SF 3265

Introduction - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)

Posted on 07/18/2025 03:20 p.m.

A bill for an act
relating to taxation; sales and use; repealing the exemption for data centers;
amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 297A.75, subdivisions 1, 2, 3; repealing
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 297A.68, subdivision 42.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 297A.75, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Tax collected.

The tax on the gross receipts from the sale of the following
exempt items must be imposed and collected as if the sale were taxable and the rate under
section 297A.62, subdivision 1, applied. The exempt items include:

(1) building materials for an agricultural processing facility exempt under section
297A.71, subdivision 13;

(2) building materials for mineral production facilities exempt under section 297A.71,
subdivision 14;

(3) building materials for correctional facilities under section 297A.71, subdivision 3;

(4) building materials used in a residence for veterans with a disability exempt under
section 297A.71, subdivision 11;

(5) elevators and building materials exempt under section 297A.71, subdivision 12;

(6) materials and supplies for qualified low-income housing under section 297A.71,
subdivision 23;

(7) materials, supplies, and equipment for municipal electric utility facilities under
section 297A.71, subdivision 35;

(8) equipment and materials used for the generation, transmission, and distribution of
electrical energy and an aerial camera package exempt under section 297A.68, subdivision
37;

(9) commuter rail vehicle and repair parts under section 297A.70, subdivision 3, paragraph
(a), clause (10);

(10) materials, supplies, and equipment for construction or improvement of projects and
facilities under section 297A.71, subdivision 40;

deleted text begin (11) enterprise information technology equipment and computer software for use in a
qualified data center exempt under section 297A.68, subdivision 42;
deleted text end

deleted text begin (12) deleted text end new text begin (11) new text end materials, supplies, and equipment for qualifying capital projects under section
297A.71, subdivision 44, paragraph (a), clause (1), and paragraph (b);

deleted text begin (13) deleted text end new text begin (12) new text end items purchased for use in providing critical access dental services exempt
under section 297A.70, subdivision 7, paragraph (c);

deleted text begin (14) deleted text end new text begin (13) new text end items and services purchased under a business subsidy agreement for use or
consumption primarily in greater Minnesota exempt under section 297A.68, subdivision
44;

deleted text begin (15) deleted text end new text begin (14) new text end building materials, equipment, and supplies for constructing or replacing real
property exempt under section 297A.71, subdivisions 49; 50, paragraph (b); and 51;

deleted text begin (16) deleted text end new text begin (15) new text end building materials, equipment, and supplies for qualifying capital projects
under section 297A.71, subdivision 52; and

deleted text begin (17) deleted text end new text begin (16) new text end building materials, equipment, and supplies for constructing, remodeling,
expanding, or improving a fire station, police station, or related facilities exempt under
section 297A.71, subdivision 53.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2025.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 297A.75, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Refund; eligible persons.

Upon application on forms prescribed by the
commissioner, a refund equal to the tax paid on the gross receipts of the exempt items must
be paid to the applicant. Only the following persons may apply for the refund:

(1) for subdivision 1, clauses (1), (2), and deleted text begin (13) deleted text end new text begin (12) new text end , the applicant must be the purchaser;

(2) for subdivision 1, clause (3), the applicant must be the governmental subdivision;

(3) for subdivision 1, clause (4), the applicant must be the recipient of the benefits
provided in United States Code, title 38, chapter 21;

(4) for subdivision 1, clause (5), the applicant must be the owner of the homestead
property;

(5) for subdivision 1, clause (6), the owner of the qualified low-income housing project;

(6) for subdivision 1, clause (7), the applicant must be a municipal electric utility or a
joint venture of municipal electric utilities;

(7) for subdivision 1, clauses (8) deleted text begin , (11), deleted text end and deleted text begin (14) deleted text end new text begin (13) new text end , the owner of the qualifying business;

(8) for subdivision 1, clauses (9), (10), deleted text begin (12), (16), and (17) deleted text end new text begin (11), (15), and (16) new text end , the
applicant must be the governmental entity that owns or contracts for the project or facility;
and

(9) for subdivision 1, clause deleted text begin (15) deleted text end new text begin (14) new text end , the applicant must be the owner or developer of
the building or project.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2025.
new text end

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 297A.75, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Application.

(a) The application must include sufficient information to permit
the commissioner to verify the tax paid. If the tax was paid by a contractor, subcontractor,
or builder, under subdivision 1, clauses (3) to deleted text begin (12) deleted text end new text begin (11) new text end or deleted text begin (14) to (17) deleted text end new text begin (13) to (16) new text end , the
contractor, subcontractor, or builder must furnish to the refund applicant a statement including
the cost of the exempt items and the taxes paid on the items unless otherwise specifically
provided by this subdivision. The provisions of sections 289A.40 and 289A.50 apply to
refunds under this section.

(b) An applicant may not file more than two applications per calendar year for refunds
for taxes paid on capital equipment exempt under section 297A.68, subdivision 5.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2025.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin REPEALER.
new text end

new text begin Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 297A.68, subdivision 42, new text end new text begin is repealed.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2025.
new text end

APPENDIX

Repealed Minnesota Statutes: 25-04933

297A.68 BUSINESS EXEMPTIONS.

Subd. 42.

Qualified data centers.

(a) Purchases of enterprise information technology equipment and computer software for use in a qualified data center, or a qualified refurbished data center, are exempt, except that computer software maintenance agreements are exempt for purchases made after June 30, 2013. The tax on purchases exempt under this paragraph must be imposed and collected as if the rate under section 297A.62, subdivision 1, applied, and then refunded after June 30, 2013, in the manner provided in section 297A.75. This exemption includes enterprise information technology equipment and computer software purchased to replace or upgrade enterprise information technology equipment and computer software in a qualified data center, or a qualified refurbished data center.

(b) Electricity used or consumed in the operation of a qualified data center or qualified refurbished data center is exempt.

(c) For purposes of this subdivision, "qualified data center" means a facility in Minnesota:

(1) that is comprised of one or more buildings that consist in the aggregate of at least 25,000 square feet, and that are located on a single parcel or on contiguous parcels, where the total cost of construction or refurbishment, investment in enterprise information technology equipment, and computer software is at least $30,000,000 within a 48-month period. The 48-month period begins no sooner than July 1, 2012, except that costs for computer software maintenance agreements purchased before July 1, 2013, are not included in determining if the $30,000,000 threshold has been met;

(2) that is constructed or substantially refurbished after June 30, 2012, where "substantially refurbished" means that at least 25,000 square feet have been rebuilt or modified, including:

(i) installation of enterprise information technology equipment; environmental control, computer software, and energy efficiency improvements; and

(ii) building improvements; and

(3) that is used to house enterprise information technology equipment, where the facility has the following characteristics:

(i) uninterruptible power supplies, generator backup power, or both;

(ii) sophisticated fire suppression and prevention systems; and

(iii) enhanced security. A facility will be considered to have enhanced security if it has restricted access to the facility to selected personnel; permanent security guards; video camera surveillance; an electronic system requiring pass codes, keycards, or biometric scans, such as hand scans and retinal or fingerprint recognition; or similar security features.

In determining whether the facility has the required square footage, the square footage of the following spaces shall be included if the spaces support the operation of enterprise information technology equipment: office space, meeting space, and mechanical and other support facilities. For purposes of this subdivision, "computer software" includes, but is not limited to, software utilized or loaded at a qualified data center or qualified refurbished data center, including maintenance, licensing, and software customization.

(d) For purposes of this subdivision, a "qualified refurbished data center" means an existing facility that qualifies as a data center under paragraph (c), clauses (2) and (3), but that is comprised of one or more buildings that consist in the aggregate of at least 25,000 square feet, and that are located on a single parcel or contiguous parcels, where the total cost of construction or refurbishment, investment in enterprise information technology equipment, and computer software is at least $50,000,000 within a 24-month period.

(e) For purposes of this subdivision, "enterprise information technology equipment" means computers and equipment supporting computing, networking, or data storage, including servers and routers. It includes, but is not limited to: cooling systems, cooling towers, and other temperature control infrastructure; power infrastructure for transformation, distribution, or management of electricity used for the maintenance and operation of a qualified data center or qualified refurbished data center, including but not limited to exterior dedicated business-owned substations, backup power generation systems, battery systems, and related infrastructure; and racking systems, cabling, and trays, which are necessary for the maintenance and operation of the qualified data center or qualified refurbished data center.

(f) A qualified data center or qualified refurbished data center may claim the exemptions in this subdivision for purchases made either within 20 years of the date of its first purchase qualifying for the exemption under paragraph (a), or by June 30, 2042, whichever is earlier.

(g) The purpose of this exemption is to create jobs in the construction and data center industries.

(h) This subdivision is effective for sales and purchases made before July 1, 2042.

(i) The commissioner of employment and economic development must certify to the commissioner of revenue, in a format approved by the commissioner of revenue, when a qualified data center has met the requirements under paragraph (c) or a qualified refurbished data center has met the requirements under paragraph (d). The certification must provide the following information regarding each qualified data center or qualified refurbished data center:

(1) the total square footage amount;

(2) the total amount of construction or refurbishment costs and the total amount of qualifying investments in enterprise information technology equipment and computer software;

(3) the beginning and ending of the applicable period under either paragraph (c) or (d) in which the qualifying expenditures and purchases under clause (2) were made, but in no case shall the period begin before July 1, 2012; and

(4) the date upon which the qualified data center first met the requirements under paragraph (c) or a qualified refurbished data center first met the requirements under paragraph (d).

(j) Any refund for sales tax paid on qualifying purchases under this subdivision must not be issued unless the commissioner of revenue has received the certification required under paragraph (i) issued by the commissioner of employment and economic development.

(k) The commissioner of employment and economic development must annually notify the commissioner of revenue of the qualified data centers that are projected to meet the requirements under paragraph (c) and the qualified refurbished data centers that are projected to meet the requirements under paragraph (d) in each of the next four years. The notification must provide the information required under paragraph (i), clauses (1) to (4), for each qualified data center or qualified refurbished data center.