SF 478

as introduced - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 01/31/2017 09:24am

A bill for an act
relating to taxation; sales and use; clarifying sales of specified digital products or
other digital products to end users; amending Minnesota Statutes 2016, section
297A.61, subdivision 4.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 297A.61, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4.

Retail sale.

(a) A "retail sale" means:

(1) any sale, lease, or rental of tangible personal property for any purpose, other than
resale, sublease, or subrent of items by the purchaser in the normal course of business as
defined in subdivision 21; and

(2) any sale of a service enumerated in subdivision 3, for any purpose other than resale
by the purchaser in the normal course of business as defined in subdivision 21.

(b) A sale of property used by the owner only by leasing it to others or by holding it in
an effort to lease it, and put to no use by the owner other than resale after the lease or effort
to lease, is a sale of property for resale.

(c) A sale of master computer software that is purchased and used to make copies for
sale or lease is a sale of property for resale.

(d) A sale of building materials, supplies, and equipment to owners, contractors,
subcontractors, or builders for the erection of buildings or the alteration, repair, or
improvement of real property is a retail sale in whatever quantity sold, whether the sale is
for purposes of resale in the form of real property or otherwise.

(e) A sale of carpeting, linoleum, or similar floor covering to a person who provides for
installation of the floor covering is a retail sale and not a sale for resale since a sale of floor
covering which includes installation is a contract for the improvement of real property.

(f) A sale of shrubbery, plants, sod, trees, and similar items to a person who provides
for installation of the items is a retail sale and not a sale for resale since a sale of shrubbery,
plants, sod, trees, and similar items that includes installation is a contract for the improvement
of real property.

(g) A sale of tangible personal property that is awarded as prizes is a retail sale and is
not considered a sale of property for resale.

(h) A sale of tangible personal property utilized or employed in the furnishing or
providing of services under subdivision 3, paragraph (g), clause (1), including, but not
limited to, property given as promotional items, is a retail sale and is not considered a sale
of property for resale.

(i) A sale of tangible personal property used in conducting lawful gambling under chapter
349 or the State Lottery under chapter 349A, including, but not limited to, property given
as promotional items, is a retail sale and is not considered a sale of property for resale.

(j) a sale of machines, equipment, or devices that are used to furnish, provide, or dispense
goods or services, including, but not limited to, coin-operated devices, is a retail sale and
is not considered a sale of property for resale.

(k) In the case of a lease, a retail sale occurs (1) when an obligation to make a lease
payment becomes due under the terms of the agreement or the trade practices of the lessor
or (2) in the case of a lease of a motor vehicle, as defined in section 297B.01, subdivision
11, but excluding vehicles with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating greater than
10,000 pounds and rentals of vehicles for not more than 28 days, at the time the lease is
executed.

(l) In the case of a conditional sales contract, a retail sale occurs upon the transfer of
title or possession of the tangible personal property.

(m) A sale of a bundled transaction in which one or more of the products included in
the bundle is a taxable product is a retail sale, except that if one of the products is a
telecommunication service, ancillary service, Internet access, or audio or video programming
service, and the seller has maintained books and records identifying through reasonable and
verifiable standards the portions of the price that are attributable to the distinct and separately
identifiable products, then the products are not considered part of a bundled transaction.
For purposes of this paragraph:

(1) the books and records maintained by the seller must be maintained in the regular
course of business, and do not include books and records created and maintained by the
seller primarily for tax purposes;

(2) books and records maintained in the regular course of business include, but are not
limited to, financial statements, general ledgers, invoicing and billing systems and reports,
and reports for regulatory tariffs and other regulatory matters; and

(3) books and records are maintained primarily for tax purposes when the books and
records identify taxable and nontaxable portions of the price, but the seller maintains other
books and records that identify different prices attributable to the distinct products included
in the same bundled transaction.

(n) A sale of motor vehicle repair paint and materials by a motor vehicle repair or body
shop business is a retail sale and the sales tax is imposed on the gross receipts from the retail
sale of the paint and materials. The motor vehicle repair or body shop that purchases motor
vehicle repair paint and motor vehicle repair materials for resale must either:

(1) separately state each item of paint and each item of materials, and the sales price of
each, on the invoice to the purchaser; or

(2) in order to calculate the sales price of the paint and materials, use a method which
estimates the amount and monetary value of the paint and materials used in the repair of
the motor vehicle by multiplying the number of labor hours by a rate of consideration for
the paint and materials used in the repair of the motor vehicle following industry standard
practices that fairly calculate the gross receipts from the retail sale of the motor vehicle
repair paint and motor vehicle repair materials. An industry standard practice fairly calculates
the gross receipts if the sales price of the paint and materials used or consumed in the repair
of a motor vehicle equals or exceeds the purchase price paid by the motor vehicle repair or
body shop business. Under this clause, the invoice must either separately state the "paint
and materials" as a single taxable item, or separately state "paint" as a taxable item and
"materials" as a taxable item. This clause does not apply to wholesale transactions at an
auto auction facility.

(o) A sale of specified digital products or other digital products to an end user with or
without rights of permanent use and regardless of whether rights of use are conditioned
upon payment by the purchaser is a retail sale. When a digital code has been purchased that
relates to specified digital products or other digital products, the subsequent receipt of or
access to the related specified digital products or other digital products is not a retail sale. new text begin
For purposes of this paragraph, "end user" does not include a person, including the owner
or operator of a jukebox or similar device that charges customers for access to specified
digital products or other digital products, who receives by contract a product transferred
electronically for further commercial broadcast, rebroadcast, transmission, retransmission,
licensing, relicensing, distribution, redistribution or exhibition of the product, in whole or
in part, to another person or persons.
new text end

(p) A payment made to a cooperative electric association or public utility as a contribution
in aid of construction is a contract for improvement to real property and is not a retail sale.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for sales and purchases made after June
30, 2017.
new text end