2008 Legislation
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HOUSE BILL NO. 588<br /> – Income tax, grocery credit

HOUSE BILL NO. 588

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Bill Status



H0588...............................................by REVENUE AND TAXATION
INCOME TAX - Repeals, adds to and amends existing law to provide for income
tax credits or refunds for certain resident individuals to offset the cost
of sales tax on groceries; to provide for adjustments to the credit until
the credit reaches one hundred dollars; and to provide for suspension of
the increase in the credit or refund if certain circumstances occur.

02/29    House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/29    Rpt prt - to Rev/Tax
03/04    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
03/05    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
03/06    3rd rdg - PASSED - 62-8-0
      AYES -- Anderson, Andrus, Bayer, Bedke, Bell, Bilbao, Black, Block,
      Bock, Boe, Bolz, Bowers, Brackett, Bradford, Chadderdon, Chavez,
      Chew, Collins, Crane, Durst, Eskridge, Hagedorn, Henbest, Henderson,
      Jaquet, Killen, King, Kren, Labrador, Lake, Loertscher, Marriott,
      Mathews, McGeachin, Mortimer, Moyle, Nielsen, Nonini, Pasley-Stuart,
      Patrick, Pence, Raybould, Roberts, Ruchti, Rusche, Sayler, Schaefer,
      Shepherd(02), Shepherd(08), Shirley, Shively, Smith(30), Smith(24),
      Snodgrass, Stevenson, Thayn, Thomas, Trail, Vander Woude, Wills,
      Wood(35), Mr. Speaker
      NAYS -- Barrett, Clark, Hart, Harwood, LeFavour, Luker, Ringo,
      Wood(27)
      Absent and excused -- None
    Floor Sponsors - Bayer & Roberts
    Title apvd - to Senate
03/07    Senate intro - 1st rdg - to Loc Gov
03/19    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
03/20    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
    Rls susp - PASSED - 27-8-0
      AYES -- Bair, Bastian, Bilyeu, Broadsword, Coiner, Davis, Fulcher,
      Gannon, Geddes, Goedde, Hammond, Heinrich, Hill, Kelly, Keough,
      Langhorst, Little, Lodge, Malepeai(Sagness), McGee, McKague,
      McKenzie, Pearce, Richardson, Schroeder, Stennett, Werk
      NAYS -- Andreason, Burkett, Cameron, Corder, Darrington, Jorgenson,
      Siddoway, Stegner
      Absent and excused -- None
    Floor Sponsor - Fulcher
    Title apvd - to House
03/21    To enrol - Rpt enrol - Sp signed
03/24    Pres signed
03/25    To Governor
03/31    Governor signed
         Session Law Chapter 316
         Effective: 01/01/08

Bill Text




                                                                       
  ]]]]              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ]]]]
 Fifty-ninth Legislature                   Second Regular Session - 2008

                                                                       

                              IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                                     HOUSE BILL NO. 588

                             BY REVENUE AND TAXATION COMMITTEE

  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO INCOME TAXES; REPEALING SECTION 63-3024A, IDAHO CODE, RELATING  TO
  3        THE  GROCERY TAX CREDIT; AMENDING CHAPTER 30, TITLE 63, IDAHO CODE, BY THE
  4        ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION 63-3024A, IDAHO CODE, TO PROVIDE FOR INCOME  TAX
  5        CREDITS OR REFUNDS TO CERTAIN RESIDENT INDIVIDUALS, TO PROVIDE PROCEDURES,
  6        TO  PROVIDE  A  METHOD OF PAYMENT, TO PROVIDE A STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS, TO
  7        PROVIDE FOR THE DONATION OF CREDITS, TO  PROVIDE  FOR  CANCELLATION  OF  A
  8        FUTURE  ADJUSTMENT AND TO PROVIDE FOR A PROCEDURE WHEN A CREDIT ADJUSTMENT
  9        SHALL NOT OCCUR; AND DECLARING  AN  EMERGENCY  AND  PROVIDING  RETROACTIVE
 10        APPLICATION.

 11    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:

 12        SECTION 1.  That Section 63-3024A, Idaho Code, be, and the same is  hereby
 13    repealed.

 14        SECTION  2.  That  Chapter  30,  Title 63, Idaho Code, be, and the same is
 15    hereby amended by the addition thereto of a NEW SECTION, to be known and  des-
 16    ignated as Section 63-3024A, Idaho Code, and to read as follows:

 17        63-3024A.  FOOD  TAX  CREDITS AND REFUNDS. (1) Any resident individual who
 18    is required to file and who has filed an Idaho  income  tax  return  shall  be
 19    allowed  a  credit  against  taxes due under the Idaho income tax act for each
 20    personal exemption for which a deduction is permitted by  section  151(b)  and
 21    (c) of the Internal Revenue Code, and which is claimed on the taxpayer's Idaho
 22    income tax return. The amount of the credit for tax year 2008 shall be as fol-
 23    lows:
 24    When Idaho taxable income is:   The rate is:
 25    $1,000 or less                  $50.00
 26    Over $1,000                     $30.00
 27        Subject  to  the limitations provided in subsections (13) and (14) of this
 28    section, the credits allowed in this subsection shall be increased by ten dol-
 29    lars ($10.00) in each tax year after tax year 2008 until  such  time  as  each
 30    credit equals one hundred dollars ($100).
 31        If taxes due are less than the total credit allowed, the taxpayer shall be
 32    paid a refund equal to the balance of the unused credit.
 33        (2)  A resident individual who is not required to file an Idaho income tax
 34    return  and for whom no credit or refund is allowed under any other subsection
 35    of this section shall, subject to the limitations  of  subsections  (3),  (4),
 36    (5),  (6),  (7) and (8) of this section, be entitled to a refund in the amount
 37    provided in subsection (1) of this section.
 38        (3)  A resident individual who has reached his sixty-fifth birthday before
 39    the end of his taxable year and who has claimed  the  credit  available  under
 40    subsection  (1) of this section, in addition to the amount of credit or refund
 41    due under subsection (1) of this section, shall be entitled to twenty  dollars
 42    ($20.00),  which  shall be claimed as a credit against any taxes due under the

                                       2

  1    Idaho income tax act. If taxes due are less than the total credit allowed, the
  2    individual shall be paid a refund equal to the balance of the unused credit.
  3        (4)  Except as provided in subsection (9) of this  section,  a  credit  or
  4    refund  under this section is only available if the individual for whom a per-
  5    sonal exemption is claimed is a resident of the state of Idaho.
  6        (5)  In no event shall more than one (1) taxpayer be allowed a  credit  or
  7    refund  for the same personal exemption, or under more than one (1) subsection
  8    of this section.
  9        (6)  In the event that a credit or refund is attributable to any  individ-
 10    ual  for whom assistance under the federal food stamp program was received for
 11    any month or part of a month during the taxable year for which the  credit  or
 12    refund is claimed, the credit or refund allowed under this section shall be in
 13    proportion  to  the  number  of  months of the year in which no assistance was
 14    received.
 15        (7)  In the event that a credit or refund is attributable to any  individ-
 16    ual who has been incarcerated for any month or part of a month during the tax-
 17    able  year  for  which  the  credit or refund is claimed, the credit or refund
 18    allowed under this section shall be in proportion to the number of  months  of
 19    the year in which the individual was not incarcerated.
 20        (8)  No credit or refund shall be paid that is attributable to an individ-
 21    ual residing illegally in the United States.
 22        (9)  Any  part-year resident entitled to a credit under this section shall
 23    receive a proportionate credit reflecting the part of the year in which he was
 24    domiciled in this state.
 25        (10) Any refund shall be paid to such  individual  only  upon  his  making
 26    application  therefor, at such time and in such manner as may be prescribed by
 27    the state tax commission. The state tax commission shall prescribe the  method
 28    by  which  the refund is to be made to the taxpayer. The refunds authorized by
 29    this section shall be paid from the state refund fund in the  same  manner  as
 30    the refunds authorized by section 63-3067, Idaho Code.
 31        (11) An  application for any refund that is due and payable under the pro-
 32    visions of this section must be filed with the  state  tax  commission  within
 33    three (3) years of:
 34        (a)  The due date, including extensions, of the return required under sec-
 35        tion  63-3030,  Idaho Code, if the applicant is required to file a return;
 36        or
 37        (b)  The fifteenth day of April of the year following the  year  to  which
 38        the application relates if the applicant is not required to file a return.
 39        (12) The  state  tax  commission  shall provide income tax payers with the
 40    irrevocable option of donating credited funds accruing pursuant to  this  sec-
 41    tion. Any funds so donated shall be remitted from the refund fund to the coop-
 42    erative  welfare  fund,  created  pursuant  to section 56-401, Idaho Code, and
 43    shall be used solely for the purpose of  providing  low-income  Idahoans  with
 44    assistance in paying home energy costs.
 45        (13) The  credit  adjustment  required  by  subsection (1) of this section
 46    shall not take place if a majority of the membership of each house of the leg-
 47    islature adopts a concurrent resolution requesting that the governor issue  an
 48    executive  order directing the state tax commission that the credit allowed in
 49    this section remain unchanged for the tax year in which the requesting  legis-
 50    lature  is  meeting,  and if the governor concurs and issues such an executive
 51    order, the credit shall remain unchanged for that tax year.
 52        (14) The credit adjustment required by subsection (1) of this section  for
 53    tax  years subsequent to tax year 2008 shall not take place if all of the fol-
 54    lowing conditions are met:
 55        (a)  The governor has ordered a temporary reduction of general fund spend-

                                       3

  1        ing authority, pursuant to section 67-3512A, Idaho Code,  between  July  1
  2        and  October  1 of the tax year for which the credit adjustment is to take
  3        place; and
  4        (b)  The temporary reduction of general fund spending authority  is  still
  5        in  effect on October 1 of the tax year for which the credit adjustment is
  6        to take place; and
  7        (c)  The amount of  the  temporary  reduction  in  general  fund  spending
  8        authority equals or exceeds one percent (1%) of the moneys that the legis-
  9        lature  has  appropriated  from  the  general fund for the fiscal year for
 10        which the temporary reductions have been ordered; and
 11        (d)  The governor issues an executive order directing the state  tax  com-
 12        mission  that  the credit allowed by subsection (1) of this section remain
 13        unchanged for the tax year during which the temporary reduction of general
 14        fund spending authority has been ordered and the executive order issued.

 15        SECTION 3.  An emergency existing  therefor,  which  emergency  is  hereby
 16    declared to exist, this act shall be in full force and effect on and after its
 17    passage and approval, and retroactively to January 1, 2008.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact


                       STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

                             RS 18028

The income tax credit provided to Idahoans as an offset for the
sales tax they pay on food consumed at home has not kept up with changes
in the sales tax rate or inflation.  Current law fails to provide even
this partial offset for the poorest Idahoans, since most are ineligible
to receive the credit unless their incomes are high enough to owe state
income taxes.

This legislation addresses the inadequacies of the current law, by
incrementally increasing this "Food Tax Credit", starting with an
increase to $50 for the poorest Idahoans, $30 for all other Idahoans, and
an additional $20 for seniors, for tax year 2008.  The credit continues
to increase each tax year by $10 until reaching $100, eventually
offsetting, on average, the state sales tax on qualified foods.

This legislation also helps the poorest Idahoans by allowing
virtually all citizens fo file for the credit, even if incomes are too
low to incur an income liability.

                                 
                              FISCAL NOTE

The total fiscal impact is negative $22.3 million to the General
Fund for FY 2009.  FY 2010 - $15.5M; FY 2011 - $15.5M; FY 2012 - $15.5M;
FY 2013 - $15.5M; FY 2014 - $15.5M; FY 2015 - $11.2M; FY 2016 - $11.2M.




Contact: Representatives Bayer, Vander Woude, Eskridge, Henderson,
Nonini, Anderson, Chadderdon, McGeachin, Mathews, Roberts, Labrador,
Kren, Hagedorn.  Senators Fulcher, Keough, McKenzie, Goedde, Broadsword,
Hammond, Hill.
Phone: 332.1000
     

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE                                 H 588