outside of           

                                                                                

2   Michigan.                                                                   

                                                                                

3       (e) The potential impact of the expansion, retention, or                    

                                                                                

4   location on the economy of Michigan.                                        

                                                                                

5       (f) The cost of the credit under section 9, the staff,                      

                                                                                

6   financial, or economic assistance provided by the local                     

                                                                                

7   government unit, or local economic development corporation or               

                                                                                

8   similar entity, and the value of assistance otherwise provided by           

                                                                                

9   this state.                                                                 

                                                                                

10      (3) A written agreement between an eligible business and the                

                                                                                

11  authority shall include, but need not be limited to, all of the             

                                                                                

12  following:                                                                  

                                                                                

13      (a) A description of the business expansion, retention, or                  

                                                                                

14  location that is the subject of the agreement.                              

                                                                                

15      (b) Conditions upon which the authorized business designation               

                                                                                

16  is made.                                                                    

                                                                                

17      (c) A statement by the eligible business that a violation of                

                                                                                

18  the written agreement may result in the revocation of the                   

                                                                                

19  designation as an authorized business and the loss or reduction             

                                                                                

20  of future credits under section 9.                                          

                                                                                

21      (d) A statement by the eligible business that a                             

                                                                                

22  misrepresentation in the application may result in the revocation           

                                                                                

23  of the designation as an authorized business and the refund of              

                                                                                

24  credits received under section 9.                                           

                                                                                

25      (e) A method for measuring full-time jobs before and after an               

                                                                                

26  expansion, retention, or location of an authorized business in              

                                                                                

27  this state.                                                                 


                                                                                

1       (f) A written certification from the eligible business                      

                                                                                

2   regarding all of the following:                                             

                                                                                

3                                                                                (i) The eligible business will follow a competitive bid                             

                                                                                

4   process for the construction, rehabilitation, development, or               

                                                                                

5   renovation of the facility, and that this process will be open to           

                                                                                

6   all Michigan residents and firms.  The eligible business may not            

                                                                                

7   discriminate against any contractor on the basis of its                     

                                                                                

8   affiliation or nonaffiliation with any collective bargaining                

                                                                                

9   organization.                                                               

                                                                                

10      (ii) The eligible business will make a good faith effort to                  

                                                                                

11  employ, if qualified, Michigan residents at the facility.                   

                                                                                

12      (iii) The eligible business will make a good faith effort to                 

                                                                                

13  employ or contract with Michigan residents and firms to                     

                                                                                

14  construct, rehabilitate, develop, or renovate the facility.                 

                                                                                

15      (iv) The eligible business is encouraged to make a good faith                

                                                                                

16  effort to utilize Michigan-based suppliers and vendors when                 

                                                                                

17  purchasing goods and services.                                              

                                                                                

18      (g) A condition that if the eligible business qualified under               

                                                                                

19  section 8(5)(b)(ii) and met the section 8(1)(g) requirement by               

                                                                                

20  filing a chapter 11 plan of reorganization, the plan must be                

                                                                                

21  approved by the bankruptcy court within 2 years of the date of              

                                                                                

22  the agreement or the agreement is rescinded.                                

                                                                                

23      (4) Upon execution of a written agreement as provided in this               

                                                                                

24  section, an eligible business is an authorized business.                    

                                                                                

25      (5) After receipt of an application, the authority may enter                

                                                                                

26  into a written agreement, which shall include a repayment                   

                                                                                

27  provision of all or a portion of the credits under section 9 for            


                                                                                

1   a violation of the written agreement, with an eligible business             

                                                                                

2   that meets 1 or more of the following criteria:                             

                                                                                

3       (a) Is located in this state on the date of the application,                

                                                                                

4   makes new capital investment of $250,000,000.00 in this state,              

                                                                                

5   and maintains 500 retained jobs, as determined by the authority.            

                                                                                

6       (b) Meets either of the following criteria:                                 

                                                                                

7                                                                                (i) Relocates production of a product to this state after the                       

                                                                                

8   date of the application, makes capital investment of                        

                                                                                

9   $500,000,000.00 in this state, and maintains 500 retained jobs,             

                                                                                

10  as determined by the authority.                                             

                                                                                

11      (ii)  Makes capital investment of $100,000,000.00 in a time                  

                                                                                

12  period beginning 3 years prior to and 2 years following becoming            

                                                                                

13  an authorized business and agrees to maintain at least 1,500 jobs           

                                                                                

14  at the facility without permanent reduction in full-time                    

                                                                                

15  employment except through attrition or retirement.  The credit              

                                                                                

16  under this subparagraph can only be granted as part of a package            

                                                                                

17  of incentives that addresses international competition and                  

                                                                                

18  includes a negotiated labor contribution.  Maintains 150 retained           

                                                                                

19  jobs at a facility, maintains 1,000 or more full-time jobs in               

                                                                                

20  this state, and makes new capital investment in this state.                 

                                                                                

21      (iii) Is located in this state on the date of the                            

                                                                                

22  application, maintains at least 100 retained jobs at a single               

                                                                                

23  facility, and agrees to make new capital investment at that                 

                                                                                

24  facility equal to the greater of $150,000.00 per retained job               

                                                                                

25  maintained at that facility or $15,000,000.00 to be completed not           

                                                                                

26  later than December 31, 2006.                                               

                                                                                

27      (c) Is a distressed business.                                               


                                                                                

1       (6) The authority shall not execute more than  25  35 new                   

                                                                                

2   written agreements  each  in the years 2004, 2005, and 2006 or              

                                                                                

3   more than 25 new written agreements in any subsequent year for              

                                                                                

4   eligible businesses that are not qualified high-technology                  

                                                                                

5   businesses, distressed businesses, or rural businesses.  If the             

                                                                                

6   authority executes less than  25  35 new written agreements in              

                                                                                

7   a  2004, 2005, or 2006 or less than 25 new written agreements in           

                                                                                

8   any subsequent year, the authority may carry forward for 1 year             

                                                                                

9   only the difference between  25  the number authorized and the              

                                                                                

10  number of new agreements executed in the immediately preceding              

                                                                                

11  year.  The authority shall not execute more than 5 written                  

                                                                                

12  agreements each year for eligible businesses described in                   

                                                                                

13  subsection (5)(a) or (b).                                                   

                                                                                

14      (7) The authority shall not execute more than 50 new written                

                                                                                

15  agreements each year for eligible businesses that are qualified             

                                                                                

16  high-technology businesses or rural business.  Only 5 of the 50             

                                                                                

17  written agreements for businesses that are qualified                        

                                                                                

18  high-technology businesses or rural business may be executed each           

                                                                                

19  year for qualified rural businesses.                                        

                                                                                

20      (8) The authority shall not execute more than 20 new written                

                                                                                

21  agreements each year for eligible businesses that are distressed            

                                                                                

22  businesses.  The authority shall not execute more than 5 of the             

                                                                                

23  written agreements described in this subsection each year for               

                                                                                

24  distressed businesses that had 1,000 or more full-time jobs at a            

                                                                                

25  facility 4 years immediately preceding the application to the               

                                                                                

26  authority under this act.