130th Ohio General Assembly
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Am. Sub. H. B. No. 492  As Enrolled
(130th General Assembly)
(Amended Substitute House Bill Number 492)



AN ACT
To amend sections 122.17, 122.171, 122.86, 166.21, 718.15, 718.151, 3734.905, 4921.13, 4921.19, 5703.056, 5703.059, 5703.21, 5727.47, 5727.91, 5735.01, 5735.026, 5735.05, 5735.062, 5735.07, 5735.09, 5735.12, 5735.141, 5735.23, 5736.01, 5736.02, 5736.03, 5736.04, 5736.06, 5736.09, 5736.13, 5743.01, 5743.021, 5743.024, 5743.025, 5743.03, 5743.04, 5743.05, 5743.051, 5743.112, 5743.52, 5743.65, 5747.08, 5747.98, 5751.01, and 5751.20, to enact sections 5736.041 and 5736.50, and to repeal sections 183.35, 5726.08, 5733.30, 5735.16, 5743.06, and 5745.10 of the Revised Code to provide authorization and conditions for the levy and administration of taxes in this state.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio:

SECTION 1. That sections 122.17, 122.171, 122.86, 166.21, 718.15, 718.151, 3734.905, 4921.13, 4921.19, 5703.056, 5703.059, 5703.21, 5727.47, 5727.91, 5735.01, 5735.026, 5735.05, 5735.062, 5735.07, 5735.09, 5735.12, 5735.141, 5735.23, 5736.01, 5736.02, 5736.03, 5736.04, 5736.06, 5736.09, 5736.13, 5743.01, 5743.021, 5743.024, 5743.025, 5743.03, 5743.04, 5743.05, 5743.051, 5743.112, 5743.52, 5743.65, 5747.08, 5747.98, 5751.01, and 5751.20 be amended and sections 5736.041 and 5736.50 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 122.17.  (A) As used in this section:

(1) "Income tax revenue" means the total amount withheld under section 5747.06 of the Revised Code by the taxpayer during the taxable year, or during the calendar year that includes the tax period, from the compensation of each employee or each home-based employee employed in the project to the extent the employee's withholdings are not used to determine the credit under section 122.171 of the Revised Code. "Income tax revenue" excludes amounts withheld before the day the taxpayer becomes eligible for the credit.

(2) "Baseline income tax revenue" means income tax revenue except that the applicable withholding period is the twelve months immediately preceding the date the tax credit authority approves the taxpayer's application or the date the tax credit authority receives the recommendation described in division (C)(2)(a) of this section, whichever occurs first, multiplied by the sum of one plus an annual pay increase factor to be determined by the tax credit authority. If the taxpayer becomes eligible for the credit after the first day of the taxpayer's taxable year or after the first day of the calendar year that includes the tax period, the taxpayer's baseline income tax revenue for the first such taxable or calendar year of credit eligibility shall be reduced in proportion to the number of days during the taxable or calendar year for which the taxpayer was not eligible for the credit. For subsequent taxable or calendar years, "baseline income tax revenue" equals the unreduced baseline income tax revenue for the preceding taxable or calendar year multiplied by the sum of one plus the pay increase factor.

(3) "Excess income tax revenue" means income tax revenue minus baseline income tax revenue.

(4) "Home-based employee" means an employee whose services are performed primarily from the employee's residence in this state exclusively for the benefit of the project and whose rate of pay is at least one hundred thirty-one per cent of the federal minimum wage under 29 U.S.C. 206.

(B) The tax credit authority may make grants under this section to foster job creation in this state. Such a grant shall take the form of a refundable credit allowed against the tax imposed by section 5725.18, 5726.02, 5729.03, 5733.06, 5736.02, or 5747.02 or levied under Chapter 5751. of the Revised Code. The credit shall be claimed for the taxable years or tax periods specified in the taxpayer's agreement with the tax credit authority under division (D) of this section. With respect to taxes imposed under section 5726.02, 5733.06, or 5747.02 or Chapter 5751. of the Revised Code, the credit shall be claimed in the order required under section 5726.98, 5733.98, 5747.98, or 5751.98 of the Revised Code. The amount of the credit available for a taxable year or for a calendar year that includes a tax period equals the excess income tax revenue for that year multiplied by the percentage specified in the agreement with the tax credit authority. Any credit granted under this section against the tax imposed by section 5733.06 or 5747.02 of the Revised Code, to the extent not fully utilized against such tax for taxable years ending prior to 2008, shall automatically be converted without any action taken by the tax credit authority to a credit against the tax levied under Chapter 5751. of the Revised Code for tax periods beginning on or after July 1, 2008, provided that the person to whom the credit was granted is subject to such tax. The converted credit shall apply to those calendar years in which the remaining taxable years specified in the agreement end.

(C)(1) A taxpayer or potential taxpayer who proposes a project to create new jobs in this state may apply to the tax credit authority to enter into an agreement for a tax credit under this section.

An application shall not propose to include both home-based employees and employees who are not home-based employees in the computation of income tax revenue for the purposes of the same tax credit agreement. If a taxpayer or potential taxpayer employs both home-based employees and employees who are not home-based employees in a project, the taxpayer shall submit separate applications for separate tax credit agreements for the project, one of which shall include home-based employees in the computation of income tax revenue and one of which shall include all other employees in the computation of income tax revenue.

The director of development services shall prescribe the form of the application. After receipt of an application, the authority may enter into an agreement with the taxpayer for a credit under this section if it determines all of the following:

(a) The taxpayer's project will increase payroll and income tax revenue;

(b) The taxpayer's project is economically sound and will benefit the people of this state by increasing opportunities for employment and strengthening the economy of this state;

(c) Receiving the tax credit is a major factor in the taxpayer's decision to go forward with the project.

(2)(a) A taxpayer that chooses to begin the project prior to receiving the determination of the authority may, upon submitting the taxpayer's application to the authority, request that the chief investment officer of the nonprofit corporation formed under section 187.01 of the Revised Code and the director review the taxpayer's application and recommend to the authority that the taxpayer's application be considered. As soon as possible after receiving such a request, the chief investment officer and the director shall review the taxpayer's application and, if they determine that the application warrants consideration by the authority, make that recommendation to the authority not later than six months after the application is received by the authority.

(b) The authority shall consider any taxpayer's application for which it receives a recommendation under division (C)(2)(a) of this section. If the authority determines that the taxpayer does not meet all of the criteria set forth in division (C)(1) of this section, the authority and the development services agency shall proceed in accordance with rules adopted by the director pursuant to division (I) of this section.

(D) An agreement under this section shall include all of the following:

(1) A detailed description of the project that is the subject of the agreement;

(2)(a) The term of the tax credit, which, except as provided in division (D)(2)(b) of this section, shall not exceed fifteen years, and the first taxable year, or first calendar year that includes a tax period, for which the credit may be claimed;

(b) If the tax credit is computed on the basis of home-based employees, the term of the credit shall expire on or before the last day of the taxable or calendar year ending before the beginning of the seventh year after September 6, 2012, the effective date of H.B. 327 of the 129th general assembly.

(3) A requirement that the taxpayer shall maintain operations at the project location for at least the greater of seven years or the term of the credit plus three years;

(4) The percentage, as determined by the tax credit authority, of excess income tax revenue that will be allowed as the amount of the credit for each taxable year or for each calendar year that includes a tax period;

(5) The pay increase factor to be applied to the taxpayer's baseline income tax revenue;

(6) A requirement that the taxpayer annually shall report to the director of development services employment, tax withholding, investment, the provision of health care benefits and tuition reimbursement if required in the agreement, and other information the director needs to perform the director's duties under this section;

(7) A requirement that the director of development services annually review the information reported under division (D)(6) of this section and verify compliance with the agreement; if the taxpayer is in compliance, a requirement that the director issue a certificate to the taxpayer stating that the information has been verified and identifying the amount of the credit that may be claimed for the taxable or calendar year;

(8) A provision providing that the taxpayer may not relocate a substantial number of employment positions from elsewhere in this state to the project location unless the director of development services determines that the legislative authority of the county, township, or municipal corporation from which the employment positions would be relocated has been notified by the taxpayer of the relocation.

For purposes of this section, the movement of an employment position from one political subdivision to another political subdivision shall be considered a relocation of an employment position unless the employment position in the first political subdivision is replaced.

(9) If the tax credit is computed on the basis of home-based employees, that the tax credit may not be claimed by the taxpayer until the taxable year or tax period in which the taxpayer employs at least two hundred employees more than the number of employees the taxpayer employed on June 30, 2011.

(E) If a taxpayer fails to meet or comply with any condition or requirement set forth in a tax credit agreement, the tax credit authority may amend the agreement to reduce the percentage or term of the tax credit. The reduction of the percentage or term may take effect in the current taxable or calendar year.

(F) Projects that consist solely of point-of-final-purchase retail facilities are not eligible for a tax credit under this section. If a project consists of both point-of-final-purchase retail facilities and nonretail facilities, only the portion of the project consisting of the nonretail facilities is eligible for a tax credit and only the excess income tax revenue from the nonretail facilities shall be considered when computing the amount of the tax credit. If a warehouse facility is part of a point-of-final-purchase retail facility and supplies only that facility, the warehouse facility is not eligible for a tax credit. Catalog distribution centers are not considered point-of-final-purchase retail facilities for the purposes of this division, and are eligible for tax credits under this section.

(G) Financial statements and other information submitted to the development services agency or the tax credit authority by an applicant or recipient of a tax credit under this section, and any information taken for any purpose from such statements or information, are not public records subject to section 149.43 of the Revised Code. However, the chairperson of the authority may make use of the statements and other information for purposes of issuing public reports or in connection with court proceedings concerning tax credit agreements under this section. Upon the request of the tax commissioner or, if the applicant or recipient is an insurance company, upon the request of the superintendent of insurance, the chairperson of the authority shall provide to the commissioner or superintendent any statement or information submitted by an applicant or recipient of a tax credit in connection with the credit. The commissioner or superintendent shall preserve the confidentiality of the statement or information.

(H) A taxpayer claiming a credit under this section shall submit to the tax commissioner or, if the taxpayer is an insurance company, to the superintendent of insurance, a copy of the director of development services' certificate of verification under division (D)(7) of this section with the taxpayer's tax report or return for the taxable year or for the calendar year that includes the tax period. Failure to submit a copy of the certificate with the report or return does not invalidate a claim for a credit if the taxpayer submits a copy of the certificate to the commissioner or superintendent within sixty days after the commissioner or superintendent requests it.

(I) The director of development services, after consultation with the tax commissioner and the superintendent of insurance and in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, shall adopt rules necessary to implement this section, including rules that establish a procedure to be followed by the tax credit authority and the development services agency in the event the authority considers a taxpayer's application for which it receives a recommendation under division (C)(2)(a) of this section but does not approve it. The rules may provide for recipients of tax credits under this section to be charged fees to cover administrative costs of the tax credit program. The fees collected shall be credited to the business assistance fund created in section 122.174 of the Revised Code. At the time the director gives public notice under division (A) of section 119.03 of the Revised Code of the adoption of the rules, the director shall submit copies of the proposed rules to the chairpersons of the standing committees on economic development in the senate and the house of representatives.

(J) For the purposes of this section, a taxpayer may include a partnership, a corporation that has made an election under subchapter S of chapter one of subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code, or any other business entity through which income flows as a distributive share to its owners. A partnership, S-corporation, or other such business entity may elect to pass the credit received under this section through to the persons to whom the income or profit of the partnership, S-corporation, or other entity is distributed. The election shall be made on the annual report required under division (D)(6) of this section. The election applies to and is irrevocable for the credit for which the report is submitted. If the election is made, the credit shall be apportioned among those persons in the same proportions as those in which the income or profit is distributed.

(K) If the director of development services determines that a taxpayer who has received a credit under this section is not complying with the requirement under division (D)(3) of this section, the director shall notify the tax credit authority of the noncompliance. After receiving such a notice, and after giving the taxpayer an opportunity to explain the noncompliance, the tax credit authority may require the taxpayer to refund to this state a portion of the credit in accordance with the following:

(1) If the taxpayer maintained operations at the project location for a period less than or equal to the term of the credit, an amount not exceeding one hundred per cent of the sum of any credits allowed and received under this section;

(2) If the taxpayer maintained operations at the project location for a period longer than the term of the credit, but less than the greater of seven years or the term of the credit plus three years, an amount not exceeding seventy-five per cent of the sum of any credits allowed and received under this section.

In determining the portion of the tax credit to be refunded to this state, the tax credit authority shall consider the effect of market conditions on the taxpayer's project and whether the taxpayer continues to maintain other operations in this state. After making the determination, the authority shall certify the amount to be refunded to the tax commissioner or superintendent of insurance, as appropriate. If the amount is certified to the commissioner, the commissioner shall make an assessment for that amount against the taxpayer under Chapter 5726., 5733., 5736., 5747., or 5751. of the Revised Code. If the amount is certified to the superintendent, the superintendent shall make an assessment for that amount against the taxpayer under Chapter 5725. or 5729. of the Revised Code. The time limitations on assessments under those chapters do not apply to an assessment under this division, but the commissioner or superintendent, as appropriate, shall make the assessment within one year after the date the authority certifies to the commissioner or superintendent the amount to be refunded.

(L) On or before the first day of August each year, the director of development services shall submit a report to the governor, the president of the senate, and the speaker of the house of representatives on the tax credit program under this section. The report shall include information on the number of agreements that were entered into under this section during the preceding calendar year, a description of the project that is the subject of each such agreement, and an update on the status of projects under agreements entered into before the preceding calendar year.

(M) There is hereby created the tax credit authority, which consists of the director of development services and four other members appointed as follows: the governor, the president of the senate, and the speaker of the house of representatives each shall appoint one member who shall be a specialist in economic development; the governor also shall appoint a member who is a specialist in taxation. Of the initial appointees, the members appointed by the governor shall serve a term of two years; the members appointed by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives shall serve a term of four years. Thereafter, terms of office shall be for four years. Initial appointments to the authority shall be made within thirty days after January 13, 1993. Each member shall serve on the authority until the end of the term for which the member was appointed. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner provided for original appointments. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which the member's predecessor was appointed shall hold office for the remainder of that term. Members may be reappointed to the authority. Members of the authority shall receive their necessary and actual expenses while engaged in the business of the authority. The director of development services shall serve as chairperson of the authority, and the members annually shall elect a vice-chairperson from among themselves. Three members of the authority constitute a quorum to transact and vote on the business of the authority. The majority vote of the membership of the authority is necessary to approve any such business, including the election of the vice-chairperson.

The director of development services may appoint a professional employee of the development services agency to serve as the director's substitute at a meeting of the authority. The director shall make the appointment in writing. In the absence of the director from a meeting of the authority, the appointed substitute shall serve as chairperson. In the absence of both the director and the director's substitute from a meeting, the vice-chairperson shall serve as chairperson.

(N) For purposes of the credits granted by this section against the taxes imposed under sections 5725.18 and 5729.03 of the Revised Code, "taxable year" means the period covered by the taxpayer's annual statement to the superintendent of insurance.

(O) On or before the first day of March of each of the five calendar years beginning with 2014, each taxpayer subject to an agreement with the tax credit authority under this section on the basis of home-based employees shall report the number of home-based employees and other employees employed by the taxpayer in this state to the development services agency.

(P) On or before the first day of January of 2019, the director of development services shall submit a report to the governor, the president of the senate, and the speaker of the house of representatives on the effect of agreements entered into under this section in which the taxpayer included home-based employees in the computation of income tax revenue. The report shall include information on the number of such agreements that were entered into in the preceding six years, a description of the projects that were the subjects of such agreements, and an analysis of nationwide home-based employment trends, including the number of home-based jobs created from July 1, 2011, through June 30, 2017, and a description of any home-based employment tax incentives provided by other states during that time.

(Q) The director of development services may require any agreement entered into under this section for a tax credit computed on the basis of home-based employees to contain a provision that the taxpayer makes available health care benefits and tuition reimbursement to all employees.

Sec. 122.171. (A) As used in this section:

(1) "Capital investment project" means a plan of investment at a project site for the acquisition, construction, renovation, or repair of buildings, machinery, or equipment, or for capitalized costs of basic research and new product development determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, but does not include any of the following:

(a) Payments made for the acquisition of personal property through operating leases;

(b) Project costs paid before January 1, 2002;

(c) Payments made to a related member as defined in section 5733.042 of the Revised Code or to a consolidated elected taxpayer or a combined taxpayer as defined in section 5751.01 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Eligible business" means a taxpayer and its related members with Ohio operations satisfying all of the following:

(a) The taxpayer employs at least five hundred full-time equivalent employees or has an annual payroll of at least thirty-five million dollars at the time the tax credit authority grants the tax credit under this section;

(b) The taxpayer makes or causes to be made payments for the capital investment project of one of the following:

(i) If the taxpayer is engaged at the project site primarily as a manufacturer, at least fifty million dollars in the aggregate at the project site during a period of three consecutive calendar years, including the calendar year that includes a day of the taxpayer's taxable year or tax period with respect to which the credit is granted;

(ii) If the taxpayer is engaged at the project site primarily in significant corporate administrative functions, as defined by the director of development services by rule, at least twenty million dollars in the aggregate at the project site during a period of three consecutive calendar years including the calendar year that includes a day of the taxpayer's taxable year or tax period with respect to which the credit is granted;

(iii) If the taxpayer is applying to enter into an agreement for a tax credit authorized under division (B)(3) of this section, at least five million dollars in the aggregate at the project site during a period of three consecutive calendar years, including the calendar year that includes a day of the taxpayer's taxable year or tax period with respect to which the credit is granted.

(c) The taxpayer had a capital investment project reviewed and approved by the tax credit authority as provided in divisions (C), (D), and (E) of this section.

(3) "Full-time equivalent employees" means the quotient obtained by dividing the total number of hours for which employees were compensated for employment in the project by two thousand eighty. "Full-time equivalent employees" shall exclude hours that are counted for a credit under section 122.17 of the Revised Code.

(4) "Income tax revenue" means the total amount withheld under section 5747.06 of the Revised Code by the taxpayer during the taxable year, or during the calendar year that includes the tax period, from the compensation of all employees employed in the project whose hours of compensation are included in calculating the number of full-time equivalent employees.

(5) "Manufacturer" has the same meaning as in section 5739.011 of the Revised Code.

(6) "Project site" means an integrated complex of facilities in this state, as specified by the tax credit authority under this section, within a fifteen-mile radius where a taxpayer is primarily operating as an eligible business.

(7) "Related member" has the same meaning as in section 5733.042 of the Revised Code as that section existed on the effective date of its amendment by Am. Sub. H.B. 215 of the 122nd general assembly, September 29, 1997.

(8) "Taxable year" includes, in the case of a domestic or foreign insurance company, the calendar year ending on the thirty-first day of December preceding the day the superintendent of insurance is required to certify to the treasurer of state under section 5725.20 or 5729.05 of the Revised Code the amount of taxes due from insurance companies.

(B) The tax credit authority created under section 122.17 of the Revised Code may grant tax credits under this section for the purpose of fostering job retention in this state. Upon application by an eligible business and upon consideration of the recommendation of the director of budget and management, tax commissioner, the superintendent of insurance in the case of an insurance company, and director of development services under division (C) of this section, the tax credit authority may grant the following credits against the tax imposed by section 5725.18, 5726.02, 5729.03, 5733.06, 5736.02, 5747.02, or 5751.02 of the Revised Code:

(1) A nonrefundable credit to an eligible business;

(2) A refundable credit to an eligible business meeting the following conditions, provided that the director of budget and management, tax commissioner, superintendent of insurance in the case of an insurance company, and director of development services have recommended the granting of the credit to the tax credit authority before July 1, 2011:

(a) The business retains at least one thousand full-time equivalent employees at the project site.

(b) The business makes or causes to be made payments for a capital investment project of at least twenty-five million dollars in the aggregate at the project site during a period of three consecutive calendar years, including the calendar year that includes a day of the business' taxable year or tax period with respect to which the credit is granted.

(c) In 2010, the business received a written offer of financial incentives from another state of the United States that the director determines to be sufficient inducement for the business to relocate the business' operations from this state to that state.

(3) A refundable credit to an eligible business with a total annual payroll of at least twenty million dollars, provided that the tax credit authority grants the tax credit on or after July 1, 2011, and before January 1, 2014.

The credits authorized in divisions (B)(1), (2), and (3) of this section may be granted for a period up to fifteen taxable years or, in the case of the tax levied by section 5736.02 or 5751.02 of the Revised Code, for a period of up to fifteen calendar years. The credit amount for a taxable year or a calendar year that includes the tax period for which a credit may be claimed equals the income tax revenue for that year multiplied by the percentage specified in the agreement with the tax credit authority. The percentage may not exceed seventy-five per cent. The credit shall be claimed in the order required under section 5725.98, 5726.98, 5729.98, 5733.98, 5747.98, or 5751.98 of the Revised Code. In determining the percentage and term of the credit, the tax credit authority shall consider both the number of full-time equivalent employees and the value of the capital investment project. The credit amount may not be based on the income tax revenue for a calendar year before the calendar year in which the tax credit authority specifies the tax credit is to begin, and the credit shall be claimed only for the taxable years or tax periods specified in the eligible business' agreement with the tax credit authority. In no event shall the credit be claimed for a taxable year or tax period terminating before the date specified in the agreement. Any credit granted under this section against the tax imposed by section 5733.06 or 5747.02 of the Revised Code, to the extent not fully utilized against such tax for taxable years ending prior to 2008, shall automatically be converted without any action taken by the tax credit authority to a credit against the tax levied under Chapter 5751. of the Revised Code for tax periods beginning on or after July 1, 2008, provided that the person to whom the credit was granted is subject to such tax. The converted credit shall apply to those calendar years in which the remaining taxable years specified in the agreement end.

If a nonrefundable credit allowed under division (B)(1) of this section for a taxable year or tax period exceeds the taxpayer's tax liability for that year or period, the excess may be carried forward for the three succeeding taxable or calendar years, but the amount of any excess credit allowed in any taxable year or tax period shall be deducted from the balance carried forward to the succeeding year or period.

(C) A taxpayer that proposes a capital investment project to retain jobs in this state may apply to the tax credit authority to enter into an agreement for a tax credit under this section. The director of development services shall prescribe the form of the application. After receipt of an application, the authority shall forward copies of the application to the director of budget and management, the tax commissioner, the superintendent of insurance in the case of an insurance company, and the director of development services, each of whom shall review the application to determine the economic impact the proposed project would have on the state and the affected political subdivisions and shall submit a summary of their determinations and recommendations to the authority.

(D) Upon review and consideration of the determinations and recommendations described in division (C) of this section, the tax credit authority may enter into an agreement with the taxpayer for a credit under this section if the authority determines all of the following:

(1) The taxpayer's capital investment project will result in the retention of employment in this state.

(2) The taxpayer is economically sound and has the ability to complete the proposed capital investment project.

(3) The taxpayer intends to and has the ability to maintain operations at the project site for at least the greater of (a) the term of the credit plus three years, or (b) seven years.

(4) Receiving the credit is a major factor in the taxpayer's decision to begin, continue with, or complete the project.

(5) If the taxpayer is applying to enter into an agreement for a tax credit authorized under division (B)(3) of this section, the taxpayer's capital investment project will be located in the political subdivision in which the taxpayer maintains its principal place of business or maintains a unit or division with at least four thousand two hundred employees at the project site.

(E) An agreement under this section shall include all of the following:

(1) A detailed description of the project that is the subject of the agreement, including the amount of the investment, the period over which the investment has been or is being made, the number of full-time equivalent employees at the project site, and the anticipated income tax revenue to be generated.

(2) The term of the credit, the percentage of the tax credit, the maximum annual value of tax credits that may be allowed each year, and the first year for which the credit may be claimed.

(3) A requirement that the taxpayer maintain operations at the project site for at least the greater of (a) the term of the credit plus three years, or (b) seven years.

(4)(a) In the case of a credit granted under division (B)(1) of this section, a requirement that the taxpayer retain at least five hundred full-time equivalent employees at the project site and within this state for the entire term of the credit, or a requirement that the taxpayer maintain an annual payroll of at least thirty-five million dollars for the entire term of the credit;

(b) In the case of a credit granted under division (B)(2) of this section, a requirement that the taxpayer retain at least one thousand full-time equivalent employees at the project site and within this state for the entire term of the credit;

(c) In the case of a credit granted under division (B)(3) of this section, either of the following:

(i) A requirement that the taxpayer retain at least five hundred full-time equivalent employees at the project site and within this state for the entire term of the credit and a requirement that the taxpayer maintain an annual payroll of at least twenty million dollars for the entire term of the credit;

(ii) A requirement that the taxpayer maintain an annual payroll of at least thirty-five million dollars for the entire term of the credit.

(5) A requirement that the taxpayer annually report to the director of development services employment, tax withholding, capital investment, and other information the director needs to perform the director's duties under this section.

(6) A requirement that the director of development services annually review the annual reports of the taxpayer to verify the information reported under division (E)(5) of this section and compliance with the agreement. Upon verification, the director shall issue a certificate to the taxpayer stating that the information has been verified and identifying the amount of the credit for the taxable year or calendar year that includes the tax period. In determining the number of full-time equivalent employees, no position shall be counted that is filled by an employee who is included in the calculation of a tax credit under section 122.17 of the Revised Code.

(7) A provision providing that the taxpayer may not relocate a substantial number of employment positions from elsewhere in this state to the project site unless the director of development services determines that the taxpayer notified the legislative authority of the county, township, or municipal corporation from which the employment positions would be relocated.

For purposes of this section, the movement of an employment position from one political subdivision to another political subdivision shall be considered a relocation of an employment position unless the movement is confined to the project site. The transfer of an employment position from one political subdivision to another political subdivision shall not be considered a relocation of an employment position if the employment position in the first political subdivision is replaced by another employment position.

(8) A waiver by the taxpayer of any limitations periods relating to assessments or adjustments resulting from the taxpayer's failure to comply with the agreement.

(F) If a taxpayer fails to meet or comply with any condition or requirement set forth in a tax credit agreement, the tax credit authority may amend the agreement to reduce the percentage or term of the credit. The reduction of the percentage or term may take effect in the current taxable or calendar year.

(G) Financial statements and other information submitted to the department of development services or the tax credit authority by an applicant for or recipient of a tax credit under this section, and any information taken for any purpose from such statements or information, are not public records subject to section 149.43 of the Revised Code. However, the chairperson of the authority may make use of the statements and other information for purposes of issuing public reports or in connection with court proceedings concerning tax credit agreements under this section. Upon the request of the tax commissioner, or the superintendent of insurance in the case of an insurance company, the chairperson of the authority shall provide to the commissioner or superintendent any statement or other information submitted by an applicant for or recipient of a tax credit in connection with the credit. The commissioner or superintendent shall preserve the confidentiality of the statement or other information.

(H) A taxpayer claiming a tax credit under this section shall submit to the tax commissioner or, in the case of an insurance company, to the superintendent of insurance, a copy of the director of development services' certificate of verification under division (E)(6) of this section with the taxpayer's tax report or return for the taxable year or for the calendar year that includes the tax period. Failure to submit a copy of the certificate with the report or return does not invalidate a claim for a credit if the taxpayer submits a copy of the certificate to the commissioner or superintendent within sixty days after the commissioner or superintendent requests it.

(I) For the purposes of this section, a taxpayer may include a partnership, a corporation that has made an election under subchapter S of chapter one of subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code, or any other business entity through which income flows as a distributive share to its owners. A partnership, S-corporation, or other such business entity may elect to pass the credit received under this section through to the persons to whom the income or profit of the partnership, S-corporation, or other entity is distributed. The election shall be made on the annual report required under division (E)(5) of this section. The election applies to and is irrevocable for the credit for which the report is submitted. If the election is made, the credit shall be apportioned among those persons in the same proportions as those in which the income or profit is distributed.

(J) If the director of development services determines that a taxpayer that received a certificate under division (E)(6) of this section is not complying with the requirement under division (E)(3) of this section, the director shall notify the tax credit authority of the noncompliance. After receiving such a notice, and after giving the taxpayer an opportunity to explain the noncompliance, the authority may terminate the agreement and require the taxpayer, or any related member or members that claimed the tax credit under division (N) of this section, to refund to the state all or a portion of the credit claimed in previous years, as follows:

(1) If the taxpayer maintained operations at the project site for less than or equal to the term of the credit, an amount not to exceed one hundred per cent of the sum of any tax credits allowed and received under this section.

(2) If the taxpayer maintained operations at the project site longer than the term of the credit, but less than the greater of (a) the term of the credit plus three years, or (b) seven years, the amount required to be refunded shall not exceed seventy-five per cent of the sum of any tax credits allowed and received under this section.

In determining the portion of the credit to be refunded to this state, the authority shall consider the effect of market conditions on the taxpayer's project and whether the taxpayer continues to maintain other operations in this state. After making the determination, the authority shall certify the amount to be refunded to the tax commissioner or the superintendent of insurance. If the taxpayer, or any related member or members who claimed the tax credit under division (N) of this section, is not an insurance company, the commissioner shall make an assessment for that amount against the taxpayer under Chapter 5726., 5733., 5736., 5747., or 5751. of the Revised Code. If the taxpayer, or any related member or members that claimed the tax credit under division (N) of this section, is an insurance company, the superintendent of insurance shall make an assessment under section 5725.222 or 5729.102 of the Revised Code. The time limitations on assessments under those chapters and sections do not apply to an assessment under this division, but the commissioner or superintendent shall make the assessment within one year after the date the authority certifies to the commissioner or superintendent the amount to be refunded.

(K) The director of development services, after consultation with the tax commissioner and the superintendent of insurance and in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, shall adopt rules necessary to implement this section. The rules may provide for recipients of tax credits under this section to be charged fees to cover administrative costs of the tax credit program. The fees collected shall be credited to the business assistance fund created in section 122.174 of the Revised Code. At the time the director gives public notice under division (A) of section 119.03 of the Revised Code of the adoption of the rules, the director shall submit copies of the proposed rules to the chairpersons of the standing committees on economic development in the senate and the house of representatives.

(L) On or before the first day of August of each year, the director of development services shall submit a report to the governor, the president of the senate, and the speaker of the house of representatives on the tax credit program under this section. The report shall include information on the number of agreements that were entered into under this section during the preceding calendar year, a description of the project that is the subject of each such agreement, and an update on the status of projects under agreements entered into before the preceding calendar year.

(M)(1) The aggregate amount of tax credits issued under division (B)(1) of this section during any calendar year for capital investment projects reviewed and approved by the tax credit authority may not exceed the following amounts:

(a) For 2010, thirteen million dollars;

(b) For 2011 through 2023, the amount of the limit for the preceding calendar year plus thirteen million dollars;

(c) For 2024 and each year thereafter, one hundred ninety-five million dollars.

(2) The aggregate amount of tax credits authorized under divisions (B)(2) and (3) of this section and allowed to be claimed by taxpayers in any calendar year for capital improvement projects reviewed and approved by the tax credit authority in 2011, 2012, and 2013 combined shall not exceed twenty-five million dollars. An amount equal to the aggregate amount of credits first authorized in calendar year 2011, 2012, and 2013 may be claimed over the ensuing period up to fifteen years, subject to the terms of individual tax credit agreements.

The limitations in division (M) of this section do not apply to credits for capital investment projects approved by the tax credit authority before July 1, 2009.

(N) This division applies only to an eligible business that is part of an affiliated group that includes a diversified savings and loan holding company or a grandfathered unitary savings and loan holding company, as those terms are defined in section 5726.01 of the Revised Code. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of the agreement between such an eligible business and the tax credit authority, any credit granted under this section against the tax imposed by section 5725.18, 5729.03, 5733.06, 5747.02, or 5751.02 of the Revised Code to the eligible business, at the election of the eligible business and without any action by the tax credit authority, may be shared with any member or members of the affiliated group that includes the eligible business, which member or members may claim the credit against the taxes imposed by section 5725.18, 5726.02, 5729.03, 5733.06, 5747.02, or 5751.02 of the Revised Code. Credits shall be claimed by the eligible business in sequential order, as applicable, first claiming the credits to the fullest extent possible against the tax that the certificate holder is subject to, then against the tax imposed by, sequentially, section 5729.03, 5725.18, 5747.02, 5751.02, and lastly 5726.02 of the Revised Code. The credits may be allocated among the members of the affiliated group in such manner as the eligible business elects, but subject to the sequential order required under this division. This division applies to credits granted before, on, or after March 27, 2013, the effective date of H.B. 510 of the 129th general assembly. Credits granted before that effective date that are shared and allocated under this division may be claimed in those calendar years in which the remaining taxable years specified in the agreement end.

As used in this division, "affiliated group" means a group of two or more persons with fifty per cent or greater of the value of each person's ownership interests owned or controlled directly, indirectly, or constructively through related interests by common owners during all or any portion of the taxable year, and the common owners. "Affiliated group" includes, but is not limited to, any person eligible to be included in a consolidated elected taxpayer group under section 5751.011 of the Revised Code or a combined taxpayer group under section 5751.012 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 122.86.  (A) As used in this section and section 5747.81 of the Revised Code:

(1) "Small business enterprise" means a corporation, pass-through entity, or other person satisfying all of the following:

(a) At the time of a qualifying investment, the enterprise meets all of the following requirements:

(i) Has no outstanding tax or other liabilities owed to the state;

(ii) Is in good standing with the secretary of state, if the enterprise is required to be registered with the secretary;

(iii) Is current with any court-ordered payments;

(iv) Is not engaged in any illegal activity.

(b) At the time of a qualifying investment, the enterprise's assets according to generally accepted accounting principles do not exceed fifty million dollars, or its annual sales do not exceed ten million dollars. When making this determination, the assets and annual sales of all of the enterprise's related or affiliated entities shall be included in the calculation.

(c) The enterprise employs at least fifty full-time equivalent employees in this state for whom the enterprise is required to withhold income tax under section 5747.06 of the Revised Code, or more than one-half the enterprise's total number of full-time equivalent employees employed anywhere in the United States are employed in this state and are subject to that withholding requirement.

(d) The enterprise, within six months after an eligible investor's qualifying investment is made, invests in or incurs cost for one or more of the following in an amount at least equal to the amount of the qualifying investment:

(i) Tangible personal property, other than motor vehicles operated on public roads and highways, used in business and physically located in this state from the time of its acquisition by the enterprise until the end of the investor's holding period;

(ii) Motor vehicles operated on public roads and highways if, from the time of acquisition by the enterprise until the end of the investor's holding period, the motor vehicles are purchased in this state, registered in this state under Chapter 4503. of the Revised Code, are used primarily for business purposes, and are necessary for the operation of the enterprise's business;

(iii) Real property located in this state that is used in business from the time of its acquisition by the enterprise until the end of the holding period;

(iv) Intangible personal property, including patents, copyrights, trademarks, service marks, or licenses used in business primarily in this state from the time of its acquisition by the enterprise until the end of the holding period;

(v) Compensation for new employees of the enterprise for whom the enterprise is required to withhold income tax under section 5747.06 of the Revised Code, not including increased compensation for owners, officers, or managers of the enterprise. For this purpose compensation for new employees includes compensation for newly hired or retained employees.

(2) "Qualifying investment" means an investment of money made on or after July 1, 2011, to acquire capital stock or other equity interest in a small business enterprise. "Qualifying investment" does not include either of the following:

(a) Any investment of money an eligible investor derives, directly or indirectly, from a grant or loan from the federal government or the state or a political subdivision, including the third frontier program under Chapter 184. of the Revised Code;

(b) Any investment of money which is the basis of a tax credit granted under any other section of the Revised Code.

(3) "Eligible investor" means an individual, estate, or trust subject to the tax imposed by section 5747.02 of the Revised Code, or a pass-through entity in which such an individual, estate, or trust holds a direct or indirect ownership or other equity interest. To qualify as an eligible investor, the individual, estate, trust, or pass-through entity shall not owe any outstanding tax or other liability to the state at the time of a qualifying investment.

(4) "Holding period" means:

(a) For qualifying investments made on or after July 1, 2011, but before July 1, 2013, the two-year period beginning on the day the investment was made;

(b) For qualifying investments made on or after July 1, 2013, the five-year period beginning on the day the investment was a qualifying investment is made.

(5) "Pass-through entity" has the same meaning as in section 5733.04 of the Revised Code.

(B) Any eligible investor that makes a qualifying investment in a small business enterprise on or after July 1, 2011, may apply to the director of development services to obtain a small business investment certificate from the director. Alternatively, a small business enterprise may apply on behalf of eligible investors to obtain the certificates for those investors. The director, in consultation with the tax commissioner, shall prescribe the form or manner in which an applicant shall apply for the certificate, devise the form of the certificate, and prescribe any records or other information an applicant shall furnish with the application to evidence the qualifying investment. The applicant shall state the amount of the intended investment. The applicant shall pay an application fee equal to the greater of one-tenth of one per cent of the amount of the intended investment or one hundred dollars.

A small business investment certificate entitles the certificate holder to receive a tax credit under section 5747.81 of the Revised Code if the certificate holder qualifies for the credit as otherwise provided in this section. If the certificate holder is a pass-through entity, the certificate entitles the entity's equity owners to receive their distributive or proportionate shares of the credit. In any fiscal biennium, an eligible investor may not apply for small business investment certificates representing intended investment amounts in excess of ten million dollars. Such certificates are not transferable.

The director of development services may reserve small business investment certificates to qualifying applicants in the order in which the director receives applications, but may issue the certificates as the applications are completed. An application is completed when the director has validated that an eligible investor has made a qualified investment and the small business enterprise has made the appropriate reinvestment of the qualified investment pursuant to the requirements of division (A)(1)(d) of this section. To qualify for a certificate, an eligible investor must satisfy both of the following, subject to the limitation on the amount of qualifying investments for which certificates may be issued under division (C) of this section:

(1) The eligible investor makes a qualifying investment on or after July 1, 2011.

(2) The eligible investor pledges not to sell or otherwise dispose of the qualifying investment before the conclusion of the applicable holding period.

(C)(1) The amount of any eligible investor's qualifying investments for which small business investment certificates may be issued for a fiscal biennium shall not exceed ten million dollars.

(2) The director of development services shall not issue a small business investment certificate to an eligible investor representing an amount of qualifying investment in excess of the amount of the intended investment indicated on the investor's application for the certificate.

(3) The director of development services shall not issue small business investment certificates in a total amount that would cause the tax credits claimed in any fiscal biennium to exceed one hundred million dollars.

(4) The director of development services may issue a small business investment certificate only if both of the following apply at the time of issuance:

(a) The small business enterprise meets all the requirements listed in divisions (A)(1)(a)(i) to (iv) of this section;

(b) The eligible investor does not owe any outstanding tax or other liability to the state.

(D) Before the end of the applicable holding period of a qualifying investment, each enterprise in which a qualifying investment was made for which a small business investment certificate has been issued, upon the request of the director of development services, shall provide to the director records or other evidence satisfactory to the director that the enterprise is a small business enterprise for the purposes of this section. Each enterprise shall also provide annually to the director records or evidence regarding the number of jobs created or retained in the state. No credit may be claimed under this section and section 5747.81 of the Revised Code if the director finds that an enterprise is not a small business enterprise for the purposes of this section. The director shall compile and maintain a register of small business enterprises qualifying under this section and shall certify the register to the tax commissioner. The director shall also compile and maintain a record of the number of jobs created or retained as a result of qualifying investments made pursuant to this section.

(E) After the conclusion of the applicable holding period for a qualifying investment, a person to whom a small business investment certificate has been issued under this section may claim a credit as provided under section 5747.81 of the Revised Code.

(F) The director of development services, in consultation with the tax commissioner, may adopt rules for the administration of this section, including rules governing the following:

(1) Documents, records, or other information eligible investors shall provide to the director;

(2) Any information a small business enterprise shall provide for the purposes of this section and section 5747.81 of the Revised Code;

(3) Determination of the number of full-time equivalent employees of a small business enterprise;

(4) Verification of a small business enterprise's investment in tangible personal property and intangible personal property under division (A)(1)(d) of this section, including when such investments have been made and where the property is used in business;

(5) Circumstances under which small business enterprises or eligible investors may be subverting the purposes of this section and section 5747.81 of the Revised Code.

There is hereby created in the state treasury the InvestOhio support fund. The fund shall consist of the fees paid under division (B) of this section and shall be used by the development services agency to pay the costs of administering the small business investment certificate program established under this section.

Sec. 166.21. (A) The director of development services, with the approval of the controlling board and subject to other applicable provisions of this chapter, may lend moneys in the research and development loan fund to persons for the purpose of paying allowable costs of eligible research and development projects, if the director determines that all of the following conditions are met:

(1) The project is an eligible research and development project and is economically sound;

(2) The amount to be lent from the research and development loan fund will not exceed seventy-five per cent of the total costs of the eligible research and development project;

(3) The repayment of the loan from the research and development loan fund will be secured by a mortgage, assignment, pledge, lien provided for under section 9.661 of the Revised Code, or other interest in property or other assets of the borrower, at such level of priority and value as the director considers necessary, provided that, in making such a determination, the director shall take into account the value of any rights granted by the borrower to the director to control the use of any assets of the borrower under the circumstances described in the loan documents.

(B) The determinations of the director under division (A) of this section shall be conclusive for purposes of the validity of a loan commitment evidenced by a loan agreement signed by the director.

(C) Fees, charges, rates of interest, times of payment of interest and principal, and other terms and conditions of, and security for, loans made from the research and development loan fund shall be such as the director determines to be appropriate and in furtherance of the purpose for which the loans are made. The moneys used in making loans shall be disbursed from the fund upon order of the director. Unless otherwise specified in any indenture or other instrument securing obligations under division (D) of section 166.08 of the Revised Code, any payments of principal and interest from loans made from the fund shall be paid to the fund and used for the purpose of making loans under this section.

(D)(1) As used in this division, "qualified research and development loan payments" means payments of principal and interest on a loan made from the research and development loan fund.

(2) Each year, the director may, upon request, issue a certificate to a borrower of moneys from the research and development loan fund indicating the amount of the qualified research and development loan payments made by or on behalf of the borrower during the calendar year immediately preceding the tax year, as defined in section 5733.04 of the Revised Code, or taxable year, as defined in section 5747.01 of the Revised Code, for which the certificate is issued. In addition to indicating the amount of qualified research and development loan payments, the certificate shall include a determination of the director that as of the thirty-first day of December of the calendar year for which the certificate is issued, the borrower is not in default under the loan agreement, lease, or other instrument governing repayment of the loan, including compliance with the job creation and retention commitments that are part of the qualified research and development project. If the director determines that a borrower is in default under the loan agreement, lease, or other instrument governing repayment of the loan, the director may reduce the amount, percentage, or term of the credit allowed under section 5733.352, 5747.331, or 5751.52 of the Revised Code with respect to the certificate issued to the borrower. The director shall not issue a certificate in an amount that exceeds one hundred fifty thousand dollars.

(E) The director may take actions necessary or appropriate to collect or otherwise deal with any loan made under this section.

(F) The director may fix service charges for the making of a loan. The charges shall be payable at such times and place and in such amounts and manner as may be prescribed by the director.

(G)(1) There shall be credited to the research and development loan fund moneys received by this state from the repayment of loans, including interest thereon, made from the fund, and moneys received from the sale, lease, or other disposition of property acquired or constructed with moneys in the fund derived from the proceeds of the sale of obligations under section 166.08 of the Revised Code. Moneys in the fund shall be applied as provided in this chapter pursuant to appropriations made by the general assembly.

(2) In addition to the requirements in division (G)(1) of this section, moneys referred to in that division may be deposited to the credit of separate accounts established by the director of development services within the research and development loan fund or in the bond service fund and pledged to the security of obligations, applied to the payment of bond service charges without need for appropriation, released from any such pledge and transferred to the research and development loan fund, all as and to the extent provided in the bond proceedings pursuant to written directions of the director of development. Accounts may be established by the director in the research and development loan fund for particular projects or otherwise. The director may withdraw from the fund or, subject to provisions of the applicable bond proceedings, from any special funds established pursuant to the bond proceedings, or from any accounts in such funds, any amounts of investment income required to be rebated and paid to the federal government in order to maintain the exemption from federal income taxation of interest on obligations issued under this chapter, which withdrawal and payment may be made without the necessity for appropriation.

Sec. 718.15.  A municipal corporation, by ordinance, may grant a refundable or nonrefundable credit against its tax on income to a taxpayer that also receives a tax credit under section 122.17 of the Revised Code to foster job creation in the municipal corporation. If a credit is granted under this section, it shall be measured as a percentage of the new income tax revenue the municipal corporation derives from new employees of the taxpayer and shall be for a term not exceeding fifteen years. Before the municipal corporation passes an ordinance granting a credit, the municipal corporation and the taxpayer shall enter into an agreement specifying all the conditions of the credit.

Sec. 718.151. A municipal corporation, by ordinance, may grant a refundable or nonrefundable credit against its tax on income to a taxpayer that receives a nonrefundable tax credit under section 122.171 of the Revised Code and may grant a refundable credit against its tax on income to a taxpayer that receives a refundable tax credit under that section for the purpose of fostering job retention in the municipal corporation. If a credit is granted under this section, it shall be measured as a percentage of the income tax revenue the municipal corporation derives from the retained employees of the taxpayer, and shall be for a term not exceeding fifteen years. Before a municipal corporation passes an ordinance allowing such a credit, the municipal corporation and the taxpayer shall enter into an agreement specifying all the conditions of the credit.

Sec. 3734.905.  (A) The treasurer of state shall refund the fee imposed by section 3734.901 of the Revised Code paid illegally or erroneously, or paid on an illegal or erroneous assessment. Applications for refund shall be filed with the tax commissioner on a form prescribed by the commissioner, within four years of the illegal or erroneous payment of the fee.

On the filing of the application, the commissioner shall determine the amount of refund to which the applicant is entitled. If the amount is not less than that claimed, the commissioner shall certify the amount to the director of budget and management and treasurer of state for payment from the tax refund fund created by section 5703.052 of the Revised Code. If the amount is less than that claimed, the commissioner shall proceed in accordance with section 5703.70 of the Revised Code.

If the application for refund is for fees paid on an illegal or erroneous assessment, the The certified amount shall include interest calculated at the rate per annum prescribed by section 5703.47 of the Revised Code from the date of overpayment to the date of the commissioner's certification.

(B) When the fee imposed pursuant to section 3734.901 of the Revised Code has been paid on tires that are sold by a retail dealer or wholesale distributor to a motor vehicle manufacturer, or to a wholesale distributor or retail dealer for the purpose of resale outside this state, the seller in this state is entitled to a refund of the amount of the fee actually paid on the tires. To obtain a refund under this division, the seller shall apply to the tax commissioner, shall furnish documentary evidence satisfactory to the commissioner that the price paid by the purchaser did not include the fee, and shall provide the name and address of the purchaser to the commissioner. The seller shall apply on the form prescribed by the commissioner, within four years after the date of the sale. Upon receipt of an application, the commissioner shall determine the amount of any refund due and shall certify that amount to the director of budget and management and the treasurer of state for payment from the tax refund fund created in section 5703.052 of the Revised Code. The certified amount shall include interest calculated at the rate per annum prescribed by section 5703.47 of the Revised Code from the date of overpayment to the date of the commissioner's certification.

(C) If any person entitled to a refund of fees under this section, or section 5703.70 of the Revised Code, is indebted to the state for any tax administered by the tax commissioner, or any charge, penalties, or interest arising from such tax, the amount allowable on the application for refund first shall be applied in satisfaction of the debt.

Sec. 4921.13. (A) The public utilities commission shall adopt rules applicable to the filing of annual update forms and the payment of taxes by for-hire motor carriers. The rules shall not be incompatible with the requirements of the United States department of transportation. The rules shall at a minimum address all of the following:

(1) The information and certifications that must be provided to the commission on an annual update form, including a certification that the carrier continues to be in compliance with the applicable laws of this state.

(2) Documentation and information that must be provided regarding proof of financial responsibility;

(3) The form and manner in which taxes may be paid under section 4921.19 of the Revised Code.

(B) The rules may address any other information that the commission determines is necessary to carry out this section.

(C) A for-hire motor carrier shall not be issued a any tax receipt under division (C) of section 4921.19 of the Revised Code until all of the following have been satisfied:

(1) A complete and accurate annual update form has been filed with the commission;

(2) Proof of financial responsibility remains in effect;

(3) All applicable registration fees in accordance with rules adopted under section 4921.11 of the Revised Code, all applicable taxes under section 4921.19 of the Revised Code, and any forfeitures imposed under section 4923.99 of the Revised Code have been paid in full.

Sec. 4921.19.  (A) Every for-hire motor carrier operating in this state shall, at the time of the issuance of a certificate of public convenience and necessity under section 4921.03 of the Revised Code, pay to the public utilities commission, for and on behalf of the treasurer of state, the following taxes:

(1) For each motor vehicle used for transporting persons, thirty dollars;

(2) For each commercial tractor, as defined in section 4501.01 of the Revised Code, used for transporting property, thirty dollars;

(3) For each other motor vehicle transporting property, twenty dollars.

(B) Every for-hire motor carrier operating in this state solely in intrastate commerce shall, annually between the first day of May and the thirtieth day of June, pay to the commission, for and on behalf of the treasurer of state, the following taxes:

(1) For each motor vehicle used for transporting persons, thirty dollars;

(2) For each commercial tractor, as defined in section 4501.01 of the Revised Code, used for transporting property, thirty dollars;

(3) For each other motor vehicle transporting property, twenty dollars.

(C) After a for-hire motor carrier has paid the applicable taxes under division (A) or (B) of this section and met all applicable requirements under section 4921.03 or division (C) of section 4921.13 of the Revised Code have been met, the commission shall issue the carrier a tax receipt for each motor vehicle for which a tax has been paid under this section. The carrier shall carry a copy of keep the appropriate tax receipt in each motor vehicle operated by the carrier. The carrier shall maintain the original copy of the tax receipt at the carrier's primary place of business tax receipt records that specify to which motor vehicle each tax receipt is assigned.

(D) A trailer used by a for-hire motor carrier shall not be taxed under this section.

(E) The annual tax levied by division (B) of this section does not apply in those cases where the commission finds that the movement of agricultural commodities or foodstuffs produced therefrom requires a temporary and seasonal use of vehicular equipment for a period of not more than ninety days. In such event, the tax on the vehicular equipment shall be twenty-five per cent of the annual tax levied by division (B) of this section. If any vehicular equipment is used in excess of the ninety-day period, the annual tax levied by this section shall be paid.

(F) All taxes levied by division (B) of this section shall be reckoned as from the beginning of the quarter in which the tax receipt is issued or as from when the use of equipment under any existing tax receipt began.

(G) The fees for unified carrier registration pursuant to section 4921.11 of the Revised Code shall be identical to those established by the unified carrier registration act board as approved by the federal motor carrier safety administration for each year.

(H)(1) The fees for uniform registration and a uniform permit as a carrier of hazardous materials pursuant to section 4921.15 of the Revised Code shall consist of the following:

(a) A processing fee of fifty dollars;

(b) An apportioned per-truck registration fee, which shall be calculated by multiplying the percentage of a registrant's activity in this state times the percentage of the registrant's business that is hazardous-materials-related, times the number of vehicles owned or operated by the registrant, times a per-truck fee determined by order of the commission following public notice and an opportunity for comment.

(i) The percentage of a registrant's activity in this state shall be calculated by dividing the number of miles that the registrant travels in this state under the international registration plan, pursuant to section 4503.61 of the Revised Code, by the number of miles that the registrant travels nationwide under the international registration plan. Registrants that operate solely within this state shall use one hundred per cent as their percentage of activity. Registrants that do not register their vehicles through the international registration plan shall calculate activity in the state in the same manner as that required by the international registration plan.

(ii) The percentage of a registrant's business that is hazardous-materials-related shall be calculated, for less-than-truckload shipments, by dividing the weight of all the registrant's hazardous materials shipments by the total weight of all shipments in the previous year. The percentage of a registrant's business that is hazardous-materials-related shall be calculated, for truckload shipments, by dividing the number of shipments for which placarding, marking of the vehicle, or manifesting, as appropriate, was required by regulations adopted under sections 4 to 6 of the "Hazardous Materials Transportation Uniform Safety Act of 1990," 104 Stat. 3244, 49 U.S.C. App. 1804, by the total number of the registrant's shipments that transported any kind of goods in the previous year. A registrant that transports both less-than-truckload and truckload shipments of hazardous materials shall calculate the percentage of business that is hazardous-materials-related on a proportional basis.

(iii) A registrant may utilize fiscal year, or calendar year, or other current company accounting data, or other publicly available information, in calculating the percentages required by divisions (H)(1)(b)(i) and (ii) of this section.

(2) The commission, after notice and opportunity for a hearing, may assess each carrier a fee for any background investigation required for the issuance, for the purpose of section 3734.15 of the Revised Code, of a uniform permit as a carrier of hazardous wastes and fees related to investigations and proceedings for the denial, suspension, or revocation of a uniform permit as a carrier of hazardous materials. The fees shall not exceed the reasonable costs of the investigations and proceedings. The fee for a background investigation for a uniform permit as a carrier of hazardous wastes shall be six hundred dollars plus the costs of obtaining any necessary information not included in the permit application, to be calculated at the rate of thirty dollars per hour, not exceeding six hundred dollars, plus any fees payable to obtain necessary information.

(I) The application fee for a certificate for the transportation of household goods issued pursuant to sections 4921.30 to 4921.38 of the Revised Code shall be based on the certificate holder's gross revenue, in the prior year, for the intrastate transportation of household goods. The commission shall establish, by order, ranges of gross revenue and the fee for each range. The fees shall be set in amounts sufficient to carry out the purposes of sections 4921.30 to 4921.38 and 4923.99 of the Revised Code and, to the extent necessary, the commission shall make changes to the fee structure to ensure that neither over nor under collection of the fees occurs. The fees shall also take into consideration the revenue generated from the assessment of forfeitures under section 4923.99 of the Revised Code regarding the consumer protection provisions applicable to for-hire motor carriers engaged in the transportation of household goods.

(J) The fees and taxes provided under this section shall be in addition to taxes, fees, and charges fixed and exacted by other sections of the Revised Code, except the assessments required by section 4905.10 of the Revised Code, but all fees, license fees, annual payments, license taxes, or taxes or other money exactions, except the general property tax, assessed, charged, fixed, or exacted by local authorities such as municipal corporations, townships, counties, or other local boards, or the officers of such subdivisions are illegal and, are superseded by sections 4503.04 and 4905.03 and Chapter 4921. of the Revised Code. On compliance with sections 4503.04 and 4905.03 and Chapter 4921. of the Revised Code, all local ordinances, resolutions, by laws bylaws, and rules in force shall cease to be operative as to the persons in compliance, except that such local subdivisions may make reasonable local police regulations within their respective boundaries not inconsistent with sections 4503.04 and 4905.03 and Chapter 4921. of the Revised Code.

Sec. 5703.056.  (A) As used in any section of the Revised Code that requires the tax commissioner to use certified mail or personal service or that requires or permits a payment to be made or a document to be submitted to the tax commissioner or the board of tax appeals by mail or personal service, and as used in any section of Chapter 3734., 3769., 4303., or 4305. or Title LVII of the Revised Code that requires or permits a payment to be made or a document to be submitted to the treasurer of state by mail:

(1) "Certified mail," "express mail," "United States mail," "United States postal service," and similar terms include any delivery service authorized pursuant to division (B) of this section.

(2) "Postmark date," "date of postmark," and similar terms include the date recorded and marked in the manner described in division (B)(3) of this section.

(B) The tax commissioner may authorize the use of a delivery service for the delivery of any payment or document described in division (A) of this section if the commissioner finds that the delivery service:

(1) Is available to the general public;

(2) Is at least as timely and reliable on a regular basis as the United States postal service;

(3) Records electronically to a database kept in the regular course of its business, and marks on the cover in which the payment or document is enclosed, the date on which the payment or document was given to the delivery service for delivery;

(4) Records electronically to a database kept in the regular course of its business the date on which the payment or document was given by the delivery service to the person who signed the receipt of delivery and the name of the person who signed the receipt; and

(5) Meets any other criteria that the tax commissioner may by rule prescribe.

(C) In any section of the Revised Code referring to the date any payment or document is received by the tax commissioner by mail, personal service, or electronically or by a person receiving a document or payment from the tax commissioner by mail, the payment or document shall be considered to be received on one of the following dates, as applicable, except as provided in section 5703.053 or 5703.37 of the Revised Code:

(1) For a document or payment sent by certified mail, express mail, United States mail, foreign mail, or a delivery service authorized for use under division (B) of this section, the date of the postmark placed by the postal or delivery service on the sender's receipt or, if the sender was not issued a postmarked sender's receipt, the date of the postmark placed by the postal or delivery service on the package containing the payment or document.

(2) For personal service to the tax commissioner, the date the payment or document is received in any of the tax commissioner's offices during business hours.

(3) For a document filed or sent electronically or a payment made electronically, the date on the timestamp assigned by the first electronic system receiving that payment or document.

(D) As used in divisions (A) and (C) of this section "electronically" includes by facsimile, if applicable.

Sec. 5703.059. (A) The tax commissioner may adopt rules requiring returns, including any accompanying schedule or statement, for any of the following taxes tax or fee administered by the commissioner to be filed electronically using the Ohio business gateway as defined in section 718.051 of the Revised Code, filed telephonically using the system known as the Ohio telefile system, or filed by any other electronic means prescribed by the commissioner:

(1) Employer income tax withholding under Chapter 5747. of the Revised Code;

(2) Motor fuel tax under Chapter 5735. of the Revised Code;

(3) Cigarette and tobacco product tax under Chapter 5743. of the Revised Code;

(4) Severance tax under Chapter 5749. of the Revised Code;

(5) Use tax under Chapter 5741. of the Revised Code;

(6) Commercial activity tax under Chapter 5751. of the Revised Code;

(7) Financial institutions tax under Chapter 5726. of the Revised Code;

(8) Motor fuel receipts tax under Chapter 5736. of the Revised Code;

(9) Horse-racing taxes under Chapter 3769. of the Revised Code.

(B) The tax commissioner may adopt rules requiring any payment of tax shown on such a return to be due to be made electronically in a manner approved by the commissioner.

(C) A rule adopted under this section does not apply to returns or reports filed or payments made before six months after the effective date of the rule. The commissioner shall publicize any new electronic filing requirement on the department's web site. The commissioner shall educate the public of the requirement through seminars, workshops, conferences, or other outreach activities.

(D) Any person required to file returns and make payments electronically under rules adopted under this section may apply to the commissioner, on a form prescribed by the commissioner, to be excused from that requirement. For good cause shown, the commissioner may excuse the applicant from the requirement and permit the applicant to file the returns or reports or make the payments required under this section by nonelectronic means.

Sec. 5703.21.  (A) Except as provided in divisions (B) and (C) of this section, no agent of the department of taxation, except in the agent's report to the department or when called on to testify in any court or proceeding, shall divulge any information acquired by the agent as to the transactions, property, or business of any person while acting or claiming to act under orders of the department. Whoever violates this provision shall thereafter be disqualified from acting as an officer or employee or in any other capacity under appointment or employment of the department.

(B)(1) For purposes of an audit pursuant to section 117.15 of the Revised Code, or an audit of the department pursuant to Chapter 117. of the Revised Code, or an audit, pursuant to that chapter, the objective of which is to express an opinion on a financial report or statement prepared or issued pursuant to division (A)(7) or (9) of section 126.21 of the Revised Code, the officers and employees of the auditor of state charged with conducting the audit shall have access to and the right to examine any state tax returns and state tax return information in the possession of the department to the extent that the access and examination are necessary for purposes of the audit. Any information acquired as the result of that access and examination shall not be divulged for any purpose other than as required for the audit or unless the officers and employees are required to testify in a court or proceeding under compulsion of legal process. Whoever violates this provision shall thereafter be disqualified from acting as an officer or employee or in any other capacity under appointment or employment of the auditor of state.

(2) For purposes of an internal audit pursuant to section 126.45 of the Revised Code, the officers and employees of the office of internal audit in the office of budget and management charged with directing the internal audit shall have access to and the right to examine any state tax returns and state tax return information in the possession of the department to the extent that the access and examination are necessary for purposes of the internal audit. Any information acquired as the result of that access and examination shall not be divulged for any purpose other than as required for the internal audit or unless the officers and employees are required to testify in a court or proceeding under compulsion of legal process. Whoever violates this provision shall thereafter be disqualified from acting as an officer or employee or in any other capacity under appointment or employment of the office of internal audit.

(3) As provided by section 6103(d)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code, any federal tax returns or federal tax information that the department has acquired from the internal revenue service, through federal and state statutory authority, may be disclosed to the auditor of state or the office of internal audit solely for purposes of an audit of the department.

(4) For purposes of Chapter 3739. of the Revised Code, an agent of the department of taxation may share information with the division of state fire marshal that the agent finds during the course of an investigation.

(C) Division (A) of this section does not prohibit any of the following:

(1) Divulging information contained in applications, complaints, and related documents filed with the department under section 5715.27 of the Revised Code or in applications filed with the department under section 5715.39 of the Revised Code;

(2) Providing information to the office of child support within the department of job and family services pursuant to section 3125.43 of the Revised Code;

(3) Disclosing to the motor vehicle repair board any information in the possession of the department that is necessary for the board to verify the existence of an applicant's valid vendor's license and current state tax identification number under section 4775.07 of the Revised Code;

(4) Providing information to the administrator of workers' compensation pursuant to sections 4123.271 and 4123.591 of the Revised Code;

(5) Providing to the attorney general information the department obtains under division (J) of section 1346.01 of the Revised Code;

(6) Permitting properly authorized officers, employees, or agents of a municipal corporation from inspecting reports or information pursuant to rules adopted under section 5745.16 of the Revised Code;

(7) Providing information regarding the name, account number, or business address of a holder of a vendor's license issued pursuant to section 5739.17 of the Revised Code, a holder of a direct payment permit issued pursuant to section 5739.031 of the Revised Code, or a seller having a use tax account maintained pursuant to section 5741.17 of the Revised Code, or information regarding the active or inactive status of a vendor's license, direct payment permit, or seller's use tax account;

(8) Releasing invoices or invoice information furnished under section 4301.433 of the Revised Code pursuant to that section;

(9) Providing to a county auditor notices or documents concerning or affecting the taxable value of property in the county auditor's county. Unless authorized by law to disclose documents so provided, the county auditor shall not disclose such documents;

(10) Providing to a county auditor sales or use tax return or audit information under section 333.06 of the Revised Code;

(11) Subject to section 4301.441 of the Revised Code, disclosing to the appropriate state agency information in the possession of the department of taxation that is necessary to verify a permit holder's gallonage or noncompliance with taxes levied under Chapter 4301. or 4305. of the Revised Code;

(12) Disclosing to the department of natural resources information in the possession of the department of taxation that is necessary for the department of taxation to verify the taxpayer's compliance with section 5749.02 of the Revised Code or to allow the department of natural resources to enforce Chapter 1509. of the Revised Code;

(13) Disclosing to the department of job and family services, industrial commission, and bureau of workers' compensation information in the possession of the department of taxation solely for the purpose of identifying employers that misclassify employees as independent contractors or that fail to properly report and pay employer tax liabilities. The department of taxation shall disclose only such information that is necessary to verify employer compliance with law administered by those agencies.

(14) Disclosing to the Ohio casino control commission information in the possession of the department of taxation that is necessary to verify a casino operator's compliance with section 5747.063 or 5753.02 of the Revised Code and sections related thereto;

(15) Disclosing to the state lottery commission information in the possession of the department of taxation that is necessary to verify a lottery sales agent's compliance with section 5747.064 of the Revised Code.

(16) Disclosing to the development services agency information in the possession of the department of taxation that is necessary to ensure compliance with the laws of this state governing taxation and to verify information reported to the development services agency for the purpose of evaluating potential tax credits, grants, or loans. Such information shall not include information received from the internal revenue service the disclosure of which is prohibited by section 6103 of the Internal Revenue Code. No officer, employee, or agent of the development services agency shall disclose any information provided to the development services agency by the department of taxation under division (C)(16) of this section except when disclosure of the information is necessary for, and made solely for the purpose of facilitating, the evaluation of potential tax credits, grants, or loans.

Sec. 5727.47.  (A) Notice of each assessment certified pursuant to section 5727.23 or 5727.38 of the Revised Code shall be mailed to the public utility, and its mailing shall be prima-facie evidence of its receipt by the public utility to which it is addressed. With the notice, the tax commissioner shall provide instructions on how to petition for reassessment and request a hearing on the petition. If a public utility objects to any assessment certified to it pursuant to such sections, it may file with the commissioner, either personally or by certified mail, within sixty days after the mailing of the notice of assessment a written petition for reassessment signed by the utility's authorized agent having knowledge of the facts. If The date the commissioner receives the petition is filed by certified mail, the date of the United States postmark placed on the sender's receipt by the postal employee to whom the petition is presented shall be treated as shall be considered the date of filing. The petition shall indicate the utility's objections, but additional objections may be raised in writing if received by the commissioner prior to the date shown on the final determination.

In the case of a petition seeking a reduction in taxable value filed with respect to an assessment issued under section 5727.23 of the Revised Code, the petitioner shall state in the petition the total amount of reduction in taxable value sought by the petitioner. If the petitioner objects to the percentage of true value at which taxable property is assessed by the commissioner, the petitioner shall state in the petition the total amount of reduction in taxable value sought both with and without regard to the objection pertaining to the percentage of true value at which its taxable property is assessed. If a petitioner objects to the commissioner's apportionment of the taxable value of the petitioner's taxable property, the petitioner shall distinctly state in the petition that the petitioner objects to the commissioner's apportionment, and, within forty-five days after filing the petition for reassessment, shall submit the petitioner's proposed apportionment of the taxable value of its taxable property among taxing districts. If a petitioner that objects to the commissioner's apportionment fails to state its objections to that apportionment in its petition for reassessment or fails to submit its proposed apportionment within forty-five days after filing the petition for reassessment, the commissioner shall dismiss the petitioner's objection to the commissioner's apportionment, and the taxable value of the petitioner's taxable property, subject to any adjustment to taxable value pursuant to the petition or appeal, shall be apportioned in the manner used by the commissioner in the preliminary or amended preliminary assessment issued under section 5727.23 of the Revised Code.

If an additional objection seeking a reduction in taxable value in excess of the reduction stated in the original petition is properly and timely raised with respect to an assessment issued under section 5727.23 of the Revised Code, the petitioner shall state the total amount of the reduction in taxable value sought in the additional objection both with and without regard to any reduction in taxable value pertaining to the percentage of true value at which taxable property is assessed. If a petitioner fails to state the reduction in taxable value sought in the original petition or in additional objections properly raised after the petition is filed, the commissioner shall notify the petitioner of the failure by certified mail. If the petitioner fails to notify the commissioner in writing of the reduction in taxable value sought in the petition or in an additional objection within thirty days after receiving the commissioner's notice, the commissioner shall dismiss the petition or the additional objection in which that reduction is sought.

(B)(1) Subject to divisions (B)(2) and (3) of this section, a public utility filing a petition for reassessment regarding an assessment issued under section 5727.23 or 5727.38 of the Revised Code shall pay the tax with respect to the assessment objected to as required by law. The acceptance of any tax payment by the treasurer of state or any county treasurer shall not prejudice any claim for taxes on final determination by the commissioner or final decision by the board of tax appeals or any court.

(2) If a public utility properly and timely files a petition for reassessment regarding an assessment issued under section 5727.23 of the Revised Code, the petitioner shall pay the tax as prescribed by divisions (B)(2)(a), (b), and (c) of this section:

(a) If the petitioner does not object to the commissioner's apportionment of the taxable value of the petitioner's taxable property, the petitioner is not required to pay the part of the tax otherwise due on the taxable value that the petitioner seeks to have reduced, subject to division (B)(2)(c) of this section.

(b) If the petitioner objects to the commissioner's apportionment of the taxable value of the petitioner's taxable property, the petitioner is not required to pay the tax otherwise due on the part of the taxable value apportioned to any taxing district that the petitioner objects to, subject to division (B)(2)(c) of this section. If, pursuant to division (A) of this section, the petitioner has, in a proper and timely manner, apportioned taxable value to a taxing district to which the commissioner did not apportion the petitioner's taxable value, the petitioner shall pay the tax due on the taxable value that the petitioner has apportioned to the taxing district, subject to division (B)(2)(c) of this section.

(c) If a petitioner objects to the percentage of true value at which taxable property is assessed by the commissioner, the petitioner shall pay the tax due on the basis of the percentage of true value at which the public utility's taxable property is assessed by the commissioner. In any case, the petitioner's payment of tax shall not be less than the amount of tax due based on the taxable value reflected on the last appeal notice issued by the commissioner under division (C) of this section. Until the county auditor receives notification under division (E) of this section and proceeds under section 5727.471 of the Revised Code to issue any refund that is found to be due, the county auditor shall not issue a refund for any increase in the reduction in taxable value that is sought by a petitioner later than forty-five days after the petitioner files the original petition as required under division (A) of this section.

(3) Any part of the tax that, under division (B)(2)(a) or (b) of this section, is not paid shall be collected upon receipt of the notification as provided in section 5727.471 of the Revised Code with interest thereon computed in the same manner as interest is computed under division (E) of section 5715.19 of the Revised Code, subject to any correction of the assessment by the commissioner under division (E) of this section or the final judgment of the board of tax appeals or a court to which the board's final judgment is appealed. The penalty imposed under section 323.121 of the Revised Code shall apply only to the unpaid portion of the tax if the petitioner's tax payment is less than the amount of tax due based on the taxable value reflected on the last appeal notice issued by the commissioner under division (C) of this section.

(C) Upon receipt of a properly filed petition for reassessment, the tax commissioner shall notify the treasurer of state or the auditor of each county to which the assessment objected to has been certified. In the case of a petition with respect to an assessment issued under section 5727.23 of the Revised Code, the commissioner shall issue an appeal notice within thirty days after receiving the amount of the taxable value reduction and apportionment changes sought by the petitioner in the original petition or in any additional objections properly and timely raised by the petitioner. The appeal notice shall indicate the amount of the reduction in taxable value sought in the petition or in the additional objections and the extent to which the reduction in taxable value and any change in apportionment requested by the petitioner would affect the commissioner's apportionment of the taxable value among taxing districts in the county as shown in the assessment. If a petitioner is seeking a reduction in taxable value on the basis of a lower percentage of true value than the percentage at which the commissioner assessed the petitioner's taxable property, the appeal notice shall indicate the reduction in taxable value sought by the petitioner without regard to the reduction sought on the basis of the lower percentage and shall indicate that the petitioner is required to pay tax on the reduced taxable value determined without regard to the reduction sought on the basis of a lower percentage of true value, as provided under division (B)(2)(c) of this section. The appeal notice shall include a statement that the reduced taxable value and the apportionment indicated in the notice are not final and are subject to adjustment by the commissioner or by the board of tax appeals or a court on appeal. If the commissioner finds an error in the appeal notice, the commissioner may amend the notice, but the notice is only for informational and tax payment purposes; the notice is not subject to appeal by any person. The commissioner also shall mail a copy of the appeal notice to the petitioner. Upon the request of a taxing authority, the county auditor may disclose to the taxing authority the extent to which a reduction in taxable value sought by a petitioner would affect the apportionment of taxable value to the taxing district or districts under the taxing authority's jurisdiction, but such a disclosure does not constitute a notice required by law to be given for the purpose of section 5717.02 of the Revised Code.

(D) If the petitioner requests a hearing on the petition, the tax commissioner shall assign a time and place for the hearing on the petition and notify the petitioner of such time and place, but the commissioner may continue the hearing from time to time as necessary.

(E) The tax commissioner may make corrections to the assessment as the commissioner finds proper. The commissioner shall serve a copy of the commissioner's final determination on the petitioner in the manner provided in section 5703.37 of the Revised Code. The commissioner's decision in the matter shall be final, subject to appeal under section 5717.02 of the Revised Code. The commissioner also shall transmit a copy of the final determination to the treasurer of state or applicable county auditor. In the absence of any further appeal, or when a decision of the board of tax appeals or of any court to which the decision has been appealed becomes final, the commissioner shall notify the public utility and, as appropriate, the treasurer of state who shall proceed under section 5727.42 of the Revised Code, or the applicable county auditor who shall proceed under section 5727.471 of the Revised Code.

The notification made under this division is not subject to further appeal.

(F) On appeal, no adjustment shall be made in the tax commissioner's assessment issued under section 5727.23 of the Revised Code that reduces the taxable value of a petitioner's taxable property by an amount that exceeds the reduction sought by the petitioner in its petition for reassessment or in any additional objections properly and timely raised after the petition is filed with the commissioner.

Sec. 5727.91.  (A) The treasurer of state shall refund the amount of tax paid under section 5727.81 or 5727.811 of the Revised Code that was paid illegally or erroneously, or paid on an illegal or erroneous assessment. A natural gas distribution company, an electric distribution company, or a self-assessing purchaser shall file an application for a refund with the tax commissioner on a form prescribed by the commissioner, within four years of the illegal or erroneous payment of the tax.

On the filing of the application, the commissioner shall determine the amount of refund to which the applicant is entitled. If the amount is not less than that claimed, the commissioner shall certify that amount to the director of budget and management and the treasurer of state for payment from the tax refund fund under section 5703.052 of the Revised Code. If the amount is less than that claimed, the commissioner shall proceed in accordance with section 5703.70 of the Revised Code.

If the application for refund is for taxes paid on an illegal or erroneous assessment, the The commissioner shall include in the certified amount interest calculated at the rate per annum prescribed by section 5703.47 of the Revised Code from the date of overpayment to the date of the commissioner's certification.

(B) If a natural gas distribution company or an electric distribution company entitled to a refund of taxes under this section, or section 5703.70 of the Revised Code, is indebted to the state for any tax or fee administered by the tax commissioner that is paid to the state, or any charge, penalty, or interest arising from such a tax or fee, the amount refundable may be applied in satisfaction of the debt. If the amount refundable is less than the amount of the debt, it may be applied in partial satisfaction of the debt. If the amount refundable is greater than the amount of the debt, the amount remaining after satisfaction of the debt shall be refunded. If the natural gas distribution company or electric distribution company has more than one such debt, any debt subject to section 5739.33 or division (G) of section 5747.07 of the Revised Code shall be satisfied first. This section applies only to debts that have become final.

(C)(1) Any electric distribution company that can substantiate to the tax commissioner that the tax imposed by section 5727.81 of the Revised Code was paid on electricity distributed via wires and consumed at a location outside of this state may claim a refund in the manner and within the time period prescribed in division (A) of this section.

(2) Any natural gas distribution company that can substantiate to the tax commissioner that the tax imposed by section 5727.811 of the Revised Code was paid on natural gas distributed via its facilities and consumed at a location outside of this state may claim a refund in the manner and within the time period prescribed in division (A) of this section.

(3) If the commissioner certifies a refund based on an application filed under division (C)(1) or (2) of this section, the commissioner shall include in the certified amount interest calculated at the rate per annum prescribed by section 5703.47 of the Revised Code from the date of overpayment to the date of the commissioner's certification.

(D) Before a refund is issued under this section or section 5703.70 of the Revised Code, a natural gas company or an electric distribution company shall certify, as prescribed by the tax commissioner, that it either did not include the tax imposed by section 5727.81 of the Revised Code in the case of an electric distribution company, or the tax imposed by section 5727.811 of the Revised Code in the case of a natural gas distribution company, in its distribution charge to its customer upon which a refund of the tax is claimed, or it has refunded or credited to the customer the excess distribution charge related to the tax that was erroneously included in the customer's distribution charge.

Sec. 5735.01.  As used in this chapter:

(A) "Motor vehicles" includes all vehicles, vessels, watercraft, engines, machines, or mechanical contrivances which are powered by internal combustion engines or motors.

(B) "Motor fuel" means gasoline, diesel fuel, K-1 kerosene, or any other liquid motor fuel, including, but not limited to, liquid petroleum gas or liquid natural gas, but excluding substances prepackaged and sold in containers of five gallons or less.

(C) "K-1 Kerosene kerosene" means fuel that conforms to the chemical and physical standards for kerosene no. 1-K as set forth in the american American society for testing and materials (ASTM) designated D-3699 "standard for specification for kerosene," as that standard may be modified from time to time. For purposes of inspection and testing, laboratory analysis shall be conducted using methods recognized by the ASTM designation D-3699.

(D) "Diesel fuel" means any liquid fuel capable of use in discrete form or as a blend component in the operation of engines of the diesel type, including transmix when mixed with diesel fuel.

(E) "Gasoline" means any of the following:

(1) All products, commonly or commercially known or sold as gasoline;

(2) Any blend stocks or additives, including alcohol, that are sold for blending with gasoline, other than products typically sold in containers of five gallons or less;

(3) Transmix when mixed with gasoline, unless certified, as required by the tax commissioner, for withdrawal from terminals for reprocessing at refineries;

(4) Alcohol that is offered for sale or sold for use as, or commonly and commercially used as, a fuel for internal combustion engines.

Gasoline does not include diesel fuel, commercial or industrial napthas or solvents manufactured, imported, received, stored, distributed, sold, or used exclusively for purposes other than as a motor fuel for a motor vehicle or vessel. The blending of any of the products listed in the preceding sentence, regardless of name or characteristics, is conclusively presumed to have been done to produce gasoline, unless the product obtained by the blending is entirely incapable for use as fuel to operate a motor vehicle. An additive, blend stock, or alcohol is presumed to be sold for blending unless a certification is obtained as required by the tax commissioner.

(F) "Public highways" means lands and lots over which the public, either as user or owner, generally has a right to pass, even though the same are closed temporarily by the authorities for the purpose of construction, reconstruction, maintenance, or repair.

(G) "Waters within the boundaries of this state" means all streams, lakes, ponds, marshes, water courses, and all other bodies of surface water, natural or artificial, which are situated wholly or partially within this state or within its jurisdiction, except private impounded bodies of water.

(H) "Person" includes individuals, partnerships, firms, associations, corporations, receivers, trustees in bankruptcy, estates, joint-stock companies, joint ventures, the state and its political subdivisions, and any combination of persons of any form.

(I)(1) "Motor fuel dealer" means any person who satisfies any of the following:

(a) The person imports from another state or foreign country or acquires motor fuel by any means into a terminal in this state;

(b) The person imports motor fuel from another state or foreign country in bulk lot vehicles for subsequent sale and distribution in this state from bulk lot vehicles;

(c) The person refines motor fuel in this state;

(d) The person acquires motor fuel from a motor fuel dealer for subsequent sale and distribution by that person in this state from bulk lot vehicles;

(e) The person possesses an unrevoked permissive motor fuel dealer's license.

(2) Any person who obtains dyed diesel fuel for use other than the operation of motor vehicles upon the public highways or upon waters within the boundaries of this state, but later uses that motor fuel for the operation of motor vehicles upon the public highways or upon waters within the boundaries of this state, is deemed a motor fuel dealer as regards any unpaid motor fuel taxes levied on the motor fuel so used.

(J) As used in sections 5735.05, 5735.25, 5735.29, and 5735.30 of the Revised Code only:

(1) With respect to gasoline, "received" or "receipt" shall be construed as follows:

(a) Gasoline produced at a refinery in this state or delivered to a terminal in this state is deemed received when it is disbursed through a loading rack at that refinery or terminal;

(b) Except as provided in division (J)(1)(a) of this section, gasoline imported into this state or purchased or otherwise acquired in this state by any person is deemed received within this state by that person when the gasoline is withdrawn from the container in which it was transported;

(c) Gasoline delivered or disbursed by any means from a terminal directly to another terminal is not deemed received.

(2) With respect to motor fuel other than gasoline, "received" or "receipt" means distributed or sold for use or used to generate power for the operation of motor vehicles upon the public highways or upon waters within the boundaries of this state. All diesel fuel that is not dyed diesel fuel, regardless of its use, shall be considered as used to generate power for the operation of motor vehicles upon the public highways or upon waters within the boundaries of this state when the fuel is sold or distributed to a person other than a licensed motor fuel dealer or to a person licensed under section 5735.026 of the Revised Code.

(K) Motor fuel used for the operation of licensed motor vehicles employed in the maintenance, construction, or repair of public highways is deemed to be used for the operation of motor vehicles upon the public highways.

(L) "Licensed motor fuel dealer" means any dealer possessing an unrevoked motor fuel dealer's license issued by the tax commissioner as provided in section 5735.02 of the Revised Code.

(M) "Licensed retail dealer" means any retail dealer possessing an unrevoked retail dealer's license issued by the tax commissioner as provided in section 5735.022 of the Revised Code.

(N) "Cents per gallon rate" means the amount computed by the tax commissioner under section 5735.011 of the Revised Code that is used to determine that portion of the tax levied by section 5735.05 of the Revised Code that is computed in the manner prescribed by division (B)(2) of section 5735.06 of the Revised Code and that is applicable for the period that begins on the first day of July following the date on which the commissioner makes the computation.

(O) "Retail dealer" means any person that sells or distributes motor fuel at a retail service station located in this state.

(P) "Retail service station" means a location from which motor fuel is sold to the general public and is dispensed or pumped directly into motor vehicle fuel tanks for consumption.

(Q) "Transit bus" means a motor vehicle that is operated for public transit or paratransit service on a regular and continuing basis within the state by or for a county, a municipal corporation, a county transit board pursuant to sections 306.01 to 306.13 of the Revised Code, a regional transit authority pursuant to sections 306.30 to 306.54 of the Revised Code, or a regional transit commission pursuant to sections 306.80 to 306.90 of the Revised Code. Public transit or paratransit service may include fixed route, demand-responsive, or subscription bus service transportation, but does not include shared-ride taxi service, carpools, vanpools, jitney service, school bus transportation, or charter or sightseeing services.

(R) "Export" means motor fuel delivered outside this state. Motor fuel delivered outside this state by or for the seller constitutes an export by the seller. Motor fuel delivered outside this state by or for the purchaser constitutes an export by the purchaser.

(S) "Import" means motor fuel delivered into this state from outside this state. Motor fuel delivered into this state from outside this state by or for the seller constitutes an import by the seller. Motor fuel delivered into this state from outside this state by or for the purchaser constitutes an import by the purchaser.

(T) "Terminal" means a motor fuel storage or distribution facility that is supplied by pipeline or marine vessel.

(U) "Consumer" means a buyer of motor fuel for purposes other than resale in any form.

(V) "Bulk lot vehicle" means railroad tank cars, transport tank trucks and tank wagons with a capacity of at least 1,400 gallons.

(W) "Licensed permissive motor fuel dealer" means any person possessing an unrevoked permissive motor fuel dealer's license issued by the tax commissioner under section 5735.021 of the Revised Code.

(X) "Licensed terminal operator" means any person possessing an unrevoked terminal operator's license issued by the tax commissioner under section 5735.026 of the Revised Code.

(Y) "Licensed exporter" means any person possessing an unrevoked exporter's license issued by the tax commissioner under section 5735.026 of the Revised Code.

(Z) "Dyed diesel fuel" means any diesel fuel dyed pursuant to regulations issued by the internal revenue service or a rule promulgated by the tax commissioner.

(AA) "Gross gallons" means U.S. gallons without temperature or barometric adjustments.

(BB) "Net gallons" means U.S. gallons with a temperature adjustment to sixty degrees fahrenheit.

(CC) "Transporter" means either of the following:

(1) A railroad company, street, suburban, or interurban railroad company, a pipeline company, or water transportation company that transports motor fuel, either in interstate or intrastate commerce, to points in this state;

(2) A person that transports motor fuel by any manner to a point in this state.

(DD) "Exporter" means either of the following:

(1) A person that is licensed to collect and remit motor fuel taxes in a specified state of destination;

(2) A person that is statutorily prohibited from obtaining a license to collect and remit motor fuel taxes in a specified state of destination, and is licensed to sell or distribute tax-paid motor fuel in the specified state of destination.

(EE) "Report" means a report or return required to be filed under this chapter and may be used interchangeably with, and for all purposes has the same meaning as, "return."

Sec. 5735.026.  (A) The tax commissioner, for the purposes of administering this chapter, shall issue two classes of export licenses: "exporter type A" licenses and "exporter type B" licenses. To qualify for an exporter type A license, a person must demonstrate to the tax commissioner's satisfaction that the person is licensed to collect and remit motor fuel taxes in the specified state of destination. To qualify for an exporter type B license, to a person must demonstrate that receives motor fuel in this state and exports that fuel out of this state and that demonstrates to the tax commissioner's satisfaction that the person is statutorily prohibited from obtaining a license to collect and remit motor fuel taxes in the specified state of destination, and that the person is licensed to sell or distribute tax-paid motor fuel in the specified state of destination an exporter.

(B) To obtain an exporter's exporter license of either class, a person shall file, under oath, an application with the commissioner in such form as the commissioner prescribes. The application shall set forth the following information:

(1) The name under which the exporter will transact business within the state;

(2) The location, including street number address, of the exporter's principal office or place of business;

(3) The name and address of the owner, or the names and addresses of the partners if such exporter is a partnership, or the names and addresses of the principal officers if the exporter is a corporation or an association;

(4) A certified copy of the certificate or license issued by the Secretary of State showing that the corporation is authorized to transact business in this state if the exporter is a corporation organized under the laws of another state, territory, or country;

(5) For an exporter type A license described in division (DD)(1) of section 5735.01 of the Revised Code, a copy of the applicant's license or certificate to collect and remit motor fuel taxes or sell or distribute motor fuel in the specified destination state or states for which the license or certificate is to be issued;

(6) Any other information the commissioner may require.

(C)(1) After a hearing as provided in division (C)(2) of this section, the tax commissioner may refuse to issue a license to transact business as an exporter of motor fuel in the following circumstances:

(a) The applicant has previously had a license issued under this chapter canceled for cause by the tax commissioner;

(b) The tax commissioner believes that an application is not filed in good faith;

(c) The applicant has previously violated any provision of this chapter;

(d) The application is filed as a subterfuge by the applicant for the real person in interest who has previously had a license issued under this chapter canceled for cause by the tax commissioner or who has violated any provision of this chapter.

(2) The tax commissioner shall conduct a hearing before refusing to issue a license to transact business as an exporter in any of the circumstances described in division (C)(1) of this section. The applicant shall be given five days' notice, in writing, of the hearing. The applicant may appear in person or be represented by counsel, and may present testimony at the hearing.

(D) When an application in proper form has been accepted for filing, the commissioner shall issue to such exporter a license to transact business as an exporter of motor fuel in this state, subject to cancellation of such license as provided by law.

(E) No person shall make a false or fraudulent statement on the application required by this section.

Sec. 5735.05.  (A) To provide revenue for maintaining the state highway system; to widen existing surfaces on such highways; to resurface such highways; to pay that portion of the construction cost of a highway project which a county, township, or municipal corporation normally would be required to pay, but which the director of transportation, pursuant to division (B) of section 5531.08 of the Revised Code, determines instead will be paid from moneys in the highway operating fund; to enable the counties of the state properly to plan, maintain, and repair their roads and to pay principal, interest, and charges on bonds and other obligations issued pursuant to Chapter 133. of the Revised Code or incurred pursuant to section 5531.09 of the Revised Code for highway improvements; to enable the municipal corporations to plan, construct, reconstruct, repave, widen, maintain, repair, clear, and clean public highways, roads, and streets, and to pay the principal, interest, and charges on bonds and other obligations issued pursuant to Chapter 133. of the Revised Code or incurred pursuant to section 5531.09 of the Revised Code for highway improvements; to enable the Ohio turnpike and infrastructure commission to construct, reconstruct, maintain, and repair turnpike projects; to maintain and repair bridges and viaducts; to purchase, erect, and maintain street and traffic signs and markers; to purchase, erect, and maintain traffic lights and signals; to pay the costs apportioned to the public under sections 4907.47 and 4907.471 of the Revised Code and to supplement revenue already available for such purposes; to pay the costs incurred by the public utilities commission in administering sections 4907.47 to 4907.476 of the Revised Code; to distribute equitably among those persons using the privilege of driving motor vehicles upon such highways and streets the cost of maintaining and repairing them; to pay the interest, principal, and charges on highway capital improvements bonds and other obligations issued pursuant to Section 2m of Article VIII, Ohio Constitution, and section 151.06 of the Revised Code; to pay the interest, principal, and charges on highway obligations issued pursuant to Section 2i of Article VIII, Ohio Constitution, and sections 5528.30 and 5528.31 of the Revised Code; to pay the interest, principal, and charges on major new state infrastructure bonds and other obligations of the state issued pursuant to Section 13 of Article VIII, Ohio Constitution, and section 5531.10 of the Revised Code; to provide revenue for the purposes of sections 1547.71 to 1547.78 of the Revised Code; and to pay the expenses of the department of taxation incident to the administration of the motor fuel laws, a motor fuel excise tax is hereby imposed on all motor fuel dealers upon receipt of motor fuel within this state at the rate of two cents plus the cents per gallon rate on each gallon so received, to be computed in the manner set forth in section 5735.06 of the Revised Code; provided that no tax is hereby imposed upon the following transactions:

(1) The sale of dyed diesel fuel by a licensed motor fuel dealer from a location other than a retail service station provided the licensed motor fuel dealer places on the face of the delivery document or invoice, or both if both are used, a conspicuous notice stating that the fuel is dyed and is not for taxable use, and that taxable use of that fuel is subject to a penalty. The tax commissioner, by rule, may provide that any notice conforming to rules or regulations issued by the United States department of the treasury or the Internal Revenue Service is sufficient notice for the purposes of division (A)(1) of this section.

(2) The sale of K-1 kerosene to a retail service station, except when placed directly in the fuel supply tank of a motor vehicle. Such sale shall be rebuttably presumed to not be distributed or sold for use or used to generate power for the operation of motor vehicles upon the public highways or upon the waters within the boundaries of this state.

(3) The sale of motor fuel by a licensed motor fuel dealer to another licensed motor fuel dealer;

(4) The exportation of motor fuel by a licensed motor fuel dealer from this state to any other state or foreign country;

(5) The sale of motor fuel to the United States government or any of its agencies, except such tax as is permitted by it, where such sale is evidenced by an exemption certificate, in a form approved by the tax commissioner, executed by the United States government or an agency thereof certifying that the motor fuel therein identified has been purchased for the exclusive use of the United States government or its agency;

(6) The sale of motor fuel that is in the process of transportation in foreign or interstate commerce, except insofar as it may be taxable under the Constitution and statutes of the United States, and except as may be agreed upon in writing by the dealer and the commissioner;

(7) The sale of motor fuel when sold exclusively for use in the operation of aircraft, where such sale is evidenced by an exemption certificate prescribed by the commissioner and executed by the purchaser certifying that the motor fuel purchased has been purchased for exclusive use in the operation of aircraft;

(8) The sale for exportation of motor fuel by a licensed motor fuel dealer to a licensed exporter type A described in division (DD)(1) of section 5735.01 of the Revised Code;

(9) The sale for exportation of motor fuel by a licensed motor fuel dealer to a licensed exporter type B described in division (DD)(2) of section 5735.01 of the Revised Code, provided that the destination state motor fuel tax has been paid or will be accrued and paid by the licensed motor fuel dealer.

(10) The sale to a consumer of diesel fuel, by a motor fuel dealer for delivery from a bulk lot vehicle, for consumption in operating a vessel when the use of such fuel in a vessel would otherwise qualify for a refund under section 5735.14 of the Revised Code.

Division (A)(1) of this section does not apply to the sale or distribution of dyed diesel fuel used to operate a motor vehicle on the public highways or upon water within the boundaries of this state by persons permitted under regulations of the United States department of the treasury or of the Internal Revenue Service to so use dyed diesel fuel.

(B) The two cent motor fuel tax levied by this section is also for the purpose of paying the expenses of administering and enforcing the state law relating to the registration and operation of motor vehicles.

(C) After the tax provided for by this section on the receipt of any motor fuel has been paid by the motor fuel dealer, the motor fuel may thereafter be used, sold, or resold by any person having lawful title to it, without incurring liability for such tax.

If a licensed motor fuel dealer sells motor fuel received by the licensed motor fuel dealer to another licensed motor fuel dealer, the seller may deduct on the report required by section 5735.06 of the Revised Code the number of gallons so sold for the month within which the motor fuel was sold or delivered. In this event the number of gallons is deemed to have been received by the purchaser, who shall report and pay the tax imposed thereon.

Sec. 5735.062.  (A) If the total amount of tax required to be paid under section 5735.06 of the Revised Code for any calendar year indicated in the following schedule exceeds the amounts prescribed for that year in the schedule commissioner so requires, the dealer shall remit each monthly tax payment in the second ensuing and each succeeding year by electronic funds transfer electronically as prescribed by division (B) of this section.

Year 1992         1993 and thereafter Total tax payment $1,200,000         $600,000

If a dealer's total tax payment for each of two consecutive years beginning with 1993 is six hundred thousand dollars or less, the dealer is relieved of the requirement to remit taxes by electronic funds transfer for the year that next follows the second of the consecutive years in which the total tax payment is six hundred thousand dollars or less, and is relieved of that requirement for each succeeding year unless the total tax payment in a subsequent year exceeds six hundred thousand dollars.

The tax commissioner shall notify each dealer required to remit taxes by electronic funds transfer electronically of the dealer's obligation to do so, shall maintain an updated list of those dealers, and shall timely certify the list and any additions thereto or deletions therefrom to the treasurer of state. Failure by the tax commissioner to notify a dealer subject to this section to remit taxes by electronic funds transfer electronically does not relieve the dealer of its obligation to remit taxes by electronic funds transfer electronically.

(B) Dealers required by division (A) of this section to remit payments by electronic funds transfer electronically shall remit such payments to the treasurer of state in the manner prescribed by rules adopted by the treasurer under section 113.061 of the Revised Code and or through the department of taxation's web site. Required payments shall be remitted on or before the dates specified under section 5735.06 of the Revised Code. The payment of taxes by electronic funds transfer electronically does not affect a dealer's obligation to file the monthly report return as required under section 5735.06 of the Revised Code.

A dealer required by this section to remit taxes by electronic funds transfer electronically may apply to the treasurer of state in the manner prescribed by the treasurer commissioner to be excused from that requirement. The treasurer of state commissioner may excuse the dealer from the electronic remittance by electronic funds transfer requirement for good cause shown for the period of time requested by the dealer or for a portion of that period. The treasurer shall notify the tax commissioner and the dealer of the treasurer's decision as soon as is practicable.

(C) If a dealer required by this section to remit taxes by electronic funds transfer remits those taxes by some means other than by electronic funds transfer as prescribed by this section and the rules adopted by the treasurer of state, and the treasurer determines that such failure was not due to reasonable cause or was due to willful neglect, the treasurer shall notify the tax commissioner of the failure to remit by electronic funds transfer and shall provide the commissioner with any information used in making that determination. The tax electronically fails to do so, the commissioner may collect an additional charge by assessment in the manner prescribed by section 5735.12 of the Revised Code. The additional charge shall equal five per cent of the amount of the taxes required to be paid by electronic funds transfer, but shall not exceed five thousand dollars. Any additional charge assessed under this section is in addition to any other penalty or charge imposed under this chapter, and shall be considered as revenue arising from taxes imposed under this chapter. The tax commissioner may remit all or a portion of such a charge and may adopt rules governing such remission.

No additional charge shall be assessed under this division against a dealer that has been notified of its obligation to remit taxes under this section and that remits its first two tax payments after such notification by some means other than electronic funds transfer. The additional charge may be assessed upon the remittance of any subsequent tax payment that the dealer remits by some means other than electronic funds transfer impose a penalty on the dealer not to exceed one of the following:

(1) For the first return period the dealer fails to remit taxes electronically, the greater of twenty-five dollars or five per cent of the amount of the payment required to be remitted;

(2) For the second or any subsequent return period the dealer fails to remit taxes electronically, the greater of fifty dollars or ten per cent of the amount of the payment required to be remitted.

The penalty imposed under division (C) of this section is in addition to any other penalty imposed under this chapter and shall be considered as revenue arising from the taxes imposed under this chapter. A penalty may be collected by assessment in the manner prescribed by section 5735.12 of the Revised Code. The commissioner may abate all or a portion of a penalty.

(D) The commissioner may adopt rules necessary to administer this section.

Sec. 5735.07.  Each month the tax commissioner shall make a list of all motor fuel dealers that have filed a report pursuant to section 5735.06 of the Revised Code. The list shall contain the names and addresses of all dealers and, the number of gallons of motor fuel upon which those dealers were required to pay the tax as reported on the return or as determined by investigation of the commissioner, and each dealer's federal identification number or other motor fuel tax account number. The list shall be open to public inspection in the office of the commissioner or posted on the department of taxation's web site.

Sec. 5735.09.  (A) Every railroad company, every street, suburban, or interurban railroad company, every pipe line company, and every water transportation company, which transports motor fuel, either in interstate or in intrastate commerce, to points within this state, and every person who transports motor fuel by any manner to a point in this state, transporter shall report all deliveries of motor fuel made to points within this state to register with the tax commissioner on forms a form prescribed by the tax commissioner.

Each transporter shall report all deliveries of motor fuel made to points in this state to the commissioner on forms prescribed by the commissioner. Such reports shall cover monthly periods, shall be submitted within thirty days after the close of the month covered by the report, shall show the name and address of the person to whom the deliveries of motor fuel were actually made, the name and address of the person that assumes ownership of the motor fuel, the point of origin, the point of delivery, the date of delivery, and the number and initials of each car if shipped by rail, the quantity of each shipment and delivery in gallons, the date delivered, the name of the person to whom delivered, the point of shipment, the point of delivery, the name of the boat or barge if delivered by water, and if delivered by other means, the manner in which such delivery is made.

(B) No person required by this section to file a report shall file a false or fraudulent report or supporting schedule.

Sec. 5735.12.  (A) Any motor fuel dealer person required by this chapter to file reports and or pay the tax levied by this chapter who fails to file the report do so within the time prescribed, may be liable for an additional charge not exceeding the greater of ten per cent of the motor fuel dealer's person's tax liability for that month or fifty dollars. The tax commissioner may remit all or a portion of the additional charge and may adopt rules relating to the remission of all or a portion of the charge.

If any person required by this chapter to file reports and or pay the taxes, interest, or additional charge levied by this chapter fails to file the report, files an incomplete or incorrect report, or fails to remit the full amount of the tax, interest, or additional charge due for the period covered by the report, the commissioner may make an assessment against the person based upon any information in the commissioner's possession.

No assessment shall be made against any motor fuel dealer for taxes imposed by this chapter more than four years after the date on which the report on which the assessment was based was due or was filed, whichever is later. This section does not bar an assessment against any motor fuel dealer who fails to file a report required by section 5735.06 of the Revised Code, or who files a fraudulent motor fuel tax report.

A penalty of up to fifteen per cent may be added to the amount of every assessment made under this section. The commissioner may adopt rules providing for the imposition and remission of penalties added to assessments made under this section.

The commissioner shall give the party assessed written notice of the assessment in the manner provided in section 5703.37 of the Revised Code. With the notice, the commissioner shall provide instructions on how to petition for reassessment and request a hearing on the petition.

(B) Unless the party assessed files with the tax commissioner within sixty days after service of the notice of assessment, either personally or by certified mail, a written petition for reassessment in writing, signed by the party assessed or that party's authorized agent having knowledge of the facts, the assessment becomes final and the amount of the assessment is due and payable from the party assessed to the treasurer of state. The petition shall indicate the objections of the party assessed, but additional objections may be raised in writing if received by the commissioner prior to the date shown on the final determination. If the petition has been properly filed, the commissioner shall proceed under section 5703.60 of the Revised Code.

(C) After an assessment becomes final, if any portion of the assessment remains unpaid, including accrued interest, a certified copy of the tax commissioner's entry making the assessment final may be filed in the office of the clerk of the court of common pleas in the county in which the party assessed resides or in which the business of the party assessed is conducted. If the party assessed maintains no place of business in this state and is not a resident of this state, the certified copy of the entry may be filed in the office of the clerk of the court of common pleas of Franklin county.

Immediately upon the filing of the entry, the clerk shall enter a judgment for the state against the party assessed in the amount shown on the entry. The judgment may be filed by the clerk in a loose-leaf book entitled "special judgments for state motor fuel tax," and shall have the same effect as other judgments. Execution shall issue upon the judgment upon the request of the tax commissioner, and all laws applicable to sales on execution shall apply to sales made under the judgment.

If the assessment is not paid in its entirety within sixty days after the day the assessment was issued, the portion of the assessment consisting of tax due shall bear interest at the rate per annum prescribed by section 5703.47 of the Revised Code from the day the commissioner issues the assessment until it is paid or until it is certified to the attorney general for collection under section 131.02 of the Revised Code, whichever comes first. If the unpaid portion of the assessment is certified to the attorney general for collection, the entire unpaid portion of the assessment shall bear interest at the rate per annum prescribed by section 5703.47 of the Revised Code from the date of certification until the date it is paid in its entirety. Interest shall be paid in the same manner as the tax and may be collected by the issuance of an assessment under this section.

(D) All money collected by the tax commissioner under this section shall be paid to the treasurer of state, and when paid shall be considered as revenue arising from the tax imposed by this chapter.

(E) If the tax commissioner determines that the commissioner has erroneously refunded motor fuel tax to any person, the commissioner may make an assessment against the person for recovery of the erroneously refunded tax.

Sec. 5735.141.  Any retail dealer of motor fuel shall receive a refund for Ohio motor fuel taxes paid on fuel lost by a retail dealer through shrinkage and evaporation. This refund shall be one per cent of the Ohio motor fuel taxes paid on fuel purchased during any semiannual period ending the thirtieth day of June or the thirty-first day of December.

In order to receive a refund, the retail dealer shall file with the tax commissioner, within one hundred twenty days after the thirtieth day of June and the thirty-first day of December of each year, an application for a refund stating the quantity of motor fuel that was purchased for resale by the applicant during the preceding semiannual period ending the thirtieth day of June or the thirty-first day of December and upon which the motor fuel tax has been paid. No person shall file a claim for the tax on fewer than one hundred gallons of motor fuel. The form and contents of the application shall be prescribed by the commissioner, and the application shall be signed in accordance with section 5703.25 of the Revised Code. On the filing of the application, the commissioner shall determine the amount of refund to which the applicant is entitled. If the amount is not less than that claimed, the commissioner shall certify the amount to the director of budget and management and treasurer of state for payment from the tax refund fund created by section 5703.052 of the Revised Code. If the amount is less than that claimed, the commissioner shall proceed in accordance with section 5703.70 of the Revised Code.

No refund shall be authorized or ordered under this section for any single claim for the tax on fewer than one hundred gallons of motor fuel.

The refund authorized by this section or section 5703.70 of the Revised Code shall be reduced by the cents per gallon amount of any qualified fuel credit received under section 5735.145 of the Revised Code, as determined by the commissioner, for each gallon of qualified fuel included in the total gallonage of motor fuel upon which the refund is computed.

The right to receive any refund under this section or section 5703.70 of the Revised Code is not assignable. The payment of the refund shall not be made to any person other than the retail dealer originally entitled thereto, except that the refund may be paid to the executor, administrator, receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, or assignee in insolvency proceedings of such retailer.

A motor fuel dealer shall be deemed to be a retail dealer when acting in a retail capacity.

For the purpose of administering this section, the commissioner may provide a retail dealer with information related to a wholesale dealer, including the wholesale dealer's federal identification number or other motor fuel tax account number.

Sec. 5735.23.  (A) Out of receipts from the tax levied by section 5735.05 of the Revised Code, the treasurer of state shall place to the credit of the tax refund fund established by section 5703.052 of the Revised Code amounts equal to the refunds certified by the tax commissioner pursuant to sections 5735.13, 5735.14, 5735.141, and 5735.142, and 5735.16 of the Revised Code. The treasurer of state shall then transfer the amount required by section 5735.051 of the Revised Code to the waterways safety fund, the amount required by section 4907.472 of the Revised Code to the grade crossing protection fund, and the amount required by section 5735.053 of the Revised Code to the motor fuel tax administration fund.

(B) Except as provided in division (D) of this section, each month the balance of the receipts from the tax levied by section 5735.05 of the Revised Code shall be credited, after receipt by the treasurer of state of certification from the commissioners of the sinking fund, as required by section 5528.35 of the Revised Code, that there are sufficient moneys to the credit of the highway obligations bond retirement fund to meet in full all payments of interest, principal, and charges for the retirement of highway obligations issued pursuant to Section 2i of Article VIII, Ohio Constitution, and sections 5528.30 and 5528.31 of the Revised Code due and payable during the current calendar year, as follows:

(1) To the state and local government highway distribution fund, which is hereby created in the state treasury, an amount that is the same percentage of the balance to be credited as that portion of the tax per gallon determined under division (B)(2)(a) of section 5735.06 of the Revised Code is of the total tax per gallon determined under divisions (B)(2)(a) and (b) of that section.

(2) After making the distribution to the state and local government highway distribution fund, the remainder shall be credited as follows:

(a) Thirty per cent to the gasoline excise tax fund for distribution pursuant to division (A)(1) of section 5735.27 of the Revised Code;

(b) Twenty-five per cent to the gasoline excise tax fund for distribution pursuant to division (A)(3) of section 5735.27 of the Revised Code;

(c) Except as provided in division (D) of this section, forty-five per cent to the highway operating fund for distribution pursuant to division (B)(1) of section 5735.27 of the Revised Code.

(C) From the balance in the state and local government highway distribution fund on the last day of each month there shall be paid the following amounts:

(1) To the local transportation improvement program fund created by section 164.14 of the Revised Code, an amount equal to a fraction of the balance in the state and local government highway distribution fund, the numerator of which fraction is one and the denominator of which fraction is that portion of the tax per gallon determined under division (B)(2)(a) of section 5735.06 of the Revised Code;

(2) An amount equal to five cents multiplied by the number of gallons of motor fuel sold at stations operated by the Ohio turnpike and infrastructure commission, such gallonage to be certified by the commission to the treasurer of state not later than the last day of the month following. The funds paid to the commission pursuant to this section shall be expended for the construction, reconstruction, maintenance, and repair of turnpike projects, except that the funds may not be expended for the construction of new interchanges. The funds also may be expended for the construction, reconstruction, maintenance, and repair of those portions of connecting public roads that serve existing interchanges and are determined by the commission and the director of transportation to be necessary for the safe merging of traffic between the turnpike and those public roads.

The remainder of the balance shall be distributed as follows on the fifteenth day of the following month:

(a) Ten and seven-tenths per cent shall be paid to municipal corporations for distribution pursuant to division (A)(1) of section 5735.27 of the Revised Code and may be used for any purpose for which payments received under that division may be used. Through July 15, 2005, the sum of two hundred forty-eight thousand six hundred twenty-five dollars shall be monthly subtracted from the amount so computed and credited to the highway operating fund. Beginning August 15, 2005, the sum of seven hundred forty-five thousand eight hundred seventy-five dollars shall be monthly subtracted from the amount so computed and credited to the highway operating fund.

(b) Five per cent shall be paid to townships for distribution pursuant to division (A)(5) of section 5735.27 of the Revised Code and may be used for any purpose for which payments received under that division may be used. Through July 15, 2005, the sum of eighty-seven thousand seven hundred fifty dollars shall be monthly subtracted from the amount so computed and credited to the highway operating fund. Beginning August 15, 2005, the sum of two hundred sixty-three thousand two hundred fifty dollars shall be monthly subtracted from the amount so computed and credited to the highway operating fund.

(c) Nine and three-tenths per cent shall be paid to counties for distribution pursuant to division (A)(3) of section 5735.27 of the Revised Code and may be used for any purpose for which payments received under that division may be used. Through July 15, 2005, the sum of two hundred forty-eight thousand six hundred twenty-five dollars shall be monthly subtracted from the amount so computed and credited to the highway operating fund. Beginning August 15, 2005, the sum of seven hundred forty-five thousand eight hundred seventy-five dollars shall be monthly subtracted from the amount so computed and credited to the highway operating fund.

(d) Except as provided in division (D) of this section, the balance shall be transferred to the highway operating fund and used for the purposes set forth in division (B)(1) of section 5735.27 of the Revised Code.

(D) Monthly from September to February of each fiscal year, an amount equal to one-sixth of the amount certified in July of that year by the treasurer of state pursuant to division (Q) of section 151.01 of the Revised Code shall, from amounts required to be credited or transferred to the highway operating fund pursuant to division (B)(2)(c) or (C)(2)(d) of this section, be credited or transferred to the highway capital improvement bond service fund created in section 151.06 of the Revised Code. If, in any of those months, the amount available to be credited or transferred to the bond service fund is less than one-sixth of the amount so certified, the shortfall shall be added to the amount due the next succeeding month. Any amount still due at the end of the six-month period shall be credited or transferred as the money becomes available, until such time as the office of budget and management receives certification from the treasurer of state or the treasurer of state's designee that sufficient money has been credited or transferred to the bond service fund to meet in full all payments of debt service and financing costs due during the fiscal year from that fund.

Sec. 5736.01.  As used in this division chapter:

(A) "Calendar quarter" and "person" have the same meanings as in section 5751.01 of the Revised Code.

(B) "Distribution system" means a bulk transfer or terminal system for the distribution of motor fuel consisting of refineries, pipelines, marine vessels, and terminals. For the purposes of this section, motor fuel that is in a refinery, pipeline, terminal, or marine vessel or that is transporting motor fuel en route to a refinery, pipeline, or terminal via any method of transportation is in a "distribution system." Motor fuel is "outside of a distribution system" if the fuel is in a fuel storage facility, including, but not limited to, a bulk plant that is not part of a refinery or terminal, is in the fuel supply tank of an engine or motor vehicle, or is being transported by a marine vessel transporting motor fuel to a fuel storage facility that is not in a distribution system, or a, tank car, rail car, trailer, truck, or other suitable equipment suitable for ground transportation to a fuel storage facility that is not in a distribution system.

(C) "Dyed diesel fuel," "import," "motor fuel," "public highways," "gasoline," "diesel fuel," "licensed motor fuel dealer," "licensed permissive motor fuel dealer," and "terminal" have the same meanings as in section 5735.01 of the Revised Code. "Gallons" means gross gallons as defined in section 5735.01 of the Revised Code.

(D) "First sale of motor fuel within this state" means the initial sale of motor fuel to a point outside a distribution system, wherever the sale occurs, without regard to where title transfers or other conditions of sale, when sold for delivery to a location in this state as that location is shown on the bill of lading or other similar document issued by the terminal, refinery, or supplier. "First sale of motor fuel within this state" excludes the following:

(1) Motor fuel exchanges;

(2) The sale of motor fuel on which the petroleum activity tax imposed by this chapter was paid in a prior quarterly tax payment period and on which the supplier may claim a bad debt. As used in this division, "bad debt" has the same meaning as in section 5751.01 of the Revised Code.

(E) "Gross Calculated gross receipts" means the sum of the following:

(1) With respect to sales of gasoline, the product obtained by multiplying (a) the total amount received by a person, without deduction for the cost of goods sold or other expenses incurred, from the first sale number of gallons of motor fuel gasoline first sold within this state. For the purposes of division (E) of this section, "amount received" includes amounts accrued under the accrual method of accounting. "Gross receipts" shall not include any of the following amounts:

(1) Receipts derived from the sale of motor fuel when sold for export to another state;

(2) An amount equal to the federal and state excise taxes paid by the supplier on the motor fuel;

(3) Bad debts from receipts on the basis of which the tax imposed by this chapter was paid in a prior quarterly tax payment period. For the purpose of this division, "bad debts" has the same meaning as in section 5751.01 of the Revised Code.

(4) Any amount realized from the sale of an account receivable to the extent the receipts from the underlying transaction giving rise to the account receivable were included in the gross receipts of the taxpayer by a supplier during the tax period by (b) the average wholesale price of a gallon of unleaded regular gasoline for the calendar quarter that begins six months before the upcoming calendar quarter, as published by the tax commissioner under division (C) of section 5736.02 of the Revised Code;

(2) With respect to sales of motor fuel that is not gasoline, the product obtained by multiplying (a) the total number of gallons of motor fuel first sold within this state by a supplier during the tax period by (b) the average wholesale price of a gallon of diesel fuel for the calendar quarter that begins six months before the upcoming calendar quarter, as published by the tax commissioner under division (C) of section 5736.02 of the Revised Code.

(F) "Motor fuel used to propel vehicles on public highways and waterways" includes motor fuel used for the operation of licensed motor vehicles employed in the maintenance, construction, or repair of public highways. "Motor fuel used to propel vehicles on public highways and waterways" does not include dyed diesel fuel.

(G) "Rack" means a mechanism capable of delivering motor fuel from a refinery, terminal, or marine vessel into a railroad tank car, transport truck, tank wagon, fuel supply tank, marine vessel, or other means of transport outside of a distribution system.

(H) "Refinery" means a facility used to produce motor fuel and from which motor fuel may be removed by pipeline, by vessel, or at a rack.

(I) "Supplier" means either any of the following:

(1) A person that sells, exchanges, transfers, or otherwise distributes motor fuel from a terminal or refinery rack to a point outside of a distribution system, if the person distributes such motor fuel at a location in this state;

(2) A person that imports or causes the importation of motor fuel for sale, exchange, transfer, or other distribution by the person to a point outside of a distribution system in this state;

(3) A person that knowingly purchases motor fuel from an unlicensed supplier.

(J) "Tax period" means the calendar quarter on the basis of which a taxpayer is required to pay the tax imposed under this chapter.

(K) "Taxpayer" means a person subject to the tax imposed by this chapter.

(L) "Waterways" means all streams, lakes, ponds, marshes, water courses, and all other bodies of surface water, natural or artificial, which are situated wholly or partially within this state or within its jurisdiction, except private impounded bodies of water.

(M) "Motor fuel exchange" means an exchange of motor fuel between two or more suppliers, licensed motor fuel dealers, or licensed permissive motor fuel dealers if delivery occurs at a refinery, terminal, pipeline, or marine vessel and if the parties agree that neither party requires monetary compensation from the other party for the exchanged fuel other than compensation for differences in product location, grade, or handling.

Sec. 5736.02.  (A) Beginning with the tax period that commences July 1, 2014, and continuing for every tax period thereafter, there is hereby levied an excise tax on each supplier measured by the supplier's calculated gross receipts derived from the first sale of motor fuel within this state. The tax due shall be levied at a rate of six and five-tenths mills for each dollar of the computed by multiplying sixty-five one hundredths of one per cent by the supplier's calculated gross receipts.

All revenue from the tax shall be distributed as follows:

(1) All revenue from the tax as measured by calculated gross receipts derived from the sale of motor fuel used for propelling vehicles on public highways and waterways shall be used for the purposes of maintaining the state highway system, funding the enforcement of traffic laws, and covering the costs of hospitalization of indigent persons injured in motor vehicle accidents on the public highways.

(2) All revenue not distributed as required by division (A)(1) of this section shall be used for the purpose of funding the needs of this state and its local governments.

(B) The tax imposed by this section is in addition to any other taxes or fees imposed under the Revised Code.

(C) The tax commissioner shall determine and publish, on the web site of the department of taxation, the statewide average wholesale prices of a gallon of unleaded regular gasoline and of a gallon of diesel fuel for each calendar quarter. The commissioner's determination is presumed to be correct unless clearly erroneous. The figure shall be published at least fifteen days before the beginning of the calendar quarter. The commissioner shall base the average price on pricing information available from the United States energy information administration or, if such information is not available from that agency, from another publicly available source selected by the commissioner. The commissioner shall first make reasonable efforts to obtain data specific to this state before using national data to determine the average wholesale price. The price shall not include any federal or state excise taxes on the gasoline or diesel fuel, or the tax imposed by this chapter. The price shall be rounded up to the nearest one-tenth of one cent.

(D) Nothing in this chapter prohibits a person from separately or proportionately billing or invoicing the tax imposed by this section to a purchaser of motor fuel.

(E) The tax imposed by this section applies only to suppliers having a substantial nexus with this state, as that term is defined in section 5751.01 of the Revised Code. A supplier that does not have substantial nexus with the state may voluntarily obtain a license from the commissioner under section 5736.06 of the Revised Code. A supplier that voluntarily obtains a license from the commissioner is entitled to the same benefits and is subject to the same duties and requirements as are suppliers required to be licensed with the commissioner.

Sec. 5736.03.  (A) No person shall avoid the tax imposed by this chapter by receiving motor fuel outside of this state and transferring the motor fuel into this state within one year. Any such person shall be considered to have received the fuel in this state and shall include as, in the calculation of calculated gross receipts, the value number of gallons of motor fuel the person transfers into this state within one year after the person receives the property outside of this state.

(B) Any person that knowingly receives motor fuel from a supplier that is not licensed as required by section 5736.06 of the Revised Code shall include in the calculation of the person's calculated gross receipts the number of gallons of motor fuel the person received in this state or transported into this state from the unlicensed supplier.

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

Sec. 5736.04.  (A) Not later than the tenth day of the second month after the end of each calendar quarter, every taxpayer shall file with the tax commissioner a tax return in such form as the commissioner prescribes. The return shall include, but is not limited to, the amount of the taxpayer's calculated gross receipts for the calendar quarter and shall indicate the amount of tax due under section 5736.02 of the Revised Code for the calendar quarter. The taxpayer shall indicate on each return the portion of the taxpayer's gross receipts attributable to motor fuel used for propelling vehicles on public highways and waterways and the portion of such receipts attributable to motor fuel used for other purposes. For this purpose, the sale of gasoline and of diesel fuel that is not dyed diesel fuel shall be rebuttably presumed to be distributed or sold for use or used to propel vehicles on public highways or waterways. All other sales of motor fuel shall be rebuttably presumed not to be distributed or sold for use or used to propel vehicles on public highways or waterways.

(B)(1) The taxpayer shall remit the tax shown to be due on the return, and, if required by the tax commissioner, file the return, electronically. The commissioner may require taxpayers to use the Ohio business gateway as defined in section 718.051 of the Revised Code to file return returns and remit the tax, or may provide another means for taxpayers to file and remit the tax electronically.

(2) A person required by this section to remit taxes or file returns electronically may apply to the commissioner, on the form prescribed by the commissioner, to be excused from that requirement. The commissioner may excuse a person from such requirement for good cause.

(C) The tax rate with respect to calculated gross receipts for a calendar quarter is not fixed until the end of the measurement period for each calendar quarter. The total amount of calculated gross receipts reported for a given calendar quarter shall be subject to the tax rate in effect in that quarter.

Sec. 5736.041. The tax commissioner shall prepare and maintain a list of suppliers holding a license issued under section 5736.06 of the Revised Code that has not been revoked or canceled under section 5736.07 of the Revised Code. The list shall contain the names and addresses of all such suppliers and each supplier's account number for the tax imposed under section 5736.02 of the Revised Code. The list shall be open to public inspection in the office of the commissioner. The commissioner may post the list on the department of taxation's web site.

Sec. 5736.06.  (A) No person subject to the tax imposed by section 5736.02 of the Revised Code shall distribute, import, or cause the importation of motor fuel for consumption in this state without holding a supplier's license issued by the tax commissioner to engage in such activities.

(B)(1) A person subject to the tax imposed by section 5736.02 of the Revised Code shall, on or before March 1, 2014, or within thirty days of first becoming subject to the tax imposed by this chapter, whichever is earlier, apply to the tax commissioner for a supplier's license on the form prescribed by the commissioner.

(2) Each person issued a supplier's license under division (B)(1) of this section shall apply to renew the license on or before the first day of March of each year.

(3) With each license application submitted under division (B)(1) or (2) of this section, the applicant shall pay an application fee equal to one of the following amounts:

(a) If the applicant solely imports or causes the importation of motor fuel for sale, exchange, or transfer by the person in this state, three hundred dollars;

(b) If the applicant engages in activities in addition to those described in division (B)(3)(a) of this section, one thousand dollars.

If an applicant timely submits an application under division (B)(1) of this section on or after the first day of September of any year, the fee that would apply to the applicant under division (B)(3)(a) or (b) of this section shall be reduced by one-half.

(4) The failure to apply to the commissioner for a supplier's license does not relieve a person from the requirement to file returns and pay the tax imposed by this chapter.

(C) The tax commissioner may refuse to issue a license to any applicant under this section in the following circumstances:

(1) The applicant has previously had any license canceled for cause by the commissioner.

(2) The commissioner believes that the application is not filed in good faith or is filed as a subterfuge in an attempt to procure a license for another person.

(3) The applicant has violated any provision of this chapter.

(D) If the tax commissioner refuses to issue a license to an applicant under this section, the applicant is entitled to a refund of the application fee in accordance with section 5736.08 of the Revised Code. All application fees collected under this section shall be deposited into the motor fuel receipts petroleum activity tax administration fund created in section 5736.13 of the Revised Code.

(E) No person shall make a false or fraudulent statement on an application required by this section.

Sec. 5736.09.  (A) The tax commissioner may make an assessment, based on any information in the commissioner's possession, against any person that fails to file a return or pay any tax as required by this chapter. The commissioner shall give the person assessed written notice of the assessment as provided in section 5703.37 of the Revised Code. With the notice, the commissioner shall provide instructions on the manner in which to petition for reassessment and request a hearing with respect to the petition.

(B) Unless the person assessed, within sixty days after service of the notice of assessment, files with the commissioner, either personally or by certified mail, a written petition signed by the person or the person's authorized agent having knowledge of the facts, the assessment becomes final, and the amount of the assessment is due and payable from the person assessed to the treasurer of state. The petition shall indicate the objections of the person assessed, but additional objections may be raised in writing if received by the commissioner prior to the date shown on the final determination.

If a petition for reassessment has been properly filed, the commissioner shall proceed under section 5703.60 of the Revised Code.

(C)(1) After an assessment becomes final, if any portion of the assessment, including accrued interest, remains unpaid, a certified copy of the commissioner's entry making the assessment final may be filed in the office of the clerk of the court of common pleas in the county in which the person resides or has its principal place of business in this state, or in the office of the clerk of court of common pleas of Franklin county.

(2) Immediately upon the filing of the entry, the clerk shall enter judgment for the state against the person assessed in the amount shown on the entry. The judgment may be filed by the clerk in a loose-leaf book entitled, "special judgments for the motor fuel receipts petroleum activity tax" and shall have the same effect as other judgments. Execution shall issue upon the judgment at the request of the commissioner, and all laws applicable to sales on execution shall apply to sales made under the judgment.

(3) If the assessment is not paid in its entirety within sixty days after the day the assessment was issued, the portion of the assessment consisting of tax due shall bear interest at the rate per annum prescribed by section 5703.47 of the Revised Code from the day the commissioner issues the assessment until it is paid or until it is certified to the attorney general for collection under section 131.02 of the Revised Code, whichever comes first. If the unpaid portion of the assessment is certified to the attorney general for collection, the entire unpaid portion of the assessment shall bear interest at the rate per annum prescribed by section 5703.47 of the Revised Code from the date of certification until the date it is paid in its entirety. Interest shall be paid in the same manner as the tax and may be collected by the issuance of an assessment under this section.

(D) If the commissioner believes that collection of the tax will be jeopardized unless proceedings to collect or secure collection of the tax are instituted without delay, the commissioner may issue a jeopardy assessment against the person liable for the tax. Immediately upon the issuance of the jeopardy assessment, the commissioner shall file an entry with the clerk of the court of common pleas in the manner prescribed by division (C) of this section. Notice of the jeopardy assessment shall be served on the person assessed or the person's authorized agent in the manner provided in section 5703.37 of the Revised Code within five days of the filing of the entry with the clerk. The total amount assessed is immediately due and payable, unless the person assessed files a petition for reassessment in accordance with division (B) of this section and provides security in a form satisfactory to the commissioner and in an amount sufficient to satisfy the unpaid balance of the assessment. Full or partial payment of the assessment does not prejudice the commissioner's consideration of the petition for reassessment.

(E) The commissioner shall immediately forward to the treasurer of state all amounts the commissioner receives under this section, and such amounts shall be considered as revenue arising from the tax imposed under this chapter.

(F) Except as otherwise provided in this division, no assessment shall be made or issued against a taxpayer for the tax imposed under this chapter more than four years after the due date for the filing of the return for the tax period for which the tax was reported, or more than four years after the return for the tax period was filed, whichever is later. The time limit may be extended if both the taxpayer and the commissioner consent in writing to the extension or enter into an agreement waiving or extending the time limit. Any such extension shall extend the four-year time limit in division (A) of section 5736.08 of the Revised Code for the same period of time. Nothing in this division bars an assessment against a taxpayer that fails to file a return required by this chapter or that files a fraudulent return.

(G) If the commissioner possesses information that indicates that the amount of tax a taxpayer is required to pay under this chapter exceeds the amount the taxpayer paid, the commissioner may audit a sample of the taxpayer's calculated gross receipts over a representative period of time to ascertain the amount of tax due, and may issue an assessment based on the audit. The commissioner shall make a good faith effort to reach agreement with the taxpayer in selecting a representative sample. The commissioner may apply a sampling method only if the commissioner has prescribed the method by rule.

(H) If the whereabouts of a person subject to this chapter is not known to the commissioner, the commissioner shall follow the procedures under section 5703.37 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 5736.13.  (A) For the purpose of receiving, accounting for, and distributing revenue received from the tax imposed by section 5736.02 of the Revised Code, the following funds are hereby created in the state treasury:

(1) The motor fuel receipts petroleum activity tax fund;

(2) The motor fuel receipts petroleum activity tax administration fund. All amounts credited to the motor fuel receipts petroleum activity tax administration fund shall be used solely for the purpose of paying the expenses of the department of taxation incident to the administration of the tax imposed by section 5736.02 of the Revised Code.

(3) The motor fuel receipts petroleum activity tax public highways fund.

(B) All money collected from the tax imposed by section 5736.02 of the Revised Code shall be deposited into the motor fuel receipts petroleum activity tax fund.

(C) From the motor fuel receipts petroleum activity tax fund, the director of budget and management shall place to the credit of the tax refund fund established by section 5703.052 of the Revised Code amounts equal to the refunds certified by the tax commissioner pursuant to section 5736.08 of the Revised Code.

(D) Not later than the last day of March, June, September, and December of each year, the director of budget and management shall provide for the transfer of the balance of the motor fuel receipts petroleum activity tax fund as of the last day of the preceding month, excluding any amounts required to be transferred as provided in division (C) of this section, as follows:

(1) To the motor fuel receipts petroleum activity tax administration fund, one per cent;

(2) To the motor fuel receipts petroleum activity tax public highways fund, an amount that bears the same ratio to the balance in the motor fuel receipts petroleum activity tax fund, after subtracting the amount transferred under division (D)(1) of this section, that (a) the calculated gross receipts attributed to motor fuel used for propelling vehicles on public highways and waterways as indicated by returns filed by the last day of the preceding month, bears to (b) all calculated gross receipts as indicated by those returns;

(3) To the general revenue fund, the amount remaining after the transfers required by divisions (D)(1) and (2) of this section.

Sec. 5736.50. (A) A taxpayer granted a credit by the tax credit authority under section 122.17 or division (B)(2) or (3) of section 122.171 of the Revised Code may claim a refundable credit against the tax imposed under this chapter. For the purpose of making tax payments under this chapter, taxes equal to the amount of the refundable credit shall be considered to be paid on the first day of the tax period.

(B) A taxpayer granted a credit by the tax credit authority under division (B)(1) of section 122.171 of the Revised Code may claim a nonrefundable tax credit against the tax imposed under this chapter.

(C) Credits authorized in division (A) or (B) of this section shall not be claimed for any tax period beginning after the date on which a relocation of employment positions occurs in violation of an agreement entered into under section 122.17 or 122.171 of the Revised Code.

(D) A taxpayer may claim any unused portion of the credit authorized under division (B) of section 5751.50 of the Revised Code against the tax imposed under this chapter. No credit shall be allowed under this division if the credit was available against the tax imposed under section 5751.02 of the Revised Code except to the extent the credit was not applied against that tax.

(E) The amount of a credit claimed under division (B) or (D) of this section shall not exceed the tax otherwise due for the tax period. If the credit allowed under division (B) or (D) of this section exceeds the tax otherwise due, the excess may be carried forward to the extent authorized by section 122.171 of the Revised Code.

If a taxpayer is authorized to claim credits under division (A) and either or both of divisions (B) and (D) of this section for the same tax period, the taxpayer shall claim the credit allowed under division (B) or (D) before the credit allowed under division (A) of this section.

Sec. 5743.01.  As used in this chapter:

(A) "Person" includes individuals, firms, partnerships, associations, joint-stock companies, corporations, combinations of individuals of any form, and the state and any of its political subdivisions.

(B) "Wholesale dealer" includes only those persons:

(1) Who bring in or cause to be brought into this state unstamped cigarettes purchased directly from the manufacturer, producer, or importer of cigarettes for sale in this state but does not include persons who bring in or cause to be brought into this state cigarettes with respect to which no evidence of tax payment is required thereon as provided in section 5743.04 of the Revised Code; or

(2) Who are engaged in the business of selling cigarettes or tobacco products to others for the purpose of resale.

"Wholesale dealer" does not include any cigarette manufacturer, export warehouse proprietor, or importer with a valid permit under 26 U.S.C. 5713 if that person sells cigarettes in this state only to wholesale dealers holding valid and current licenses under section 5743.15 of the Revised Code or to an export warehouse proprietor or another manufacturer.

(C) "Retail dealer" includes:

(1) In reference to dealers in cigarettes, every person other than a wholesale dealer engaged in the business of selling cigarettes in this state, regardless of whether the person is located in this state or elsewhere, and regardless of quantity, amount, or number of sales;

(2) In reference to dealers in tobacco products, any person in this state engaged in the business of selling tobacco products to ultimate consumers in this state, regardless of quantity, amount, or number of sales.

(D) "Sale" includes exchange, barter, gift, offer for sale, and distribution, and includes transactions in interstate or foreign commerce.

(E) "Cigarettes" includes any roll for smoking made wholly or in part of tobacco, irrespective of size or shape, and whether or not such tobacco is flavored, adulterated, or mixed with any other ingredient, the wrapper or cover of which is made of paper, reconstituted cigarette tobacco, homogenized cigarette tobacco, cigarette tobacco sheet, or any similar materials other than cigar tobacco.

(F) "Package" means the individual package, box, or other container in or from which retail sales of cigarettes are normally made or intended to be made.

(G) "Stamp" includes an impression made by a metering device as provided for in section 5743.04 of the Revised Code.

(H) "Storage" includes any keeping or retention of cigarettes or tobacco products for use or consumption in this state.

(I)(H) "Use" includes the exercise of any right or power incidental to the ownership of cigarettes or tobacco products.

(J)(I) "Tobacco product" or "other tobacco product" means any product made from tobacco, other than cigarettes, that is made for smoking or chewing, or both, and snuff.

(K)(J) "Wholesale price" means the invoice price, including all federal excise taxes, at which the manufacturer of the tobacco product sells the tobacco product to unaffiliated distributors, excluding any discounts based on the method of payment of the invoice or on time of payment of the invoice. If the taxpayer buys from other than a manufacturer, "wholesale price" means the invoice price, including all federal excise taxes and excluding any discounts based on the method of payment of the invoice or on time of payment of the invoice.

(L)(K) "Distributor" means:

(1) Any manufacturer who sells, barters, exchanges, or distributes tobacco products to a retail dealer in the state, except when selling to a retail dealer that has filed with the manufacturer a signed statement agreeing to pay and be liable for the tax imposed by section 5743.51 of the Revised Code;

(2) Any wholesale dealer located in the state who receives tobacco products from a manufacturer, or who receives tobacco products on which the tax imposed by this chapter has not been paid;

(3) Any wholesale dealer located outside the state who sells, barters, exchanges, or distributes tobacco products to a wholesale or retail dealer in the state; or

(4) Any retail dealer who receives tobacco products on which the tax has not or will not be paid by another distributor, including a retail dealer that has filed a signed statement with a manufacturer in which the retail dealer agrees to pay and be liable for the tax that would otherwise be imposed on the manufacturer by section 5743.51 of the Revised Code.

(M)(L) "Taxpayer" means any person liable for the tax imposed by section 5743.51, 5743.62, or 5743.63 of the Revised Code.

(N)(M) "Seller" means any person located outside this state engaged in the business of selling tobacco products to consumers for storage, use, or other consumption in this state.

(O)(N) "Manufacturer" means any person who manufactures and sells cigarettes or tobacco products.

(P)(O) "Importer" means any person that is authorized, under a valid permit issued under Section 5713 of the Internal Revenue Code, to import finished cigarettes into the United States, either directly or indirectly.

(Q)(P) "Little cigar" means any roll for smoking, other than cigarettes, made wholly or in part of tobacco that uses an integrated cellulose acetate filter or other filter and is wrapped in any substance containing tobacco, other than natural leaf tobacco.

Sec. 5743.021.  (A) As used in this section, "qualifying regional arts and cultural district" means a regional arts and cultural district created under section 3381.04 of the Revised Code in a county having a population of one million two hundred thousand or more according to the 2000 federal decennial census.

(B) For one or more of the purposes for which a tax may be levied under section 3381.16 of the Revised Code and for the purposes of paying the expenses of administering the tax and the expenses charged by a board of elections to hold an election on a question submitted under this section, the board of county commissioners of a county that has within its territorial boundaries a qualifying regional arts and cultural district may levy a tax on the sale of cigarettes sold for resale at retail in the county composing the district. The rate of the tax, when added to the rate of any other tax concurrently levied by the board under this section, shall not exceed fifteen mills per cigarette, and shall be computed on each cigarette sold. Only one sale of the same article shall be used in computing the amount of tax due. The tax may be levied for any number of years not exceeding ten years.

The tax shall be levied pursuant to a resolution of the board of county commissioners approved by a majority of the electors in the county voting on the question of levying the tax. The resolution shall specify the rate of the tax, the number of years the tax will be levied, and the purposes for which the tax is levied. The election may be held on the date of a general, primary, or special election held not sooner than ninety days after the date the board certifies its resolution to the board of elections. If approved by the electors, the tax shall take effect on the first day of the month specified in the resolution but not sooner than the first day of the month that is at least sixty days after the certification of the election results by the board of elections. A copy of the resolution levying the tax shall be certified to the tax commissioner at least sixty days prior to the date on which the tax is to become effective.

(C) The form of the ballot in an election held under this section shall be as follows, or in any other form acceptable to the secretary of state:

"For the purpose of .......... (insert the purpose or purposes of the tax), shall an excise tax be levied throughout .......... County for the benefit of the ........... (name of the qualifying regional arts and cultural district) on the sale of cigarettes at wholesale at the rate of .... mills per cigarette for ..... years?

 

 For the tax
 Against the tax  "

(D) The treasurer of state shall credit all moneys All money arising from taxes levied on behalf of each district under this section and section 5743.321 of the Revised Code shall be credited as follows:

(1) To the tax refund fund created by section 5703.052 of the Revised Code, amounts equal to the refunds from each tax levied under this section certified by the tax commissioner pursuant to section 5743.05 of the Revised Code;

(2) Following the crediting of amounts pursuant to division (D)(1) of this section:

(a) To the permissive tax distribution fund created under section 4301.423 of the Revised Code, an amount equal to ninety-eight per cent of the remainder collected;

(b) To the local excise tax administrative fund, which is hereby created in the state treasury, an amount equal to two per cent of such remainder, for use by the tax commissioner in defraying costs incurred in administering the tax.

On or before the second working day of each month, the treasurer of state shall certify to the tax commissioner the amount of taxes levied on behalf of each district under sections 5743.021 and 5743.321 of the Revised Code and paid to the treasurer of state during the preceding month.

On or before the tenth day of each month, the tax commissioner shall distribute the amount credited to the permissive tax distribution fund during the preceding month by providing for payment of the appropriate amount to the county treasurer of the county in which the tax is levied.

Sec. 5743.024.  (A) For the purposes of section 307.696 of the Revised Code, to pay the expenses of administering the tax, and to pay any or all of the charge the board of elections makes against the county to hold the election on the question of levying the tax, or for such purposes and to provide revenues to the county for permanent improvements, the board of county commissioners may levy a tax on sales of cigarettes sold for resale at retail in the county. The tax shall not exceed two and twenty-five hundredths of a mill per cigarette, and shall be computed on each cigarette sold. The tax may be levied for any number of years not exceeding twenty. Only one sale of the same article shall be used in computing the amount of tax due.

The tax shall be levied pursuant to a resolution of the county commissioners approved by a majority of the electors in the county voting on the question of levying the tax. The resolution shall specify the rate of the tax, the number of years the tax will be levied, and the purposes for which the tax is levied. Such election may be held on the date of a general or special election held not sooner than ninety days after the date the board certifies its resolution to the board of elections. If approved by the electors, the tax shall take effect on the first day of the month specified in the resolution but not sooner than the first day of the month that is at least sixty days after the certification of the election results by the board of elections. A copy of the resolution levying the tax shall be certified to the tax commissioner at least sixty days prior to the date on which the tax is to become effective.

A resolution under this section may be joined on the ballot as a single question with a resolution adopted under section 307.697 or 4301.421 of the Revised Code to levy a tax for the same purposes and for the purpose of paying the expenses of administering the tax. The form of the ballot in an election held pursuant to this section shall be as prescribed in section 307.697 of the Revised Code.

(B) The treasurer of state shall credit all moneys All money arising from each county's taxes levied under this section and section 5743.323 of the Revised Code shall be credited as follows:

(1) To the tax refund fund created by section 5703.052 of the Revised Code, amounts equal to the refunds from each tax levied under this section certified by the tax commissioner pursuant to section 5743.05 of the Revised Code;

(2) Following the crediting of amounts pursuant to division (B)(1) of this section:

(a) To the permissive tax distribution fund created by division (B)(1) of section 4301.423 of the Revised Code, an amount equal to ninety-eight per cent of the remainder collected;

(b) To the local excise tax administrative fund, which is hereby created in the state treasury, an amount equal to two per cent of such remainder, for use by the tax commissioner in defraying costs incurred in administering the tax.

On or before the second working day of each month, the treasurer of state shall certify to the tax commissioner the amount of each county's taxes levied under sections 5743.024 and 5743.323 of the Revised Code and paid to the treasurer of state during the preceding month.

On or before the tenth day of each month, the tax commissioner shall distribute the amount credited to the permissive tax distribution fund during the preceding month by providing for payment of the appropriate amount to the county treasurer of each county levying the tax.

(C) The board of county commissioners of a county in which a tax is imposed under this section on the effective date of the amendment of this section by H.B. 59 of the 130th general assembly, September 29, 2013, may levy a tax for the purpose of section 307.673 of the Revised Code regardless of whether or not the cooperative agreement authorized under that section has been entered into prior to the day the resolution adopted under division (C)(1) or (2) of this section is adopted, for the purpose of reimbursing a county for costs incurred in the construction of a sports facility pursuant to an agreement entered into by the county under section 307.696 of the Revised Code, or for the purpose of paying the costs of capital repairs of and improvements to a sports facility. The tax shall be levied and approved in one of the manners prescribed by division (C)(1) or (2) of this section.

(1) The tax may be levied pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the members of the board of county commissioners not later than forty-five days after July 19, 1995. A board of county commissioners approving a tax under division (C)(1) of this section may approve a tax under division (D)(1) of section 307.697 or division (B)(1) of section 4301.421 of the Revised Code at the same time. Subject to the resolution being submitted to a referendum under sections 305.31 to 305.41 of the Revised Code, the resolution shall take effect immediately, but the tax levied pursuant to the resolution shall not be levied prior to the day following the last day that any tax previously levied pursuant to this division may be levied.

(2) The tax may be levied pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the members of the board of county commissioners not later than September 1, 2015, and approved by a majority of the electors of the county voting on the question of levying the tax. The board of county commissioners shall certify a copy of the resolution to the board of elections immediately upon adopting a resolution under division (C)(2) of this section. The election may be held on the date of a general or special election held not sooner than ninety days after the date the board certifies its resolution to the board of elections. The form of the ballot shall be as prescribed by division (C) of section 307.697 of the Revised Code, except that the phrase "paying not more than one-half of the costs of providing a sports facility together with related redevelopment and economic development projects" shall be replaced by the phrase "paying the costs of constructing, renovating, improving, or repairing a sports facility and reimbursing a county for costs incurred by the county in the construction of a sports facility," and the phrase ", beginning .......... (here insert the earliest date the tax would take effect)" shall be appended after "years." A board of county commissioners submitting the question of a tax under division (C)(2) of this section may submit the question of a tax under division (D)(2) of section 307.697 or division (B)(2) of section 4301.421 of the Revised Code as a single question, and the form of the ballot shall include each of the proposed taxes.

If approved by a majority of electors voting on the question, the tax shall take effect on the day specified on the ballot, which shall not be earlier than the day following the last day that any tax previously levied pursuant to this division may be levied.

The rate of a tax levied pursuant to division (C)(1) or (2) of this section shall not exceed the rate specified in division (A) of this section. A tax levied pursuant to division (C)(1) or (2) of this section may be levied for any number of years not exceeding twenty.

A board of county commissioners adopting a resolution under this division shall certify a copy of the resolution to the tax commissioner immediately upon adoption of the resolution.

(D) No tax shall be levied under division (A) of this section on or after September 23, 2008. This division does not apply to a tax levied under division (C) of this section, and does not prevent the collection of any tax levied under this section before September 23, 2008, so long as that tax remains effective.

Sec. 5743.025.  In addition to the return required by section 5743.03 of the Revised Code, each retail dealer in a county in which a tax is levied under section 5743.021, 5743.024, or 5743.026 of the Revised Code shall, within thirty days after the date on which the tax takes effect, make and file a return, on forms prescribed by the tax commissioner, showing the total number of cigarettes which such retail dealer had on hand as of the beginning of business on the date on which the tax takes effect, and such other information as the commissioner deems necessary for the administration of section 5743.021, 5743.024, or 5743.026 of the Revised Code. Each retail dealer shall deliver the return together with a remittance of the additional amount of tax due on the cigarettes shown on such return to the treasurer of state. The treasurer of state shall stamp or otherwise mark on the return the date it was received and shall also show thereon by stamp or otherwise the tax payment remitted with the return. Thereafter, the treasurer of state shall immediately transmit all returns filed under this section to the tax commissioner. Any retail dealer who fails to file a return under this section shall, for each day the retail dealer so fails, forfeit and pay into the state treasury the sum of one dollar as revenue arising from the tax imposed by section 5743.021, 5743.024, or 5743.026 of the Revised Code, and such sum may be collected by assessment in the manner provided in section 5743.081 of the Revised Code. For thirty days after the effective date of a tax imposed by section 5743.021, 5743.024, or 5743.026 of the Revised Code, a retail dealer may possess for sale or sell in the county in which the tax is levied cigarettes not bearing the stamp or impression required by section 5743.03 of the Revised Code to evidence payment of the county tax but on which the tax has or will be paid.

Sec. 5743.03. (A) Except as provided in section 5743.04 of the Revised Code, the taxes imposed under sections 5743.02, 5743.021, 5743.024, and 5743.026 of the Revised Code shall be paid by the purchase of tax stamps. A tax stamp shall be affixed to each package of an aggregate denomination not less than the amount of the tax upon the contents thereof. The tax stamp, so affixed, shall be prima-facie evidence of payment of the tax.

Except as is provided in the rules prescribed by the tax commissioner under authority of sections 5743.01 to 5743.20 of the Revised Code, and unless tax stamps have been previously affixed, they shall be so affixed by each wholesale dealer, and canceled by writing or stamping across the face thereof the number assigned to such wholesale dealer by the tax commissioner for that purpose, prior to the delivery of any cigarettes to any person in this state, or in the case of a tax levied pursuant to section 5743.021, 5743.024, or 5743.026 of the Revised Code, prior to the delivery of cigarettes to any person in the county in which the tax is levied.

(B) Except as provided in the rules prescribed by the commissioner under authority of sections 5743.01 to 5743.20 of the Revised Code, each retail dealer, within twenty-four hours after the receipt of any cigarettes at the retail dealer's place of business, shall inspect the cigarettes to ensure that tax stamps are affixed. The inspection shall be completed before the cigarettes are delivered to any person in this state, or, in the case of a tax levied pursuant to section 5743.021, 5743.024, or 5743.026 of the Revised Code, before the cigarettes are delivered to any person in the county in which the tax is levied.

(C) Whenever any cigarettes are found in the place of business of any retail dealer without proper tax stamps affixed thereto and canceled, it is presumed that such cigarettes are kept therein in violation of sections 5743.01 to 5743.20 of the Revised Code.

(D) Each wholesale dealer who purchases cigarettes without proper tax stamps affixed thereto shall, on or before the thirty-first day of the month following the close of each semiannual period, which period shall end on the thirtieth day of June and the thirty-first day of December of each year, make and file a return of the preceding semiannual period, on such form as is prescribed by the tax commissioner, showing the dealer's entire purchases and sales of cigarettes and stamps or impressions for such semiannual period and accurate inventories as of the beginning and end of each semiannual period of cigarettes, stamped or unstamped; cigarette tax stamps affixed or unaffixed and unused meter impressions; and such other information as the commissioner finds necessary to the proper administration of sections 5743.01 to 5743.20 of the Revised Code. The commissioner may extend the time for making and filing returns and may remit all or any part of amounts of penalties that may become due under sections 5743.01 to 5743.20 of the Revised Code. The wholesale dealer shall deliver the return together with a remittance of the tax deficiency reported thereon to the treasurer of state. The treasurer of state shall stamp or otherwise mark on the return the date it was received and shall also show thereon by stamp or otherwise a payment or nonpayment of the deficiency shown by the return. Thereafter, the treasurer of state shall immediately transmit all returns filed under this section to the commissioner.

(E) Any wholesale dealer who fails to file a return under this section and the rules of the commissioner, other than a report required pursuant to division (F) of this section, may be required, for each day the dealer so fails, to forfeit and pay into the state treasury the sum of one dollar as revenue arising from the tax imposed by sections 5743.01 to 5743.20 of the Revised Code and such sum may be collected by assessment in the manner provided in section 5743.081 of the Revised Code. If the commissioner finds it necessary in order to insure the payment of the tax imposed by sections 5743.01 to 5743.20 of the Revised Code, the commissioner may require returns and payments to be made other than semiannually. The returns shall be signed by the wholesale dealer or an authorized agent thereof.

(F) Each person required to file a tax return under section 5743.03, 5743.52, or 5743.62 of the Revised Code shall report to the commissioner the quantity of all cigarettes and roll-your-own cigarette tobacco sold in Ohio for each brand not covered by the tobacco master settlement agreement for which the person is liable for the taxes levied under section 5743.02, 5743.51, or 5743.62 of the Revised Code.

As used in this division, "tobacco master settlement agreement" has the same meaning as in section 183.01 of the Revised Code.

(G) The report required by division (F) of this section shall be made on a form prescribed by the commissioner and shall be filed not later than the last day of each month for the previous month, except that if the commissioner determines that the quantity reported by a person does not warrant monthly reporting, the commissioner may authorize reporting at less frequent intervals. The commissioner may assess a penalty of not more than two hundred fifty dollars for each month or portion thereof that a person fails to timely file a required report, and such sum may be collected by assessment in the manner provided in section 5743.081 of the Revised Code. All money collected under this division shall be considered as revenue arising from the taxes imposed by sections 5743.01 to 5743.20 of the Revised Code.

(H) The treasurer of state or an agent of the treasurer commissioner may sell tax stamps only to a licensed wholesale dealer, except as otherwise authorized by the commissioner. The treasurer or an agent of the treasurer commissioner may charge the costs associated with the shipment of tax stamps to the licensed wholesale dealer. Amounts collected from such charges shall be credited to the treasurer of state's administrative cigarette tax enforcement fund created under section 113.20 5743.15 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 5743.04.  The tax commissioner shall design and procure the stamps provided for in section 5743.03 of the Revised Code and shall enforce and administer sections 5743.01 to 5743.44 of the Revised Code. With respect to packages containing any number of cigarettes other than twenty, if the commissioner finds that it is practicable to collect the taxes levied under sections 5743.02, 5743.021, 5743.024, and 5743.026 of the Revised Code by any method other than that provided in this section and section 5743.03 of the Revised Code, the commissioner may by rule prescribe such other method for payment of the taxes upon such packages of cigarettes as will adequately protect the revenue; provided, that in any case where the commissioner prescribes that the taxes upon such packages of cigarettes shall be paid on the basis of returns filed by a wholesale or retail dealer, said returns, together with a remittance of all taxes due as shown thereon, shall be filed with the treasurer of state commissioner not later than the tenth day of the month following the month in which such cigarettes are sold in this state. The commissioner may promulgate rules in accordance with sections 119.01 to 119.13 of the Revised Code as the commissioner deems necessary to carry out sections 5743.01 to 5743.44 of the Revised Code and may adopt different detailed rules applicable to diverse methods and conditions of sale of cigarettes, prescribing, in each class of cases, upon whom, as between the wholesale dealer and the retail dealer, the primary duty of affixing stamps shall rest, and the manner in which stamps shall be affixed. A copy of such rules shall be furnished to every licensed dealer as provided in sections 119.01 to 119.13 of the Revised Code. Any such rule so furnished which excuses a wholesale dealer from affixing stamps under the circumstances of the particular case shall be a defense in the prosecution of such dealer for violation of section 5743.03 of the Revised Code.

The commissioner, after determining that it is practicable to evidence payment of the taxes levied under sections 5743.02, 5743.021, 5743.024, and 5743.026 of the Revised Code by impression made by a metering device, shall by resolution provide that such metering device may be used in lieu of the stamps otherwise provided for in section 5743.03 of the Revised Code. The commissioner may authorize any wholesale or retail dealer to use the metering device approved by the commissioner. Such device before being used shall be sealed by the treasurer of state, and shall be used only in accordance with the rules prescribed by the commissioner.

Wholesale and retail dealers authorized to use said device shall prepay the tax represented by meter impressions and shall deliver the metering device to the treasurer of state or county treasurer in the county in which the place of business of any wholesaler or retailer is located if such treasurer is designated by the treasurer of state, who shall seal the meter in accordance with the prepayments so made.

Sec. 5743.05.  All The tax commissioner shall sell all stamps provided for by section 5743.03 of the Revised Code, when procured by the tax commissioner, shall be immediately delivered to the treasurer of state, who shall execute a receipt therefor showing the number and aggregate face value of each denomination received by the treasurer of state and any other information that the commissioner requires to enforce the collection and distribution of all taxes imposed under section 5743.021, 5743.024, or 5743.026 of the Revised Code, and deliver the receipt to the commissioner. The treasurer of state shall sell the stamps and, on the fifth day of each month, make a report showing all sales made during the preceding month, with the names of purchasers, the number of each denomination, the aggregate face value purchased by each, and any other information as the commissioner requires to enforce the collection and distribution of all taxes imposed under section 5743.021, 5743.024, or 5743.026 of the Revised Code, and deliver it to the commissioner. The treasurer of state shall be accountable for all stamps received and unsold. The stamps shall be sold and accounted for at their face value, except the commissioner shall, by rule certified to the treasurer of state, authorize the sale of stamps and meter impressions to wholesale or retail dealers in this state, or to wholesale dealers outside this state, at a discount of not less than one and eight-tenths per cent or more than ten per cent of their face value, as a commission for affixing and canceling the stamps or meter impressions.

The commissioner, by rule certified to the treasurer of state, shall authorize the delivery of stamps and meter impressions to wholesale dealers in this state and to wholesale dealers outside this state on credit. If such a dealer has not been in good credit standing with this state for five consecutive years preceding the purchase, the tax commissioner shall require the dealer to file with the commissioner a bond to the state in the amount and in the form prescribed by the commissioner, with surety to the satisfaction of the commissioner, conditioned on payment to the treasurer of state or the commissioner within thirty days for stamps or meter impressions delivered within that time. If such a dealer has been in good credit standing with this state for five consecutive years preceding the purchase, the tax commissioner shall not require that the dealer file such a bond but shall require payment for the stamps and meter impressions within thirty days after purchase of the stamps and meter impressions. Stamps and meter impressions sold to a dealer not required to file a bond shall be sold at face value. The maximum amount that may be sold on credit to a dealer not required to file a bond shall equal one hundred ten per cent of the dealer's average monthly purchases over the preceding calendar year. The maximum amount shall be adjusted to reflect any changes in the tax rate and may be adjusted, upon application to the tax commissioner by the dealer, to reflect changes in the business operations of the dealer. The maximum amount shall be applicable to the period of July through April. Payment by a dealer not required to file a bond shall be remitted by electronic funds transfer as prescribed by section 5743.051 of the Revised Code. If a dealer not required to file a bond fails to make the payment in full within the thirty-day period, the treasurer of state commissioner shall not thereafter sell stamps or meter impressions to that dealer until the dealer pays the outstanding amount, including penalty and interest on that amount as prescribed in this chapter, and the commissioner thereafter may require the dealer to file a bond until the dealer is restored to good standing. The commissioner shall limit delivery of stamps and meter impressions on credit to the period running from the first day of July of the fiscal year until the first day of the following May. Any discount allowed as a commission for affixing and canceling stamps or meter impressions shall be allowed with respect to sales of stamps and meter impressions on credit.

The treasurer of state commissioner shall redeem and pay for any destroyed, unused, or spoiled tax stamps and any unused meter impressions at their net value, and shall refund to wholesale dealers the net amount of state and county taxes paid erroneously or paid on cigarettes that have been sold in interstate or foreign commerce or that have become unsalable, and the net amount of county taxes that were paid on cigarettes that have been sold at retail or for retail sale outside a taxing county.

An application for a refund of tax shall be filed with the tax commissioner, on the form prescribed by the commissioner for that purpose, within three years from the date the tax stamps are destroyed or spoiled, from the date of the erroneous payment, or from the date that cigarettes on which taxes have been paid have been sold in interstate or foreign commerce or have become unsalable.

On the filing of the application, the commissioner shall determine the amount of refund to which the applicant is entitled, payable from receipts of the state tax, and, if applicable, payable from receipts of a county tax. If the amount is less than that claimed, the commissioner shall certify the amount to the director of budget and management and treasurer of state for payment from the tax refund fund created by section 5703.052 of the Revised Code. If the amount is less than that claimed, the commissioner shall proceed in accordance with section 5703.70 of the Revised Code.

If a refund is granted for payment of an illegal or erroneous assessment issued by the department, the refund shall include interest on the amount of the refund from the date of the overpayment. The interest shall be computed at the rate per annum prescribed by section 5703.47 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 5743.051. This section applies to any wholesale or retail cigarette dealer required by section 5743.05 of the Revised Code to remit payment for tax stamps and meter impressions by electronic funds transfer. The tax commissioner shall notify each dealer of the dealer's obligation to do so and shall maintain an updated list of those dealers. Failure by the tax commissioner to notify a dealer subject to this section to remit taxes by electronic funds transfer does not relieve the dealer of its obligation to remit taxes by electronic funds transfer.

A dealer required to remit payments by electronic funds transfer shall remit such payments to the treasurer of state in the manner prescribed by rules adopted by the treasurer of state under section 113.061 of the Revised Code and within the time prescribed for such a dealer by section 5743.05 of the Revised Code.

A dealer required to remit taxes by electronic funds transfer may apply to the tax commissioner in the manner prescribed by the tax commissioner to be excused from that requirement. The tax commissioner may excuse the dealer from remittance by electronic funds transfer for good cause shown for the period of time requested by the dealer or for a portion of that period.

If a dealer required to remit taxes by electronic funds transfer remits those taxes by some other means, the treasurer of state shall notify the tax commissioner of the failure to remit by electronic funds transfer. If the tax commissioner determines that such failure was not due to reasonable cause or was due to willful neglect, the tax commissioner may collect an additional charge by assessment in the manner prescribed by section 5743.081 of the Revised Code. The additional charge shall equal five per cent of the amount of the taxes required to be paid by electronic funds transfer but shall not exceed five thousand dollars. Any additional charge assessed under this section is in addition to any other penalty or charge imposed under this chapter and shall be considered as revenue arising from taxes imposed under this chapter. The tax commissioner may abate all or a portion of such a charge and may adopt rules governing such remissions.

No additional charge shall be assessed under this section against a dealer that has been notified of its obligation to remit taxes under this section and that remits its first two tax payments after such notification by some means other than electronic funds transfer. The additional charge may be assessed upon the remittance of any subsequent tax payment that the dealer remits by some means other than electronic funds transfer.

Sec. 5743.112.  (A) No person shall prepare for shipment, ship, transport, deliver, prepare for distribution, or distribute cigarettes, or otherwise engage or participate in the wholesale or retail business of trafficking in cigarettes, with the intent to avoid payment of the tax imposed by this chapter, when the total number of cigarettes in the aggregate exceeds one thousand two hundred during any twelve-month period.

(B) Any vending machine containing cigarettes which do not have affixed the stamps or impressions provided for by sections 5743.03 and 5743.04 of the Revised Code shall be seized and forfeited to the state in accordance with Chapter 2981. of the Revised Code. Forfeiture shall not affect the rights of a holder of a valid lien.

(C) A vehicle that is seized as contraband under Chapter 2981. of the Revised Code because of its use in violation of this chapter is subject to the procedures set forth in that chapter.

Sec. 5743.52.  (A) Each distributor of tobacco products subject to the tax levied by section 5743.51 of the Revised Code, on or before the last twenty-third day of each month, shall file with the treasurer of state tax commissioner a return for the preceding month showing any information the tax commissioner finds necessary for the proper administration of sections 5743.51 to 5743.66 of the Revised Code, together with remittance of the tax due. The treasurer of state shall stamp or otherwise mark on the return the date it was received and shall also show thereon by stamp or otherwise the amount of payment received with the return. Thereafter, the treasurer of state shall immediately transmit all returns filed under this section to the tax commissioner. The return and payment of the tax required by this section shall be filed in such a manner that it is received by the treasurer of state commissioner on or before the last twenty-third day of the month following the reporting period. If the return is filed and the amount of tax shown on the return to be due is paid on or before the date the return is required to be filed, the distributor is entitled to a discount equal to two and five-tenths per cent of the amount shown on the return to be due.

(B) Any person who fails to timely file the return and make payment of taxes as required under this section, section 5743.62, or section 5743.63 of the Revised Code may be required to pay an additional charge not exceeding the greater of fifty dollars or ten per cent of the tax due. Any additional charge imposed under this section may be collected by assessment as provided in section 5743.56 of the Revised Code.

(C) If any tax due is not paid timely in accordance with sections 5743.52, 5743.62, or 5743.63 of the Revised Code, the person liable for the tax shall pay interest, calculated at the rate per annum as prescribed by section 5703.47 of the Revised Code, from the date the tax payment was due to the date of payment or to the date an assessment is issued under section 5743.56 of the Revised Code, whichever occurs first. The commissioner may collect such interest by assessment pursuant to section 5743.56 of the Revised Code.

(D) The commissioner may authorize the filing of returns and the payment of the tax required by this section, section 5743.62, or section 5743.63 of the Revised Code for periods longer than a calendar month.

(E) The commissioner may order any taxpayer to file with the commissioner security to the satisfaction of the commissioner conditioned upon filing the return and paying the taxes required under this section, section 5743.62, or section 5743.63 of the Revised Code if the commissioner believes that the collection of the tax may be in jeopardy.

Sec. 5743.65.  No person required by division (B) of section 5743.62 or division (B) of section 5743.63 of the Revised Code to file a return with the treasurer of state tax commissioner shall fail to make the return or fail to pay the applicable taxes levied under section 5743.62 or 5743.63 of the Revised Code or fail to pay any lawful assessment issued by the tax commissioner.

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)(I) 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)(I) 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.

(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)(I) 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)(J) 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)(K) 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)(L) The tax commissioner may adopt rules to administer this section.

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;

(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)(I) 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)(H) 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.

Sec. 5751.01.  As used in this chapter:

(A) "Person" means, but is not limited to, individuals, combinations of individuals of any form, receivers, assignees, trustees in bankruptcy, firms, companies, joint-stock companies, business trusts, estates, partnerships, limited liability partnerships, limited liability companies, associations, joint ventures, clubs, societies, for-profit corporations, S corporations, qualified subchapter S subsidiaries, qualified subchapter S trusts, trusts, entities that are disregarded for federal income tax purposes, and any other entities.

(B) "Consolidated elected taxpayer" means a group of two or more persons treated as a single taxpayer for purposes of this chapter as the result of an election made under section 5751.011 of the Revised Code.

(C) "Combined taxpayer" means a group of two or more persons treated as a single taxpayer for purposes of this chapter under section 5751.012 of the Revised Code.

(D) "Taxpayer" means any person, or any group of persons in the case of a consolidated elected taxpayer or combined taxpayer treated as one taxpayer, required to register or pay tax under this chapter. "Taxpayer" does not include excluded persons.

(E) "Excluded person" means any of the following:

(1) Any person with not more than one hundred fifty thousand dollars of taxable gross receipts during the calendar year. Division (E)(1) of this section does not apply to a person that is a member of a consolidated elected taxpayer;

(2) A public utility that paid the excise tax imposed by section 5727.24 or 5727.30 of the Revised Code based on one or more measurement periods that include the entire tax period under this chapter, except that a public utility that is a combined company is a taxpayer with regard to the following gross receipts:

(a) Taxable gross receipts directly attributed to a public utility activity, but not directly attributed to an activity that is subject to the excise tax imposed by section 5727.24 or 5727.30 of the Revised Code;

(b) Taxable gross receipts that cannot be directly attributed to any activity, multiplied by a fraction whose numerator is the taxable gross receipts described in division (E)(2)(a) of this section and whose denominator is the total taxable gross receipts that can be directly attributed to any activity;

(c) Except for any differences resulting from the use of an accrual basis method of accounting for purposes of determining gross receipts under this chapter and the use of the cash basis method of accounting for purposes of determining gross receipts under section 5727.24 of the Revised Code, the gross receipts directly attributed to the activity of a natural gas company shall be determined in a manner consistent with division (D) of section 5727.03 of the Revised Code.

As used in division (E)(2) of this section, "combined company" and "public utility" have the same meanings as in section 5727.01 of the Revised Code.

(3) A financial institution, as defined in section 5726.01 of the Revised Code, that paid the tax imposed by section 5726.02 of the Revised Code based on one or more taxable years that include the entire tax period under this chapter;

(4) A person directly or indirectly owned by one or more financial institutions, as defined in section 5726.01 of the Revised Code, that paid the tax imposed by section 5726.02 of the Revised Code based on one or more taxable years that include the entire tax period under this chapter.

For the purposes of division (E)(4) of this section, a person owns another person under the following circumstances:

(a) In the case of corporations issuing capital stock, one corporation owns another corporation if it owns fifty per cent or more of the other corporation's capital stock with current voting rights;

(b) In the case of a limited liability company, one person owns the company if that person's membership interest, as defined in section 1705.01 of the Revised Code, is fifty per cent or more of the combined membership interests of all persons owning such interests in the company;

(c) In the case of a partnership, trust, or other unincorporated business organization other than a limited liability company, one person owns the organization if, under the articles of organization or other instrument governing the affairs of the organization, that person has a beneficial interest in the organization's profits, surpluses, losses, or distributions of fifty per cent or more of the combined beneficial interests of all persons having such an interest in the organization.

(5) A domestic insurance company or foreign insurance company, as defined in section 5725.01 of the Revised Code, that paid the insurance company premiums tax imposed by section 5725.18 or Chapter 5729. of the Revised Code, or an unauthorized insurance company whose gross premiums are subject to tax under section 3905.36 of the Revised Code based on one or more measurement periods that include the entire tax period under this chapter;

(6) A person that solely facilitates or services one or more securitizations of phase-in-recovery property pursuant to a final financing order as those terms are defined in section 4928.23 of the Revised Code. For purposes of this division, "securitization" means transferring one or more assets to one or more persons and then issuing securities backed by the right to receive payment from the asset or assets so transferred.

(7) Except as otherwise provided in this division, a pre-income tax trust as defined in division (FF)(4) of section 5747.01 of the Revised Code and any pass-through entity of which such pre-income tax trust owns or controls, directly, indirectly, or constructively through related interests, more than five per cent of the ownership or equity interests. If the pre-income tax trust has made a qualifying pre-income tax trust election under division (FF)(3) of section 5747.01 of the Revised Code, then the trust and the pass-through entities of which it owns or controls, directly, indirectly, or constructively through related interests, more than five per cent of the ownership or equity interests, shall not be excluded persons for purposes of the tax imposed under section 5751.02 of the Revised Code.

(8) Nonprofit organizations or the state and its agencies, instrumentalities, or political subdivisions.

(F) Except as otherwise provided in divisions (F)(2), (3), and (4) of this section, "gross receipts" means the total amount realized by a person, without deduction for the cost of goods sold or other expenses incurred, that contributes to the production of gross income of the person, including the fair market value of any property and any services received, and any debt transferred or forgiven as consideration.

(1) The following are examples of gross receipts:

(a) Amounts realized from the sale, exchange, or other disposition of the taxpayer's property to or with another;

(b) Amounts realized from the taxpayer's performance of services for another;

(c) Amounts realized from another's use or possession of the taxpayer's property or capital;

(d) Any combination of the foregoing amounts.

(2) "Gross receipts" excludes the following amounts:

(a) Interest income except interest on credit sales;

(b) Dividends and distributions from corporations, and distributive or proportionate shares of receipts and income from a pass-through entity as defined under section 5733.04 of the Revised Code;

(c) Receipts from the sale, exchange, or other disposition of an asset described in section 1221 or 1231 of the Internal Revenue Code, without regard to the length of time the person held the asset. Notwithstanding section 1221 of the Internal Revenue Code, receipts from hedging transactions also are excluded to the extent the transactions are entered into primarily to protect a financial position, such as managing the risk of exposure to (i) foreign currency fluctuations that affect assets, liabilities, profits, losses, equity, or investments in foreign operations; (ii) interest rate fluctuations; or (iii) commodity price fluctuations. As used in division (F)(2)(c) of this section, "hedging transaction" has the same meaning as used in section 1221 of the Internal Revenue Code and also includes transactions accorded hedge accounting treatment under statement of financial accounting standards number 133 of the financial accounting standards board. For the purposes of division (F)(2)(c) of this section, the actual transfer of title of real or tangible personal property to another entity is not a hedging transaction.

(d) Proceeds received attributable to the repayment, maturity, or redemption of the principal of a loan, bond, mutual fund, certificate of deposit, or marketable instrument;

(e) The principal amount received under a repurchase agreement or on account of any transaction properly characterized as a loan to the person;

(f) Contributions received by a trust, plan, or other arrangement, any of which is described in section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, or to which Title 26, Subtitle A, Chapter 1, Subchapter (D) of the Internal Revenue Code applies;

(g) Compensation, whether current or deferred, and whether in cash or in kind, received or to be received by an employee, former employee, or the employee's legal successor for services rendered to or for an employer, including reimbursements received by or for an individual for medical or education expenses, health insurance premiums, or employee expenses, or on account of a dependent care spending account, legal services plan, any cafeteria plan described in section 125 of the Internal Revenue Code, or any similar employee reimbursement;

(h) Proceeds received from the issuance of the taxpayer's own stock, options, warrants, puts, or calls, or from the sale of the taxpayer's treasury stock;

(i) Proceeds received on the account of payments from insurance policies, except those proceeds received for the loss of business revenue;

(j) Gifts or charitable contributions received; membership dues received by trade, professional, homeowners', or condominium associations; and payments received for educational courses, meetings, meals, or similar payments to a trade, professional, or other similar association; and fundraising receipts received by any person when any excess receipts are donated or used exclusively for charitable purposes;

(k) Damages received as the result of litigation in excess of amounts that, if received without litigation, would be gross receipts;

(l) Property, money, and other amounts received or acquired by an agent on behalf of another in excess of the agent's commission, fee, or other remuneration;

(m) Tax refunds, other tax benefit recoveries, and reimbursements for the tax imposed under this chapter made by entities that are part of the same combined taxpayer or consolidated elected taxpayer group, and reimbursements made by entities that are not members of a combined taxpayer or consolidated elected taxpayer group that are required to be made for economic parity among multiple owners of an entity whose tax obligation under this chapter is required to be reported and paid entirely by one owner, pursuant to the requirements of sections 5751.011 and 5751.012 of the Revised Code;

(n) Pension reversions;

(o) Contributions to capital;

(p) Sales or use taxes collected as a vendor or an out-of-state seller on behalf of the taxing jurisdiction from a consumer or other taxes the taxpayer is required by law to collect directly from a purchaser and remit to a local, state, or federal tax authority;

(q) In the case of receipts from the sale of cigarettes or tobacco products by a wholesale dealer, retail dealer, distributor, manufacturer, or seller, all as defined in section 5743.01 of the Revised Code, an amount equal to the federal and state excise taxes paid by any person on or for such cigarettes or tobacco products under subtitle E of the Internal Revenue Code or Chapter 5743. of the Revised Code;

(r) Receipts In the case of receipts from the sale, transfer, exchange, or other disposition of motor fuel as "motor fuel" is defined in section 5736.01 of the Revised Code, an amount equal to the value of the motor fuel, including federal and state motor fuel excise taxes and receipts from billing or invoicing the tax imposed under section 5736.02 of the Revised Code to another person;

(s) In the case of receipts from the sale of beer or intoxicating liquor, as defined in section 4301.01 of the Revised Code, by a person holding a permit issued under Chapter 4301. or 4303. of the Revised Code, an amount equal to federal and state excise taxes paid by any person on or for such beer or intoxicating liquor under subtitle E of the Internal Revenue Code or Chapter 4301. or 4305. of the Revised Code;

(t) Receipts realized by a new motor vehicle dealer or used motor vehicle dealer, as defined in section 4517.01 of the Revised Code, from the sale or other transfer of a motor vehicle, as defined in that section, to another motor vehicle dealer for the purpose of resale by the transferee motor vehicle dealer, but only if the sale or other transfer was based upon the transferee's need to meet a specific customer's preference for a motor vehicle;

(u) Receipts from a financial institution described in division (E)(3) of this section for services provided to the financial institution in connection with the issuance, processing, servicing, and management of loans or credit accounts, if such financial institution and the recipient of such receipts have at least fifty per cent of their ownership interests owned or controlled, directly or constructively through related interests, by common owners;

(v) Receipts realized from administering anti-neoplastic drugs and other cancer chemotherapy, biologicals, therapeutic agents, and supportive drugs in a physician's office to patients with cancer;

(w) Funds received or used by a mortgage broker that is not a dealer in intangibles, other than fees or other consideration, pursuant to a table-funding mortgage loan or warehouse-lending mortgage loan. Terms used in division (F)(2)(w) of this section have the same meanings as in section 1322.01 of the Revised Code, except "mortgage broker" means a person assisting a buyer in obtaining a mortgage loan for a fee or other consideration paid by the buyer or a lender, or a person engaged in table-funding or warehouse-lending mortgage loans that are first lien mortgage loans.

(x) Property, money, and other amounts received by a professional employer organization, as defined in section 4125.01 of the Revised Code, from a client employer, as defined in that section, in excess of the administrative fee charged by the professional employer organization to the client employer;

(y) In the case of amounts retained as commissions by a permit holder under Chapter 3769. of the Revised Code, an amount equal to the amounts specified under that chapter that must be paid to or collected by the tax commissioner as a tax and the amounts specified under that chapter to be used as purse money;

(z) Qualifying distribution center receipts.

(i) For purposes of division (F)(2)(z) of this section:

(I) "Qualifying distribution center receipts" means receipts of a supplier from qualified property that is delivered to a qualified distribution center, multiplied by a quantity that equals one minus the Ohio delivery percentage. If the qualified distribution center is a refining facility, "supplier" includes all dealers, brokers, processors, sellers, vendors, cosigners, and distributors of qualified property.

(II) "Qualified property" means tangible personal property delivered to a qualified distribution center that is shipped to that qualified distribution center solely for further shipping by the qualified distribution center to another location in this state or elsewhere or, in the case of gold, silver, platinum, or palladium delivered to a refining facility solely for refining to a grade and fineness acceptable for delivery to a registered commodities exchange. "Further shipping" includes storing and repackaging property into smaller or larger bundles, so long as the property is not subject to further manufacturing or processing. "Refining" is limited to extracting impurities from gold, silver, platinum, or palladium through smelting or some other process at a refining facility.

(III) "Qualified distribution center" means a warehouse, a facility similar to a warehouse, or a refining facility in this state that, for the qualifying year, is operated by a person that is not part of a combined taxpayer group and that has a qualifying certificate. All warehouses or facilities similar to warehouses that are operated by persons in the same taxpayer group and that are located within one mile of each other shall be treated as one qualified distribution center. All refining facilities that are operated by persons in the same taxpayer group and that are located in the same or adjacent counties may be treated as one qualified distribution center.

(IV) "Qualifying year" means the calendar year to which the qualifying certificate applies.

(V) "Qualifying period" means the period of the first day of July of the second year preceding the qualifying year through the thirtieth day of June of the year preceding the qualifying year.

(VI) "Qualifying certificate" means the certificate issued by the tax commissioner after the operator of a distribution center files an annual application with the commissioner. The application and annual fee shall be filed and paid for each qualified distribution center on or before the first day of September before the qualifying year or within forty-five days after the distribution center opens, whichever is later.

The applicant must substantiate to the commissioner's satisfaction that, for the qualifying period, all persons operating the distribution center have more than fifty per cent of the cost of the qualified property shipped to a location such that it would be sitused outside this state under the provisions of division (E) of section 5751.033 of the Revised Code. The applicant must also substantiate that the distribution center cumulatively had costs from its suppliers equal to or exceeding five hundred million dollars during the qualifying period. (For purposes of division (F)(2)(z)(i)(VI) of this section, "supplier" excludes any person that is part of the consolidated elected taxpayer group, if applicable, of the operator of the qualified distribution center.) The commissioner may require the applicant to have an independent certified public accountant certify that the calculation of the minimum thresholds required for a qualified distribution center by the operator of a distribution center has been made in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The commissioner shall issue or deny the issuance of a certificate within sixty days after the receipt of the application. A denial is subject to appeal under section 5717.02 of the Revised Code. If the operator files a timely appeal under section 5717.02 of the Revised Code, the operator shall be granted a qualifying certificate effective for the remainder of the qualifying year or until the appeal is finalized, whichever is earlier. If the operator does not prevail in the appeal, the operator shall pay the ineligible operator's supplier tax liability.

(VII) "Ohio delivery percentage" means the proportion of the total property delivered to a destination inside Ohio from the qualified distribution center during the qualifying period compared with total deliveries from such distribution center everywhere during the qualifying period.

(VIII) "Refining facility" means one or more buildings located in a county in the Appalachian region of this state as defined by section 107.21 of the Revised Code and utilized for refining or smelting gold, silver, platinum, or palladium to a grade and fineness acceptable for delivery to a registered commodities exchange.

(IX) "Registered commodities exchange" means a board of trade, such as New York mercantile exchange, inc. or commodity exchange, inc., designated as a contract market by the commodity futures trading commission under the "Commodity Exchange Act," 7 U.S.C. 1 et seq., as amended.

(X) "Ineligible operator's supplier tax liability" means an amount equal to the tax liability of all suppliers of a distribution center had the distribution center not been issued a qualifying certificate for the qualifying year. Ineligible operator's supplier tax liability shall not include interest or penalties. The tax commissioner shall determine an ineligible operator's supplier tax liability based on information that the commissioner may request from the operator of the distribution center. An operator shall provide a list of all suppliers of the distribution center and the corresponding costs of qualified property for the qualifying year at issue within sixty days of a request by the commissioner under this division.

(ii)(I) If the distribution center is new and was not open for the entire qualifying period, the operator of the distribution center may request that the commissioner grant a qualifying certificate. If the certificate is granted and it is later determined that more than fifty per cent of the qualified property during that year was not shipped to a location such that it would be sitused outside of this state under the provisions of division (E) of section 5751.033 of the Revised Code or if it is later determined that the person that operates the distribution center had average monthly costs from its suppliers of less than forty million dollars during that year, then the operator of the distribution center shall pay the ineligible operator's supplier tax liability. (For purposes of division (F)(2)(z)(ii) of this section, "supplier" excludes any person that is part of the consolidated elected taxpayer group, if applicable, of the operator of the qualified distribution center.)

(II) The commissioner may grant a qualifying certificate to a distribution center that does not qualify as a qualified distribution center for an entire qualifying period if the operator of the distribution center demonstrates that the business operations of the distribution center have changed or will change such that the distribution center will qualify as a qualified distribution center within thirty-six months after the date the operator first applies for a certificate. If, at the end of that thirty-six-month period, the business operations of the distribution center have not changed such that the distribution center qualifies as a qualified distribution center, the operator of the distribution center shall pay the ineligible operator's supplier tax liability for each year that the distribution center received a certificate but did not qualify as a qualified distribution center. For each year the distribution center receives a certificate under division (F)(2)(z)(ii)(II) of this section, the distribution center shall pay all applicable fees required under division (F)(2)(z) of this section and shall submit an updated business plan showing the progress the distribution center made toward qualifying as a qualified distribution center during the preceding year.

(III) An operator may appeal a determination under division (F)(2)(z)(ii)(I) or (II) of this section that the ineligible operator is liable for the operator's supplier tax liability as a result of not qualifying as a qualified distribution center, as provided in section 5717.02 of the Revised Code.

(iii) When filing an application for a qualifying certificate under division (F)(2)(z)(i)(VI) of this section, the operator of a qualified distribution center also shall provide documentation, as the commissioner requires, for the commissioner to ascertain the Ohio delivery percentage. The commissioner, upon issuing the qualifying certificate, also shall certify the Ohio delivery percentage. The operator of the qualified distribution center may appeal the commissioner's certification of the Ohio delivery percentage in the same manner as an appeal is taken from the denial of a qualifying certificate under division (F)(2)(z)(i)(VI) of this section.

(iv)(I) In the case where the distribution center is new and not open for the entire qualifying period, the operator shall make a good faith estimate of an Ohio delivery percentage for use by suppliers in their reports of taxable gross receipts for the remainder of the qualifying period. The operator of the facility shall disclose to the suppliers that such Ohio delivery percentage is an estimate and is subject to recalculation. By the due date of the next application for a qualifying certificate, the operator shall determine the actual Ohio delivery percentage for the estimated qualifying period and proceed as provided in division (F)(2)(z)(iii) of this section with respect to the calculation and recalculation of the Ohio delivery percentage. The supplier is required to file, within sixty days after receiving notice from the operator of the qualified distribution center, amended reports for the impacted calendar quarter or quarters or calendar year, whichever the case may be. Any additional tax liability or tax overpayment shall be subject to interest but shall not be subject to the imposition of any penalty so long as the amended returns are timely filed.

(II) The operator of a distribution center that receives a qualifying certificate under division (F)(2)(z)(ii)(II) of this section shall make a good faith estimate of the Ohio delivery percentage that the operator estimates will apply to the distribution center at the end of the thirty-six-month period after the operator first applied for a qualifying certificate under that division. The result of the estimate shall be multiplied by a factor of one and seventy-five one-hundredths. The product of that calculation shall be the Ohio delivery percentage used by suppliers in their reports of taxable gross receipts for each qualifying year that the distribution center receives a qualifying certificate under division (F)(2)(z)(ii)(II) of this section, except that, if the product is less than five per cent, the Ohio delivery percentage used shall be five per cent and that, if the product exceeds forty-nine per cent, the Ohio delivery percentage used shall be forty-nine per cent.

(v) Qualifying certificates and Ohio delivery percentages issued by the commissioner shall be open to public inspection and shall be timely published by the commissioner. A supplier relying in good faith on a certificate issued under this division shall not be subject to tax on the qualifying distribution center receipts under division (F)(2)(z) of this section. An operator receiving a qualifying certificate is liable for the ineligible operator's supplier tax liability for each year the operator received a certificate but did not qualify as a qualified distribution center.

(vi) The annual fee for a qualifying certificate shall be one hundred thousand dollars for each qualified distribution center. If a qualifying certificate is not issued, the annual fee is subject to refund after the exhaustion of all appeals provided for in division (F)(2)(z)(i)(VI) of this section. The first one hundred thousand dollars of the annual application fees collected each calendar year shall be credited to the revenue enhancement fund. The remainder of the annual application fees collected shall be distributed in the same manner required under section 5751.20 of the Revised Code.

(vii) The tax commissioner may require that adequate security be posted by the operator of the distribution center on appeal when the commissioner disagrees that the applicant has met the minimum thresholds for a qualified distribution center as set forth in division (F)(2)(z) of this section.

(aa) Receipts of an employer from payroll deductions relating to the reimbursement of the employer for advancing moneys to an unrelated third party on an employee's behalf;

(bb) Cash discounts allowed and taken;

(cc) Returns and allowances;

(dd) Bad debts from receipts on the basis of which the tax imposed by this chapter was paid in a prior quarterly tax payment period. For the purpose of this division, "bad debts" means any debts that have become worthless or uncollectible between the preceding and current quarterly tax payment periods, have been uncollected for at least six months, and that may be claimed as a deduction under section 166 of the Internal Revenue Code and the regulations adopted under that section, or that could be claimed as such if the taxpayer kept its accounts on the accrual basis. "Bad debts" does not include repossessed property, uncollectible amounts on property that remains in the possession of the taxpayer until the full purchase price is paid, or expenses in attempting to collect any account receivable or for any portion of the debt recovered;

(ee) Any amount realized from the sale of an account receivable to the extent the receipts from the underlying transaction giving rise to the account receivable were included in the gross receipts of the taxpayer;

(ff) Any receipts directly attributed to a transfer agreement or to the enterprise transferred under that agreement under section 4313.02 of the Revised Code.

(gg)(i) As used in this division:

(I) "Qualified uranium receipts" means receipts from the sale, exchange, lease, loan, production, processing, or other disposition of uranium within a uranium enrichment zone certified by the tax commissioner under division (F)(2)(gg)(ii) of this section. "Qualified uranium receipts" does not include any receipts with a situs in this state outside a uranium enrichment zone certified by the tax commissioner under division (F)(2)(gg)(ii) of this section.

(II) "Uranium enrichment zone" means all real property that is part of a uranium enrichment facility licensed by the United States nuclear regulatory commission and that was or is owned or controlled by the United States department of energy or its successor.

(ii) Any person that owns, leases, or operates real or tangible personal property constituting or located within a uranium enrichment zone may apply to the tax commissioner to have the uranium enrichment zone certified for the purpose of excluding qualified uranium receipts under division (F)(2)(gg) of this section. The application shall include such information that the tax commissioner prescribes. Within sixty days after receiving the application, the tax commissioner shall certify the zone for that purpose if the commissioner determines that the property qualifies as a uranium enrichment zone as defined in division (F)(2)(gg) of this section, or, if the tax commissioner determines that the property does not qualify, the commissioner shall deny the application or request additional information from the applicant. If the tax commissioner denies an application, the commissioner shall state the reasons for the denial. The applicant may appeal the denial of an application to the board of tax appeals pursuant to section 5717.02 of the Revised Code. If the applicant files a timely appeal, the tax commissioner shall conditionally certify the applicant's property. The conditional certification shall expire when all of the applicant's appeals are exhausted. Until final resolution of the appeal, the applicant shall retain the applicant's records in accordance with section 5751.12 of the Revised Code, notwithstanding any time limit on the preservation of records under that section.

(hh) In the case of amounts collected by a licensed casino operator from casino gaming, amounts in excess of the casino operator's gross casino revenue. In this division, "casino operator" and "casino gaming" have the meanings defined in section 3772.01 of the Revised Code, and "gross casino revenue" has the meaning defined in section 5753.01 of the Revised Code.

(ii) Receipts realized from the sale of agricultural commodities by an agricultural commodity handler, both as defined in section 926.01 of the Revised Code, that is licensed by the director of agriculture to handle agricultural commodities in this state.

(jj) Any receipts for which the tax imposed by this chapter is prohibited by the constitution or laws of the United States or the constitution of this state.

(3) In the case of a taxpayer when acting as a real estate broker, "gross receipts" includes only the portion of any fee for the service of a real estate broker, or service of a real estate salesperson associated with that broker, that is retained by the broker and not paid to an associated real estate salesperson or another real estate broker. For the purposes of this division, "real estate broker" and "real estate salesperson" have the same meanings as in section 4735.01 of the Revised Code.

(4) A taxpayer's method of accounting for gross receipts for a tax period shall be the same as the taxpayer's method of accounting for federal income tax purposes for the taxpayer's federal taxable year that includes the tax period. If a taxpayer's method of accounting for federal income tax purposes changes, its method of accounting for gross receipts under this chapter shall be changed accordingly.

(G) "Taxable gross receipts" means gross receipts sitused to this state under section 5751.033 of the Revised Code.

(H) A person has "substantial nexus with this state" if any of the following applies. The person:

(1) Owns or uses a part or all of its capital in this state;

(2) Holds a certificate of compliance with the laws of this state authorizing the person to do business in this state;

(3) Has bright-line presence in this state;

(4) Otherwise has nexus with this state to an extent that the person can be required to remit the tax imposed under this chapter under the Constitution of the United States.

(I) A person has "bright-line presence" in this state for a reporting period and for the remaining portion of the calendar year if any of the following applies. The person:

(1) Has at any time during the calendar year property in this state with an aggregate value of at least fifty thousand dollars. For the purpose of division (I)(1) of this section, owned property is valued at original cost and rented property is valued at eight times the net annual rental charge.

(2) Has during the calendar year payroll in this state of at least fifty thousand dollars. Payroll in this state includes all of the following:

(a) Any amount subject to withholding by the person under section 5747.06 of the Revised Code;

(b) Any other amount the person pays as compensation to an individual under the supervision or control of the person for work done in this state; and

(c) Any amount the person pays for services performed in this state on its behalf by another.

(3) Has during the calendar year taxable gross receipts of at least five hundred thousand dollars.

(4) Has at any time during the calendar year within this state at least twenty-five per cent of the person's total property, total payroll, or total gross receipts.

(5) Is domiciled in this state as an individual or for corporate, commercial, or other business purposes.

(J) "Tangible personal property" has the same meaning as in section 5739.01 of the Revised Code.

(K) "Internal Revenue Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 100 Stat. 2085, 26 U.S.C. 1, as amended. Any term used in this chapter that is not otherwise defined has the same meaning as when used in a comparable context in the laws of the United States relating to federal income taxes unless a different meaning is clearly required. Any reference in this chapter to the Internal Revenue Code includes other laws of the United States relating to federal income taxes.

(L) "Calendar quarter" means a three-month period ending on the thirty-first day of March, the thirtieth day of June, the thirtieth day of September, or the thirty-first day of December.

(M) "Tax period" means the calendar quarter or calendar year on the basis of which a taxpayer is required to pay the tax imposed under this chapter.

(N) "Calendar year taxpayer" means a taxpayer for which the tax period is a calendar year.

(O) "Calendar quarter taxpayer" means a taxpayer for which the tax period is a calendar quarter.

(P) "Agent" means a person authorized by another person to act on its behalf to undertake a transaction for the other, including any of the following:

(1) A person receiving a fee to sell financial instruments;

(2) A person retaining only a commission from a transaction with the other proceeds from the transaction being remitted to another person;

(3) A person issuing licenses and permits under section 1533.13 of the Revised Code;

(4) A lottery sales agent holding a valid license issued under section 3770.05 of the Revised Code;

(5) A person acting as an agent of the division of liquor control under section 4301.17 of the Revised Code.

(Q) "Received" includes amounts accrued under the accrual method of accounting.

(R) "Reporting person" means a person in a consolidated elected taxpayer or combined taxpayer group that is designated by that group to legally bind the group for all filings and tax liabilities and to receive all legal notices with respect to matters under this chapter, or, for the purposes of section 5751.04 of the Revised Code, a separate taxpayer that is not a member of such a group.

Sec. 5751.20.  (A) As used in sections 5751.20 to 5751.22 of the Revised Code:

(1) "School district," "joint vocational school district," "local taxing unit," "recognized valuation," "fixed-rate levy," and "fixed-sum levy" have the same meanings as used in section 5727.84 of the Revised Code.

(2) "State education aid" for a school district means the following:

(a) For fiscal years prior to fiscal year 2010, the sum of state aid amounts computed for the district under the following provisions, as they existed for the applicable fiscal year: division (A) of section 3317.022 of the Revised Code, including the amounts calculated under former section 3317.029 and section 3317.0217 of the Revised Code; divisions (C)(1), (C)(4), (D), (E), and (F) of section 3317.022; divisions (B), (C), and (D) of section 3317.023; divisions (L) and (N) of section 3317.024; section 3317.0216; and any unit payments for gifted student services paid under section 3317.05 and former sections 3317.052 and 3317.053 of the Revised Code; except that, for fiscal years 2008 and 2009, the amount computed for the district under Section 269.20.80 of H.B. 119 of the 127th general assembly and as that section subsequently may be amended shall be substituted for the amount computed under division (D) of section 3317.022 of the Revised Code, and the amount computed under Section 269.30.80 of H.B. 119 of the 127th general assembly and as that section subsequently may be amended shall be included.

(b) For fiscal years 2010 and 2011, the sum of the amounts computed under former sections 3306.052, 3306.12, 3306.13, 3306.19, 3306.191, and 3306.192 of the Revised Code;

(c) For fiscal years 2012 and 2013, the sum of the amounts paid under Sections 267.30.50, 267.30.53, and 267.30.56 of H.B. 153 of the 129th general assembly;

(d) For fiscal year 2014 and each fiscal year thereafter, the sum of state amounts computed for the district under section 3317.022 of the Revised Code; except that, for fiscal years 2014 and 2015, the amount computed for the district under the section of this act entitled "TRANSITIONAL AID FOR CITY, LOCAL, AND EXEMPTED VILLAGE SCHOOL DISTRICTS" shall be included.

(3) "State education aid" for a joint vocational school district means the following:

(a) For fiscal years prior to fiscal year 2010, the sum of the state aid computed for the district under division (N) of section 3317.024 and former section 3317.16 of the Revised Code, except that, for fiscal years 2008 and 2009, the amount computed under Section 269.30.80 of H.B. 119 of the 127th general assembly and as that section subsequently may be amended shall be included.

(b) For fiscal years 2010 and 2011, the amount paid in accordance with Section 265.30.50 of H.B. 1 of the 128th general assembly.

(c) For fiscal years 2012 and 2013, the amount paid in accordance with Section 267.30.60 of H.B. 153 of the 129th general assembly.

(d) For fiscal year 2014 and each fiscal year thereafter, the amount computed for the district under section 3317.16 of the Revised Code; except that, for fiscal years 2014 and 2015, the amount computed for the district under the section of this act entitled "TRANSITIONAL AID FOR JOINT VOCATIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS" shall be included.

(4) "State education aid offset" means the amount determined for each school district or joint vocational school district under division (A)(1) of section 5751.21 of the Revised Code.

(5) "Machinery and equipment property tax value loss" means the amount determined under division (C)(1) of this section.

(6) "Inventory property tax value loss" means the amount determined under division (C)(2) of this section.

(7) "Furniture and fixtures property tax value loss" means the amount determined under division (C)(3) of this section.

(8) "Machinery and equipment fixed-rate levy loss" means the amount determined under division (D)(1) of this section.

(9) "Inventory fixed-rate levy loss" means the amount determined under division (D)(2) of this section.

(10) "Furniture and fixtures fixed-rate levy loss" means the amount determined under division (D)(3) of this section.

(11) "Total fixed-rate levy loss" means the sum of the machinery and equipment fixed-rate levy loss, the inventory fixed-rate levy loss, the furniture and fixtures fixed-rate levy loss, and the telephone company fixed-rate levy loss.

(12) "Fixed-sum levy loss" means the amount determined under division (E) of this section.

(13) "Machinery and equipment" means personal property subject to the assessment rate specified in division (F) of section 5711.22 of the Revised Code.

(14) "Inventory" means personal property subject to the assessment rate specified in division (E) of section 5711.22 of the Revised Code.

(15) "Furniture and fixtures" means personal property subject to the assessment rate specified in division (G) of section 5711.22 of the Revised Code.

(16) "Qualifying levies" are levies in effect for tax year 2004 or applicable to tax year 2005 or approved at an election conducted before September 1, 2005. For the purpose of determining the rate of a qualifying levy authorized by section 5705.212 or 5705.213 of the Revised Code, the rate shall be the rate that would be in effect for tax year 2010.

(17) "Telephone property" means tangible personal property of a telephone, telegraph, or interexchange telecommunications company subject to an assessment rate specified in section 5727.111 of the Revised Code in tax year 2004.

(18) "Telephone property tax value loss" means the amount determined under division (C)(4) of this section.

(19) "Telephone property fixed-rate levy loss" means the amount determined under division (D)(4) of this section.

(20) "Taxes charged and payable" means taxes charged and payable after the reduction required by section 319.301 of the Revised Code but before the reductions required by sections 319.302 and 323.152 of the Revised Code.

(21) "Median estate tax collections" means, in the case of a municipal corporation to which revenue from the taxes levied in Chapter 5731. of the Revised Code was distributed in each of calendar years 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009, the median of those distributions. In the case of a municipal corporation to which no distributions were made in one or more of those years, "median estate tax collections" means zero.

(22) "Total resources," in the case of a school district, means the sum of the amounts in divisions (A)(22)(a) to (h) of this section less any reduction required under division (A)(32) or (33) of this section.

(a) The state education aid for fiscal year 2010;

(b) The sum of the payments received by the school district in fiscal year 2010 for current expense levy losses pursuant to division (C)(2) of section 5727.85 and divisions (C)(8) and (9) of section 5751.21 of the Revised Code, excluding the portion of such payments attributable to levies for joint vocational school district purposes;

(c) The sum of fixed-sum levy loss payments received by the school district in fiscal year 2010 pursuant to division (E)(1) of section 5727.85 and division (E)(1) of section 5751.21 of the Revised Code for fixed-sum levies charged and payable for a purpose other than paying debt charges;

(d) Fifty per cent of the school district's taxes charged and payable against all property on the tax list of real and public utility property for current expense purposes for tax year 2008, including taxes charged and payable from emergency levies charged and payable under section 5709.194 of the Revised Code and excluding taxes levied for joint vocational school district purposes;

(e) Fifty per cent of the school district's taxes charged and payable against all property on the tax list of real and public utility property for current expenses for tax year 2009, including taxes charged and payable from emergency levies and excluding taxes levied for joint vocational school district purposes;

(f) The school district's taxes charged and payable against all property on the general tax list of personal property for current expenses for tax year 2009, including taxes charged and payable from emergency levies;

(g) The amount certified for fiscal year 2010 under division (A)(2) of section 3317.08 of the Revised Code;

(h) Distributions received during calendar year 2009 from taxes levied under section 718.09 of the Revised Code.

(23) "Total resources," in the case of a joint vocational school district, means the sum of amounts in divisions (A)(23)(a) to (g) of this section less any reduction required under division (A)(32) of this section.

(a) The state education aid for fiscal year 2010;

(b) The sum of the payments received by the joint vocational school district in fiscal year 2010 for current expense levy losses pursuant to division (C)(2) of section 5727.85 and divisions (C)(8) and (9) of section 5751.21 of the Revised Code;

(c) Fifty per cent of the joint vocational school district's taxes charged and payable against all property on the tax list of real and public utility property for current expense purposes for tax year 2008;

(d) Fifty per cent of the joint vocational school district's taxes charged and payable against all property on the tax list of real and public utility property for current expenses for tax year 2009;

(e) Fifty per cent of a city, local, or exempted village school district's taxes charged and payable against all property on the tax list of real and public utility property for current expenses of the joint vocational school district for tax year 2008;

(f) Fifty per cent of a city, local, or exempted village school district's taxes charged and payable against all property on the tax list of real and public utility property for current expenses of the joint vocational school district for tax year 2009;

(g) The joint vocational school district's taxes charged and payable against all property on the general tax list of personal property for current expenses for tax year 2009.

(24) "Total resources," in the case of county mental health and disability related functions, means the sum of the amounts in divisions (A)(24)(a) and (b) of this section less any reduction required under division (A)(32) of this section.

(a) The sum of the payments received by the county for mental health and developmental disability related functions in calendar year 2010 under division (A)(1) of section 5727.86 and divisions (A)(1) and (2) of section 5751.22 of the Revised Code as they existed at that time;

(b) With respect to taxes levied by the county for mental health and developmental disability related purposes, the taxes charged and payable for such purposes against all property on the tax list of real and public utility property for tax year 2009.

(25) "Total resources," in the case of county senior services related functions, means the sum of the amounts in divisions (A)(25)(a) and (b) of this section less any reduction required under division (A)(32) of this section.

(a) The sum of the payments received by the county for senior services related functions in calendar year 2010 under division (A)(1) of section 5727.86 and divisions (A)(1) and (2) of section 5751.22 of the Revised Code as they existed at that time;

(b) With respect to taxes levied by the county for senior services related purposes, the taxes charged and payable for such purposes against all property on the tax list of real and public utility property for tax year 2009.

(26) "Total resources," in the case of county children's services related functions, means the sum of the amounts in divisions (A)(26)(a) and (b) of this section less any reduction required under division (A)(32) of this section.

(a) The sum of the payments received by the county for children's services related functions in calendar year 2010 under division (A)(1) of section 5727.86 and divisions (A)(1) and (2) of section 5751.22 of the Revised Code as they existed at that time;

(b) With respect to taxes levied by the county for children's services related purposes, the taxes charged and payable for such purposes against all property on the tax list of real and public utility property for tax year 2009.

(27) "Total resources," in the case of county public health related functions, means the sum of the amounts in divisions (A)(27)(a) and (b) of this section less any reduction required under division (A)(32) of this section.

(a) The sum of the payments received by the county for public health related functions in calendar year 2010 under division (A)(1) of section 5727.86 and divisions (A)(1) and (2) of section 5751.22 of the Revised Code as they existed at that time;

(b) With respect to taxes levied by the county for public health related purposes, the taxes charged and payable for such purposes against all property on the tax list of real and public utility property for tax year 2009.

(28) "Total resources," in the case of all county functions not included in divisions (A)(24) to (27) of this section, means the sum of the amounts in divisions (A)(28)(a) to (d) of this section less any reduction required under division (A)(32) or (33) of this section.

(a) The sum of the payments received by the county for all other purposes in calendar year 2010 under division (A)(1) of section 5727.86 and divisions (A)(1) and (2) of section 5751.22 of the Revised Code as they existed at that time;

(b) The county's percentage share of county undivided local government fund allocations as certified to the tax commissioner for calendar year 2010 by the county auditor under division (J) of section 5747.51 of the Revised Code or division (F) of section 5747.53 of the Revised Code multiplied by the total amount actually distributed in calendar year 2010 from the county undivided local government fund;

(c) With respect to taxes levied by the county for all other purposes, the taxes charged and payable for such purposes against all property on the tax list of real and public utility property for tax year 2009, excluding taxes charged and payable for the purpose of paying debt charges;

(d) The sum of the amounts distributed to the county in calendar year 2010 for the taxes levied pursuant to sections 5739.021 and 5741.021 of the Revised Code.

(29) "Total resources," in the case of a municipal corporation, means the sum of the amounts in divisions (A)(29)(a) to (g) of this section less any reduction required under division (A)(32) or (33) of this section.

(a) The sum of the payments received by the municipal corporation in calendar year 2010 for current expense levy losses under division (A)(1) of section 5727.86 and divisions (A)(1) and (2) of section 5751.22 of the Revised Code as they existed at that time;

(b) The municipal corporation's percentage share of county undivided local government fund allocations as certified to the tax commissioner for calendar year 2010 by the county auditor under division (J) of section 5747.51 of the Revised Code or division (F) of section 5747.53 of the Revised Code multiplied by the total amount actually distributed in calendar year 2010 from the county undivided local government fund;

(c) The sum of the amounts distributed to the municipal corporation in calendar year 2010 pursuant to section 5747.50 of the Revised Code;

(d) With respect to taxes levied by the municipal corporation, the taxes charged and payable against all property on the tax list of real and public utility property for current expenses, defined in division (A)(35) of this section, for tax year 2009;

(e) The amount of admissions tax collected by the municipal corporation in calendar year 2008, or if such information has not yet been reported to the tax commissioner, in the most recent year before 2008 for which the municipal corporation has reported data to the commissioner;

(f) The amount of income taxes collected by the municipal corporation in calendar year 2008, or if such information has not yet been reported to the tax commissioner, in the most recent year before 2008 for which the municipal corporation has reported data to the commissioner;

(g) The municipal corporation's median estate tax collections.

(30) "Total resources," in the case of a township, means the sum of the amounts in divisions (A)(30)(a) to (c) of this section less any reduction required under division (A)(32) or (33) of this section.

(a) The sum of the payments received by the township in calendar year 2010 pursuant to division (A)(1) of section 5727.86 of the Revised Code and divisions (A)(1) and (2) of section 5751.22 of the Revised Code as they existed at that time, excluding payments received for debt purposes;

(b) The township's percentage share of county undivided local government fund allocations as certified to the tax commissioner for calendar year 2010 by the county auditor under division (J) of section 5747.51 of the Revised Code or division (F) of section 5747.53 of the Revised Code multiplied by the total amount actually distributed in calendar year 2010 from the county undivided local government fund;

(c) With respect to taxes levied by the township, the taxes charged and payable against all property on the tax list of real and public utility property for tax year 2009 excluding taxes charged and payable for the purpose of paying debt charges.

(31) "Total resources," in the case of a local taxing unit that is not a county, municipal corporation, or township, means the sum of the amounts in divisions (A)(31)(a) to (e) of this section less any reduction required under division (A)(32) of this section.

(a) The sum of the payments received by the local taxing unit in calendar year 2010 pursuant to division (A)(1) of section 5727.86 of the Revised Code and divisions (A)(1) and (2) of section 5751.22 of the Revised Code as they existed at that time;

(b) The local taxing unit's percentage share of county undivided local government fund allocations as certified to the tax commissioner for calendar year 2010 by the county auditor under division (J) of section 5747.51 of the Revised Code or division (F) of section 5747.53 of the Revised Code multiplied by the total amount actually distributed in calendar year 2010 from the county undivided local government fund;

(c) With respect to taxes levied by the local taxing unit, the taxes charged and payable against all property on the tax list of real and public utility property for tax year 2009 excluding taxes charged and payable for the purpose of paying debt charges;

(d) The amount received from the tax commissioner during calendar year 2010 for sales or use taxes authorized under sections 5739.023 and 5741.022 of the Revised Code;

(e) For institutions of higher education receiving tax revenue from a local levy, as identified in section 3358.02 of the Revised Code, the final state share of instruction allocation for fiscal year 2010 as calculated by the board of regents and reported to the state controlling board.

(32) If a fixed-rate levy that is a qualifying levy is not charged and payable in any year after tax year 2010, "total resources" used to compute payments to be made under division (C)(12) of section 5751.21 or division (A)(1)(b) or (c) of section 5751.22 of the Revised Code in the tax years following the last year the levy is charged and payable shall be reduced to the extent that the payments are attributable to the fixed-rate levy loss of that levy as would be computed under division (C)(2) of section 5727.85, division (A)(1) of section 5727.85, divisions (C)(8) and (9) of section 5751.21, or division (A)(1) of section 5751.22 of the Revised Code.

(33) In the case of a county, municipal corporation, school district, or township with fixed-rate levy losses attributable to a tax levied under section 5705.23 of the Revised Code, "total resources" used to compute payments to be made under division (C)(3) of section 5727.85, division (A)(1)(d) of section 5727.86, division (C)(12) of section 5751.21, or division (A)(1)(c) of section 5751.22 of the Revised Code shall be reduced by the amounts described in divisions (A)(34)(a) to (c) of this section to the extent that those amounts were included in calculating the "total resources" of the school district or local taxing unit under division (A)(22), (28), (29), or (30) of this section.

(34) "Total library resources," in the case of a county, municipal corporation, school district, or township public library that receives the proceeds of a tax levied under section 5705.23 of the Revised Code, means the sum of the amounts in divisions (A)(34)(a) to (c) of this section less any reduction required under division (A)(32) of this section.

(a) The sum of the payments received by the county, municipal corporation, school district, or township public library in calendar year 2010 pursuant to sections 5727.86 and 5751.22 of the Revised Code, as they existed at that time, for fixed-rate levy losses attributable to a tax levied under section 5705.23 of the Revised Code for the benefit of the public library;

(b) The public library's percentage share of county undivided local government fund allocations as certified to the tax commissioner for calendar year 2010 by the county auditor under division (J) of section 5747.51 of the Revised Code or division (F) of section 5747.53 of the Revised Code multiplied by the total amount actually distributed in calendar year 2010 from the county undivided local government fund;

(c) With respect to a tax levied pursuant to section 5705.23 of the Revised Code for the benefit of the public library, the amount of such tax that is charged and payable against all property on the tax list of real and public utility property for tax year 2009 excluding any tax that is charged and payable for the purpose of paying debt charges.

(35) "Municipal current expense property tax levies" means all property tax levies of a municipality, except those with the following levy names: airport resurfacing; bond or any levy name including the word "bond"; capital improvement or any levy name including the word "capital"; debt or any levy name including the word "debt"; equipment or any levy name including the word "equipment," unless the levy is for combined operating and equipment; employee termination fund; fire pension or any levy containing the word "pension," including police pensions; fireman's fund or any practically similar name; sinking fund; road improvements or any levy containing the word "road"; fire truck or apparatus; flood or any levy containing the word "flood"; conservancy district; county health; note retirement; sewage, or any levy containing the words "sewage" or "sewer"; park improvement; parkland acquisition; storm drain; street or any levy name containing the word "street"; lighting, or any levy name containing the word "lighting"; and water.

(36) "Current expense TPP allocation" means, in the case of a school district or joint vocational school district, the sum of the payments received by the school district in fiscal year 2011 pursuant to divisions (C)(10) and (11) of section 5751.21 of the Revised Code to the extent paid for current expense levies. In the case of a municipal corporation, "current expense TPP allocation" means the sum of the payments received by the municipal corporation in calendar year 2010 pursuant to divisions (A)(1) and (2) of section 5751.22 of the Revised Code to the extent paid for municipal current expense property tax levies as defined in division (A)(35) of this section, excluding any such payments received for current expense levy losses attributable to a tax levied under section 5705.23 of the Revised Code. If a fixed-rate levy that is a qualifying levy is not charged and payable in any year after tax year 2010, "current expense TPP allocation" used to compute payments to be made under division (C)(12) of section 5751.21 or division (A)(1)(b) or (c) of section 5751.22 of the Revised Code in the tax years following the last year the levy is charged and payable shall be reduced to the extent that the payments are attributable to the fixed-rate levy loss of that levy as would be computed under divisions (C)(10) and (11) of section 5751.21 or division (A)(1) of section 5751.22 of the Revised Code.

(37) "TPP allocation" means the sum of payments received by a local taxing unit in calendar year 2010 pursuant to divisions (A)(1) and (2) of section 5751.22 of the Revised Code, excluding any such payments received for fixed-rate levy losses attributable to a tax levied under section 5705.23 of the Revised Code. If a fixed-rate levy that is a qualifying levy is not charged and payable in any year after tax year 2010, "TPP allocation" used to compute payments to be made under division (A)(1)(b) or (c) of section 5751.22 of the Revised Code in the tax years following the last year the levy is charged and payable shall be reduced to the extent that the payments are attributable to the fixed-rate levy loss of that levy as would be computed under division (A)(1) of that section.

(38) "Total TPP allocation" means, in the case of a school district or joint vocational school district, the sum of the amounts received in fiscal year 2011 pursuant to divisions (C)(10) and (11) and (D) of section 5751.21 of the Revised Code. In the case of a local taxing unit, "total TPP allocation" means the sum of payments received by the unit in calendar year 2010 pursuant to divisions (A)(1), (2), and (3) of section 5751.22 of the Revised Code. If a fixed-rate levy that is a qualifying levy is not charged and payable in any year after tax year 2010, "total TPP allocation" used to compute payments to be made under division (C)(12) of section 5751.21 or division (A)(1)(b) or (c) of section 5751.22 of the Revised Code in the tax years following the last year the levy is charged and payable shall be reduced to the extent that the payments are attributable to the fixed-rate levy loss of that levy as would be computed under divisions (C)(10) and (11) of section 5751.21 or division (A)(1) of section 5751.22 of the Revised Code.

(39) "Non-current expense TPP allocation" means the difference of total TPP allocation minus the sum of current expense TPP allocation and the portion of total TPP allocation constituting reimbursement for debt levies, pursuant to division (D) of section 5751.21 of the Revised Code in the case of a school district or joint vocational school district and pursuant to division (A)(3) of section 5751.22 of the Revised Code in the case of a municipal corporation.

(40) "TPP allocation for library purposes" means the sum of payments received by a county, municipal corporation, school district, or township public library in calendar year 2010 pursuant to section 5751.22 of the Revised Code for fixed-rate levy losses attributable to a tax levied under section 5705.23 of the Revised Code. If a fixed-rate levy authorized under section 5705.23 of the Revised Code that is a qualifying levy is not charged and payable in any year after tax year 2010, "TPP allocation for library purposes" used to compute payments to be made under division (A)(1)(d) of section 5751.22 of the Revised Code in the tax years following the last year the levy is charged and payable shall be reduced to the extent that the payments are attributable to the fixed-rate levy loss of that levy as would be computed under division (A)(1) of section 5751.22 of the Revised Code.

(41) "Threshold per cent" means, in the case of a school district or joint vocational school district, two per cent for fiscal year 2012 and four per cent for fiscal years 2013 and thereafter. In the case of a local taxing unit or public library that receives the proceeds of a tax levied under section 5705.23 of the Revised Code, "threshold per cent" means two per cent for tax year 2011, four per cent for tax year 2012, and six per cent for tax years 2013 and thereafter.

(B)(1) The commercial activities tax receipts fund is hereby created in the state treasury and shall consist of money arising from the tax imposed under this chapter. Eighty-five one-hundredths of one per cent of the money credited to that fund shall be credited to the revenue enhancement fund and shall be used to defray the costs incurred by the department of taxation in administering the tax imposed by this chapter and in implementing tax reform measures. The remainder of the money in the commercial activities tax receipts fund shall first be credited to the commercial activity tax motor fuel receipts fund, pursuant to division (B)(2) of this section, and the remainder shall be credited in the following percentages each fiscal year to the general revenue fund, to the school district tangible property tax replacement fund, which is hereby created in the state treasury for the purpose of making the payments described in section 5751.21 of the Revised Code, and to the local government tangible property tax replacement fund, which is hereby created in the state treasury for the purpose of making the payments described in section 5751.22 of the Revised Code, in the following percentages:

Fiscal year General Revenue Fund School District Tangible Property Tax Replacement Fund Local Government Tangible Property Tax Replacement Fund
2006 67.7% 22.6% 9.7%
2007 0% 70.0% 30.0%
2008 0% 70.0% 30.0%
2009 0% 70.0% 30.0%
2010 0% 70.0% 30.0%
2011 0% 70.0% 30.0%
2012 25.0% 52.5% 22.5%
2013 and thereafter 50.0% 35.0% 15.0%

(2) Not later than the twentieth day of February, May, August, and November of each year, the commissioner shall provide for payment from the commercial activities tax receipts fund to the commercial activity tax motor fuel receipts fund an amount that bears the same ratio to the balance in the commercial activities tax receipts fund that (a) the taxable gross receipts attributed to motor fuel used for propelling vehicles on public highways as indicated by returns filed by the tenth day of that month for a liability that is due and payable on or after July 1, 2013, for a tax period ending before July 1, 2014, bears to (b) all taxable gross receipts as indicated by those returns for such liabilities.

(C) Not later than September 15, 2005, the tax commissioner shall determine for each school district, joint vocational school district, and local taxing unit its machinery and equipment, inventory property, furniture and fixtures property, and telephone property tax value losses, which are the applicable amounts described in divisions (C)(1), (2), (3), and (4) of this section, except as provided in division (C)(5) of this section:

(1) Machinery and equipment property tax value loss is the taxable value of machinery and equipment property as reported by taxpayers for tax year 2004 multiplied by:

(a) For tax year 2006, thirty-three and eight-tenths per cent;

(b) For tax year 2007, sixty-one and three-tenths per cent;

(c) For tax year 2008, eighty-three per cent;

(d) For tax year 2009 and thereafter, one hundred per cent.

(2) Inventory property tax value loss is the taxable value of inventory property as reported by taxpayers for tax year 2004 multiplied by:

(a) For tax year 2006, a fraction, the numerator of which is five and three-fourths and the denominator of which is twenty-three;

(b) For tax year 2007, a fraction, the numerator of which is nine and one-half and the denominator of which is twenty-three;

(c) For tax year 2008, a fraction, the numerator of which is thirteen and one-fourth and the denominator of which is twenty-three;

(d) For tax year 2009 and thereafter a fraction, the numerator of which is seventeen and the denominator of which is twenty-three.

(3) Furniture and fixtures property tax value loss is the taxable value of furniture and fixture property as reported by taxpayers for tax year 2004 multiplied by:

(a) For tax year 2006, twenty-five per cent;

(b) For tax year 2007, fifty per cent;

(c) For tax year 2008, seventy-five per cent;

(d) For tax year 2009 and thereafter, one hundred per cent.

The taxable value of property reported by taxpayers used in divisions (C)(1), (2), and (3) of this section shall be such values as determined to be final by the tax commissioner as of August 31, 2005. Such determinations shall be final except for any correction of a clerical error that was made prior to August 31, 2005, by the tax commissioner.

(4) Telephone property tax value loss is the taxable value of telephone property as taxpayers would have reported that property for tax year 2004 if the assessment rate for all telephone property for that year were twenty-five per cent, multiplied by:

(a) For tax year 2006, zero per cent;

(b) For tax year 2007, zero per cent;

(c) For tax year 2008, zero per cent;

(d) For tax year 2009, sixty per cent;

(e) For tax year 2010, eighty per cent;

(f) For tax year 2011 and thereafter, one hundred per cent.

(5) Division (C)(5) of this section applies to any school district, joint vocational school district, or local taxing unit in a county in which is located a facility currently or formerly devoted to the enrichment or commercialization of uranium or uranium products, and for which the total taxable value of property listed on the general tax list of personal property for any tax year from tax year 2001 to tax year 2004 was fifty per cent or less of the taxable value of such property listed on the general tax list of personal property for the next preceding tax year.

In computing the fixed-rate levy losses under divisions (D)(1), (2), and (3) of this section for any school district, joint vocational school district, or local taxing unit to which division (C)(5) of this section applies, the taxable value of such property as listed on the general tax list of personal property for tax year 2000 shall be substituted for the taxable value of such property as reported by taxpayers for tax year 2004, in the taxing district containing the uranium facility, if the taxable value listed for tax year 2000 is greater than the taxable value reported by taxpayers for tax year 2004. For the purpose of making the computations under divisions (D)(1), (2), and (3) of this section, the tax year 2000 valuation is to be allocated to machinery and equipment, inventory, and furniture and fixtures property in the same proportions as the tax year 2004 values. For the purpose of the calculations in division (A) of section 5751.21 of the Revised Code, the tax year 2004 taxable values shall be used.

To facilitate the calculations required under division (C) of this section, the county auditor, upon request from the tax commissioner, shall provide by August 1, 2005, the values of machinery and equipment, inventory, and furniture and fixtures for all single-county personal property taxpayers for tax year 2004.

(D) Not later than September 15, 2005, the tax commissioner shall determine for each tax year from 2006 through 2009 for each school district, joint vocational school district, and local taxing unit its machinery and equipment, inventory, and furniture and fixtures fixed-rate levy losses, and for each tax year from 2006 through 2011 its telephone property fixed-rate levy loss. Except as provided in division (F) of this section, such losses are the applicable amounts described in divisions (D)(1), (2), (3), and (4) of this section:

(1) The machinery and equipment fixed-rate levy loss is the machinery and equipment property tax value loss multiplied by the sum of the tax rates of fixed-rate qualifying levies.

(2) The inventory fixed-rate loss is the inventory property tax value loss multiplied by the sum of the tax rates of fixed-rate qualifying levies.

(3) The furniture and fixtures fixed-rate levy loss is the furniture and fixture property tax value loss multiplied by the sum of the tax rates of fixed-rate qualifying levies.

(4) The telephone property fixed-rate levy loss is the telephone property tax value loss multiplied by the sum of the tax rates of fixed-rate qualifying levies.

(E) Not later than September 15, 2005, the tax commissioner shall determine for each school district, joint vocational school district, and local taxing unit its fixed-sum levy loss. The fixed-sum levy loss is the amount obtained by subtracting the amount described in division (E)(2) of this section from the amount described in division (E)(1) of this section:

(1) The sum of the machinery and equipment property tax value loss, the inventory property tax value loss, and the furniture and fixtures property tax value loss, and, for 2008 through 2010, the telephone property tax value loss of the district or unit multiplied by the sum of the fixed-sum tax rates of qualifying levies. For 2006 through 2010, this computation shall include all qualifying levies remaining in effect for the current tax year and any school district levies charged and payable under section 5705.194 or 5705.213 of the Revised Code that are qualifying levies not remaining in effect for the current year. For 2011 through 2017 in the case of school district levies charged and payable under section 5705.194 or 5705.213 of the Revised Code and for all years after 2010 in the case of other fixed-sum levies, this computation shall include only qualifying levies remaining in effect for the current year. For purposes of this computation, a qualifying school district levy charged and payable under section 5705.194 or 5705.213 of the Revised Code remains in effect in a year after 2010 only if, for that year, the board of education levies a school district levy charged and payable under section 5705.194, 5705.199, 5705.213, or 5705.219 of the Revised Code for an annual sum at least equal to the annual sum levied by the board in tax year 2004 less the amount of the payment certified under this division for 2006.

(2) The total taxable value in tax year 2004 less the sum of the machinery and equipment, inventory, furniture and fixtures, and telephone property tax value losses in each school district, joint vocational school district, and local taxing unit multiplied by one-half of one mill per dollar.

(3) For the calculations in divisions (E)(1) and (2) of this section, the tax value losses are those that would be calculated for tax year 2009 under divisions (C)(1), (2), and (3) of this section and for tax year 2011 under division (C)(4) of this section.

(4) To facilitate the calculation under divisions (D) and (E) of this section, not later than September 1, 2005, any school district, joint vocational school district, or local taxing unit that has a qualifying levy that was approved at an election conducted during 2005 before September 1, 2005, shall certify to the tax commissioner a copy of the county auditor's certificate of estimated property tax millage for such levy as required under division (B) of section 5705.03 of the Revised Code, which is the rate that shall be used in the calculations under such divisions.

If the amount determined under division (E) of this section for any school district, joint vocational school district, or local taxing unit is greater than zero, that amount shall equal the reimbursement to be paid pursuant to division (E) of section 5751.21 or division (A)(3) of section 5751.22 of the Revised Code, and the one-half of one mill that is subtracted under division (E)(2) of this section shall be apportioned among all contributing fixed-sum levies in the proportion that each levy bears to the sum of all fixed-sum levies within each school district, joint vocational school district, or local taxing unit.

(F) If a school district levies a tax under section 5705.219 of the Revised Code, the fixed-rate levy loss for qualifying levies, to the extent repealed under that section, shall equal the sum of the following amounts in lieu of the amounts computed for such levies under division (D) of this section:

(1) The sum of the rates of qualifying levies to the extent so repealed multiplied by the sum of the machinery and equipment, inventory, and furniture and fixtures tax value losses for 2009 as determined under that division;

(2) The sum of the rates of qualifying levies to the extent so repealed multiplied by the telephone property tax value loss for 2011 as determined under that division.

The fixed-rate levy losses for qualifying levies to the extent not repealed under section 5705.219 of the Revised Code shall be as determined under division (D) of this section. The revised fixed-rate levy losses determined under this division and division (D) of this section first apply in the year following the first year the district levies the tax under section 5705.219 of the Revised Code.

(G) Not later than October 1, 2005, the tax commissioner shall certify to the department of education for every school district and joint vocational school district the machinery and equipment, inventory, furniture and fixtures, and telephone property tax value losses determined under division (C) of this section, the machinery and equipment, inventory, furniture and fixtures, and telephone fixed-rate levy losses determined under division (D) of this section, and the fixed-sum levy losses calculated under division (E) of this section. The calculations under divisions (D) and (E) of this section shall separately display the levy loss for each levy eligible for reimbursement.

(H) Not later than October 1, 2005, the tax commissioner shall certify the amount of the fixed-sum levy losses to the county auditor of each county in which a school district, joint vocational school district, or local taxing unit with a fixed-sum levy loss reimbursement has territory.

(I) Not later than the twenty-eighth day of February each year beginning in 2011 and ending in 2014, the tax commissioner shall certify to the department of education for each school district first levying a tax under section 5705.219 of the Revised Code in the preceding year the revised fixed-rate levy losses determined under divisions (D) and (F) of this section.

(J)(1) There is hereby created in the state treasury the commercial activity tax motor fuel receipts fund.

(2)(a) On or before June 15, 2014, the director of the Ohio public works commission shall certify to the director of budget and management the amount of debt service paid from the general revenue fund in fiscal years 2013 and 2014 on bonds issued to finance or assist in the financing of the cost of local subdivision public infrastructure capital improvement projects, as provided for in Sections 2k, 2m, and 2p of Article VIII, Ohio Constitution, that are attributable to costs for construction, reconstruction, maintenance, or repair of public highways and bridges and other statutory highway purposes. That certification shall allocate the total amount of debt service paid from the general revenue fund and attributable to those costs in each of fiscal years 2013 and 2014 according to the applicable section of the Ohio Constitution under which the bonds were originally issued.

(b) On or before June 30, 2014, the director of budget and management shall determine an amount up to but not exceeding the amount certified under division (J)(2)(a) of this section and shall reserve that amount from the cash balance in the commercial activity tax motor fuel receipts fund for transfer to the general revenue fund at times and in amounts to be determined by the director. The director shall transfer the cash balance in the commercial activity tax motor fuel receipts fund in excess of the amount so reserved to the highway operating fund on or before June 30, 2014.

(3)(a) On or before the fifteenth day of June of each fiscal year beginning with fiscal year 2015, the director of the Ohio public works commission shall certify to the director of budget and management the amount of debt service paid from the general revenue fund in the current fiscal year on bonds issued to finance or assist in the financing of the cost of local subdivision public infrastructure capital improvement projects, as provided for in Sections 2k, 2m, and 2p of Article VIII, Ohio Constitution, that are attributable to costs for construction, reconstruction, maintenance, or repair of public highways and bridges and other statutory highway purposes. That certification shall allocate the total amount of debt service paid from the general revenue fund and attributable to those costs in the current fiscal year according to the applicable section of the Ohio Constitution under which the bonds were originally issued.

(b) On or before the thirtieth day of June of each fiscal year beginning with fiscal year 2015, the director of budget and management shall determine an amount up to but not exceeding the amount certified under division (J)(3)(a) of this section and shall reserve that amount from the cash balance in the motor fuel receipts petroleum activity tax public highways fund or the commercial activity tax motor fuel receipts fund for transfer to the general revenue fund at times and in amounts to be determined by the director. The director shall transfer the cash balance in the motor fuel receipts petroleum activity tax public highways fund or the commercial activity tax motor fuel receipts fund in excess of the amount so reserved to the highway operating fund on or before the thirtieth day of June of the current fiscal year.

SECTION 2. That existing sections 122.17, 122.171, 122.86, 166.21, 718.15, 718.151, 3734.905, 4921.13, 4921.19, 5703.056, 5703.059, 5703.21, 5727.47, 5727.91, 5735.01, 5735.026, 5735.05, 5735.062, 5735.07, 5735.09, 5735.12, 5735.141, 5735.23, 5736.01, 5736.02, 5736.03, 5736.04, 5736.06, 5736.09, 5736.13, 5743.01, 5743.021, 5743.024, 5743.025, 5743.03, 5743.04, 5743.05, 5743.051, 5743.112, 5743.52, 5743.65, 5747.08, 5747.98, 5751.01, and 5751.20, and sections 183.35, 5726.08, 5733.30, 5735.16, 5743.06, and 5745.10 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.

SECTION 3.  The amendment by this act of section 122.86 of the Revised Code applies to any qualifying investment made on or after July 1, 2011, including any qualifying investment made on or after July 1, 2013.

SECTION 4. The amendment or enactment by this act of sections 122.17, 122.171, and 5736.50 of the Revised Code, except for the amendment to division (A) of section 122.17 of the Revised Code, applies to tax periods beginning on or after July 1, 2014.

The amendment by this act of division (A) of section 5736.02, division (A) of section 5736.03, division (G) of section 5736.09, divisions (D)(2)(a) and (b) of section 5736.13, section 5751.01, all divisions of section 5736.01 except division (I) of that section, and the addition of the word "calculated" in divisions (A) and (C) of section 5736.04 of the Revised Code apply to tax periods beginning on or after July 1, 2015.

SECTION 5. (A) As used in this section:

(1) "Qualified property" means real property all or a portion of the assessed value of which is or has been eligible for exemption from taxation under a qualifying enterprise zone agreement.

(2) "Qualifying enterprise zone agreement" means an enterprise zone agreement entered into under section 5709.63 of the Revised Code by the record owner of qualified property and the board of county commissioners of a county having a population greater than five hundred thousand but less than six hundred thousand with the consent of a municipal corporation having a population greater than fifteen thousand but less than twenty thousand. For the purposes of this section, population is determined by reference to the 2010 decennial census.

(3) "Record owner" means the person or persons in whose name a parcel of qualified real property is listed on the tax list compiled by the county auditor under section 319.28 of the Revised Code.

(B) Notwithstanding section 5713.081 of the Revised Code, when qualified property has not received tax exemption to which the property would otherwise be entitled if not for the record owner's failure to comply with section 5715.27 of the Revised Code, the record owner, at any time on or before three months after the effective date of this section, may file with the Tax Commissioner an application requesting the following:

(1) That the qualified property be added to the list of exempted parcels compiled by the county auditor under section 5713.08 of the Revised Code;

(2) That unpaid taxes, to the extent the assessed value of the qualified property would have been exempted under the qualifying enterprise zone agreement, and any penalties and interest arising from such taxes be abated;

(3) That any amounts paid by the record owner in satisfaction of taxes from which the qualified property would have been exempted under the qualifying enterprise zone agreement and in satisfaction of penalties and interest arising from such taxes be refunded.

(C) The application shall be made on the current form prescribed by the Commissioner under section 5715.27 of the Revised Code and shall also list the name of the county in which the qualified property is located; the property's legal description; its assessed value; the amount in dollars of the unpaid taxes, penalties, and interest for which the record owner is seeking abatement; the amount paid in satisfaction of taxes, penalties, and interest for which the record owner is seeking a refund; the date of acquisition of title to the property; a copy of the qualifying enterprise zone agreement; and any other information required by the Commissioner. The county auditor shall supply any such information in the auditor's possession upon request of the applicant.

(D) Upon receipt of the application and after consideration of it, the Commissioner shall determine if the qualified property meets the qualifications set forth in this section, and if so shall issue an order directing that the property be placed on the tax-exempt list of the county for the period and years described in the qualifying enterprise zone agreement and that the tax-exempt lists and tax duplicates for those years be corrected accordingly; that all unpaid taxes from which the qualified property would have been exempt under the qualifying enterprise zone agreement, and all penalties and interest arising from such taxes, be abated; and that all amounts paid by the record owner in satisfaction of taxes from which the qualified property would have been exempt under the qualifying enterprise zone agreement, and penalties and interest arising from such taxes, be refunded. If the Commissioner finds that the qualified property does not meet the qualifications set forth in this section, the Commissioner shall issue an order denying the application.

(E) If the Commissioner finds that the property is not entitled to tax exemption, to the abatement of unpaid taxes, penalties, and interest, or to the refund of amounts paid in satisfaction of taxes, penalties, and interest for any of the years for which the record owner claims an exemption, abatement, or refund, the Commissioner shall order the county treasurer of the county in which the property is located to collect all unpaid taxes, penalties, and interest due on the property for those years in accordance with law.

(F) The Commissioner may apply this section to any qualified property that is the subject of an application for exemption pending before the Commissioner, or on appeal before the Board of Tax Appeals, a court of appeals, or the Ohio Supreme Court on the effective date of this section.

SECTION 6.  Division (J) of section 5751.20 of the Revised Code is amended by this act and also by H.B. 59 of the 130th General Assembly (effective July 1, 2014). The amendments of H.B. 59 are included in this act to confirm the intention to retain them, but are not intended to be effective until July 1, 2014.

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