[First Reprint]

SENATE, No. 2333

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

INTRODUCED DECEMBER 11, 1997

 

 

By Senators MARTIN and LITTELL

 

 

An Act exempting certain sales by municipal electric utilities from sales tax and exempting municipal electric utilities and rural electric cooperatives from corporation business tax, amending P.L.1945, c.162 and P.L.1997, c.162.

 

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

    1. Section 3 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-3) is amended to read as follows:

    3. The following corporations shall be exempt from the tax imposed by this act:

    (a) Corporations subject to a tax assessed upon the basis of gross receipts, or insurance premiums collected;

    (b) Corporations which operate regular route autobus service within this State under operating authority conferred pursuant to R.S.48:4-3, provided, however, that such corporations shall not be exempt from the tax on net income imposed by section 5(c) of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-5);

    (c) Railroad, canal corporations, savings banks, production credit associations organized under the Farm Credit Act of 1933, agricultural cooperative associations incorporated or domesticated under or subject to chapter 13 of Title 4 of the Revised Statutes and exempt under Subtitle A, Chapter 1F, Part IV, Section 521 of the federal Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C.s.521), or building and loan or savings and loan associations;

    (d) Cemetery corporations not conducted for pecuniary profit or any private shareholder or individual;

    (e) Nonprofit corporations, associations or organizations established, organized or chartered, without capital stock, under the provisions of Title 15, 16 or 17 of the Revised Statutes, Title 15A of the New Jersey Statutes or under a special charter or under any similar general or special law of this or any other State, and not conducted for pecuniary profit of any private shareholders or individual;

     (f) Sewerage and water corporations subject to a tax under the provisions of P.L.1940, c.5 (C.54:30A-49 et seq.) or any statute or law imposing a similar tax or taxes;

    (g) Nonstock corporations organized under the laws of this State or of any other state of the United States to provide mutual ownership housing under federal law by tenants, provided, however, that the exemption hereunder shall continue only so long as the corporations remain subject to rules and regulations of the Federal Housing Authority and the Commissioner of the Federal Housing Authority holds membership certificates in the corporations and the corporate property is encumbered by a mortgage deed or deed of trust insured under the National Housing Act (48 Stat.1246) as amended by subsequent Acts of Congress. In order to be exempted under this subsection, corporations shall annually file a report on or before August 15 with the commissioner, in the form required by the commissioner, to claim such exemption, and shall pay a filing fee of $25.00;

    (h) Corporations not for profit organized under any law of this State where the primary purpose thereof is to provide for its shareholders or members housing in a retirement community as the same is defined under the provisions of the "Retirement Community Full Disclosure Act," P.L.1969, c.215 (C.45:22A-1 et seq.);

    (i) Corporations which are licensed as insurance companies under the laws of another state, including corporations which are surplus lines insurers declared eligible by the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance pursuant to section 11 of P.L.1960, c.32 (C.17:22-6.45) to insure risks within this State; and

    (j) Municipal electric corporations or utilities, and rural, electric cooperatives which are exclusively owned and controlled by the consumers they serve, that are in existence as of January 1, 1995 [and were exempt from tax under the provisions of P.L.1940, c.5 (C.54:30A-49 et seq.)].

(cf: P.L.1997, c.162, s.1)

 

    2. Section 4 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-4) is amended to read as follows:

    4.    For the purposes of this act, unless the context requires a different meaning:

    (a) "Commissioner" shall mean the Director of the Division of Taxation of the State Department of the Treasury.

    (b) "Allocation factor" shall mean the proportionate part of a taxpayer's net worth or entire net income used to determine a measure of its tax under this act.

    (c) "Corporation" shall mean any corporation, joint-stock company or association and any business conducted by a trustee or trustees wherein interest or ownership is evidenced by a certificate of interest or ownership or similar written instrument.

    (d) "Net worth" shall mean the aggregate of the values disclosed by the books of the corporation for (1) issued and outstanding capital stock, (2) paid-in or capital surplus, (3) earned surplus and undivided profits, and (4) surplus reserves which can reasonably be expected to accrue to holders or owners of equitable shares, not including reasonable valuation reserves, such as reserves for depreciation or obsolescence or depletion. Notwithstanding the foregoing, net worth shall not include any deduction for the amount of the excess depreciation described in paragraph (2)(F) of subsection (k) of this section. The foregoing aggregate of values shall be reduced by 50% of the amount disclosed by the books of the corporation for investment in the capital stock of one or more subsidiaries, which investment is defined as ownership (1) of at least 80% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the subsidiary entitled to vote and (2) of at least 80% of the total number of shares of all other classes of stock except nonvoting stock which is limited and preferred as to dividends. In the case of investment in an entity organized under the laws of a foreign country, the foregoing requisite degree of ownership shall effect a like reduction of such investment from the net worth of the taxpayer, if the foreign entity is considered a corporation for any purpose under the United States federal income tax laws, such as (but not by way of sole examples) for the purpose of supplying deemed paid foreign tax credits or for the purpose of status as a controlled foreign corporation. In calculating the net worth of a taxpayer entitled to reduction for investment in subsidiaries, the amount of liabilities of the taxpayer shall be reduced by such proportion of the liabilities as corresponds to the ratio which the excluded portion of the subsidiary values bears to the total assets of the taxpayer.

    In the case of banking corporations which have international banking facilities as defined in subsection (n), the foregoing aggregate of values shall also be reduced by retained earnings of the international banking facility. Retained earnings means the earnings accumulated over the life of such facility and shall not include the distributive share of dividends paid and federal income taxes paid or payable during the tax year.

    If in the opinion of the commissioner, the corporation's books do not disclose fair valuations the commissioner may make a reasonable determination of the net worth which, in his opinion, would reflect the fair value of the assets, exclusive of subsidiary investments as defined aforesaid, carried on the books of the corporation, in accordance with sound accounting principles, and such determination shall be used as net worth for the purpose of this act.

    (e) "Indebtedness owing directly or indirectly" shall include, without limitation thereto, all indebtedness owing to any stockholder or shareholder and to members of his immediate family where a stockholder and members of his immediate family together or in the aggregate own 10% or more of the aggregate outstanding shares of the taxpayer's capital stock of all classes.

    (f) "Investment company" shall mean any corporation whose business during the period covered by its report consisted, to the extent of at least 90% thereof of holding, investing and reinvesting in stocks, bonds, notes, mortgages, debentures, patents, patent rights and other securities for its own account, but this shall not include any corporation which: (1) is a merchant or a dealer of stocks, bonds and other securities, regularly engaged in buying the same and selling the same to customers; or (2) had less than 90% of its average gross assets in New Jersey, at cost, invested in stocks, bonds, debentures, mortgages, notes, patents, patent rights or other securities or consisting of cash on deposit during the period covered by its report; or (3) is a banking corporation or a financial business corporation as defined in the Corporation Business Tax Act.

    (g) "Regulated investment company" shall mean any corporation which for a period covered by its report, is registered and regulated under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (54 Stat. 789), as amended.

    (h) "Taxpayer" shall mean any corporation required to report or to pay taxes, interest or penalties under this act.

    (i) "Fiscal year" shall mean an accounting period ending on any day other than the last day of December on the basis of which the taxpayer is required to report for federal income tax purposes.

    (j)   Except as herein provided, "privilege period" shall mean the calendar or fiscal accounting period for which a tax is payable under this act.

    (k)  "Entire net income" shall mean total net income from all sources, whether within or without the United States, and shall include the gain derived from the employment of capital or labor, or from both combined, as well as profit gained through a sale or conversion of capital assets. For the purpose of this act, the amount of a taxpayer's entire net income shall be deemed prima facie to be equal in amount to the taxable income, before net operating loss deduction and special deductions, which the taxpayer is required to report to the United States Treasury Department for the purpose of computing its federal income tax; provided, however, that in the determination of such entire net income,

    (1)  Entire net income shall exclude for the periods set forth in paragraph (2)(F)(i) of this subsection, any amount, except with respect to qualified mass commuting vehicles as described in section 168(f)(8)(D)(v) of the Internal Revenue Code as in effect immediately prior to January 1, 1984, which is included in a taxpayer's federal taxable income solely as a result of an election made pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (8) of that section.

    (2)  Entire net income shall be determined without the exclusion, deduction or credit of:

    (A) The amount of any specific exemption or credit allowed in any law of the United States imposing any tax on or measured by the income of corporations;

    (B) Any part of any income from dividends or interest on any kind of stock, securities or indebtedness, except as provided in paragraph (5) of subsection (k) of this section;

    (C) Taxes paid or accrued to the United States, a possession or territory of the United States, a state, a political subdivision thereof, or the District of Columbia on or measured by profits or income, or business presence or business activity, or the tax imposed by this act, or any tax paid or accrued with respect to subsidiary dividends excluded from entire net income as provided in paragraph (5) of subsection (k) of this section;

    (D) (Deleted by amendment, P.L.1985, c.143.)

    (E) (Deleted by amendment, P.L.1995, c.418.)

    (F) (i) The amount by which depreciation reported to the United States Treasury Department for property placed in service on and after January 1, 1981, but prior to taxpayer fiscal or calendar accounting years beginning on and after the effective date of P.L.1993, c.172, for purposes of computing federal taxable income in accordance with section 168 of the Internal Revenue Code in effect after December 31, 1980, exceeds the amount of depreciation determined in accordance with the Internal Revenue Code provisions in effect prior to January 1, 1981, but only with respect to a taxpayer's accounting period ending after December 31, 1981; provided, however, that where a taxpayer's accounting period begins in 1981 and ends in 1982, no modification shall be required with respect to this paragraph (F) for the report filed for such period with respect to property placed in service during that part of the accounting period which occurs in 1981. The provisions of this subparagraph shall not apply to assets placed in service prior to January 1, 1998 of a gas, gas and electric, and electric public utility that was subject to the provisions of P.L.1940, c.5 (C.54:30A-49 et seq.) prior to 1998.

    (ii)  For the periods set forth in subparagraph (F)(i) of this subsection, any amount, except with respect to qualified mass commuting vehicles as described in section 168(f)(8)(D)(v) of the Internal Revenue Code as in effect immediately prior to January 1, 1984, which the taxpayer claimed as a deduction in computing federal income tax pursuant to a qualified lease agreement under paragraph (8) of that section.

    The director shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this section, which rules shall provide, among others, the manner in which the remaining life of property shall be reported.

    (G) (i) The amount of any civil, civil administrative, or criminal penalty or fine, including a penalty or fine under an administrative consent order, assessed and collected for a violation of a State or federal environmental law, an administrative consent order, or an environmental ordinance or resolution of a local governmental entity, and any interest earned on the penalty or fine, and any economic benefits having accrued to the violator as a result of a violation, which benefits are assessed and recovered in a civil, civil administrative, or criminal action, or pursuant to an administrative consent order. The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to a penalty or fine assessed or collected for a violation of a State or federal environmental law, or local environmental ordinance or resolution, if the penalty or fine was for a violation that resulted from fire, riot, sabotage, flood, storm event, natural cause, or other act of God beyond the reasonable control of the violator, or caused by an act or omission of a person who was outside the reasonable control of the violator.

    (ii) The amount of treble damages paid to the Department of Environmental Protection pursuant to subsection a. of section 7 of P.L.1976, c.141 (C.58:10-23.11f), for costs incurred by the department in removing, or arranging for the removal of, an unauthorized discharge upon failure of the discharger to comply with a directive from the department to remove, or arrange for the removal of, the discharge.

    (H) The amount of any sales and use tax paid by a utility vendor pursuant to section 71 of P.L.1997, c.162.

    (3)  The commissioner may, whenever necessary to properly reflect the entire net income of any taxpayer, determine the year or period in which any item of income or deduction shall be included, without being limited to the method of accounting employed by the taxpayer.

    (4)  There shall be allowed as a deduction from entire net income of a banking corporation, to the extent not deductible in determining federal taxable income, the eligible net income of an international banking facility determined as follows:

    (A) The eligible net income of an international banking facility shall be the amount remaining after subtracting from the eligible gross income the applicable expenses;

    (B) Eligible gross income shall be the gross income derived by an international banking facility, which shall include, but not be limited to, gross income derived from:

    (i)   Making, arranging for, placing or carrying loans to foreign persons, provided, however, that in the case of a foreign person which is an individual, or which is a foreign branch of a domestic corporation (other than a bank), or which is a foreign corporation or foreign partnership which is controlled by one or more domestic corporations (other than banks), domestic partnerships or resident individuals, all the proceeds of the loan are for use outside of the United States;

    (ii)  Making or placing deposits with foreign persons which are banks or foreign branches of banks (including foreign subsidiaries) or foreign branches of the taxpayers or with other international banking facilities;

    (iii) Entering into foreign exchange trading or hedging transactions related to any of the transactions described in this paragraph; or

    (iv) Such other activities as an international banking facility may, from time to time, be authorized to engage in;

    (C) Applicable expenses shall be any expense or other deductions attributable, directly or indirectly, to the eligible gross income described in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph.

    (5)  Entire net income shall exclude 100% of dividends which were included in computing such taxable income for federal income tax purposes, paid to the taxpayer by one or more subsidiaries owned by the taxpayer to the extent of the 80% or more ownership of investment described in subsection (d) of this section. With respect to other dividends, entire net income shall not include 50% of the total included in computing such taxable income for federal income tax purposes.

    (6) (A) Net operating loss deduction. There shall be allowed as a deduction for the taxable year the net operating loss carryover to that year.

    (B) Net operating loss carryover. A net operating loss for any taxable year ending after June 30, 1984 shall be a net operating loss carryover to each of the seven years following the year of the loss. The entire amount of the net operating loss for any taxable year (the "loss year") shall be carried to the earliest of the taxable years to which the loss may be carried. The portion of the loss which shall be carried to each of the other taxable years shall be the excess, if any, of the amount of the loss over the sum of the entire net income, computed without the exclusions permitted in paragraphs (4) and (5) of this subsection or the net operating loss deduction provided by subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, for each of the prior taxable years to which the loss may be carried.

    (C) Net operating loss. For purposes of this paragraph the term "net operating loss" means the excess of the deductions over the gross income used in computing entire net income without the net operating loss deduction provided for in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph and the exclusions in paragraphs (4) and (5) of this subsection.

    (D) Change in ownership. Where there is a change in 50% or more of the ownership of a corporation because of redemption or sale of stock and the corporation changes the trade or business giving rise to the loss, no net operating loss sustained before the changes may be carried over to be deducted from income earned after such changes. In addition where the facts support the premise that the corporation was acquired under any circumstances for the primary purpose of the use of its net operating loss carryover, the director may disallow the carryover.

    (7) The entire net income of gas, electric and gas and electric public utilities [and municipal electric corporations] that were subject to the provisions of P.L.1940, c.5 (C.54:30A-49 et seq.) prior to 1998, shall be adjusted by substituting the New Jersey depreciation allowance for federal tax depreciation with respect to assets placed in service prior to January 1, 1998. For gas, electric, and gas and electric public utilities [, and municipal electric corporations] that were subject to the provisions of P.L.1940, c.5 (C.54:30A-49 et seq.) prior to 1998, the New Jersey depreciation allowance shall be computed as follows: All depreciable assets placed in service prior to January 1, 1998 shall be considered a single asset account. The New Jersey tax basis of this depreciable asset account shall be an amount equal to the carryover adjusted basis for federal income tax purposes on December 31, 1997 of all depreciable assets in service on December 31, 1997, increased by the excess, of the "net carrying value," defined to be adjusted book basis of all assets and liabilities, excluding deferred income taxes, recorded on the public utility's books of account on December 31, 1997, over the carryover adjusted basis for federal income tax purposes on December 31, 1997 of all assets and liabilities owned by the gas, electric, or gas and electric public utility [or municipal electric corporation] as of December 31, 1997. "Books of account" for gas, gas and electric, and electric public utilities [and municipal electric corporations] means the uniform system of accounts as promulgated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and adopted by the Board of Public Utilities. The following adjustments to entire net income shall be made pursuant to this section:

    (A) Depreciation for property placed in service prior to January 1, 1998 shall be adjusted as follows:

    (i) Depreciation for federal income tax purposes shall be disallowed in full.

    (ii) A deduction shall be allowed for the New Jersey depreciation allowance. The New Jersey depreciation allowance shall be computed for the single asset account described above based on the New Jersey tax basis as adjusted above as if all assets in the single asset account were first placed in service on January 1, 1998. Depreciation shall be computed using the straight line method over a thirty-year life. A full year's depreciation shall be allowed in the initial tax year. No half-year convention shall apply. The depreciable basis of the single account shall be reduced by the adjusted federal tax basis of assets sold, retired, or otherwise disposed of during any year on which gain or loss is recognized for federal income tax purposes as described in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph.

    (B) Gains and losses on sales, retirements and other dispositions of assets placed in service prior to January 1, 1998 shall be recognized and reported on the same basis as for federal income tax purposes.

    (C) The Director of the Division of Taxation shall promulgate regulations describing the methodology for allocating the single asset account in the event that a portion of the utility's operations are separated, spun-off, transferred to a separate company or otherwise disaggregated.

    (8) In the case of taxpayers that are gas, electric, gas and electric, or telecommunication public utilities as defined pursuant to subsection (q) of this section, the director shall have authority to promulgate rules and issue guidance correcting distortions and adjusting timing differences resulting from the adoption of P.L.1997, c.162 (C.54:10A-5.25 et al.).

    (l)   "Real estate investment trust" shall mean any corporation, trust or association qualifying and electing to be taxed as a real estate investment trust under federal law.

    (m) "Financial business corporation" shall mean any corporate enterprise which is (1) in substantial competition with the business of national banks and which (2) employs moneyed capital with the object of making profit by its use as money, through discounting and negotiating promissory notes, drafts, bills of exchange and other evidences of debt; buying and selling exchange; making of or dealing in secured or unsecured loans and discounts; dealing in securities and shares of corporate stock by purchasing and selling such securities and stock without recourse, solely upon the order and for the account of customers; or investing and reinvesting in marketable obligations evidencing indebtedness of any person, copartnership, association or corporation in the form of bonds, notes or debentures commonly known as investment securities; or dealing in or underwriting obligations of the United States, any state or any political subdivision thereof, or of a corporate instrumentality of any of them. This shall include, without limitation of the foregoing, business commonly known as industrial banks, dealers in commercial paper and acceptances, sales finance, personal finance, small loan and mortgage financing businesses, as well as any other enterprise employing moneyed capital coming into competition with the business of national banks; provided that the holding of bonds, notes, or other evidences of indebtedness by individual persons not employed or engaged in the banking or investment business and representing merely personal investments not made in competition with the business of national banks, shall not be deemed financial business. Nor shall "financial business" include national banks, production credit associations organized under the Farm Credit Act of 1933 or the Farm Credit Act of 1971, Pub.L.92-181 (12 U.S.C.s.2091 et seq.), stock and mutual insurance companies duly authorized to transact business in this State, security brokers or dealers or investment companies or bankers not employing moneyed capital coming into competition with the business of national banks, real estate investment trusts, or any of the following entities organized under the laws of this State: credit unions, savings banks, savings and loan and building and loan associations, pawnbrokers, and State banks and trust companies.

    (n)  "International banking facility" shall mean a set of asset and liability accounts segregated on the books and records of a depository institution, United States branch or agency of a foreign bank, or an Edge or Agreement Corporation that includes only international banking facility time deposits and international banking facility extensions of credit as such terms are defined in section 204.8(a)(2) and section 204.8(a)(3) of Regulation D of the board of governors of the Federal Reserve System, 12 CFR Part 204, effective December 3, 1981. In the event that the United States enacts a law, or the board of governors of the Federal Reserve System adopts a regulation which amends the present definition of international banking facility or of such facilities' time deposits or extensions of credit, the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance shall forthwith adopt regulations defining such terms in the same manner as such terms are set forth in the laws of the United States or the regulations of the board of governors of the Federal Reserve System. The regulations of the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance shall thereafter provide the applicable definitions.

    (o) "S corporation" means a corporation included in the definition of an "S corporation" pursuant to section 1361 of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C.s.1361.

    (p)  "New Jersey S corporation" means a corporation that is an S corporation; which has made a valid election pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1993, c.173 (C.54:10A-5.22); and which has been an S corporation continuously since the effective date of the valid election made pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1993, c.173 (C.54:10A-5.22).

    (q) "Public Utility" means "public utility" as defined in R.S.48:2-13.

(cf: P.L.1997, c.162, s.2)

 

    3. Section 3 of P.L.1997, c.162 (C.54:10A-5.25) is amended to read as follows:

    3. a. Gas, electric, gas and electric and telecommunications [and municipal electric corporations] public utilities that were subject to a public utility tax either pursuant to P.L.1940, c.5 (C.54:30A-17 et seq.) or P.L.1940, c.4 (C.54:30A-49 et seq.) as of December 31, 1996, shall be required to file and remit installment payments of estimated corporation business tax pursuant to the provisions of subsection (f) of section 15 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-15) during the calendar year in which those taxpayers first become subject to the corporation business tax, provided however, that the provisions of subsection d. of section 5 of P.L.1981, c.184 (C.54:10A-15.4) shall not apply to those taxpayers during that year.

    b. A telecommunications public utility that makes an advance payment of its applicable gross receipts and franchise tax to the State in the final year of the existence of such tax and treated such advance payment as an asset on its books and records for that year shall be entitled to a credit against its corporation business tax liability equal to the amount of such advance payment. Any unused portion of the credit may be carried forward in full to future privilege periods, provided however, that in any one privilege period the total amount of such credit which the taxpayer may utilize to pay its corporation business tax liability shall not exceed $5,000,000. Any gas, electric, or gas and electric public utility taxpayer that has made any advance credit payment pursuant to P.L.1940, c.5 (C.54:30A-49 et seq.), shall not be eligible for a credit for such amount or any part thereof to offset any liability under P.L.1945, c.162. Under no circumstances may any portion of an unused $5,000,000 per year credit be subject to refund.

    c. All amounts remitted under P.L.1945, c.162 by any gas, electric, gas and electric or telecommunication public utility [or municipal electric corporation] shall be separately accounted for by the State Treasurer.

    d. A public utility [, including a municipal electric corporation] with gas, electric or telecommunications operations or any of them shall file with the Board of Public Utilities amendments to its existing tariffs, contracts or schedules of service designating the appropriate apportionment of its corporation business tax liability in these tariffs, contracts or schedules so that rates will not be increased for any class of ratepayer as a result of the transition to this tax. The board may permit gas, electric, gas and electric or telecommunications public utilities [or municipal electric corporations] to establish new tariffs, contracts or schedules, or to amend existing tariffs, contracts or schedules, as necessary to comply with the provisions of this act.

    e. A qualified taxpayer may claim a corporation business tax credit in accordance with the provisions of section 53 of P.L.1997, c.162 (C.54:30A-117) and for local energy utility franchise taxes paid and subject to the limitations of subparagraph (C) of paragraph (2) of subsection (k) of section 4 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C. 54:10A-4).

    f. [A municipal electric corporation or utility that is required to file a corporation business tax return that is not required to file a federal corporation tax return shall file with the director a pro-forma federal corporation tax return at the same time it files its corporation business tax return. The director may promulgate rules and regulations and issue guidance with respect to all issues related to the pro-forma federal corporation tax return.] Deleted by amendment, P.L. , c. (now pending before the Legislature as this bill).

(cf: P.L.1997, c.162, s.3)

 

    4. Section 26 of P.L.1997, c.162 (C.54:32B-8.46) is amended to read as follows:

    26. a. Receipts from the sale, exchange, delivery or use of electricity are exempt from the tax imposed under the Sales and Use Tax Act if the electricity:

    (1) Is sold by a municipal electric utility in existence as of December 31, 1995 [and exempt from the provisions of P.L.1940, c.5 (C.54:30A-49 et seq.)], within its municipal boundaries 1or by a rural electric cooperative1 except if the customer is located within a franchise area served by an electric public utility other than the municipal electric utility 1or rural electric cooperative1 ;

    (2) Was generated by a facility located on the user's property or property purchased or leased from the user by the person owning the co-generator and such property is contiguous to the user's property, and the electricity was consumed by the one on-site end user on the user's property, and was not transported to the user over wires that cross a property line or public thoroughfare unless the property line or public thoroughfare merely bifurcated the user's or co-generator owner's otherwise contiguous property or the electricity was consumed by an affiliated user on the same site, or by a non-affiliated user on the same site with an electric distribution system which is integrated and interconnected with the user on or before March 10, 1997; the director may promulgate rules and regulations and issue guidance with respect to all issues related to affiliated users; or

    (3) Is sold for resale.

    b. Receipts from the purchase or use of the following are exempt from the tax imposed under the Sales and Use Tax Act:

    (1) Natural gas or utility service that is used to generate electricity that is sold for resale or to an end user other than the end user upon whose property is located a co-generation facility or self-generation unit that generated the electricity or upon the property purchased or leased from the end user by the person owning the co-generation facility or self-generation unit if such property is contiguous to the user's property and is the property upon which is located a co-generation facility or self-generation unit that generated the electricity; and

    (2) Natural gas and utility service that is used for co-generation at any site at which a co-generation facility was in operation on or before March 10, 1997, or for which an application for an operating permit or a construction permit and a certificate of operation in order to comply with air quality standards under P.L.1954, c.212 (C.26:2C-1 et seq.) has been filed with the Department of Environmental Protection on or before March 10, 1997, to produce electricity for use on that site.

(cf: P.L.1997, c.162, s.26)

 

    5. This act shall take effect January 1, 1998 and if enacted after that date shall be retroactive to that date.

 

 

                             

 

Exempts certain sales by municipal electric utilities from sales tax and municipal electric utilities and rural electric cooperatives from corporation business tax.