§ 26-52-319 - Arkansas Statutes

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Understanding the Reduced Sales Tax Rate for Natural Gas and Electricity Used Directly in the Manufacturing Process in Arkansas

26-52-319. Natural gas and electricity used by manufacturers.

(a) (1) Beginning July 1, 2007, in lieu of the gross receipts or gross proceeds tax levied in 26-52-301 and 26-52-302(a)-(d), there is levied an excise tax on the gross receipts or gross proceeds derived from the sale of natural gas and electricity to a manufacturer for use directly in the actual manufacturing process at the rate of four and three-eighths percent (4.375%).

(2) Beginning July 1, 2008, the tax rate levied in subdivision (a)(1) of this section shall be imposed at the rate of three and seven-eighths percent (3.875%).

(3) (A) Beginning July 1, 2009, the tax rate levied in subdivision (a)(1) of this section shall be imposed at the rate of three and one-eighth percent (3.125%).

(B) (i) The Director of the Department of Finance and Administration shall monitor the amount of tax savings received by all taxpayers as a result of the reduction in the tax rate from that levied in 26-52-301 and 26-52-302 to that levied in subdivision (a)(3)(A) of this section.

(ii) When the director determines that the amount of tax savings resulting from the determination described in subdivision (a)(3)(B)(i) of this section plus any use tax savings described in 26-53-148(a)(3)(B) would reach twenty-seven million dollars ($27,000,000) during a fiscal year, the director shall not process any further refund claims through a refund process during the fiscal year for taxpayers seeking to claim the reduced tax rate provided by this section. The amount of twenty-seven million dollars ($27,000,000) is intended to cover the accumulated but unclaimed reduction of sales and use tax on natural gas and electricity as provided by Acts 2007, No. 185, as well as the additional reduction provided by Acts 2009, No. 695.

(iii) If the director determines that discontinuing refund payments as provided in subdivision (a)(3)(B)(ii) of this section is insufficient to prevent the amount of tax savings from exceeding twenty-seven million dollars ($27,000,000) during a fiscal year, the director may decline to accept any amended return filed by a taxpayer to claim an overpayment resulting from the reduced tax rate provided by this section for a period other than the period for which a tax return is currently due.

(C) (i) Refund requests and amended returns filed with the director to claim the overpayment resulting from the reduced rate in subdivision (a)(3)(A) of this section shall be processed in the order they are received by the director. A taxpayer that does not receive a refund after the refund and amended return process has ceased under subdivision (a)(3)(B) of this section shall be given priority to receive a refund during the subsequent fiscal year. The unpaid refunds from the prior fiscal year shall be processed before any refund claims filed in the current fiscal year to claim the benefit of this section.

(ii) The statute of limitations for refunds and amended returns under 26-18-306(i)(1)(A) is extended for one (1) year to allow the payment of a refund under the process provided in subdivision (a)(3)(C)(i) of this section.

(4) The taxes levied in this subsection (a) shall be distributed as follows:

(A) Seventy-six and six-tenths percent (76.6%) of the tax, interest, penalties, and costs received by the director shall be deposited as general revenues;

(B) Eight and five-tenths percent (8.5%) of the tax, interest, penalties, and costs received by the director shall be deposited into the Property Tax Relief Trust Fund; and

(C) Fourteen and nine-tenths percent (14.9%) of the tax, interest, penalties, and costs received by the director shall be deposited into the Educational Adequacy Fund.

(5) (A) The excise tax levied in this section applies only to natural gas and electricity sold for use directly in the actual manufacturing process.

(B) Natural gas and electricity sold for any other purpose shall be subject to the full gross receipts or gross proceeds tax levied under 26-52-301 and 26-52-302(a)-(d).

(6) The excise tax levied in this section shall be collected, reported, and paid in the same manner and at the same time as is prescribed by law for the collection, reporting, and payment of all other Arkansas gross receipts taxes.

(b) As used in this section, "manufacturer" means a manufacturer classified within sectors 31 through 33 of the North American Industry Classification System, as in effect on January 1, 2007.

(c) Natural gas and electricity subject to the reduced tax rate levied in this section shall be separately metered from natural gas and electricity used for any other purpose by the manufacturer or otherwise established in accordance with the rules issued under subsection (e) of this section.

(d) Prior to the sale of natural gas or electricity at the reduced excise tax rate levied in this section, the director may require any seller of natural gas or electricity to obtain a certificate from the consumer, in the form prescribed by the director, certifying that the manufacturer is eligible to purchase natural gas and electricity at the reduced excise tax rate.

(e) The director shall have and be invested with full power and authority to promulgate rules for the proper administration of this section.

(f) The gross receipts or gross proceeds derived from the sale of natural gas and electricity to a manufacturer shall continue to be subject to:

(1) The excise tax levied under the Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 75, 2; and

(2) All municipal and county gross receipts taxes.

(g) All existing exemptions from the gross receipts tax levied by this chapter and the compensating use tax levied by the Arkansas Compensating Tax Act of 1949, 26-53-101 et seq., for natural gas or electricity used in manufacturing or for other purposes that are otherwise provided by law shall continue in effect.