(a) A qualified production company that intends to produce all or any part of a qualified production project in Alabama and desires to be exempted from the payment of state sales, use, and lodging taxes levied pursuant to Sections 40-23-2, 40-23-61, and 40-26-1, respectively, shall provide an estimate of total expenditures expected to be made in Alabama in connection with the production project. The estimate of expenditures shall be filed with the office before the commencement of the project in Alabama.

(b) At the time the qualified production company provides the estimate of expenditures to the department, it also shall designate a member or representative of the company to work with the office and the department on reporting of expenditures and other information necessary to take advantage of the sales, use, and lodging tax exemptions afforded by this article.

(c)(1) An application for the sales, use, and lodging tax exemptions provided in this article may be accepted only from those qualified production companies that report anticipated expenditures in the State of Alabama in the aggregate equal to or exceeding one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) in connection with the production of one or more qualified production projects in the State of Alabama within a consecutive 12-month period.

(2) The application shall be approved by the office.

(3) Once the application is approved by the office, the department shall issue sales, use, and lodging tax exemption certificates to the qualified production company as evidence of the exemptions. The exemptions are effective on the date the certificate is issued by the department.

(d) A qualified production company that is approved and receives sales, use, and lodging tax exemption certificates, but fails to expend one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) within a consecutive 12-month period, is liable for the sales, use, and lodging taxes that would have been paid had the approval not been granted; except that the company must be given a 60-day period in which to pay the sales, use, and lodging taxes without incurring penalties. The sales, use, and lodging taxes are considered due as of the date the tangible personal property was purchased in or brought into Alabama for use, storage, or consumption for purposes of state sales and use taxes and due as of the date that lodgings occur for purposes of state lodging taxes.

(e) Upon completion of a qualified production, the company shall return the sales, use, and lodging tax exemption certificates to the department and submit a report to the office of the actual expenditures made in Alabama in connection with the qualified production.

(f) Notwithstanding Act 98-192, the sales and use tax exemption provided for in this article shall only apply to the state sales and use tax.