To amend sections 5747.08 and 5747.98 and to enact sections 3333.51 and 5747.82 of the Revised Code to grant an income tax credit to individuals who earn degrees in science, technology, engineering, or math-based fields of study.

Section 1. That sections 5747.08 and 5747.98 be amended and sections 3333.51 and 5747.82 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 3333.51. (A) As used in this section:

(1) "Approved field of study" means a field of study in the natural sciences, technology, engineering, or mathematics that the Ohio board of regents determines is associated with job creation and retention in Ohio.

(2) "Institution of higher education" means all of the following:

(a) An institution of higher education, as defined in section 3345.12 of the Revised Code;

(b) An institution authorized by the Ohio board of regents under Chapter 1713. of the Revised Code to grant degrees and that is accredited by the appropriate regional and professional accrediting associations within whose jurisdiction it falls;

(c) Private career schools holding program authorizations issued by the state board of career colleges and schools under division (C) of section 3332.05 of the Revised Code;

(d) Private institutions exempt from regulation under Chapter 3332. of the Revised Code as prescribed in section 3333.046 of the Revised Code;

(e) Any institution located outside Ohio designated as an "institution of higher education" by the Ohio board of regents for purposes of this section.

(3) "Active duty" means active duty pursuant to an executive order of the president of the United States, an act of the congress of the United States, or a proclamation of the governor.

(B)(1) For the purpose of developing and maintaining a highly qualified workforce and thereby to improve the economic welfare of all Ohioans, an individual who graduates on or after the effective date of the enactment of this section from an institution of higher education with a degree in an approved field of study is allowed a credit against the tax imposed by section 5747.02 of the Revised Code. Except as provided in division (D)(1) of this section, the credit shall equal five thousand dollars in the case of an associate's degree; twenty thousand dollars in the case of a baccalaureate degree; and thirty thousand dollars in the case of a master's or doctoral degree. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the individual shall claim one-tenth of the credit amount for the individual's taxable year in which the individual's credit application was approved and one-tenth of the credit amount in each of the succeeding nine taxable years.

(2) An individual is liable to the state for credit taken with respect to a degree, and forfeits unused credit and any credit carry-forward, if the individual has been allowed the credit for five or fewer of the individual's taxable years, the individual is a nonresident of Ohio, and the individual is not a full-time student at an institution of higher education in an approved field of study or is not serving in active duty as a member of the national guard or a reserve unit of the armed forces of the United States. A credit shall not be considered to have been allowed for taxable years for which a deferral under division (D) of this section has been authorized and used. Any amount for which an individual is liable under this division may be collected by assessment under section 5747.13 of the Revised Code, and shall be considered as taxes imposed under section 5747.02 of the Revised Code.

(C) An individual shall apply for a credit to the Ohio board of regents or to the board's designee on a form approved by the board or designee and shall submit any documents required by the board or designee. If the individual qualifies for a credit, the board or designee shall issue a tax credit certificate to the individual. The certificate shall state the individual's name and social security number, the date the credit application was approved, the credit amount, and the taxable years for which the credit shall be claimed.

(D)(1) An individual who has received a credit certificate for an associate's or baccalaureate degree or both may apply for an additional certificate for receipt of a more advanced degree from an institution of higher education in an approved field of study. The credit amount for the additional degree equals the credit amount for the degree as provided in division (B) of this section less the credit amount for the degree or degrees for which a credit certificate has previously been issued. The credit shall be applied for, approved, and claimed in the manner required under division (B) of this section.

(2) An individual who has received a credit certificate pursuant to this section may apply to the Ohio board of regents or the board's designee to defer claiming the credit and any related credit carry-forward for a taxable year during which the individual is either of the following:

(a) Enrolled full time in an institution of higher education to pursue a more advanced degree in an approved field of study;

(b) A member of the national guard or a reserve unit of the armed forces of the United States serving in active duty.

An individual described in division (D)(2)(a) of this section may defer claiming the credit until the individual's taxable year in which the individual is no longer a full-time student in an institution of higher education in an approved field of study or in which the individual receives a credit certificate for the more advanced degree, whichever is earlier. An individual described in division (D)(2)(b) of this section may defer claiming the credit until the individual's next taxable year that does not include the period of the individual's active duty deployment.

An individual applying for a deferral under division (D)(2) of this section shall submit the application on a form approved by the board or designee. The application shall be accompanied by such documents as the board or designee requires.

(E) The Ohio board of regents may designate an entity, including a nonprofit private organization, to perform the administrative duties conferred upon the board by this section.

(F) The Ohio board of regents shall identify institutions of higher education and approved fields of study, and shall specify the information required to be disclosed in credit certificate and deferral applications and the documents required to be submitted. In identifying approved fields of study, the board shall give priority to those related to information technology, power and propulsion, advanced materials, instruments and controls, electronics, and biotechnology and biosciences.

Sec. 5747.08.  An annual return with respect to the tax imposed by section 5747.02 of the Revised Code and each tax imposed under Chapter 5748. of the Revised Code shall be made by every taxpayer for any taxable year for which the taxpayer is liable for the tax imposed by that section or under that chapter, unless the total credits allowed under divisions (E), (F), and (G) of section 5747.05 of the Revised Code for the year are equal to or exceed the tax imposed by section 5747.02 of the Revised Code, in which case no return shall be required unless the taxpayer is liable for a tax imposed pursuant to Chapter 5748. of the Revised Code.

(A) If an individual is deceased, any return or notice required of that individual under this chapter shall be made and filed by that decedent's executor, administrator, or other person charged with the property of that decedent.

(B) If an individual is unable to make a return or notice required by this chapter, the return or notice required of that individual shall be made and filed by the individual's duly authorized agent, guardian, conservator, fiduciary, or other person charged with the care of the person or property of that individual.

(C) Returns or notices required of an estate or a trust shall be made and filed by the fiduciary of the estate or trust.

(D)(1)(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (D)(1)(b) of this section, any pass-through entity may file a single return on behalf of one or more of the entity's investors other than an investor that is a person subject to the tax imposed under section 5733.06 of the Revised Code. The single return shall set forth the name, address, and social security number or other identifying number of each of those pass-through entity investors and shall indicate the distributive share of each of those pass-through entity investor's income taxable in this state in accordance with sections 5747.20 to 5747.231 of the Revised Code. Such pass-through entity investors for whom the pass-through entity elects to file a single return are not entitled to the exemption or credit provided for by sections 5747.02 and 5747.022 of the Revised Code; shall calculate the tax before business credits at the highest rate of tax set forth in section 5747.02 of the Revised Code for the taxable year for which the return is filed; and are entitled to only their distributive share of the business credits as defined in division (D)(2) of this section. A single check drawn by the pass-through entity shall accompany the return in full payment of the tax due, as shown on the single return, for such investors, other than investors who are persons subject to the tax imposed under section 5733.06 of the Revised Code.

(b)(i) A pass-through entity shall not include in such a single return any investor that is a trust to the extent that any direct or indirect current, future, or contingent beneficiary of the trust is a person subject to the tax imposed under section 5733.06 of the Revised Code.

(ii) A pass-through entity shall not include in such a single return any investor that is itself a pass-through entity to the extent that any direct or indirect investor in the second pass-through entity is a person subject to the tax imposed under section 5733.06 of the Revised Code.

(c) Nothing in division (D) of this section precludes the tax commissioner from requiring such investors to file the return and make the payment of taxes and related interest, penalty, and interest penalty required by this section or section 5747.02, 5747.09, or 5747.15 of the Revised Code. Nothing in division (D) of this section precludes such an investor from filing the annual return under this section, utilizing the refundable credit equal to the investor's proportionate share of the tax paid by the pass-through entity on behalf of the investor under division (J) of this section, and making the payment of taxes imposed under section 5747.02 of the Revised Code. Nothing in division (D) of this section shall be construed to provide to such an investor or pass-through entity any additional deduction or credit, other than the credit provided by division (J) of this section, solely on account of the entity's filing a return in accordance with this section. Such a pass-through entity also shall make the filing and payment of estimated taxes on behalf of the pass-through entity investors other than an investor that is a person subject to the tax imposed under section 5733.06 of the Revised Code.

(2) For the purposes of this section, "business credits" means the credits listed in section 5747.98 of the Revised Code excluding the following credits:

(a) The retirement credit under division (B) of section 5747.055 of the Revised Code;

(b) The senior citizen credit under division (C) of section 5747.05 of the Revised Code;

(c) The lump sum distribution credit under division (D) of section 5747.05 of the Revised Code;

(d) The dependent care credit under section 5747.054 of the Revised Code;

(e) The lump sum retirement income credit under division (C) of section 5747.055 of the Revised Code;

(f) The lump sum retirement income credit under division (D) of section 5747.055 of the Revised Code;

(g) The lump sum retirement income credit under division (E) of section 5747.055 of the Revised Code;

(h) The credit for displaced workers who pay for job training under section 5747.27 of the Revised Code;

(i) The twenty-dollar personal exemption credit under section 5747.022 of the Revised Code;

(j) The joint filing credit under division (G) of section 5747.05 of the Revised Code;

(k) The nonresident credit under division (A) of section 5747.05 of the Revised Code;

(l) The credit for a resident's out-of-state income under division (B) of section 5747.05 of the Revised Code;

(m) The low-income credit under section 5747.056 of the Revised Code;

(n) The earned income tax credit under section 5747.71 of the Revised Code;

(o) The credit for graduates from institutions of higher education in approved fields of study under section 5747.82 of the Revised Code.

(3) The election provided for under division (D) of this section applies only to the taxable year for which the election is made by the pass-through entity. Unless the tax commissioner provides otherwise, this election, once made, is binding and irrevocable for the taxable year for which the election is made. Nothing in this division shall be construed to provide for any deduction or credit that would not be allowable if a nonresident pass-through entity investor were to file an annual return.

(4) If a pass-through entity makes the election provided for under division (D) of this section, the pass-through entity shall be liable for any additional taxes, interest, interest penalty, or penalties imposed by this chapter if the tax commissioner finds that the single return does not reflect the correct tax due by the pass-through entity investors covered by that return. Nothing in this division shall be construed to limit or alter the liability, if any, imposed on pass-through entity investors for unpaid or underpaid taxes, interest, interest penalty, or penalties as a result of the pass-through entity's making the election provided for under division (D) of this section. For the purposes of division (D) of this section, "correct tax due" means the tax that would have been paid by the pass-through entity had the single return been filed in a manner reflecting the commissioner's findings. Nothing in division (D) of this section shall be construed to make or hold a pass-through entity liable for tax attributable to a pass-through entity investor's income from a source other than the pass-through entity electing to file the single return.

(E) If a husband and wife file a joint federal income tax return for a taxable year, they shall file a joint return under this section for that taxable year, and their liabilities are joint and several, but, if the federal income tax liability of either spouse is determined on a separate federal income tax return, they shall file separate returns under this section.

If either spouse is not required to file a federal income tax return and either or both are required to file a return pursuant to this chapter, they may elect to file separate or joint returns, and, pursuant to that election, their liabilities are separate or joint and several. If a husband and wife file separate returns pursuant to this chapter, each must claim the taxpayer's own exemption, but not both, as authorized under section 5747.02 of the Revised Code on the taxpayer's own return.

(F) Each return or notice required to be filed under this section shall contain the signature of the taxpayer or the taxpayer's duly authorized agent and of the person who prepared the return for the taxpayer, and shall include the taxpayer's social security number. Each return shall be verified by a declaration under the penalties of perjury. The tax commissioner shall prescribe the form that the signature and declaration shall take.

(G) Each return or notice required to be filed under this section shall be made and filed as required by section 5747.04 of the Revised Code, on or before the fifteenth day of April of each year, on forms that the tax commissioner shall prescribe, together with remittance made payable to the treasurer of state in the combined amount of the state and all school district income taxes shown to be due on the form.

Upon good cause shown, the commissioner may extend the period for filing any notice or return required to be filed under this section and may adopt rules relating to extensions. If the extension results in an extension of time for the payment of any state or school district income tax liability with respect to which the return is filed, the taxpayer shall pay at the time the tax liability is paid an amount of interest computed at the rate per annum prescribed by section 5703.47 of the Revised Code on that liability from the time that payment is due without extension to the time of actual payment. Except as provided in section 5747.132 of the Revised Code, in addition to all other interest charges and penalties, all taxes imposed under this chapter or Chapter 5748. of the Revised Code and remaining unpaid after they become due, except combined amounts due of one dollar or less, bear interest at the rate per annum prescribed by section 5703.47 of the Revised Code until paid or until the day an assessment is issued under section 5747.13 of the Revised Code, whichever occurs first.

If the commissioner considers it necessary in order to ensure the payment of the tax imposed by section 5747.02 of the Revised Code or any tax imposed under Chapter 5748. of the Revised Code, the commissioner may require returns and payments to be made otherwise than as provided in this section.

To the extent that any provision in this division conflicts with any provision in section 5747.026 of the Revised Code, the provision in that section prevails.

(H) If any report, claim, statement, or other document required to be filed, or any payment required to be made, within a prescribed period or on or before a prescribed date under this chapter is delivered after that period or that date by United States mail to the agency, officer, or office with which the report, claim, statement, or other document is required to be filed, or to which the payment is required to be made, the date of the postmark stamped on the cover in which the report, claim, statement, or other document, or payment is mailed shall be deemed to be the date of delivery or the date of payment.

If a payment is required to be made by electronic funds transfer pursuant to section 5747.072 of the Revised Code, the payment is considered to be made when the payment is received by the treasurer of state or credited to an account designated by the treasurer of state for the receipt of tax payments.

"The date of the postmark" means, in the event there is more than one date on the cover, the earliest date imprinted on the cover by the United States postal service.

(I) The amounts withheld by an employer pursuant to section 5747.06 of the Revised Code, a casino operator pursuant to section 5747.063 of the Revised Code, or a lottery sales agent pursuant to section 5747.064 of the Revised Code shall be allowed to the recipient of the compensation casino winnings, or lottery prize award as credits against payment of the appropriate taxes imposed on the recipient by section 5747.02 and under Chapter 5748. of the Revised Code.

(J) If a pass-through entity elects to file a single return under division (D) of this section and if any investor is required to file the annual return and make the payment of taxes required by this chapter on account of the investor's other income that is not included in a single return filed by a pass-through entity or any other investor elects to file the annual return, the investor is entitled to a refundable credit equal to the investor's proportionate share of the tax paid by the pass-through entity on behalf of the investor. The investor shall claim the credit for the investor's taxable year in which or with which ends the taxable year of the pass-through entity. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to allow any credit provided in this chapter to be claimed more than once. For the purpose of computing any interest, penalty, or interest penalty, the investor shall be deemed to have paid the refundable credit provided by this division on the day that the pass-through entity paid the estimated tax or the tax giving rise to the credit.

(K) The tax commissioner shall ensure that each return required to be filed under this section includes a box that the taxpayer may check to authorize a paid tax preparer who prepared the return to communicate with the department of taxation about matters pertaining to the return. The return or instructions accompanying the return shall indicate that by checking the box the taxpayer authorizes the department of taxation to contact the preparer concerning questions that arise during the processing of the return and authorizes the preparer only to provide the department with information that is missing from the return, to contact the department for information about the processing of the return or the status of the taxpayer's refund or payments, and to respond to notices about mathematical errors, offsets, or return preparation that the taxpayer has received from the department and has shown to the preparer.

(L) The tax commissioner shall permit individual taxpayers to instruct the department of taxation to cause any refund of overpaid taxes to be deposited directly into a checking account, savings account, or an individual retirement account or individual retirement annuity, or preexisting college savings plan or program account offered by the Ohio tuition trust authority under Chapter 3334. of the Revised Code, as designated by the taxpayer, when the taxpayer files the annual return required by this section electronically.

(M) The tax commissioner may adopt rules to administer this section.

Sec. 5747.82.  A taxpayer to whom a tax credit certificate has been issued under section 3333.51 of the Revised Code is allowed a nonrefundable credit against the tax imposed by section 5747.02 of the Revised Code. The credit shall be claimed as provided in section 3333.51 of the Revised Code and in the order required under section 5747.98 of the Revised Code. The amount of credit claimed for a taxable year shall not exceed the tax otherwise due after allowing for all preceding credits in that order. If the amount of credit allowed for a taxable year exceeds the tax otherwise due, the excess may be carried forward to the next taxable year. Excess credit allowed in a taxable year shall be deducted from the balance carried forward to the ensuing taxable year. If a credit may not be claimed for a taxable year, excess credit with respect to the same credit certificate may not be claimed.

Sec. 5747.98.  (A) To provide a uniform procedure for calculating the amount of tax due under section 5747.02 of the Revised Code, a taxpayer shall claim any credits to which the taxpayer is entitled in the following order:

(1) The retirement income credit under division (B) of section 5747.055 of the Revised Code;

(2) The senior citizen credit under division (C) of section 5747.05 of the Revised Code;

(3) The lump sum distribution credit under division (D) of section 5747.05 of the Revised Code;

(4) The dependent care credit under section 5747.054 of the Revised Code;

(5) The lump sum retirement income credit under division (C) of section 5747.055 of the Revised Code;

(6) The lump sum retirement income credit under division (D) of section 5747.055 of the Revised Code;

(7) The lump sum retirement income credit under division (E) of section 5747.055 of the Revised Code;

(8) The low-income credit under section 5747.056 of the Revised Code;

(9) The credit for displaced workers who pay for job training under section 5747.27 of the Revised Code;

(10) The campaign contribution credit under section 5747.29 of the Revised Code;

(11) The twenty-dollar personal exemption credit under section 5747.022 of the Revised Code;

(12) The joint filing credit under division (G) of section 5747.05 of the Revised Code;

(13) The nonresident credit under division (A) of section 5747.05 of the Revised Code;

(14) The credit for a resident's out-of-state income under division (B) of section 5747.05 of the Revised Code;

(15) The earned income credit under section 5747.71 of the Revised Code;

(16) The credit for employers that reimburse employee child care expenses under section 5747.36 of the Revised Code The credit for graduates from institutions of higher education in approved fields of study under section 5747.82 of the Revised Code;

(17) The credit for adoption of a minor child under section 5747.37 of the Revised Code;

(18) The credit for purchases of lights and reflectors under section 5747.38 of the Revised Code;

(19) The nonrefundable job retention credit under division (B) of section 5747.058 of the Revised Code;

(20) The credit for selling alternative fuel under section 5747.77 of the Revised Code;

(21) The second credit for purchases of new manufacturing machinery and equipment and the credit for using Ohio coal under section 5747.31 of the Revised Code;

(22) The job training credit under section 5747.39 of the Revised Code;

(23) The enterprise zone credit under section 5709.66 of the Revised Code;

(24) The credit for the eligible costs associated with a voluntary action under section 5747.32 of the Revised Code;

(25) The credit for employers that establish on-site child day-care centers under section 5747.35 of the Revised Code;

(26) The ethanol plant investment credit under section 5747.75 of the Revised Code;

(27) The credit for purchases of qualifying grape production property under section 5747.28 of the Revised Code;

(28) The small business investment credit under section 5747.81 of the Revised Code;

(29) The enterprise zone credits under section 5709.65 of the Revised Code;

(30) The research and development credit under section 5747.331 of the Revised Code;

(31) The credit for rehabilitating a historic building under section 5747.76 of the Revised Code;

(32) The refundable credit for rehabilitating a historic building under section 5747.76 of the Revised Code;

(33) The refundable jobs creation credit or job retention credit under division (A) of section 5747.058 of the Revised Code;

(34) The refundable credit for taxes paid by a qualifying entity granted under section 5747.059 of the Revised Code;

(35) The refundable credits for taxes paid by a qualifying pass-through entity granted under division (J) of section 5747.08 of the Revised Code;

(36) The refundable credit under section 5747.80 of the Revised Code for losses on loans made to the Ohio venture capital program under sections 150.01 to 150.10 of the Revised Code;

(37) The refundable motion picture production credit under section 5747.66 of the Revised Code.;

(38) The refundable credit for financial institution taxes paid by a pass-through entity granted under section 5747.65 of the Revised Code.

(B) For any credit, except the refundable credits enumerated in this section and the credit granted under division (I) of section 5747.08 of the Revised Code, the amount of the credit for a taxable year shall not exceed the tax due after allowing for any other credit that precedes it in the order required under this section. Any excess amount of a particular credit may be carried forward if authorized under the section creating that credit. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to allow a taxpayer to claim, directly or indirectly, a credit more than once for a taxable year.

Section 2. That existing sections 5747.08 and 5747.98 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.