1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to taxation; making policy changes to income 
  1.3             and withholding taxes, property taxes, mortgage 
  1.4             registry and deed taxes, sales and use taxes, 
  1.5             MinnesotaCare taxes, and tax collections; providing 
  1.6             civil penalties; amending Minnesota Statutes 1996, 
  1.7             sections 8.30; 60A.15, subdivision 1; 270.02, 
  1.8             subdivision 3; 270.063; 270.10, subdivisions 1 and 5; 
  1.9             270.101, subdivisions 2, 3, and by adding a 
  1.10            subdivision; 270.271, by adding a subdivision; 
  1.11            270.273, subdivision 2; 270.276, subdivision 2; 
  1.12            270.67, subdivision 2; 270.68, subdivision 1; 270.69, 
  1.13            subdivision 11; 270.701, subdivisions 2 and 5; 
  1.14            270.708, subdivision 1; 270.721; 270.73, subdivision 
  1.15            1; 271.06, subdivision 2; 271.08, subdivision 1; 
  1.16            271.10, subdivision 2; 275.075; 287.08; 287.28; 
  1.17            287.31, subdivision 1; 289A.08, subdivision 3; 
  1.18            289A.09, subdivision 2; 289A.20, subdivisions 1 and 2; 
  1.19            289A.31, subdivision 1; 289A.36, subdivision 4; 
  1.20            289A.37, subdivision 1; 289A.40, subdivisions 1 and 2; 
  1.21            289A.60, subdivision 15; 290.095, subdivision 3; 
  1.22            290.17, subdivision 2; 290.35, subdivision 2; 290A.04, 
  1.23            subdivision 2h; 295.50, subdivisions 3 and 14; 295.52, 
  1.24            subdivision 4; 295.53, subdivision 4; 295.55, 
  1.25            subdivision 2; 297A.01, by adding a subdivision; 
  1.26            297A.041; 297A.07, subdivision 3; 297A.24, by adding a 
  1.27            subdivision; 297A.25, subdivisions 12 and 41; 297A.45, 
  1.28            subdivision 4; 297B.035, subdivision 3; 297B.11; 
  1.29            299F.21; 515B.1-105; and 515B.1-116; Laws 1995, 
  1.30            chapter 264, article 10, section 15; proposing coding 
  1.31            for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 270; and 
  1.32            287. 
  1.33  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.34                             ARTICLE 1
  1.35                           PROPERTY TAXES
  1.36     Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 275.075, is 
  1.37  amended to read: 
  1.38     275.075 [OMISSION BY INADVERTENCE; CORRECTION.] 
  1.39     Whenever the amount of taxes as levied and certified by the 
  2.1   tax levying body of any county, city, town, special taxing 
  2.2   district, or school district has not been, as the result of 
  2.3   error, inadvertence, or from the estimates as provided in 
  2.4   section 275.08, by the county auditor extended and spread in 
  2.5   conformity therewith, such tax levying body may include in its 
  2.6   tax levy for the year following, the whole or any part of the 
  2.7   amount so omitted through error, inadvertence, or from the 
  2.8   estimates as provided in section 275.08, in addition to its 
  2.9   current levy and in addition to and notwithstanding any 
  2.10  limitations to the contrary. 
  2.11     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 287.08, is 
  2.12  amended to read: 
  2.13     287.08 [TAX, HOW PAYABLE; RECEIPTS.] 
  2.14     (a) The tax imposed by sections 287.01 to 287.12 shall be 
  2.15  paid to the treasurer of the county in which the mortgaged land 
  2.16  or some part thereof is situated at or before the time of filing 
  2.17  the mortgage for record or registration.  The treasurer shall 
  2.18  endorse receipt on the mortgage, countersigned by the county 
  2.19  auditor, who shall charge the amount to the treasurer and such 
  2.20  receipt shall be recorded with the mortgage, and such receipt of 
  2.21  the record thereof shall be conclusive proof that the tax has 
  2.22  been paid to the amount therein stated and authorize any county 
  2.23  recorder to record the mortgage.  Its form, in substance, shall 
  2.24  be "registration tax hereon of ..................... dollars 
  2.25  paid."  If the mortgages be exempt from taxation the endorsement 
  2.26  shall be "exempt from registration tax," to be signed in either 
  2.27  case by the treasurer as such, and in case of payment to be 
  2.28  countersigned by the auditor.  In case the treasurer shall be 
  2.29  unable to determine whether a claim of exemption should be 
  2.30  allowed, the tax shall be paid to the court administrator of as 
  2.31  in the case of a taxable mortgage.  
  2.32     (b) Upon written application of the taxpayer, the county 
  2.33  treasurer may refund in whole or in part any tax which has been 
  2.34  erroneously paid, or a person having paid a mortgage registry 
  2.35  tax amount may seek a refund of such tax, or other appropriate 
  2.36  relief, by bringing an action in the district tax court of in 
  3.1   the county to abide the order of such court made upon motion of 
  3.2   the county attorney, or of the claimant upon notice as required 
  3.3   by the court. in which the tax was paid, within 60 days of the 
  3.4   payment.  The action is commenced by the serving of a petition 
  3.5   for relief on the county treasurer, and by filing a copy with 
  3.6   the court.  The county attorney shall defend the action.  The 
  3.7   county treasurer shall notify the treasurer of each county that 
  3.8   has or would receive a portion of the tax as paid.  
  3.9      (c) If the county treasurer determines a refund should be 
  3.10  paid, or if a refund is ordered, the county treasurer of each 
  3.11  county that actually received a portion of the tax shall 
  3.12  immediately pay a proportionate share of three percent of the 
  3.13  refund using any available county funds.  The county treasurer 
  3.14  of each county which received, or would have received, a portion 
  3.15  of the tax shall also pay their county's proportionate share of 
  3.16  the remaining 97 percent of the court-ordered refund on or 
  3.17  before the tenth day of the following month using solely the 
  3.18  mortgage registry tax funds that would be paid to the 
  3.19  commissioner of revenue on that date under section 287.12.  If 
  3.20  the funds on hand under this procedure are insufficient to fully 
  3.21  fund 97 percent of the court ordered refund, the county 
  3.22  treasurer of the county in which the action was brought shall 
  3.23  file a claim with the commissioner of revenue under section 
  3.24  16A.48 for the remaining portion of 97 percent of the refund, 
  3.25  and shall pay over the remaining portion upon receipt of a 
  3.26  warrant from the state issued pursuant to the claim.  
  3.27     (d) When any such mortgage covers real property situate in 
  3.28  more than one county in this state the whole of such tax shall 
  3.29  be paid to the treasurer of the county where the mortgage is 
  3.30  first presented for record or registration, and the payment 
  3.31  shall be receipted and countersigned as above provided.  The tax 
  3.32  shall be divided and paid over by the county treasurer receiving 
  3.33  the same, on or before the tenth day of each month after receipt 
  3.34  thereof, to the county or counties entitled thereto in the ratio 
  3.35  which the market value of the real property covered by the 
  3.36  mortgage in each county bears to the market value of all the 
  4.1   property described in the mortgage.  In making such division and 
  4.2   payment the county treasurer shall send therewith a statement 
  4.3   giving the description of the property described in the mortgage 
  4.4   and the market value of the part thereof situate in each 
  4.5   county.  For the purpose aforesaid, the treasurer of any county 
  4.6   may require the treasurer of any other county to certify to the 
  4.7   former the market valuation of any tract of land in any such 
  4.8   mortgage. 
  4.9      Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 287.28, is 
  4.10  amended to read: 
  4.11     287.28 [REFUNDMENTS REFUNDS OR REDEMPTION.] 
  4.12     (a) The county treasurer may order the refundment refund in 
  4.13  whole or in part of any tax which has been erroneously or 
  4.14  unjustly paid and may allow for or redeem such of the stamps, 
  4.15  issued under the authority of sections 287.21 to 287.36 as may 
  4.16  have been spoiled, destroyed, or rendered useless or unfit for 
  4.17  the purpose intended or for which the owner may have no use or 
  4.18  which through mistake may have been improperly or unnecessarily 
  4.19  used.  Such order shall be made only upon written application of 
  4.20  the taxpayer and upon approval of the county board.  Refunds 
  4.21  therefor shall be paid out of the general fund of the county.  
  4.22     (b) A person having paid a deed tax amount may seek a 
  4.23  refund of the tax, or other appropriate relief, by commencing an 
  4.24  action in tax court in the county where the tax was paid, within 
  4.25  60 days of the payment.  The action is commenced by serving a 
  4.26  petition for relief on the county treasurer, and filing a copy 
  4.27  with the court.  The county attorney shall defend the action.  
  4.28  The county treasurer shall notify the treasurer of each county 
  4.29  that has, or would receive a portion of the tax as paid.  Any 
  4.30  refund of deed tax which the county treasurer determines should 
  4.31  be made, and any court ordered refund of deed tax, shall be 
  4.32  accomplished using the refund procedures in section 287.08. 
  4.33     Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 290A.04, 
  4.34  subdivision 2h, is amended to read: 
  4.35     Subd. 2h.  (a) If the gross property taxes payable on a 
  4.36  homestead increase more than 12 percent over the net property 
  5.1   taxes payable in the prior year on the same property that is 
  5.2   owned and occupied by the same owner on January 2 of both years, 
  5.3   and the amount of that increase is $100 or more for taxes 
  5.4   payable in 1996 and 1997, a claimant who is a homeowner shall be 
  5.5   allowed an additional refund equal to 60 percent of the amount 
  5.6   of the increase over the greater of 12 percent of the prior 
  5.7   year's net property taxes payable or $100 for taxes payable in 
  5.8   1996 and 1997.  This subdivision shall not apply to any increase 
  5.9   in the gross property taxes payable attributable to improvements 
  5.10  made to the homestead after the assessment date for the prior 
  5.11  year's taxes.  This subdivision shall not apply to any increase 
  5.12  in the gross property taxes payable attributable to the 
  5.13  termination of valuation exclusions under section 273.11, 
  5.14  subdivision 16. 
  5.15     The maximum refund allowed under this subdivision is $1,000.
  5.16     (b) For purposes of this subdivision, the following terms 
  5.17  have the meanings given: 
  5.18     (1) "Net property taxes payable" means property taxes 
  5.19  payable minus refund amounts for which the claimant qualifies 
  5.20  pursuant to subdivision 2 and this subdivision.  
  5.21     (2) "Gross property taxes" means net property taxes payable 
  5.22  determined without regard to the refund allowed under this 
  5.23  subdivision. 
  5.24     (c) In addition to the other proofs required by this 
  5.25  chapter, each claimant under this subdivision shall file with 
  5.26  the property tax refund return a copy of the property tax 
  5.27  statement for taxes payable in the preceding year or other 
  5.28  documents required by the commissioner. 
  5.29     (d) On or before December 1, 1995, the commissioner shall 
  5.30  estimate the cost of making the payments provided by this 
  5.31  subdivision for taxes payable in 1996.  Notwithstanding the open 
  5.32  appropriation provision of section 290A.23, if the estimated 
  5.33  total refund claims for taxes payable in 1996 exceed $5,500,000, 
  5.34  the commissioner shall first reduce the 60 percent refund rate 
  5.35  enough, but to no lower a rate than 50 percent, so that the 
  5.36  estimated total refund claims do not exceed $5,500,000.  If the 
  6.1   commissioner estimates that total claims will exceed $5,500,000 
  6.2   at a 50 percent refund rate, the commissioner shall also reduce 
  6.3   the $1,000 maximum refund amount by enough so that total 
  6.4   estimated refund claims do not exceed $5,500,000. 
  6.5      The determinations of the revised thresholds by the 
  6.6   commissioner are not rules subject to chapter 14.  
  6.7      (e) Upon request, the appropriate county official shall 
  6.8   make available the names and addresses of the property taxpayers 
  6.9   who may be eligible for the additional property tax refund under 
  6.10  this section.  The information shall be provided on a magnetic 
  6.11  computer disk.  The county may recover its costs by charging the 
  6.12  person requesting the information the reasonable cost for 
  6.13  preparing the data.  The information may not be used for any 
  6.14  purpose other than for notifying the homeowner of potential 
  6.15  eligibility and assisting the homeowner, without charge, in 
  6.16  preparing a refund claim. 
  6.17     Sec. 5.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 515B.1-105, is 
  6.18  amended to read: 
  6.19     515B.1-105 [SEPARATE TITLES AND TAXATION.] 
  6.20     (a) In a cooperative: 
  6.21     (1) The unit owners' interests in units and their allocated 
  6.22  interests are wholly personal property, unless the declaration 
  6.23  provides that the interests are wholly real estate.  The 
  6.24  characterization of these interests as real or personal property 
  6.25  shall not affect whether homestead exemptions or classifications 
  6.26  apply. 
  6.27     (2) The ownership interest in a unit which may be sold, 
  6.28  conveyed, voluntarily or involuntarily encumbered, or otherwise 
  6.29  transferred by a unit owner, is the right to possession of that 
  6.30  unit under a proprietary lease coupled with the allocated 
  6.31  interests of that unit, and the association's interest in that 
  6.32  unit is not affected by the transaction. 
  6.33     (b) In a condominium or planned community: 
  6.34     (1) Each unit, and its allocated interest in the common 
  6.35  elements, constitutes a separate parcel of real estate. 
  6.36     (2) If there is any unit owner other than a declarant, each 
  7.1   unit shall be separately taxed and assessed, and no separate tax 
  7.2   or assessment may be rendered against any common elements. 
  7.3      (c) If a declaration is recorded prior to 30 days before 
  7.4   any installment of real estate taxes becomes payable, the local 
  7.5   taxing authority shall split the taxes so payable on the common 
  7.6   interest community among the units.  Interest and penalties 
  7.7   which would otherwise accrue shall not begin to accrue until at 
  7.8   least 30 days after the split is accomplished. 
  7.9      (d) A unit used for residential purposes together with not 
  7.10  more than three units used for vehicular parking, and their 
  7.11  common element interests, shall be treated as one parcel of real 
  7.12  estate in determining whether homestead exemptions or 
  7.13  classifications apply. 
  7.14     Sec. 6.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 515B.1-116, is 
  7.15  amended to read: 
  7.16     515B.1-116 [RECORDING.] 
  7.17     (a) A declaration, bylaws, any amendment to a declaration 
  7.18  or bylaws, and any other instrument affecting a common interest 
  7.19  community shall be entitled to be recorded.  In those counties 
  7.20  which have a tract index, the county recorder shall enter the 
  7.21  declaration in the tract index for each unit affected.  The 
  7.22  registrar of titles shall file the declaration on the 
  7.23  certificate of title for each unit affected. 
  7.24     (b) The recording officer shall upon request promptly 
  7.25  assign a number (CIC number) to a common interest community to 
  7.26  be formed or to a common interest community resulting from the 
  7.27  merger of two or more common interest communities. 
  7.28     (c) Documents recorded pursuant to this chapter shall in 
  7.29  the case of registered land be filed, and references to the 
  7.30  recording of documents shall mean filed in the case of 
  7.31  registered land. 
  7.32     (d) Subject to any specific requirements of this chapter, 
  7.33  if any document to be recorded pursuant to this chapter requires 
  7.34  approval by a certain vote or agreement of the unit owners or 
  7.35  secured parties, an affidavit of the secretary of the 
  7.36  association stating that the required vote or agreement has 
  8.1   occurred shall be attached to the document and shall constitute 
  8.2   prima facie evidence of the representations contained therein. 
  8.3      (e) If a common interest community is located on registered 
  8.4   land, the recording fee for any document affecting two or more 
  8.5   units shall be the then-current fee for registering the document 
  8.6   on the certificates of title for the first ten affected 
  8.7   certificates and one-third of the then-current fee for each 
  8.8   additional affected certificate.  This provision shall not apply 
  8.9   to recording fees for deeds of conveyance, with the exception of 
  8.10  deeds given pursuant to sections 515B.2-119 and 515B.3-112. 
  8.11     (f) Except as permitted under this subsection, a recording 
  8.12  officer shall not file or record a declaration creating a new 
  8.13  common interest community, unless the county treasurer has 
  8.14  certified that the property taxes payable in the current year 
  8.15  for the real estate included in the proposed common interest 
  8.16  community have been paid.  This certification is in addition to 
  8.17  the certification for delinquent taxes required by section 
  8.18  272.12.  In the case of preexisting common interest communities, 
  8.19  the recording officer shall accept, file, and record the 
  8.20  following instruments, without requiring a certification as to 
  8.21  the current or delinquent taxes on any of the units in the 
  8.22  common interest community:  (i) a declaration subjecting the 
  8.23  common interest community to this chapter; (ii) a declaration 
  8.24  changing the form of a common interest community pursuant to 
  8.25  section 515B.2-123; or (iii) an amendment to or restatement of a 
  8.26  the declaration or, bylaws, or an amended CIC plat, approved 
  8.27  by the required vote of unit owners of an association may be 
  8.28  recorded without the necessity of paying the current or 
  8.29  delinquent taxes on any of the units in the common interest 
  8.30  community.  In order for the instruments to be accepted and 
  8.31  recorded under the preceding sentence, the assessor must certify 
  8.32  or otherwise inform the recording officer that, for taxes 
  8.33  payable in the current year, the assessor has allocated taxable 
  8.34  values to each unit or has separately assessed each unit. 
  8.35     (g) The registrar of titles shall not require the filing on 
  8.36  certificates of title previously issued for units in a flexible 
  9.1   common interest community of an amendment to a declaration 
  9.2   pursuant to section 515B.2-111 made solely to add additional 
  9.3   real estate. 
  9.4      Sec. 7.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  9.5      Section 1 is effective for taxes payable in 1998 and 
  9.6   thereafter.  Sections 2, 3, and 4 are effective the day 
  9.7   following final enactment.  Sections 5 and 6 are effective for 
  9.8   declarations submitted for recording on or after July 1, 1997. 
  9.9                              ARTICLE 2  
  9.10                       INCOME AND WITHHOLDING 
  9.11     Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 289A.08, 
  9.12  subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
  9.13     Subd. 3.  [CORPORATIONS.] A corporation that is subject to 
  9.14  the state's jurisdiction to tax under section 290.014, 
  9.15  subdivision 5, must file a return, except that a foreign 
  9.16  operating corporation as defined in section 290.01, subdivision 
  9.17  6b, is not required to file a return.  The commissioner shall 
  9.18  adopt rules for the filing of one return on behalf of the 
  9.19  members of an affiliated group of corporations that are required 
  9.20  to file a combined report.  All members of an affiliated group 
  9.21  that elect to are required to file a combined report must file 
  9.22  one return on behalf of the members of the group under rules 
  9.23  adopted by the commissioner may change or rescind the election 
  9.24  by filing the form required by the commissioner.  
  9.25     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 290.095, 
  9.26  subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
  9.27     Subd. 3.  [CARRYOVER.] (a) A net operating loss incurred in 
  9.28  a taxable year:  (i) beginning after December 31, 1986, shall be 
  9.29  a net operating loss carryover to each of the 15 taxable years 
  9.30  following the taxable year of such loss; (ii) beginning before 
  9.31  January 1, 1987, shall be a net operating loss carryover to each 
  9.32  of the five taxable years following the taxable year of such 
  9.33  loss subject to the provisions of Minnesota Statutes 1986, 
  9.34  section 290.095; and (iii) beginning before January 1, 1987, 
  9.35  shall be a net operating loss carryback to each of the three 
  9.36  taxable years preceding the loss year subject to the provisions 
 10.1   of Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 290.095. 
 10.2      (b) The entire amount of the net operating loss for any 
 10.3   taxable year shall be carried to the earliest of the taxable 
 10.4   years to which such loss may be carried.  The portion of such 
 10.5   loss which shall be carried to each of the other taxable years 
 10.6   shall be the excess, if any, of the amount of such loss over the 
 10.7   sum of the taxable net income, adjusted by the modifications 
 10.8   specified in subdivision 4, for each of the taxable years to 
 10.9   which such loss may be carried. 
 10.10     (c) Where a corporation does business both within and 
 10.11  without Minnesota, and apportions its income under the 
 10.12  provisions of section 290.191, the net operating loss deduction 
 10.13  incurred in any taxable year shall be allowed to the extent of 
 10.14  the apportionment ratio of the loss year. 
 10.15     (d) The provisions of sections 381, 382, and 384 of the 
 10.16  Internal Revenue Code apply to carryovers in certain corporate 
 10.17  acquisitions and special limitations on net operating loss 
 10.18  carryovers.  The limitation amount determined under section 382 
 10.19  shall be applied to net income, before apportionment, in each 
 10.20  post change year to which a loss is carried. 
 10.21     Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 290.17, 
 10.22  subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
 10.23     Subd. 2.  [INCOME NOT DERIVED FROM CONDUCT OF A TRADE OR 
 10.24  BUSINESS.] The income of a taxpayer subject to the allocation 
 10.25  rules that is not derived from the conduct of a trade or 
 10.26  business must be assigned in accordance with paragraphs (a) to 
 10.27  (f):  
 10.28     (a)(1) Subject to paragraphs (a)(2) and (a)(3), income from 
 10.29  labor or personal or professional services is assigned to this 
 10.30  state if, and to the extent that, the labor or services are 
 10.31  performed within it; all other income from such sources is 
 10.32  treated as income from sources without this state.  
 10.33     Severance pay shall be considered income from labor or 
 10.34  personal or professional services. 
 10.35     (2) In the case of an individual who is a nonresident of 
 10.36  Minnesota and who is an athlete or entertainer, income from 
 11.1   compensation for labor or personal services performed within 
 11.2   this state shall be determined in the following manner:  
 11.3      (i) The amount of income to be assigned to Minnesota for an 
 11.4   individual who is a nonresident salaried athletic team employee 
 11.5   shall be determined by using a fraction in which the denominator 
 11.6   contains the total number of days in which the individual is 
 11.7   under a duty to perform for the employer, and the numerator is 
 11.8   the total number of those days spent in Minnesota.  For purposes 
 11.9   of this paragraph, off-season training activities, unless 
 11.10  conducted at the team's facilities as part of a team imposed 
 11.11  program, are not included in the total number of duty days.  
 11.12  Bonuses earned as a result of play during the regular season or 
 11.13  for participation in championship, play-off, or all-star games 
 11.14  must be allocated under the formula.  Signing bonuses are not 
 11.15  subject to allocation under the formula if they are not 
 11.16  conditional on playing any games for the team, are payable 
 11.17  separately from any other compensation, and are nonrefundable; 
 11.18  and 
 11.19     (ii) The amount of income to be assigned to Minnesota for 
 11.20  an individual who is a nonresident, and who is an athlete or 
 11.21  entertainer not listed in clause (i), for that person's athletic 
 11.22  or entertainment performance in Minnesota shall be determined by 
 11.23  assigning to this state all income from performances or athletic 
 11.24  contests in this state.  
 11.25     (3) For purposes of this section, amounts received by a 
 11.26  nonresident from the United States, its agencies or 
 11.27  instrumentalities, the Federal Reserve Bank, the state of 
 11.28  Minnesota or any of its political or governmental subdivisions, 
 11.29  or a Minnesota volunteer firefighters' relief association, by 
 11.30  way of payment as a pension, public employee retirement benefit, 
 11.31  or any combination of these, or as a retirement or survivor's 
 11.32  benefit made from a plan qualifying under section 401, 403, 408, 
 11.33  or 409, or as defined in section 403(b) or 457 of the Internal 
 11.34  Revenue Code as "retirement income" as defined in section (b)(1) 
 11.35  of the State Income Taxation of Pension Income Act, Public Law 
 11.36  Number 104-95, are not considered income derived from carrying 
 12.1   on a trade or business or from performing personal or 
 12.2   professional services in Minnesota, and are not taxable under 
 12.3   this chapter.  
 12.4      (b) Income or gains from tangible property located in this 
 12.5   state that is not employed in the business of the recipient of 
 12.6   the income or gains must be assigned to this state. 
 12.7      (c) Income or gains from intangible personal property not 
 12.8   employed in the business of the recipient of the income or gains 
 12.9   must be assigned to this state if the recipient of the income or 
 12.10  gains is a resident of this state or is a resident trust or 
 12.11  estate.  
 12.12     Gain on the sale of a partnership interest is allocable to 
 12.13  this state in the ratio of the original cost of partnership 
 12.14  tangible property in this state to the original cost of 
 12.15  partnership tangible property everywhere, determined at the time 
 12.16  of the sale.  If more than 50 percent of the value of the 
 12.17  partnership's assets consists of intangibles, gain or loss from 
 12.18  the sale of the partnership interest is allocated to this state 
 12.19  in accordance with the sales factor of the partnership for its 
 12.20  first full tax period immediately preceding the tax period of 
 12.21  the partnership during which the partnership interest was sold. 
 12.22     Gain on the sale of goodwill or income from a covenant not 
 12.23  to compete that is connected with a business operating all or 
 12.24  partially in Minnesota is allocated to this state to the extent 
 12.25  that the income from the business in the year preceding the year 
 12.26  of sale was assignable to Minnesota under subdivision 3.  
 12.27     When an employer pays an employee for a covenant not to 
 12.28  compete, the income allocated to this state is in the ratio of 
 12.29  the employee's service in Minnesota in the calendar year 
 12.30  preceding leaving the employment of the employer over the total 
 12.31  services performed by the employee for the employer in that year.
 12.32     (d) Income from the operation of a farm shall be assigned 
 12.33  to this state if the farm is located within this state and to 
 12.34  other states only if the farm is not located in this state.  
 12.35     (e) Income from winnings on Minnesota pari-mutuel betting 
 12.36  tickets, the Minnesota state lottery, and lawful gambling as 
 13.1   defined in section 349.12, subdivision 24, conducted within the 
 13.2   boundaries of the state of Minnesota shall be assigned to this 
 13.3   state.  
 13.4      (f) All items of gross income not covered in paragraphs (a) 
 13.5   to (e) and not part of the taxpayer's income from a trade or 
 13.6   business shall be assigned to the taxpayer's domicile. 
 13.7      Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 290.35, 
 13.8   subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
 13.9      Subd. 2.  [APPORTIONMENT OF TAXABLE NET INCOME.] The 
 13.10  commissioner shall compute therefrom the taxable net income of 
 13.11  such companies by assigning to this state that proportion 
 13.12  thereof which the gross premiums collected by them during the 
 13.13  taxable year from old and new business within this state bears 
 13.14  to the total gross premiums collected by them during that year 
 13.15  from their entire old and new business, including reinsurance 
 13.16  premiums; provided, the commissioner shall add to the taxable 
 13.17  net income so apportioned to this state the amount of any taxes 
 13.18  on premiums paid by the company by virtue of any law of this 
 13.19  state (other than the surcharge on premiums imposed by sections 
 13.20  69.54 to 69.56 and the surcharge imposed by section 168A.40, 
 13.21  subdivision 3) which shall have been deducted from gross income 
 13.22  by the company in arriving at its total net income under the 
 13.23  provisions of such act of Congress. 
 13.24     (a) For purposes of determining the Minnesota apportionment 
 13.25  percentage, premiums from reinsurance contracts in connection 
 13.26  with property in or liability arising out of activity in, or in 
 13.27  connection with the lives or health of Minnesota residents shall 
 13.28  be assigned to Minnesota and premiums from reinsurance contracts 
 13.29  in connection with property in or liability arising out of 
 13.30  activity in, or in connection with the lives or health of 
 13.31  non-Minnesota residents shall be assigned outside of Minnesota. 
 13.32  Reinsurance premiums are presumed to be received for a Minnesota 
 13.33  risk and are assigned to Minnesota, if:  
 13.34     (1) the reinsurance contract is assumed for a company 
 13.35  domiciled in Minnesota; and 
 13.36     (2) the taxpayer, upon request of the commissioner, fails 
 14.1   to provide reliable records indicating the reinsured contract 
 14.2   covered non-Minnesota risks. 
 14.3   For purposes of this paragraph, "Minnesota risk" means coverage 
 14.4   in connection with property in or liability arising out of 
 14.5   activity in Minnesota, or in connection with the lives or health 
 14.6   of Minnesota residents. 
 14.7      (b) The apportionment method prescribed by paragraph (a) 
 14.8   shall be presumed to fairly and correctly determine the 
 14.9   taxpayer's taxable net income.  If the method prescribed in 
 14.10  paragraph (a) does not fairly reflect all or any part of taxable 
 14.11  net income, the taxpayer may petition for or the commissioner 
 14.12  may require the determination of taxable net income by use of 
 14.13  another method if that method fairly reflects taxable net 
 14.14  income.  A petition within the meaning of this section must be 
 14.15  filed by the taxpayer on such form as the commissioner shall 
 14.16  require. 
 14.17     Sec. 5.  Laws 1995, chapter 264, article 10, section 15, is 
 14.18  amended to read: 
 14.19     Sec. 15.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
 14.20     Section 1 is effective for returns due after December 31, 
 14.21  1995.  Section 2 as it relates to quarterly withholding deposits 
 14.22  is effective for withholding done after December 31, 1995, and 
 14.23  the remainder of section 2 is effective for payments due after 
 14.24  December 31, 1995.  Sections 3 and 5 are effective for federal 
 14.25  determinations after December 31, 1995.  Section 4 is effective 
 14.26  for estates of decedents dying after the date of final 
 14.27  enactment.  Section 6 is effective for deaths after December 31, 
 14.28  1995, and trusts that become irrevocable after December 31, 
 14.29  1995, or are first administered in Minnesota after December 31, 
 14.30  1995.  Sections 7 and 9 to 11 are effective for tax years 
 14.31  beginning after December 31, 1995.  Section 12 is effective for 
 14.32  wages paid after December 31, 1995.  Sections 8 and 13 are 
 14.33  effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 1994. 
 14.34     Sec. 6.  [INTEREST ON 1996 PENALTIES.] 
 14.35     Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, for calendar year 
 14.36  1996 individual income tax returns, the late payment penalty 
 15.1   under Minnesota Statutes, section 289A.60, subdivision 1, and 
 15.2   interest under Minnesota Statutes, section 289A.55, subdivisions 
 15.3   2, 4, and 9, will start on May 30, 1997 instead of April 15, 
 15.4   1997. 
 15.5      Sec. 7.  [EFFECTIVE DATES.] 
 15.6      Section 1 is effective for tax years beginning after 
 15.7   December 31, 1997. 
 15.8      Sections 2 to 4 are effective for tax years beginning after 
 15.9   December 31, 1996. 
 15.10     Section 5 is effective for trusts first administered in 
 15.11  Minnesota after December 31, 1995, and tax years beginning after 
 15.12  December 31, 1996. 
 15.13                             ARTICLE 3
 15.14                      SALES AND SPECIAL TAXES 
 15.15     Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 289A.40, 
 15.16  subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
 15.17     Subd. 2.  [BAD DEBT LOSS.] If a claim relates to an 
 15.18  overpayment because of a failure to deduct a loss due to a bad 
 15.19  debt or to a security becoming worthless, the claim is 
 15.20  considered timely if filed within seven years from the date 
 15.21  prescribed for the filing of the return.  A claim relating to an 
 15.22  overpayment of taxes under chapter 297A must be filed within 
 15.23  3-1/2 years from the date prescribed for filing the return, plus 
 15.24  any extensions granted for filing the return, but only if filed 
 15.25  within the extended time, or within one year from the date the 
 15.26  taxpayer's federal income tax return is timely filed claiming 
 15.27  the bad debt deduction, whichever period expires later.  The 
 15.28  refund or credit is limited to the amount of overpayment 
 15.29  attributable to the loss. 
 15.30     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 289A.60, 
 15.31  subdivision 15, is amended to read: 
 15.32     Subd. 15.  [ACCELERATED PAYMENT OF JUNE SALES TAX 
 15.33  LIABILITY; PENALTY FOR UNDERPAYMENT.] If a vendor is required by 
 15.34  law to submit an estimation of June sales tax liabilities and 75 
 15.35  percent payment by a certain date, the vendor shall pay a 
 15.36  penalty equal to ten percent of the amount of actual June 
 16.1   liability required to be paid in June less the amount remitted 
 16.2   in June.  The penalty must not be imposed, however, if the 
 16.3   amount remitted in June equals the lesser of:  (1) 70 percent of 
 16.4   the actual June liability, (2) 75 percent of the preceding May's 
 16.5   liability, or (3) 75 percent of the average monthly liability 
 16.6   for the previous calendar year. 
 16.7      Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 297A.01, is 
 16.8   amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
 16.9      Subd. 22.  [LEASING.] "Leasing" includes all transfers of 
 16.10  possession of tangible personal property or the use thereof by 
 16.11  the lessee for a consideration when title remains with the 
 16.12  lessor at the end of the lease.  If a contract designated as a 
 16.13  lease binds the lessee for a fixed term and the lessee is to 
 16.14  obtain title at the end of the term of the agreement or has the 
 16.15  option at that time to purchase the property for a nominal 
 16.16  amount, the contract is regarded as a sale and not as a lease.  
 16.17  For purposes of this chapter, a lease of tangible personal 
 16.18  property is a series of transactions that impose upon the lessee 
 16.19  multiple payment obligations.  A taxable transaction is 
 16.20  considered to have occurred when an obligation to make a lease 
 16.21  payment becomes due under the terms of the agreement or trade 
 16.22  practices of the lessor.  For purposes of this subdivision, 
 16.23  "nominal amount" means an amount so small, slight, or negligible 
 16.24  that it is not economically significant and bears no relation to 
 16.25  the real value of the item being purchased. 
 16.26     Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 297A.041, is 
 16.27  amended to read: 
 16.28     297A.041 [OPERATOR OF FLEA MARKETS; SELLER'S PERMITS 
 16.29  REQUIRED.] 
 16.30     The operator of a flea market, craft show, antique show, 
 16.31  coin show, stamp show, comic book show, convention exhibit area, 
 16.32  or similar selling event, as a prerequisite to renting or 
 16.33  leasing space on the premises owned or controlled by the 
 16.34  operator to a person desiring to engage in or conduct business 
 16.35  as a seller, shall obtain evidence that the seller is the holder 
 16.36  of a valid seller's permit issued under section 297A.04, or a 
 17.1   written statement from the seller that the seller is not 
 17.2   offering for sale any item that is taxable under this chapter.  
 17.3      Flea market, craft show, antique show, coin show, stamp 
 17.4   show, comic book show, convention exhibit area, or similar 
 17.5   selling event, as used in this section, means an activity 
 17.6   involving a series of sales sufficient in number, scope, and 
 17.7   character to constitute a regular course of business, and that 
 17.8   would not qualify as an isolated or occasional sale under 
 17.9   section 297A.25, subdivision 12.  
 17.10     This section does not apply to an operator of a flea 
 17.11  market, craft show, antique show, coin show, stamp show, comic 
 17.12  book show, convention exhibit area, or similar selling event 
 17.13  that is:  (1) held in conjunction with a community sponsored 
 17.14  festival that has a duration of four or fewer consecutive days 
 17.15  no more than once a year; or (2) conducted by a nonprofit 
 17.16  organization annually or less frequently.  
 17.17     Sec. 5.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 297A.24, is 
 17.18  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
 17.19     Subd. 3.  [LOCAL TAXES.] If an item has been subjected to a 
 17.20  sales tax imposed by a political subdivision of this state and 
 17.21  is used, stored, or consumed in another political subdivision 
 17.22  imposing a local use tax, a credit shall be given for all 
 17.23  legally imposed sales taxes paid by the purchaser with respect 
 17.24  to that item. 
 17.25     Sec. 6.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 297A.25, 
 17.26  subdivision 12, is amended to read: 
 17.27     Subd. 12.  [OCCASIONAL SALES.] (a) The gross receipts from 
 17.28  the isolated or occasional sale of tangible personal property in 
 17.29  Minnesota not made in the normal course of business of selling 
 17.30  that kind of property, and the storage, use, or consumption of 
 17.31  property acquired as a result of such a sale are exempt.  
 17.32     (b) This exemption does not apply to sales of tangible 
 17.33  personal property primarily used in a trade or business unless 
 17.34  (1) the sale occurs in a transaction subject to or described in 
 17.35  section 118, 331, 332, 336, 337, 338, 351, 355, 368, 721, 731, 
 17.36  1031, or 1033 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended 
 18.1   through December 31, 1990; (2) the sale is between members of a 
 18.2   controlled group as defined in section 1563(a) of the Internal 
 18.3   Revenue Code of 1986, as amended through December 31, 1990; (3) 
 18.4   the sale is a sale of farm machinery; (4) the sale is a farm 
 18.5   auction sale; (5) the sale is a sale of substantially all of the 
 18.6   assets of a trade or business; or (6) the total amount of gross 
 18.7   receipts from the sale of trade or business property made during 
 18.8   the calendar month of the sale and the preceding 11 calendar 
 18.9   months does not exceed $1,000. 
 18.10     (c) For purposes of this subdivision, the following terms 
 18.11  have the meanings given.  
 18.12     (1) A "farm auction" is a public auction conducted by a 
 18.13  licensed auctioneer if substantially all of the property sold 
 18.14  consists of property used in the trade or business of farming 
 18.15  and property not used primarily in a trade or business. 
 18.16     (2) "Trade or business" includes the assets of a separate 
 18.17  division, branch, or identifiable segment of a trade or business 
 18.18  if, before the sale, the income and expenses attributable to the 
 18.19  separate division, branch, or identifiable segment could be 
 18.20  separately ascertained from the books of account or record (the 
 18.21  lease or rental of an identifiable segment does not qualify for 
 18.22  the exemption). 
 18.23     (3) A "sale of substantially all of the assets of a trade 
 18.24  or business" must occur as a single transaction or a series of 
 18.25  related transactions occurring within the 12-month period 
 18.26  beginning on the date of the first sale of assets intended to 
 18.27  qualify for the exemption provided in paragraph (b), clause (5). 
 18.28     For purposes of this subdivision, "normal course of 
 18.29  business" means activities that demonstrate a commercial 
 18.30  continuity or consistency of making sales or performing services 
 18.31  for the purposes of attaining profit or producing income.  
 18.32  Factors that indicate that a person is acting in the normal 
 18.33  course of business include: 
 18.34     (1) systematic solicitation of sales through advertising 
 18.35  media; 
 18.36     (2) entering into contracts to perform services or provide 
 19.1   tangible personal property; 
 19.2      (3) maintaining a place of business; or 
 19.3      (4) use of exemption certificates to purchase goods exempt 
 19.4   from the sales tax. 
 19.5      Sec. 7.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 297A.25, 
 19.6   subdivision 41, is amended to read: 
 19.7      Subd. 41.  [BULLET-PROOF VESTS.] The gross receipts from 
 19.8   the sale of bullet-resistant soft body armor that is flexible, 
 19.9   concealable, and custom-fitted to provide provides the wearer 
 19.10  with ballistic and trauma protection are exempt if purchased by 
 19.11  a law enforcement agency of the state or a political subdivision 
 19.12  of the state, or a licensed peace officer, as defined in section 
 19.13  626.84, subdivision 1.  The bullet-resistant soft body armor 
 19.14  must meet or exceed the requirements of standard 0101.01 of the 
 19.15  National Institute of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice in 
 19.16  effect on December 30, 1986, or meet or exceed the requirements 
 19.17  of the standard except wet armor conditioning. 
 19.18     Sec. 8.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 297A.45, 
 19.19  subdivision 4, is amended to read: 
 19.20     Subd. 4.  [CITY LOCAL SALES TAX MAY NOT BE IMPOSED.] 
 19.21  Notwithstanding any other law or charter provision to the 
 19.22  contrary, a home rule charter or statutory city political 
 19.23  subdivision that imposes a general sales tax may shall not 
 19.24  impose the sales tax on solid waste management services that are 
 19.25  subject to the tax under this section.  
 19.26     Sec. 9.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
 19.27     Section 1 is effective for refund claims filed for bad 
 19.28  debts recognized for federal income tax purposes after June 30, 
 19.29  1997. 
 19.30     Section 2 is effective for returns filed after January 1, 
 19.31  1998. 
 19.32     Sections 3 to 5 and 8 are effective July 1, 1997. 
 19.33     Sections 6 and 7 are effective for sales and purchases 
 19.34  occurring after June 30, 1997. 
 19.35                             ARTICLE 4
 19.36                           MINNESOTACARE 
 20.1      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 295.50, 
 20.2   subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
 20.3      Subd. 3.  [GROSS REVENUES.] "Gross revenues" are total 
 20.4   amounts received in money or otherwise by: 
 20.5      (1) a hospital for patient services; 
 20.6      (2) a surgical center for patient services; 
 20.7      (3) a health care provider, other than a staff model health 
 20.8   carrier, for patient services; 
 20.9      (4) a wholesale drug distributor for sale or distribution 
 20.10  of legend drugs that are delivered:  (i) to a Minnesota resident 
 20.11  by a wholesale drug distributor who is a nonresident pharmacy 
 20.12  directly, by common carrier, or by mail; or (ii) in Minnesota by 
 20.13  the wholesale drug distributor, by common carrier, or by mail, 
 20.14  unless the legend drugs are delivered to another wholesale drug 
 20.15  distributor who sells legend drugs exclusively at wholesale.  
 20.16  Legend drugs do not include nutritional products as defined in 
 20.17  Minnesota Rules, part 9505.0325; 
 20.18     (5) a staff model health plan company as gross premiums for 
 20.19  enrollees, copayments, deductibles, coinsurance, and fees for 
 20.20  patient services covered under its contracts with groups and 
 20.21  enrollees; and 
 20.22     (6) a pharmacy for medical supplies, appliances, and 
 20.23  equipment. 
 20.24     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 295.50, 
 20.25  subdivision 14, is amended to read: 
 20.26     Subd. 14.  [WHOLESALE DRUG DISTRIBUTOR.] "Wholesale drug 
 20.27  distributor" means a wholesale drug distributor required to be 
 20.28  licensed under sections 151.42 to 151.51 or a nonresident 
 20.29  pharmacy required to be registered under section 151.19. 
 20.30     Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 295.52, 
 20.31  subdivision 4, is amended to read: 
 20.32     Subd. 4.  [USE TAX; PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.] A person that 
 20.33  receives prescription drugs for resale or use in Minnesota, 
 20.34  other than from a wholesale drug distributor that paid the tax 
 20.35  under subdivision 3, is subject to a tax equal to two percent of 
 20.36  the price paid.  Liability for the tax is incurred when 
 21.1   prescription drugs are received or delivered in Minnesota by the 
 21.2   person. 
 21.3      Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 295.53, 
 21.4   subdivision 4, is amended to read: 
 21.5      Subd. 4.  [DEDUCTION FOR RESEARCH.] (a) In addition to the 
 21.6   exemptions allowed under subdivision 1, a hospital or health 
 21.7   care provider which is exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the 
 21.8   Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or is owned and operated under 
 21.9   authority of a governmental unit, may deduct from its gross 
 21.10  revenues subject to the hospital or health care provider taxes 
 21.11  under sections 295.50 to 295.57 revenues equal to expenditures 
 21.12  for qualifying research conducted by an allowable research 
 21.13  programs program.  
 21.14     (b) For purposes of this subdivision, the following 
 21.15  requirements apply: 
 21.16     (1) expenditures for allowable research programs are the 
 21.17  direct and general must be for program costs for activities 
 21.18  which are part of qualifying research conducted by an allowable 
 21.19  research program; 
 21.20     (2) an allowable research program must be a formal program 
 21.21  of medical and health care research approved by the governing 
 21.22  body of the hospital or health care provider which also includes 
 21.23  active solicitation of research funds from government and 
 21.24  private sources.  Allowable conducted by an entity which is 
 21.25  exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
 21.26  1986 or is owned and operated under authority of a governmental 
 21.27  unit; 
 21.28     (3) qualifying research must:  
 21.29     (A) be approved in writing by the governing body of the 
 21.30  hospital or health care provider which is taking the deduction 
 21.31  under this subdivision; 
 21.32     (1) (B) have as its purpose the development of new 
 21.33  knowledge in basic or applied science relating to the diagnosis 
 21.34  and treatment of conditions affecting the human body; 
 21.35     (2) (C) be subject to review by individuals with expertise 
 21.36  in the subject matter of the proposed study but who have no 
 22.1   financial interest in the proposed study and are not involved in 
 22.2   the conduct of the proposed study; and 
 22.3      (3) (D) be subject to review and supervision by an 
 22.4   institutional review board operating in conformity with federal 
 22.5   regulations if the research involves human subjects or an 
 22.6   institutional animal care and use committee operating in 
 22.7   conformity with federal regulations if the research involves 
 22.8   animal subjects.  Research expenses are not exempt if the study 
 22.9   is a routine evaluation of health care methods or products used 
 22.10  in a particular setting conducted for the purpose of making a 
 22.11  management decision.  Costs of clinical research activities paid 
 22.12  directly for the benefit of an individual patient are excluded 
 22.13  from this exemption.  Basic research in fields including 
 22.14  biochemistry, molecular biology, and physiology are also 
 22.15  included if such programs are subject to a peer review process. 
 22.16     (c) No deduction shall be allowed under this subdivision 
 22.17  for any revenue received by the hospital or health care provider 
 22.18  in the form of a grant, gift, or otherwise, whether from a 
 22.19  government or nongovernment source, on which the tax liability 
 22.20  under section 295.52 is not imposed or for which the tax 
 22.21  liability under section 295.52 has been received from a third 
 22.22  party as provided for in section 295.582. 
 22.23     (d) Effective beginning with calendar year 1995, the 
 22.24  taxpayer shall not take the deduction under this section into 
 22.25  account in determining estimated tax payments or the payment 
 22.26  made with the annual return under section 295.55.  The total 
 22.27  deduction allowable to all taxpayers under this section for 
 22.28  calendar years beginning after December 31, 1994, may not exceed 
 22.29  $65,000,000.  To implement this limit, each qualifying hospital 
 22.30  and qualifying health care provider shall submit to the 
 22.31  commissioner by March 15 its total expenditures qualifying for 
 22.32  the deduction under this section for the previous calendar 
 22.33  year.  The commissioner shall sum the total expenditures of all 
 22.34  taxpayers qualifying under this section for the calendar year.  
 22.35  If the resulting amount exceeds $65,000,000, the commissioner 
 22.36  shall allocate a part of the $65,000,000 deduction limit to each 
 23.1   qualifying hospital and health care provider in proportion to 
 23.2   its share of the total deductions.  The commissioner shall pay a 
 23.3   refund to each qualifying hospital or provider equal to its 
 23.4   share of the deduction limit multiplied by two percent.  The 
 23.5   commissioner shall pay the refund no later than May 15 of the 
 23.6   calendar year. 
 23.7      Sec. 5.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 295.55, 
 23.8   subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
 23.9      Subd. 2.  [ESTIMATED TAX; HOSPITALS; SURGICAL CENTERS.] (a) 
 23.10  Each hospital or surgical center must make estimated payments of 
 23.11  the taxes for the calendar year in monthly installments to the 
 23.12  commissioner within ten 15 days after the end of the month. 
 23.13     (b) Estimated tax payments are not required of hospitals or 
 23.14  surgical centers if the tax for the calendar year is less than 
 23.15  $500 or if a hospital has been allowed a grant under section 
 23.16  144.1484, subdivision 2, for the year. 
 23.17     (c) Underpayment of estimated installments bear interest at 
 23.18  the rate specified in section 270.75, from the due date of the 
 23.19  payment until paid or until the due date of the annual return at 
 23.20  the rate specified in section 270.75.  An underpayment of an 
 23.21  estimated installment is the difference between the amount paid 
 23.22  and the lesser of (1) 90 percent of one-twelfth of the tax for 
 23.23  the calendar year or (2) the tax for the actual gross revenues 
 23.24  received during the month. 
 23.25     Sec. 6.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
 23.26     Sections 1, 2, and 3 are effective for gross revenues 
 23.27  received on or after July 1, 1997.  Section 4 is effective for 
 23.28  research expenditures incurred on or after January 1, 1997.  
 23.29  Section 5 is effective for estimated payments due after July 1, 
 23.30  1997.  
 23.31                             ARTICLE 5
 23.32                            COLLECTIONS
 23.33     Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 270.063, is 
 23.34  amended to read: 
 23.35     270.063 [COLLECTION OF DELINQUENT TAXES; COSTS.] 
 23.36     Subdivision 1.  [APPROPRIATION.] For the purpose of 
 24.1   collecting delinquent state tax liabilities, there is 
 24.2   appropriated to the commissioner of revenue an amount 
 24.3   representing the cost of collection by contract with collection 
 24.4   agencies, revenue departments of other states, or attorneys to 
 24.5   enable the commissioner to reimburse these agencies, 
 24.6   departments, or attorneys for this service.  The commissioner 
 24.7   shall report quarterly on the status of this program to the 
 24.8   chair of the house tax and appropriation committees and senate 
 24.9   tax and finance committees.  
 24.10     Subd. 2.  [PREPAYMENT.] Notwithstanding section 16A.15, 
 24.11  subdivision 3, the commissioner of revenue may authorize the 
 24.12  prepayment of sheriff's fees, attorney fees, fees charged by 
 24.13  revenue departments of other states, or court costs to be 
 24.14  incurred in connection with the collection of delinquent tax 
 24.15  liabilities owed to the commissioner of revenue. 
 24.16     Subd. 3.  [COLLECTION OF FINANCIAL INSTITUTION FEES.] The 
 24.17  commissioner shall collect from a taxpayer any collection fees 
 24.18  or costs charged by financial institutions and incurred by the 
 24.19  commissioner. 
 24.20     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 270.101, 
 24.21  subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
 24.22     Subd. 3.  [PROCEDURE FOR ASSESSMENT.] The commissioner may 
 24.23  assess liability for the taxes described in subdivision 1 
 24.24  against a person liable under this section.  The assessment may 
 24.25  be based upon information available to the commissioner.  It 
 24.26  must be made within the prescribed period of limitations for 
 24.27  assessing the underlying tax, or within one year after the date 
 24.28  of an order assessing underlying tax, whichever period expires 
 24.29  later.  An order assessing personal liability under this section 
 24.30  is reviewable under section 289A.65 and is appealable to tax 
 24.31  court. 
 24.32     If a person has been assessed under this section for an 
 24.33  amount for a given period and the time for appeal has expired or 
 24.34  there has been a final determination that the person is liable, 
 24.35  collection action is not stayed pursuant to section 270.10, 
 24.36  subdivision 5, for subsequent assessments of additional amounts 
 25.1   for the same person for the same period and tax type. 
 25.2      Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 270.68, 
 25.3   subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
 25.4      Subdivision 1.  [LEGAL ACTION.] In addition to all other 
 25.5   methods authorized by law for the collection of tax, if any tax 
 25.6   payable to the commissioner of revenue or to the department of 
 25.7   revenue, including penalties and interest thereon, is not paid 
 25.8   within 60 days after it is required by law to be paid, the 
 25.9   commissioner of revenue may proceed under this subdivision.  
 25.10  Within five years after the date of assessment of the tax or at 
 25.11  any time a lien filed under section 270.69 is enforceable, or, 
 25.12  if the action is to renew or enforce a judgment, at any time 
 25.13  before the judgment's expiration, the commissioner may bring an 
 25.14  action at law against the person liable for the payment or 
 25.15  collection of the tax, in the name of the state, for the 
 25.16  recovery of the tax and interest and penalties due in respect 
 25.17  thereof.  The action shall be brought in the district court of 
 25.18  the judicial district in which lies the county of the residence 
 25.19  or principal place of business within this state of the 
 25.20  taxpayer, or, in the case of an estate or trust, of the place of 
 25.21  its principal administration, and for this purpose the place 
 25.22  named as such in the return, if any, made by the taxpayer shall 
 25.23  be conclusive against the taxpayer in this matter.  If no place 
 25.24  is named in the return, the action may be commenced in Ramsey 
 25.25  county.  The action shall be commenced by filing with the court 
 25.26  administrator a statement showing the name and address of the 
 25.27  taxpayer, if known, an itemized summary of the taxable periods 
 25.28  and the type of tax, the tax due and unpaid and the interest and 
 25.29  penalties due with respect thereto under the provisions of law 
 25.30  applicable to the tax, and shall contain a prayer that the court 
 25.31  adjudge the taxpayer to be indebted on account of the taxes, 
 25.32  interest, and penalties in the amount specified in the 
 25.33  statement; a copy of the statement shall be furnished to the 
 25.34  court administrator therewith.  The court administrator shall 
 25.35  mail a copy of the statement by certified mail to the taxpayer 
 25.36  at the address given in the return, if any; and to the 
 26.1   taxpayer's last known address, within five days after the same 
 26.2   is filed, except that, if the taxpayer's address is not known, 
 26.3   notice shall be made by posting a copy of the statement for ten 
 26.4   days in the place in the courthouse where public notices are 
 26.5   regularly posted.  To litigate the claim, or any part of it, the 
 26.6   taxpayer shall serve an answer upon the commissioner on or 
 26.7   before the 20th day after the date of mailing the statement; or, 
 26.8   if notice has been given by posting, on or before the 20th day 
 26.9   after the expiration of the period during which the notice was 
 26.10  required to be posted.  If no answer is served within the 
 26.11  specified time, the court administrator, upon the filing of an 
 26.12  affidavit of default, shall enter judgment for the state in the 
 26.13  amount prayed for, plus costs of $10.  If an answer is filed, 
 26.14  the issues raised shall stand for trial as soon as possible 
 26.15  after the filing of the answer, and the court shall determine 
 26.16  the issues and direct judgment accordingly; and, if the taxes, 
 26.17  interest, or penalties are sustained to any extent over the 
 26.18  amount rendered by the taxpayer, shall assess $10 costs against 
 26.19  the taxpayer.  The court shall disregard all technicalities and 
 26.20  matters of form not affecting the substantial merits.  The 
 26.21  commissioner may call upon the county attorney or the attorney 
 26.22  general to conduct the proceedings on behalf of the state.  If a 
 26.23  proceeding is referred to a county attorney, and the county 
 26.24  attorney fails to issue or cause to be issued an indictment or 
 26.25  criminal complaint within 30 days after the referral by the 
 26.26  commissioner, the attorney general may conduct the proceeding.  
 26.27  Execution shall be issued upon the judgment at the request of 
 26.28  the commissioner, and the execution shall, in all other 
 26.29  respects, be governed by the laws applicable to executions 
 26.30  issued on judgments.  Only the homestead and household goods of 
 26.31  the judgment debtor shall be exempt from seizure and sale upon 
 26.32  the execution.  
 26.33     In addition to the procedure in this subdivision, legal 
 26.34  action may be commenced by the commissioner in district court in 
 26.35  the same manner or venue as any other civil action. 
 26.36     Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 270.701, 
 27.1   subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
 27.2      Subd. 2.  [NOTICE OF SALE.] The commissioner shall as soon 
 27.3   as practicable after the seizure of the property give notice of 
 27.4   sale of the property to the owner, in the manner of service 
 27.5   prescribed in subdivision 1.  In the case of personal property, 
 27.6   the notice shall be served at least 10 days prior to the sale. 
 27.7   In the case of real property, the notice shall be served at 
 27.8   least four weeks prior to the sale.  The commissioner shall also 
 27.9   cause public notice of each sale to be made.  In the case of 
 27.10  personal property, notice shall be posted at least 10 days prior 
 27.11  to the sale at the post office nearest the place county 
 27.12  courthouse for the county where the seizure is made, and in not 
 27.13  less than two other public places. In the case of real property, 
 27.14  six weeks' published notice shall be given prior to the sale, in 
 27.15  a newspaper published or generally circulated in the county.  
 27.16  The notice of sale provided in this subdivision shall specify 
 27.17  the property to be sold, and the time, place, manner and 
 27.18  conditions of the sale.  Whenever levy is made without regard to 
 27.19  the ten-day period provided in section 270.70, subdivision 2, 
 27.20  public notice of sale of the property seized shall not be made 
 27.21  within the ten-day period unless section 270.702 (relating to 
 27.22  sale of perishable goods) is applicable.  
 27.23     Sec. 5.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 270.701, 
 27.24  subdivision 5, is amended to read: 
 27.25     Subd. 5.  [MANNER AND CONDITIONS OF SALE.] (a) Before the 
 27.26  sale the commissioner shall determine a minimum price for which 
 27.27  the property shall be sold, and if no person offers for the 
 27.28  property at the sale the amount of the minimum price, the 
 27.29  property shall be declared to be purchased at the minimum price 
 27.30  for the state of Minnesota; otherwise the property shall be 
 27.31  declared to be sold to the highest bidder.  In determining the 
 27.32  minimum price, the commissioner shall take into account the 
 27.33  expense of making the levy and sale.  The announcement of the 
 27.34  minimum price determined by the commissioner may be delayed 
 27.35  until the receipt of the highest bid.  
 27.36     (b) The sale shall not be conducted in any manner other 
 28.1   than:  
 28.2      (i) by public auction, or 
 28.3      (ii) by public sale under sealed bids., or 
 28.4      (iii) in the case of items which individually or in usually 
 28.5   marketable units have a value of $50 or less, by public or 
 28.6   private proceedings as a unit or in parcels at any time and 
 28.7   place and on any terms, but every aspect of the disposition 
 28.8   including the method, manner, time, place, and terms must be 
 28.9   commercially reasonable.  
 28.10     (c) In the case of seizure of several items of property, 
 28.11  the items may be offered separately, in groups, or in the 
 28.12  aggregate, and shall be sold under whichever method produces the 
 28.13  highest aggregate amount, except that sales under paragraph (b), 
 28.14  item (iii), must produce a reasonable amount under the 
 28.15  circumstances.  
 28.16     (d) Payment in full shall be required at the time of 
 28.17  acceptance of a bid, except that a part of the payment may be 
 28.18  deferred by the commissioner for a period not to exceed 30 days. 
 28.19     (e) Other methods (including advertising) in addition to 
 28.20  those prescribed in subdivision 2 may be used in giving notice 
 28.21  of the sale.  
 28.22     (f) The commissioner may adjourn the sale from time to time 
 28.23  for a period not to exceed 30 days.  
 28.24     (g) If payment in full is required at the time of 
 28.25  acceptance of a bid and is not then and there paid, the 
 28.26  commissioner shall forthwith proceed to again sell the property 
 28.27  in the manner provided in this section.  If the conditions of 
 28.28  the sale permit part of the payment to be deferred, and if the 
 28.29  part is not paid within the prescribed period, suit may be 
 28.30  instituted against the purchaser for the purchase price or that 
 28.31  part thereof as has not been paid, together with interest at the 
 28.32  rate specified in section 549.09 from the date of the sale; or, 
 28.33  in the discretion of the commissioner, the sale may be declared 
 28.34  by the commissioner to be null and void for failure to make full 
 28.35  payment of the purchase price and the property may again be 
 28.36  advertised and sold as provided in this section.  In the event 
 29.1   of a readvertisement and sale, any new purchaser shall receive 
 29.2   the property or rights to property free and clear of any claim 
 29.3   or right of the former defaulting purchaser, of any nature 
 29.4   whatsoever, and the amount paid upon the bid price by the 
 29.5   defaulting purchaser shall be forfeited.  
 29.6      Sec. 6.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 270.708, 
 29.7   subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
 29.8      Subdivision 1.  [COLLECTION OF LIABILITY.] Any money 
 29.9   realized by proceedings under this chapter, whether by seizure, 
 29.10  by surrender under section 270.70 (except pursuant to 
 29.11  subdivision 9 thereof), by sale of seized property, or by sale 
 29.12  of property redeemed by the state of Minnesota (if the interest 
 29.13  of the state of Minnesota in the property was a lien arising 
 29.14  under the provisions of section 270.69), or by agreement, 
 29.15  arrangement, or any other means shall be applied as follows: 
 29.16     (a) First, against the expenses of the proceedings; then 
 29.17     (b) If the property seized and sold is subject to a tax 
 29.18  administered by the commissioner of revenue which has not been 
 29.19  paid, the amount remaining after applying clause (a) shall next 
 29.20  be applied against the tax liability (and, if the tax was not 
 29.21  previously assessed, it shall then be assessed); and 
 29.22     (c) The amount, if any, remaining after applying clauses 
 29.23  (a) and (b) shall be applied against the tax liability in 
 29.24  respect of which the levy was made or the sale was conducted.  
 29.25     Sec. 7.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 270.721, is 
 29.26  amended to read: 
 29.27     270.721 [REVOCATION OF CORPORATE CERTIFICATES OF AUTHORITY 
 29.28  TO DO BUSINESS IN THIS STATE.] 
 29.29     When a foreign corporation authorized to do business in 
 29.30  this state under chapter 303, or a foreign limited liability 
 29.31  company or partnership authorized to do business in this state 
 29.32  under chapter 322B, fails to comply with any tax laws 
 29.33  administered by the commissioner of revenue, the commissioner 
 29.34  may serve the secretary of state with a certified copy of an 
 29.35  order finding such failure to comply.  The secretary of state, 
 29.36  upon receipt of the order, shall revoke the certificate of 
 30.1   authority of the corporation to do business in this state, and 
 30.2   shall reinstate the certificate under section 303.19 or section 
 30.3   322B.960, subdivision 6, only when the corporation or limited 
 30.4   liability company or partnership has obtained from the 
 30.5   commissioner an order finding that the corporation or limited 
 30.6   liability company or partnership is in compliance with state tax 
 30.7   law.  An order requiring revocation of a certificate shall not 
 30.8   be issued unless the commissioner gives the corporation or 
 30.9   limited liability company or partnership 30 days' written notice 
 30.10  of the proposed order, specifying the violations of state tax 
 30.11  law, and affording the corporation an opportunity to request a 
 30.12  contested case hearing under chapter 14. 
 30.13     Sec. 8.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 270.73, 
 30.14  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
 30.15     Subdivision 1.  [POSTING, NOTICE.] Pursuant to the 
 30.16  authority to disclose under section 270B.12, subdivision 4, the 
 30.17  commissioner shall, by the 15th of each month, submit to the 
 30.18  commissioner of public safety a list of all taxpayers who are 
 30.19  required to pay, withhold, or collect the tax imposed by section 
 30.20  290.02, 290.92, or 297A.02, or local sales and use tax payable 
 30.21  to the commissioner of revenue, or a local option tax 
 30.22  administered and collected by the commissioner of revenue, and 
 30.23  who are 30 ten days or more delinquent in either filing a tax 
 30.24  return or paying the tax. 
 30.25     The commissioner of revenue is under no obligation to list 
 30.26  a taxpayer whose business is inactive.  At least ten days before 
 30.27  notifying the commissioner of public safety, the commissioner of 
 30.28  revenue shall notify the taxpayer of the intended action. 
 30.29     The commissioner of public safety shall post the list in 
 30.30  the same manner as provided in section 340A.318, subdivision 3.  
 30.31  The list will prominently show the date of posting.  If a 
 30.32  taxpayer previously listed cures the delinquency by filing files 
 30.33  all returns and paying pays all taxes then due, the commissioner 
 30.34  shall notify the commissioner of public safety within two 
 30.35  business days that the delinquency was cured. 
 30.36     Sec. 9.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 289A.36, 
 31.1   subdivision 4, is amended to read: 
 31.2      Subd. 4.  [THIRD PARTY SUBPOENA WHERE TAXPAYER'S IDENTITY 
 31.3   IS KNOWN.] An investigation may extend to a person that the 
 31.4   commissioner determines has access to information that may be 
 31.5   relevant to the examination or investigation.  When a subpoena 
 31.6   requiring the production of records as described in subdivision 
 31.7   2 is served on a third-party record keeper, written notice of 
 31.8   the subpoena must be mailed to the taxpayer and to any other 
 31.9   person who is identified in the subpoena.  The notices must be 
 31.10  given within three days of the day on which the subpoena is 
 31.11  served.  Notice to the taxpayer required by this section is 
 31.12  sufficient if it is mailed to the last address on record with 
 31.13  the commissioner. 
 31.14     The provisions of this subdivision relating to notice to 
 31.15  the taxpayer or other parties identified in the subpoena do not 
 31.16  apply if there is reasonable cause to believe that the giving of 
 31.17  notice may lead to attempts to conceal, destroy, or alter 
 31.18  records or assets relevant to the examination, to prevent the 
 31.19  communication of information from other persons through 
 31.20  intimidation, bribery, or collusion, or to flee to avoid 
 31.21  prosecution, testifying, or production of records. 
 31.22     Sec. 10.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 297A.07, 
 31.23  subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
 31.24     Subd. 3.  [NEW PERMITS AFTER REVOCATION.] The commissioner 
 31.25  shall not issue a new permit or reinstate a revoked permit after 
 31.26  revocation unless the taxpayer applies for a permit and provides 
 31.27  reasonable evidence of intention to comply with the sales and 
 31.28  use tax laws and rules.  The commissioner may require the 
 31.29  applicant to supply security, in addition to that authorized by 
 31.30  section 297A.28, as is reasonably necessary to insure compliance 
 31.31  with the sales and use tax laws and rules. 
 31.32     If a taxpayer has had a permit or permits revoked three 
 31.33  times in a five-year period, the commissioner shall not issue a 
 31.34  new permit or reinstate the revoked permit until 24 months have 
 31.35  elapsed after revocation and the taxpayer has satisfied the 
 31.36  conditions for reinstatement of a revoked permit or issuance of 
 32.1   a new permit imposed by this section and rules adopted hereunder.
 32.2      For purposes of this subdivision, the term "taxpayer" means 
 32.3   an individual, if a revoked permit was issued to or in the name 
 32.4   of an individual, or a corporation or partnership, if a revoked 
 32.5   permit was issued to or in the name of a corporation or 
 32.6   partnership.  Taxpayer also means an officer of a corporation, a 
 32.7   member of a partnership, or an individual who is liable for 
 32.8   delinquent sales taxes, either for the entity for which the new 
 32.9   or reinstated permit is at issue, or for another entity for 
 32.10  which a permit was previously revoked, or personally as a permit 
 32.11  holder. 
 32.12     Sec. 11.  [EFFECTIVE DATES.] 
 32.13     Section 1 is effective for fees and costs incurred on or 
 32.14  after the day following final enactment. 
 32.15     Section 2 as it pertains to the period of limitations for 
 32.16  orders assessing personal liability is effective for personal 
 32.17  liability assessments based on underlying taxes assessed on or 
 32.18  after the day following final enactment.  Section 2 as it 
 32.19  pertains to the stay of collection action for subsequent 
 32.20  assessments is effective for personal liability assessments made 
 32.21  on or after the day following final enactment. 
 32.22     Section 3 is effective for causes of action arising before 
 32.23  the day following final enactment which are not barred by the 
 32.24  statute of limitations as of that date, and for causes of action 
 32.25  arising thereafter. 
 32.26     Section 4 is effective for notices posted on or after the 
 32.27  day following final enactment.  
 32.28     Section 5 is effective for sales of property seized on or 
 32.29  after the day following final enactment.  
 32.30     Section 6 is effective for money realized in connection 
 32.31  with property seized on or after the day following final 
 32.32  enactment. 
 32.33     Section 7 is effective for orders issued on or after July 
 32.34  1, 1997. 
 32.35     Section 8 is effective with respect to lists submitted to 
 32.36  the commissioner of public safety on or after July 1, 1997. 
 33.1      Section 9 is effective with respect to subpoenas served on 
 33.2   or after the day following final enactment. 
 33.3      Section 10 is effective for all cases in which the third 
 33.4   permit revocation occurs on or after July 1, 1997. 
 33.5                              ARTICLE 6
 33.6                            MISCELLANEOUS 
 33.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 8.30, is 
 33.8   amended to read: 
 33.9      8.30 [COMPROMISE OF TAX CLAIMS.] 
 33.10     Notwithstanding any other provisions of law to the 
 33.11  contrary, the attorney general shall have authority to 
 33.12  compromise taxes, penalties, and interest in any case referred 
 33.13  to the attorney general, whether reduced to judgment or not, 
 33.14  where, in the attorney general's opinion, it shall be in the 
 33.15  best interests of the state to do so.  A compromise made 
 33.16  hereunder of a tax debt shall be in such form as the attorney 
 33.17  general shall prescribe and shall be in writing signed by the 
 33.18  attorney general, the taxpayer or taxpayer's representative, and 
 33.19  the commissioner of revenue.  
 33.20     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 60A.15, 
 33.21  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
 33.22     Subdivision 1.  [DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN COMPANIES.] (a) On or 
 33.23  before April 1, June 1, and December 1 of each year, every 
 33.24  domestic and foreign company, including town and farmers' mutual 
 33.25  insurance companies, domestic mutual insurance companies, marine 
 33.26  insurance companies, health maintenance organizations, 
 33.27  integrated service networks, community integrated service 
 33.28  networks, and nonprofit health service plan corporations, shall 
 33.29  pay to the commissioner of revenue installments equal to 
 33.30  one-third of the insurer's total estimated tax for the current 
 33.31  year.  Except as provided in paragraphs (d) and (e), 
 33.32  installments must be based on a sum equal to two percent of the 
 33.33  premiums described in paragraph (b). 
 33.34     (b) Installments under paragraph (a), (d), or (e) are 
 33.35  percentages of gross premiums less return premiums on all direct 
 33.36  business received by the insurer in this state, or by its agents 
 34.1   for it, in cash or otherwise, during such year. 
 34.2      (c) Failure of a company to make payments of at least 
 34.3   one-third of either (1) the total tax paid during the previous 
 34.4   calendar year or (2) 80 percent of the actual tax for the 
 34.5   current calendar year shall subject the company to the penalty 
 34.6   and interest provided in this section, unless the total tax for 
 34.7   the current tax year is $500 or less. 
 34.8      (d) For health maintenance organizations, nonprofit health 
 34.9   services plan corporations, integrated service networks, and 
 34.10  community integrated service networks, the installments must be 
 34.11  based on an amount equal to one percent of premiums described in 
 34.12  paragraph (b) that are paid after December 31, 1995. 
 34.13     (e) For purposes of computing installments for town and 
 34.14  farmers' mutual insurance companies and for mutual property 
 34.15  casualty companies with total assets on December 31, 1989, of 
 34.16  $1,600,000,000 or less, the following rates apply: 
 34.17     (1) for all life insurance, two percent; 
 34.18     (2) for town and farmers' mutual insurance companies and 
 34.19  for mutual property and casualty companies with total assets of 
 34.20  $5,000,000 or less, on all other coverages, one percent; and 
 34.21     (3) for mutual property and casualty companies with total 
 34.22  assets on December 31, 1989, of $1,600,000,000 or less, on all 
 34.23  other coverages, 1.26 percent. 
 34.24     (f) If the aggregate amount of premium tax payments under 
 34.25  this section and the fire marshal tax payments under section 
 34.26  299F.21 made during a calendar year is equal to or exceeds 
 34.27  $120,000, all tax payments in the subsequent calendar year must 
 34.28  be paid by means of a funds transfer as defined in section 
 34.29  336.4A-104, paragraph (a).  The funds transfer payment date, as 
 34.30  defined in section 336.4A-401, must be on or before the date the 
 34.31  payment is due.  If the date the payment is due is not a funds 
 34.32  transfer business day, as defined in section 336.4A-105, 
 34.33  paragraph (a), clause (4), the payment date must be on or before 
 34.34  the funds transfer business day next following the date the 
 34.35  payment is due.  
 34.36     (g) Premiums under medical assistance, general assistance 
 35.1   medical care, the MinnesotaCare program, and the Minnesota 
 35.2   comprehensive health insurance plan are not subject to tax under 
 35.3   this section. 
 35.4      Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 270.02, 
 35.5   subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
 35.6      Subd. 3.  [POWERS, ORGANIZATION, ASSISTANTS.] Subject to 
 35.7   the provisions of this chapter and other applicable laws the 
 35.8   commissioner shall have power to organize the department with 
 35.9   such divisions and other agencies as the commissioner deems 
 35.10  necessary and to appoint one deputy commissioner, a department 
 35.11  secretary, directors of divisions, and such other officers, 
 35.12  employees, and agents as the commissioner may deem necessary to 
 35.13  discharge the functions of the department, define the duties of 
 35.14  such officers, employees, and agents, and delegate to them any 
 35.15  of the commissioner's powers or duties, subject to the 
 35.16  commissioner's control and under such conditions as the 
 35.17  commissioner may prescribe.  Appointments to exercise delegated 
 35.18  power to sign documents which require the signature of the 
 35.19  commissioner or a delegate by law shall be by written order 
 35.20  filed with the secretary of state. 
 35.21     Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 270.10, 
 35.22  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
 35.23     Subdivision 1.  [IN WRITING; APPROVAL BY ATTORNEY GENERAL.] 
 35.24  All orders and decisions of the commissioner of revenue, or any 
 35.25  subordinates, respecting any tax, assessment, or other 
 35.26  obligation, shall be in writing, filed in the offices of the 
 35.27  department.  Any order or decision increasing or decreasing any 
 35.28  tax, assessment, or other obligation by a sum exceeding $1,000 
 35.29  on real or personal property, or the net tax capacity thereof, 
 35.30  or other obligation relating thereto, the result of which is to 
 35.31  increase or decrease the total amount payable including 
 35.32  penalties and interest, by a sum exceeding $1,000, and any order 
 35.33  or decision increasing or decreasing any other tax by a sum 
 35.34  exceeding $1,000 exclusive of penalties and interest, must bear 
 35.35  the written signature or facsimile signature of the commissioner 
 35.36  or the commissioner's delegate.  Written notice of every order 
 36.1   granting a reduction, abatement, or refundment exceeding $5,000 
 36.2   of any tax exclusive of penalties and interest, shall be given 
 36.3   within five days to the attorney general.  The attorney general 
 36.4   shall forthwith examine the order, and if proper and legal, 
 36.5   approve it in writing.  The attorney general may waive the right 
 36.6   of appeal from the order on behalf of the state or may appeal 
 36.7   from the order on behalf of the state as herein provided in 
 36.8   chapter 271.  Written approval of the commissioner or a delegate 
 36.9   and written notice to the attorney general shall not be required 
 36.10  with respect to the following orders:  (1) orders reducing net 
 36.11  tax capacity of property by reason of its classification as a 
 36.12  homestead; (2) orders not involving refunds which have the 
 36.13  effect only of correcting income and franchise tax assessments 
 36.14  to conform to the amounts shown on final returns filed as 
 36.15  provided by section 289A.19, subdivisions 1 and 2; and (3) 
 36.16  original orders for the refundment of gasoline and special fuel 
 36.17  taxes.  
 36.18     Sec. 5.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 270.10, 
 36.19  subdivision 5, is amended to read: 
 36.20     Subd. 5.  [APPEAL; PAYMENT OF ORDER.] Except for orders 
 36.21  relating to property tax matters, no collection action may be 
 36.22  taken, including the filing of liens under section 270.69, and 
 36.23  no late payment penalties may be imposed when a return has been 
 36.24  filed for the tax type and period upon which the order is based, 
 36.25  if an order of the commissioner, excluding orders relating to 
 36.26  property tax matters, is paid: 
 36.27     (1) within 60 days after notice and demand for payment of 
 36.28  the order have has been mailed to the taxpayer; or 
 36.29     (2) if an administrative appeal or a tax court appeal under 
 36.30  chapter 271 is timely filed, within 60 days following final 
 36.31  determination of the appeal if the appeal is based upon a 
 36.32  constitutional challenge to the tax, and if not, when the 
 36.33  decision of the tax court is made. 
 36.34     Sec. 6.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 270.101, 
 36.35  subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
 36.36     Subd. 2.  [PERSON DEFINED.] The term "person" includes, but 
 37.1   is not limited to, a corporation, estate, trust, organization, 
 37.2   or association, whether organized for profit or not, an officer 
 37.3   or director of a corporation, a member of a partnership, an 
 37.4   employee, a third party (including, but not limited to, a 
 37.5   financial institution, lender, or surety), and any other 
 37.6   individual or entity.  "Person" does not include an unpaid, 
 37.7   volunteer member of a board of trustees or directors of an 
 37.8   organization exempt from taxation under section 290.05, if the 
 37.9   member is solely serving in an honorary capacity, does not 
 37.10  participate in the day-to-day or financial operations of the 
 37.11  organization, and has no actual knowledge of the failure to file 
 37.12  returns or remit taxes. 
 37.13     Sec. 7.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 270.101, is 
 37.14  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
 37.15     Subd. 4.  [RIGHT OF CONTRIBUTION.] A person who has paid 
 37.16  all or part of a liability assessed under this section has a 
 37.17  cause of action against other liable persons to recover the 
 37.18  amount paid in excess of that person's share of the liability.  
 37.19  A claim for recovery of contribution may be made only in a 
 37.20  proceeding which is separate from, and cannot be joined or 
 37.21  consolidated with, an administrative or judicial proceeding or 
 37.22  investigation involving the commissioner's administration or 
 37.23  enforcement of this section.  An order assessing liability under 
 37.24  this section against the person from whom contribution is being 
 37.25  sought is not a prerequisite for bringing an action for recovery 
 37.26  of contribution, nor is the issuance of an order binding on the 
 37.27  court in which the proceeding is brought.  The court can 
 37.28  determine whether each person would be liable under this section 
 37.29  and the share of liability.  The commissioner cannot be made a 
 37.30  party to any proceeding for recovery of contribution, nor is a 
 37.31  determination in such a proceeding binding on the commissioner 
 37.32  for the purpose of administering or enforcing this section.  An 
 37.33  action for contribution arises when the liability under this 
 37.34  section is paid in full, or the liability of the person seeking 
 37.35  contribution has been determined by agreement between the 
 37.36  commissioner and such person and paid, and must be brought 
 38.1   within the time period prescribed in section 541.05. 
 38.2      Sec. 8.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 270.271, is 
 38.3   amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
 38.4      Subd. 5.  [PRIVATE DELIVERY SERVICES.] A reference in this 
 38.5   section to the United States mail shall be treated as including 
 38.6   a reference to any designated delivery service, and any 
 38.7   reference in this section to a postmark by the United States 
 38.8   Postal Service shall be treated as including a reference to any 
 38.9   date recorded or marked by any designated delivery service in 
 38.10  accordance with section 7502(f) of the Internal Revenue Code. 
 38.11     Sec. 9.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 270.273, 
 38.12  subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
 38.13     Subd. 2.  [TERMS OF A TAXPAYER ASSISTANCE ORDER.] A 
 38.14  taxpayer assistance order may require the department within a 
 38.15  specified time period to release property of the taxpayer levied 
 38.16  on, cease any action, take any action as permitted by law, or 
 38.17  refrain from taking any action to enforce the state tax laws 
 38.18  against the taxpayer, until the issue or issues giving rise to 
 38.19  the order have been resolved. 
 38.20     Sec. 10.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 270.276, 
 38.21  subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
 38.22     Subd. 2.  [DAMAGES.] On a finding of liability on the part 
 38.23  of the defendant in an action brought under subdivision 1, the 
 38.24  defendant is liable to the plaintiff in an amount equal to the 
 38.25  lesser of $100,000 $200,000, or the sum of (1) actual, direct 
 38.26  economic damages sustained by the plaintiff as a proximate 
 38.27  result of the reckless or intentional actions of the employee 
 38.28  and (2) the costs of the action.  Damages must be paid in 
 38.29  accordance with section 3.736, subdivision 7. 
 38.30     Sec. 11.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 270.67, 
 38.31  subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
 38.32     Subd. 2.  [EXTENSION AGREEMENTS.] When any portion of any 
 38.33  tax payable to the commissioner of revenue together with 
 38.34  interest and penalty thereon, if any, has not been paid, the 
 38.35  commissioner may extend the time for payment for a further 
 38.36  period.  When the authority of this section is invoked, the 
 39.1   extension shall be evidenced by written agreement signed by the 
 39.2   taxpayer and the commissioner, stating the amount of the tax 
 39.3   with penalty and interest, if any, and providing for the payment 
 39.4   of the amount in regular weekly, semimonthly or monthly 
 39.5   installments.  The agreement shall may contain a confession of 
 39.6   judgment for the amount and for any unpaid portion thereof and 
 39.7   shall provide that the commissioner may forthwith enter judgment 
 39.8   against the taxpayer in the district court of the county of 
 39.9   residence as shown upon the taxpayer's tax return for the unpaid 
 39.10  portion of the amount specified in the extension agreement.  The 
 39.11  agreement shall provide that it can be terminated, after notice 
 39.12  by the commissioner, if information provided by the taxpayer 
 39.13  prior to the agreement was inaccurate or incomplete, collection 
 39.14  of the tax covered by the agreement is in jeopardy, there is a 
 39.15  subsequent change in the taxpayer's financial condition, the 
 39.16  taxpayer has failed to make a payment due under the agreement, 
 39.17  or has failed to pay any other tax or file a tax return coming 
 39.18  due after the agreement.  The notice must be given at least 14 
 39.19  calendar days prior to termination, and shall advise the 
 39.20  taxpayer of the right to request a reconsideration from the 
 39.21  commissioner of whether termination is reasonable and 
 39.22  appropriate under the circumstances.  A request for 
 39.23  reconsideration does not stay collection action beyond the 
 39.24  14-day notice period.  The commissioner may accept other 
 39.25  collateral the commissioner considers appropriate to secure 
 39.26  satisfaction of the tax liability.  The principal sum specified 
 39.27  in the agreement shall bear interest at the rate specified in 
 39.28  section 270.75 on all unpaid portions thereof until the same has 
 39.29  been fully paid or the unpaid portion thereof has been entered 
 39.30  as a judgment.  The judgment shall bear interest at the rate 
 39.31  specified in section 270.75.  If it appears to the commissioner 
 39.32  that the tax reported by the taxpayer is in excess of the amount 
 39.33  actually owing by the taxpayer, the extension agreement or the 
 39.34  judgment entered pursuant thereto shall be corrected.  If after 
 39.35  making the extension agreement or entering judgment with respect 
 39.36  thereto, the commissioner determines that the tax as reported by 
 40.1   the taxpayer is less than the amount actually due, the 
 40.2   commissioner shall assess a further tax in accordance with the 
 40.3   provisions of law applicable to the tax.  The authority granted 
 40.4   to the commissioner by this section is in addition to any other 
 40.5   authority granted to the commissioner by law to extend the time 
 40.6   of payment or the time for filing a return and shall not be 
 40.7   construed in limitation thereof.  
 40.8      Sec. 12.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 270.69, 
 40.9   subdivision 11, is amended to read: 
 40.10     Subd. 11.  [ERRONEOUS LIENS.] After the filing of a notice 
 40.11  of lien under this section on the property or rights to property 
 40.12  of a person, the person may appeal to the commissioner, in the 
 40.13  form and at the time prescribed by the commissioner, alleging an 
 40.14  error in the filing of the lien and requesting its release.  If 
 40.15  the commissioner determines that the filing of the notice of any 
 40.16  lien was erroneous, within 14 days after the determination, the 
 40.17  commissioner must issue a certificate of release of the lien.  
 40.18  The certificate must include a statement that the filing of the 
 40.19  lien was erroneous.  In the event that the lien is erroneous and 
 40.20  is not released within the 14-day period, reasonable attorney 
 40.21  fees shall be paid.  Damages must be paid in accordance with 
 40.22  section 3.736, subdivision 7.  Even if a lien is not erroneous, 
 40.23  the commissioner may withdraw the lien if the filing of the lien 
 40.24  was premature or not in accordance with administrative 
 40.25  procedures of the commissioner, or withdrawal of the lien will 
 40.26  facilitate the collection of the tax liability. 
 40.27     Sec. 13.  [270.771] [PAYMENTS REQUIRED TO BE MADE BY 
 40.28  ELECTRONIC FUNDS TRANSFER.] 
 40.29     (a) If a taxpayer is required to make payment of a tax to 
 40.30  the commissioner by means of electronic funds transfer as 
 40.31  defined in section 336.4A-104, paragraph (a), the taxpayer shall 
 40.32  make all payments of all taxes and fees paid to the commissioner 
 40.33  by means of electronic funds transfer. 
 40.34     (b) Paragraph (a) does not apply to payments required to be 
 40.35  made for individual income taxes under section 289A.20, 
 40.36  subdivision 1, paragraph (a), or 289A.25.  
 41.1      Sec. 14.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 271.06, 
 41.2   subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
 41.3      Subd. 2.  [TIME; NOTICE; INTERVENTION.] Except as otherwise 
 41.4   provided by law, within 60 days after notice of the making and 
 41.5   filing of an order of the commissioner of revenue, the 
 41.6   appellant, or the appellant's attorney, shall serve a notice of 
 41.7   appeal upon the commissioner and file the original, with proof 
 41.8   of such service, with the tax court administrator or with the 
 41.9   court administrator of district court acting as court 
 41.10  administrator of the tax court; provided, that the tax court, 
 41.11  for cause shown, may by written order extend the time for 
 41.12  appealing for an additional period not exceeding 30 days.  The 
 41.13  notice of appeal shall be in the form prescribed by the tax 
 41.14  court.  Within five days after receipt, the commissioner shall 
 41.15  transmit a copy of the notice of appeal to the attorney general 
 41.16  in all cases where the amount at issue exceeds $100.  The 
 41.17  attorney general shall represent the commissioner, if requested, 
 41.18  upon all such appeals except in cases where the attorney general 
 41.19  has appealed in behalf of the state, or in other cases where the 
 41.20  attorney general deems it against the interests of the state to 
 41.21  represent the commissioner, in which event the attorney general 
 41.22  may intervene or be substituted as an appellant in behalf of the 
 41.23  state at any stage of the proceedings. 
 41.24     Upon a final determination of any other matter over which 
 41.25  the court is granted jurisdiction under section 271.01, 
 41.26  subdivision 5, the taxpayer or the taxpayer's attorney shall 
 41.27  file a petition or notice of appeal as provided by law with the 
 41.28  court administrator of district court, acting in the capacity of 
 41.29  court administrator of the tax court, with proof of service of 
 41.30  the petition or notice of appeal as required by law and within 
 41.31  the time required by law.  As used in this subdivision, "final 
 41.32  determination" includes a notice of assessment and equalization 
 41.33  for the year in question received from the local assessor, an 
 41.34  order of the local board of equalization, or an order of a 
 41.35  county board of equalization. 
 41.36     The tax court shall prescribe a filing system so that the 
 42.1   notice of appeal or petition filed with the district court 
 42.2   administrator acting as court administrator of the tax court is 
 42.3   forwarded to the tax court administrator.  In the case of an 
 42.4   appeal or a petition concerning property valuation for which the 
 42.5   assessor, a local board of equalization, a county board of 
 42.6   equalization or the commissioner of revenue has issued an order, 
 42.7   the officer issuing the order shall be notified of the filing of 
 42.8   the appeal.  The notice of appeal or petition shall be in the 
 42.9   form prescribed by the tax court. 
 42.10     Sec. 15.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 271.08, 
 42.11  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
 42.12     Subdivision 1.  [WRITTEN ORDER.] The tax court, except in 
 42.13  small claims division, shall determine every appeal by written 
 42.14  order containing findings of fact and the decision of the tax 
 42.15  court.  A memorandum of the grounds of the decision shall be 
 42.16  appended.  A certified copy of the order shall be transmitted to 
 42.17  the commissioner of revenue or the appropriate unit of 
 42.18  government and filed in that office.  Notice of the entry of the 
 42.19  order and of the substance of the decision shall be given by 
 42.20  mail mailed to all other parties who have appeared, and also, in 
 42.21  all cases where the amount at issue exceeds $100, to the 
 42.22  attorney general.  A motion for rehearing, which includes a 
 42.23  motion for amended findings of fact, conclusions of law, or a 
 42.24  new trial, must be served by the moving party within 15 days 
 42.25  after mailing of the notice by the court as specified in this 
 42.26  subdivision, and the motion must be heard within 30 days 
 42.27  thereafter, unless the time for hearing is extended by the court 
 42.28  within the 30-day period for good cause shown. 
 42.29     Sec. 16.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 271.10, 
 42.30  subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
 42.31     Subd. 2.  [SERVICE OF WRIT.] Within 60 days after notice of 
 42.32  the making and filing of the order of the tax court, or the 
 42.33  making and filing of an order on a petition motion for 
 42.34  rehearing, which includes a motion for amended findings of fact, 
 42.35  conclusions of law, or a new trial, the petitioner for review 
 42.36  shall obtain from the supreme court a writ of certiorari, and 
 43.1   shall serve the same upon all other parties appearing in the 
 43.2   proceedings before the tax court, and shall file the original, 
 43.3   with proof of such service, with the court administrator of the 
 43.4   tax court.  Every petitioner, except the attorney general, the 
 43.5   commissioner of revenue, the state and its political 
 43.6   subdivisions, shall also pay to the court administrator the fee 
 43.7   prescribed by rule 103.01 of the rules of civil appellate 
 43.8   procedure which shall be disposed of in the manner provided by 
 43.9   that rule, and file a bond or make a deposit in like manner and 
 43.10  amount as in case of an appeal from the district court.  The fee 
 43.11  shall be disposed of as in such case.  Return upon the writ 
 43.12  shall be made to the supreme court and the matter shall be heard 
 43.13  and determined by the court as in other certiorari cases, 
 43.14  subject to the provisions hereof and to such rules as the court 
 43.15  may prescribe for cases arising hereunder. 
 43.16     Sec. 17.  [287.13] [VIOLATIONS; PENALTIES.] 
 43.17     Subdivision 1.  [FAILURE TO PAY FULL AMOUNT.] Any person 
 43.18  liable for the tax imposed by section 287.05 who fails to pay 
 43.19  the full amount of tax imposed under sections 287.01 to 287.12, 
 43.20  unless such failure is shown to be due to reasonable cause, is 
 43.21  liable for a civil penalty of $250 for each such failure. 
 43.22     Subd. 2.  [ADDITIONAL PENALTY.] Any person who willfully 
 43.23  attempts to evade or defeat the tax imposed under sections 
 43.24  287.01 to 287.12, or the payment thereof, shall, in addition to 
 43.25  the penalty provided in subdivision 1, be liable for a penalty 
 43.26  of 50 percent of the total amount of the underpayment of the tax.
 43.27     Sec. 18.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 287.31, 
 43.28  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
 43.29     Subdivision 1.  [FAILURE TO COMPLY.] Any person liable for 
 43.30  the tax imposed by section 287.21 who fails to comply with the 
 43.31  provisions of section 287.25 relating to the attachment or 
 43.32  cancellation of documentary stamps, unless such failure is shown 
 43.33  to be due to reasonable cause, shall be liable to a civil 
 43.34  penalty of $50 $250 for each such failure. 
 43.35     Sec. 19.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 289A.09, 
 43.36  subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
 44.1      Subd. 2.  [WITHHOLDING STATEMENT TO EMPLOYEE OR PAYEE AND 
 44.2   TO COMMISSIONER.] (a) A person required to deduct and withhold 
 44.3   from an employee a tax under section 290.92, subdivision 2a or 
 44.4   3, or 290.923, subdivision 2, or who would have been required to 
 44.5   deduct and withhold a tax under section 290.92, subdivision 2a 
 44.6   or 3, or persons required to withhold tax under section 290.923, 
 44.7   subdivision 2, determined without regard to section 290.92, 
 44.8   subdivision 19, if the employee or payee had claimed no more 
 44.9   than one withholding exemption, or who paid wages or made 
 44.10  payments not subject to withholding under section 290.92, 
 44.11  subdivision 2a or 3, or 290.923, subdivision 2, to an employee 
 44.12  or person receiving royalty payments in excess of $600, or who 
 44.13  has entered into a voluntary withholding agreement with a payee 
 44.14  under section 290.92, subdivision 20, must give every employee 
 44.15  or person receiving royalty payments in respect to the 
 44.16  remuneration paid by the person to the employee or person 
 44.17  receiving royalty payments during the calendar year, on or 
 44.18  before January 31 of the succeeding year, or, if employment is 
 44.19  terminated before the close of the calendar year, within 30 days 
 44.20  after the date of receipt of a written request from the employee 
 44.21  if the 30-day period ends before January 31, a written statement 
 44.22  showing the following: 
 44.23     (1) name of the person; 
 44.24     (2) the name of the employee or payee and the employee's or 
 44.25  payee's social security account number; 
 44.26     (3) the total amount of wages as that term is defined in 
 44.27  section 290.92, subdivision 1, paragraph (1); the total amount 
 44.28  of remuneration subject to withholding under section 290.92, 
 44.29  subdivision 20; the amount of sick pay as required under section 
 44.30  6051(f) of the Internal Revenue Code; and the amount of 
 44.31  royalties subject to withholding under section 290.923, 
 44.32  subdivision 2; and 
 44.33     (4) the total amount deducted and withheld as tax under 
 44.34  section 290.92, subdivision 2a or 3, or 290.923, subdivision 2. 
 44.35     (b) The statement required to be furnished by this 
 44.36  paragraph with respect to any remuneration must be furnished at 
 45.1   those times, must contain the information required, and must be 
 45.2   in the form the commissioner prescribes. 
 45.3      (c) The commissioner may prescribe rules providing for 
 45.4   reasonable extensions of time, not in excess of 30 days, to 
 45.5   employers or payers required to give the statements to their 
 45.6   employees or payees under this subdivision. 
 45.7      (d) A duplicate of any statement made under this 
 45.8   subdivision and in accordance with rules prescribed by the 
 45.9   commissioner, along with a reconciliation in the form the 
 45.10  commissioner prescribes of the statements for the calendar year, 
 45.11  including a reconciliation of the quarterly returns required to 
 45.12  be filed under subdivision 1, must be filed with the 
 45.13  commissioner on or before February 28 of the year after the 
 45.14  payments were made.  
 45.15     (e) The employer must submit the statements required to be 
 45.16  sent to the commissioner on magnetic media, if the magnetic 
 45.17  media was required to satisfy the federal reporting requirements 
 45.18  of section 6011(e) of the Internal Revenue Code and the 
 45.19  regulations issued under it. 
 45.20     (f) A "provider of payroll services" as defined in section 
 45.21  289A.20, subdivision 2, paragraph (f), must submit the returns 
 45.22  required by this subdivision and subdivision 1, paragraph (a), 
 45.23  with the commissioner by electronic means. 
 45.24     Sec. 20.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 289A.20, 
 45.25  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
 45.26     Subdivision 1.  [INDIVIDUAL INCOME, FIDUCIARY INCOME, 
 45.27  MINING COMPANY, CORPORATE FRANCHISE, AND ENTERTAINMENT TAXES.] 
 45.28  (a) Individual income, fiduciary, mining company, and corporate 
 45.29  franchise taxes must be paid to the commissioner on or before 
 45.30  the date the return must be filed under section 289A.18, 
 45.31  subdivision 1, or the extended due date as provided in section 
 45.32  289A.19, unless an earlier date for payment is provided.  
 45.33     Notwithstanding any other law, a taxpayer whose unpaid 
 45.34  liability for income or corporate franchise taxes, as reflected 
 45.35  upon the return, is $1 or less need not pay the tax.  
 45.36     (b) Entertainment taxes must be paid on or before the date 
 46.1   the return must be filed under section 289A.18, subdivision 1. 
 46.2      (c) If a fiduciary administers 100 or more trusts, 
 46.3   fiduciary income taxes for all trusts administered by the 
 46.4   fiduciary must be paid by funds transfer as defined in section 
 46.5   336.4A-104, paragraph (a).  The funds transfer payment date, as 
 46.6   defined in section 336.4A-401, must be on or before the date the 
 46.7   tax payment is due.  If the date the payment is due is not a 
 46.8   funds transfer business day, as defined in section 336.4A-105, 
 46.9   paragraph (a), clause (4), the payment date must be on or before 
 46.10  the funds transfer business day next following the date the 
 46.11  payment is due. 
 46.12     Sec. 21.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 289A.20, 
 46.13  subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
 46.14     Subd. 2.  [WITHHOLDING FROM WAGES, ENTERTAINER WITHHOLDING, 
 46.15  WITHHOLDING FROM PAYMENTS TO OUT-OF-STATE CONTRACTORS, AND 
 46.16  WITHHOLDING BY PARTNERSHIPS AND SMALL BUSINESS CORPORATIONS.] 
 46.17  (a) A tax required to be deducted and withheld during the 
 46.18  quarterly period must be paid on or before the last day of the 
 46.19  month following the close of the quarterly period, unless an 
 46.20  earlier time for payment is provided.  A tax required to be 
 46.21  deducted and withheld from compensation of an entertainer and 
 46.22  from a payment to an out-of-state contractor must be paid on or 
 46.23  before the date the return for such tax must be filed under 
 46.24  section 289A.18, subdivision 2.  Taxes required to be deducted 
 46.25  and withheld by partnerships and S corporations must be paid on 
 46.26  or before the date the return must be filed under section 
 46.27  289A.18, subdivision 2. 
 46.28     (b) An employer who, during the previous quarter, withheld 
 46.29  more than $1,500 of tax under section 290.92, subdivision 2a or 
 46.30  3, or 290.923, subdivision 2, must deposit tax withheld under 
 46.31  those sections with the commissioner within the time allowed to 
 46.32  deposit the employer's federal withheld employment taxes under 
 46.33  Treasury Regulation, section 31.6302-1, without regard to the 
 46.34  safe harbor or de minimus rules in subparagraph (f) or the 
 46.35  one-day rule in subsection (c), clause (3).  Taxpayers must 
 46.36  submit a copy of their federal notice of deposit status to the 
 47.1   commissioner upon request by the commissioner. 
 47.2      (c) The commissioner may prescribe by rule other return 
 47.3   periods or deposit requirements.  In prescribing the reporting 
 47.4   period, the commissioner may classify payors according to the 
 47.5   amount of their tax liability and may adopt an appropriate 
 47.6   reporting period for the class that the commissioner judges to 
 47.7   be consistent with efficient tax collection.  In no event will 
 47.8   the duration of the reporting period be more than one year. 
 47.9      (d) If less than the correct amount of tax is paid to the 
 47.10  commissioner, proper adjustments with respect to both the tax 
 47.11  and the amount to be deducted must be made, without interest, in 
 47.12  the manner and at the times the commissioner prescribes.  If the 
 47.13  underpayment cannot be adjusted, the amount of the underpayment 
 47.14  will be assessed and collected in the manner and at the times 
 47.15  the commissioner prescribes. 
 47.16     (e) If the aggregate amount of the tax withheld during a 
 47.17  fiscal year ending June 30 under section 290.92, subdivision 2a 
 47.18  or 3, is equal to or exceeds $50,000 the amounts established for 
 47.19  remitting federal withheld taxes pursuant to the regulations 
 47.20  promulgated under section 6302(h) of the Internal Revenue Code, 
 47.21  the employer must remit each required deposit in the subsequent 
 47.22  calendar year by means of a funds transfer as defined in section 
 47.23  336.4A-104, paragraph (a).  The funds transfer payment date, as 
 47.24  defined in section 336.4A-401, must be on or before the date the 
 47.25  deposit is due.  If the date the deposit is due is not a funds 
 47.26  transfer business day, as defined in section 336.4A-105, 
 47.27  paragraph (a), clause (4), the payment date must be on or before 
 47.28  the funds transfer business day next following the date the 
 47.29  deposit is due. 
 47.30     (f) Providers of payroll services who remit withholding 
 47.31  deposits on behalf of 50 or more employers, or on behalf of any 
 47.32  employer with aggregate amounts over the threshold in paragraph 
 47.33  (e), must remit all deposits by means of a funds transfer as 
 47.34  provided in paragraph (e), regardless of the aggregate amount of 
 47.35  tax withheld during a fiscal year for all of the employers.  For 
 47.36  the purposes of this paragraph, "providers of payroll services" 
 48.1   means persons who have custody of or control over another 
 48.2   employer's funds for the purpose of paying on behalf of the 
 48.3   other employer's Minnesota withholding taxes. 
 48.4      Sec. 22.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 289A.31, 
 48.5   subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
 48.6      Subdivision 1.  [INDIVIDUAL INCOME, FIDUCIARY INCOME, 
 48.7   MINING COMPANY, CORPORATE FRANCHISE, AND ENTERTAINMENT TAXES.] 
 48.8   (a) Individual income, fiduciary income, mining company, and 
 48.9   corporate franchise taxes, and interest and penalties, must be 
 48.10  paid by the taxpayer upon whom the tax is imposed, except in the 
 48.11  following cases:  
 48.12     (1) The tax due from a decedent for that part of the 
 48.13  taxable year in which the decedent died during which the 
 48.14  decedent was alive and the taxes, interest, and penalty due for 
 48.15  the prior years must be paid by the decedent's personal 
 48.16  representative, if any.  If there is no personal representative, 
 48.17  the taxes, interest, and penalty must be paid by the 
 48.18  transferees, as defined in section 289A.38, subdivision 13, to 
 48.19  the extent they receive property from the decedent; 
 48.20     (2) The tax due from an infant or other incompetent person 
 48.21  must be paid by the person's guardian or other person authorized 
 48.22  or permitted by law to act for the person; 
 48.23     (3) The tax due from the estate of a decedent must be paid 
 48.24  by the estate's personal representative; 
 48.25     (4) The tax due from a trust, including those within the 
 48.26  definition of a corporation, as defined in section 290.01, 
 48.27  subdivision 4, must be paid by a trustee; and 
 48.28     (5) The tax due from a taxpayer whose business or property 
 48.29  is in charge of a receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, assignee, or 
 48.30  other conservator, must be paid by the person in charge of the 
 48.31  business or property so far as the tax is due to the income from 
 48.32  the business or property. 
 48.33     (b) Entertainment taxes are the joint and several liability 
 48.34  of the entertainer and the entertainment entity.  The payor is 
 48.35  liable to the state for the payment of the tax required to be 
 48.36  deducted and withheld under section 290.9201, subdivision 7, and 
 49.1   is not liable to the entertainer for the amount of the payment. 
 49.2      (c) The tax imposed under section 290.0922 on partnerships 
 49.3   is the joint and several liability of the partnership and the 
 49.4   general partners. 
 49.5      Sec. 23.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 289A.37, 
 49.6   subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
 49.7      Subdivision 1.  [ORDER OF ASSESSMENT; NOTICE AND DEMAND TO 
 49.8   TAXPAYER.] (a) When a return has been filed and the commissioner 
 49.9   determines that the tax disclosed by the return is different 
 49.10  than the tax determined by the examination, the commissioner 
 49.11  shall send an order of assessment to the taxpayer.  When no 
 49.12  return has been filed, the commissioner may make a return for 
 49.13  the taxpayer under section 289A.35 or may send an order of 
 49.14  assessment under this subdivision.  The order must explain the 
 49.15  basis for the assessment and must explain the taxpayer's appeal 
 49.16  rights.  An order of assessment is final when made but may be 
 49.17  reconsidered by the commissioner under section 289A.65. 
 49.18     (b) No collection action can be taken, including the filing 
 49.19  of liens under section 270.69, and the penalty under section 
 49.20  289A.60, subdivision 1, is not imposed and no collection action 
 49.21  can be taken, including the filing of liens under section 270.69 
 49.22  when a return has been filed for the tax type and period upon 
 49.23  which the order is based, if the amount shown on the order is 
 49.24  paid to the commissioner:  (1) within 60 days after notice of 
 49.25  the amount and demand for its payment have the order has been 
 49.26  mailed to the taxpayer by the commissioner; or (2) if an 
 49.27  administrative appeal is filed under section 289A.65 or a tax 
 49.28  court appeal is filed under chapter 271, within 60 days 
 49.29  following final determination of the appeal if the appeal is 
 49.30  based upon a constitutional challenge to the tax, and if not, 
 49.31  when the decision of the tax court is made. 
 49.32     Sec. 24.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 289A.40, 
 49.33  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
 49.34     Subdivision 1.  [TIME LIMIT; GENERALLY.] Unless otherwise 
 49.35  provided in this chapter, a claim for a refund of an overpayment 
 49.36  of state tax must be filed within 3-1/2 years from the date 
 50.1   prescribed for filing the return, plus any extension of time 
 50.2   granted for filing the return, but only if filed within the 
 50.3   extended time, or one year from the date of an order assessing 
 50.4   tax under section 289A.37, subdivision 1, or one year from the 
 50.5   date of a return made by the commissioner under section 289A.35, 
 50.6   upon payment in full of the tax, penalties, and interest shown 
 50.7   on the order or return made by the commissioner, whichever 
 50.8   period expires later.  Claims for refund, except for taxes under 
 50.9   chapter 297A, filed after the 3-1/2 year period but within the 
 50.10  one-year period are limited to the amount of the tax, penalties, 
 50.11  and interest on the order or return made by the commissioner and 
 50.12  to issues determined by the order or return made by the 
 50.13  commissioner. 
 50.14     In the case of assessments under section 289A.38, 
 50.15  subdivision 5 or 6, claims for refund under chapter 297A filed 
 50.16  after the 3-1/2 year period but within the one-year period are 
 50.17  limited to the amount of the tax, penalties, and interest on the 
 50.18  order or return made by the commissioner that are due for the 
 50.19  period before the 3-1/2 year period. 
 50.20     Sec. 25.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 297B.035, 
 50.21  subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
 50.22     Subd. 3.  [SALES IN VIOLATION OF LICENSING REQUIREMENTS.] 
 50.23  Motor vehicles sold by a new motor vehicle dealer in 
 50.24  contravention of section 168.27, subdivision 10, clause (1)(b) 
 50.25  shall not be considered to have been acquired or purchased for 
 50.26  resale in the ordinary or regular course of business for the 
 50.27  purposes of this chapter, and the dealer shall be required to 
 50.28  pay the excise tax due on the purchase of those vehicles.  The 
 50.29  sale by a lessor of a new motor vehicle under lease within 120 
 50.30  days of the commencement of the lease is deemed a sale in 
 50.31  contravention of section 168.27, subdivision 10, clause (1)(b) 
 50.32  unless the lessor holds a valid contract or franchise with the 
 50.33  manufacturer or distributor of the vehicle.  Notwithstanding 
 50.34  section 297B.11, the rights of a dealer to appeal any amounts 
 50.35  owed by the dealer under this subdivision are governed 
 50.36  exclusively by the hearing procedure under section 168.27, 
 51.1   subdivision 13. 
 51.2      Sec. 26.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 297B.11, is 
 51.3   amended to read: 
 51.4      297B.11 [REGISTRAR AS AGENT OF COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE; 
 51.5   POWERS.] 
 51.6      The state commissioner of revenue is charged with the 
 51.7   administration of the sales tax on motor vehicles.  The 
 51.8   commissioner may prescribe all rules not inconsistent with the 
 51.9   provisions of this chapter, necessary and advisable for the 
 51.10  proper and efficient administration of the law.  The collection 
 51.11  of this sales tax on motor vehicles shall be carried out by the 
 51.12  motor vehicle registrar who shall act as the agent of the 
 51.13  commissioner and who shall be subject to all rules not 
 51.14  inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter, that may be 
 51.15  prescribed by the commissioner.  
 51.16     The provisions of chapters 289A and 297A relating to the 
 51.17  commissioner's authority to audit, assess, and collect the tax, 
 51.18  and to refunds and appeals, are applicable to the sales tax on 
 51.19  motor vehicles.  The commissioner may impose civil penalties as 
 51.20  provided in chapters 289A and 297A, and the additional tax and 
 51.21  penalties are subject to interest at the rate provided in 
 51.22  section 270.75.  
 51.23     Sec. 27.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 299F.21, is 
 51.24  amended to read: 
 51.25     299F.21 [FIRE INSURANCE COMPANIES PAY TAX.] 
 51.26     Subdivision 1.  [ESTIMATED INSTALLMENT PAYMENTS.] On or 
 51.27  before April 1, June 1, and December 1 of each year, every 
 51.28  licensed insurance company, including reciprocals or 
 51.29  interinsurance exchanges, doing business in the state, excepting 
 51.30  farmers' mutual fire insurance companies and township mutual 
 51.31  fire insurance companies, shall pay to the commissioner of 
 51.32  revenue installments equal to one-third of, a tax upon its fire 
 51.33  premiums or assessments or both, based on a sum equal to 
 51.34  one-half of one percent of the estimated fire premiums and 
 51.35  assessments, less return premiums and dividends, on all direct 
 51.36  business received by it in this state, or by its agents for it, 
 52.1   in cash or otherwise, during the year, including premiums on 
 52.2   policies covering fire risks only on automobiles, whether 
 52.3   written under floater form or otherwise.  In the case of a 
 52.4   mutual company or reciprocal exchange the dividends or savings 
 52.5   paid or credited to members in this state shall be construed to 
 52.6   be return premiums.  The money so received into the state 
 52.7   treasury shall be credited to the general fund.  A company that 
 52.8   fails to make payments of at least one-third of either (1) the 
 52.9   total tax paid during the previous calendar year or (2) 80 
 52.10  percent of the actual tax for the current calendar year is 
 52.11  subject to the penalty and interest provided in this chapter, 
 52.12  unless the total tax for the current tax year is $500 or less.  
 52.13     Subd. 1a.  [ELECTRONIC FUNDS TRANSFER PAYMENTS.] If the 
 52.14  aggregate amount of fire marshal tax payments under this section 
 52.15  and the premium tax payments under section 60A.15 made during a 
 52.16  calendar year is equal to or exceeds $120,000, all tax payments 
 52.17  in the subsequent calendar year must be paid by means of a funds 
 52.18  transfer as defined in section 336.4A-104, paragraph (a).  The 
 52.19  funds transfer payment date, as defined in section 336.4A-401, 
 52.20  must be on or before the date the payment is due.  If the date 
 52.21  the payment is due is not a funds transfer business day, as 
 52.22  defined in section 336.4A-105, paragraph (a), clause (4), the 
 52.23  payment date must be on or before the funds transfer business 
 52.24  day next following the date the payment is due. 
 52.25     Subd. 1b.  [ADDITION TO TAX.] In case of an underpayment of 
 52.26  installments by an insurer, there must be added to the tax for 
 52.27  the taxable year an amount determined at the rate specified in 
 52.28  section 270.75 upon the amount of underpayment. 
 52.29     Subd. 1b. 1c.  [AMOUNT OF UNDERPAYMENT.] For purposes of 
 52.30  subdivision 1a, the amount of the underpayment is the excess 
 52.31  of:  (1) the amount of the installment; over (2) the amount, if 
 52.32  any, of the installment paid on or before the last date 
 52.33  prescribed for payment. 
 52.34     Subd. 1c. 1d.  [PERIOD OF UNDERPAYMENT.] The period of the 
 52.35  underpayment runs from the date the installment was required to 
 52.36  be paid to the earliest of the following dates: 
 53.1      (1) on March 1 following the close of the taxable year; 
 53.2      (2) with respect to any portion of the underpayment, the 
 53.3   date on which that portion is paid.  For purposes of this 
 53.4   clause, a payment of estimated tax on any installment date is 
 53.5   considered a payment of any previous underpayment only to the 
 53.6   extent the payment exceeds the amount of the installment 
 53.7   determined under clause (1), for the installment date. 
 53.8      Subd. 1d. 1e.  [DEFINITION OF TAX.] The term "tax" means 
 53.9   the tax imposed by this chapter. 
 53.10     Subd. 1e. 1f.  [FAILURE TO FILE ESTIMATE.] In the case of 
 53.11  an insurer that fails to file an estimated tax statement for a 
 53.12  taxable year when one is required, the period of the 
 53.13  underpayment runs from the installment dates as set forth in 
 53.14  subdivision 1 to whichever of the periods set forth in 
 53.15  subdivision 1c is the earlier. 
 53.16     Subd. 2.  [ANNUAL RETURNS.] (a) Every insurer required to 
 53.17  pay a tax under this section shall make and file a statement of 
 53.18  estimated taxes for the period covered by the installment tax 
 53.19  payment.  The statement shall be in the form prescribed by the 
 53.20  commissioner of revenue.  
 53.21     (b) On or before March 1, annually every insurer subject to 
 53.22  taxation under this section shall make an annual return for the 
 53.23  preceding calendar year setting forth information the 
 53.24  commissioner of revenue may reasonably require on forms 
 53.25  prescribed by the commissioner.  
 53.26     (c) On March 1, the insurer shall pay any additional amount 
 53.27  due for the preceding calendar year; if there has been an 
 53.28  overpayment, the overpayment may be credited without interest on 
 53.29  the estimated tax due April 15.  
 53.30     (d) If unpaid by this date, penalties as provided in 
 53.31  section 289A.60, subdivision 1, as related to withholding and 
 53.32  sales or use taxes, shall be imposed. 
 53.33     Sec. 28.  [STATUS OF EXEMPT RULES.] 
 53.34     Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 14.387, the 
 53.35  following statutes, and any rules adopted or determinations, 
 53.36  actions, or positions taken pursuant to these statutes, have the 
 54.1   force and effect of law on and after July 1, 1997:  Minnesota 
 54.2   Statutes, sections 124.2131, subdivision 1, paragraph (b); 
 54.3   270.75, subdivision 5; 270.76; 270.79, subdivision 4, paragraph 
 54.4   (f); 290.06, subdivision 2d; 290A.04, subdivision 6; and 
 54.5   297E.15, subdivision 11. 
 54.6      Sec. 29.  [EFFECTIVE DATES.] 
 54.7      Sections 1, 3, 4, 6, 8 to 12, 14 to 16, 22, 25, 26, and 28 
 54.8   are effective the day following final enactment. 
 54.9      Sections 2, 13, and 27 are effective for all payments due 
 54.10  after December 31, 1997. 
 54.11     Sections 5 and 23 are effective for orders of assessment 
 54.12  issued on or after the day following final enactment. 
 54.13     Section 7 is effective for causes of action arising before 
 54.14  the day following final enactment which are not barred by the 
 54.15  statute of limitations as of that date, and for causes of action 
 54.16  arising thereafter. 
 54.17     Sections 17 and 18 are effective for mortgages submitted 
 54.18  for recording and deeds executed and delivered after June 30, 
 54.19  1997. 
 54.20     Section 19 is effective for returns for amounts withheld 
 54.21  for periods after December 31, 1997. 
 54.22     Section 20 is effective for tax payments for the taxable 
 54.23  years beginning after December 31, 1997. 
 54.24     Section 21 is effective for withholding on wages after 
 54.25  December 31, 1997. 
 54.26     Section 24 is effective for claims for refund filed on or 
 54.27  after the day following final enactment.