HOUSE BILL NO. 5

INTRODUCED BY B. MOLNAR

A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE REFUND OF $70 MILLION TO INDIVIDUAL INCOME TAXPAYERS; AND PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE AND A TERMINATION DATE."

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

NEW SECTION. Section 1. Income tax refund -- process -- requirements -- limitations. (1) The amount of $70 million is the amount available for individual income tax refund under this section. The amount must be refunded on a pro rata basis to each taxpayer who filed a state income tax return, pursuant to 15-30-103, for tax year 1999.

(2) For the purposes of this section:

(a) the term "taxpayer" does not include a fiduciary or a beneficiary of an estate or trust who was required to file an income tax return pursuant to 15-30-135 unless a 1999 return was filed on behalf of a decedent;

(b) a return filed using the filing status married filing jointly is considered to have been filed by a single taxpayer; and

(c) the 1999 tax year is the 12-month period beginning January 1, 1999, and ending December 31, 1999, except that for fiscal year taxpayers, the 1999 tax year is a 12-month period ending between January 1, 1999, and December 31, 1999.

(3) (a) The pro rata distribution of the amount available for refund must be calculated by the department by dividing the amount available for refund by the total individual income tax liability as determined by the department from all 1999 tax year returns that were filed by October 15, 2000.

(b) The percentage determined in subsection (3)(a) must be used as the adjusted percentage multiplier to determine the amount of each taxpayer's refund. The department may not alter or change the adjusted percentage multiplier.

(c) The department shall calculate the amount of each taxpayer's refund by multiplying the amount of tax shown on the taxpayer's return on line 53 of the 1999 Montana Individual Income Tax Return, Form 2, or line 31 of the 1999 Montana Individual Income Tax Return, Short Form 2S, depending on the form used by the taxpayer for tax year 1999, by the adjusted percentage multiplier described in subsection (3)(b).

(4) (a) The department shall calculate the amount of each taxpayer's refund based on the taxpayer's 1999 tax year return on file with the department by October 15, 2000. A taxpayer filing a delinquent return for the 1999 tax year after October 15, 2000, is not eligible for a refund under this section.

(b) (i) If a taxpayer files an amended return or if the department reviews a taxpayer's return and recalculates the tax due to the state, the department shall recalculate the refund due to the taxpayer under this section.

(ii) If the department's recalculation determines that the taxpayer has an increased tax liability for tax year 1999 and should receive an additional refund under this section as a result of increased 1999 liability, the department shall credit the additional amount of refund under this section to the amount of additional tax due from the taxpayer.

(iii) If the amount of the recalculated refund due to the taxpayer exceeds the amount of additional tax due from the taxpayer, the department shall pay the excess amount to the taxpayer, but only if the amount of the refund exceeds $10.

(iv) If, as the result of the taxpayer filing an amended return or of a review by the department, a taxpayer's original 1999 tax liability is decreased, any overpayment of the refund calculated by the department based on the original tax liability must be credited against any refund due to the taxpayer.

(5) The department may not issue a refund under this section if the amount of the refund is $10 or less.

(6) Beginning in November 2000, the department shall calculate and issue refunds due to taxpayers under this section.

(7) (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of 15-1-211, any objection concerning the determination of the amount of refund or any other issue relating to the refunds provided in this section must be raised by the taxpayer with the department no later than 30 days after the refund is mailed to the taxpayer.

(b) A district court has no jurisdiction to entertain or consider any issue relating to the determination or payment of a refund made under this section unless the issue was first presented to the department and the taxpayer exhausted all administrative remedies.

NEW SECTION. Section 2. Codification instruction. [Section 1] is intended to be codified as an integral part of Title 15, chapter 30, part 1, and the provisions of Title 15, chapter 30, part 1, apply to [section 1].

NEW SECTION. Section 3. Effective date. [This act] is effective on passage and approval.

NEW SECTION. Section 4. Termination. [This act] terminates July 1, 2006.

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