Sec. 151.429. TAX REFUNDS FOR ENTERPRISE PROJECTS.

(a) An enterprise project is eligible for a refund in the amount provided by this section of the taxes imposed by this chapter on purchases of all taxable items purchased for use at the qualified business site related to the project or activity.

(b) Subject to the limitations provided by Subsection (c) of this section, an enterprise project qualifies for a refund of taxes under this section based on the amount of capital investment made at the qualified business site, the project's designation level, and the refund per job with a maximum refund to be included in a computation of a tax refund for the project. A capital investment at the qualified business site of:

(1) $40,000 to $399,999 will result in a refund of up to $2,500 per job with a maximum refund of $25,000 for the creation or retention of 10 jobs;

(2) $400,000 to $999,999 will result in a refund of up to $2,500 per job with a maximum refund of $62,500 for the creation or retention of 25 jobs;

(3) $1,000,000 to $4,999,999 will result in a refund of up to $2,500 per job with a maximum refund of $312,500 for the creation or retention of 125 jobs;

(4) $5,000,000 or more will result in a refund of up to $2,500 per job with a maximum refund of $1,250,000 for the creation or retention of 500 jobs, except as provided by Subdivision (5) or (6);

(5) $150,000,000 to $249,999,999 will result in a refund of up to $5,000 per new permanent job with a maximum refund of $2,500,000 for the creation of 500 new permanent jobs if the Texas Economic Development Bank designates the project as a double jumbo enterprise project; or

(6) $250,000,000 or more will result in a refund of up to $7,500 per new permanent job with a maximum refund of $3,750,000 for the creation of at least 500 new permanent jobs if the Texas Economic Development Bank designates the project as a triple jumbo enterprise project.

(c) The total amount of tax refund that an enterprise project may apply for in a state fiscal year may not exceed $250,000, at not more than $2,500 per job. The total amount of tax refund that a double jumbo enterprise project may apply for in a state fiscal year may not exceed $500,000, at not more than $5,000 per new permanent job. The total amount of tax refund that a triple jumbo enterprise project may apply for in a state fiscal year may not exceed $750,000, at not more than $7,500 per new permanent job. If an enterprise project, double jumbo enterprise project, or triple jumbo enterprise project qualifies in a state fiscal year for a refund of taxes in an amount in excess of the applicable limitation provided by this subsection, it may apply for a refund of those taxes in a subsequent year, subject to the applicable limitation for each year. The total amount that may be refunded to:

(1) an enterprise project under this section may not exceed the amount determined by multiplying $250,000 by the number of state fiscal years during which the enterprise project created or retained one or more jobs for qualified employees;

(2) a double jumbo enterprise project under this section may not exceed the amount determined by multiplying $500,000 by the number of state fiscal years during which the double jumbo enterprise project created one or more new permanent jobs for qualified employees; or

(3) a triple jumbo enterprise project under this section may not exceed the amount determined by multiplying $750,000 by the number of state fiscal years during which the triple jumbo enterprise project created one or more new permanent jobs for qualified employees.

(d) To receive a refund under this section, an enterprise project must apply to the comptroller for the refund. The Texas Economic Development Bank established under Chapter 489, Government Code, shall provide the comptroller with the assistance that the comptroller requires in administering this section.

(e) In this section:

(1) "Enterprise project" means a project or activity designated by the Texas Economic Development Bank as an enterprise project under Chapter 2303, Government Code.

(2) "Qualified employee" and "qualified hotel project" have the meanings assigned to those terms by Section 2303.003, Government Code.

(3) "New permanent job" has the meaning assigned by Section 2303.401, Government Code.

(4) "Retained job" has the meaning assigned by Section 2303.401, Government Code.

(5) "Double jumbo enterprise project" and "triple jumbo enterprise project" have the meanings assigned by Section 2303.407, Government Code.

(6) "Half enterprise project" means an enterprise project split into two half designations as provided by Section 2303.406(d-1), Government Code.

(f) For the purposes of Subsection (a), items bought by a project after the date it is designated as a project, or within 90 days before the date of designation, may be considered eligible for refund.

(g) The refund provided by this section is conditioned on the enterprise project maintaining at least the same level of employment of qualified employees as existed at the time it qualified for a refund for a period of three years from that date. The comptroller shall annually certify whether that level of employment of qualified employees has been maintained. On certifying that such a level has not been maintained, the comptroller shall assess that portion of the refund attributable to any such decrease in employment, including penalty and interest from the date of the refund.

(h) Notwithstanding the other provisions of this section, the owner of a qualified hotel project shall receive a rebate, refund, or payment of 100 percent of the sales and use taxes paid or collected by the qualified hotel project or businesses located in the qualified hotel project pursuant to this chapter and 100 percent of the hotel occupancy taxes paid by persons for the use or possession of or for the right to the use or possession of a room or space at the qualified hotel project pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 156 during the first 10 years after such qualified hotel project is open for initial occupancy. The comptroller shall deposit the taxes in trust in a separate suspense account of the qualified hotel project. A suspense account is outside the state treasury, and the comptroller may make a rebate, refund, or payment authorized by this section without the necessity of an appropriation. The comptroller shall rebate, refund, or pay to each qualified hotel project eligible taxable proceeds to which the project is entitled under this section at least monthly.

(i) As provided by Subsection (c), a double jumbo enterprise project is eligible for a maximum refund of $500,000 and a triple jumbo enterprise project is eligible for a maximum refund of $750,000 in each state fiscal year.

(j) An enterprise project approved by the Texas Economic Development Bank after September 1, 2003, may not receive a refund before September 1, 2005.

(k) A half enterprise project is eligible for a maximum refund not to exceed $125,000 in each state fiscal year and is subject to the capital investment and job allocation requirements under Subsection (b)(1), (2), or (3).

Added by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 765, Sec. 2, eff. Aug. 31, 1987. Amended by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 471, Sec. 5, eff. Sept. 1, 1989; Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 1106, Sec. 21, 22, eff. Aug. 28, 1989; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., 2nd C.S., ch. 11, Sec. 56, eff. Sept. 1, 1991; Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 231, Sec. 9, 10, eff. Aug. 30, 1993; Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 41, eff. Sept. 1, 1993; Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 986, Sec. 28, eff. Sept. 1, 1993; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 76, Sec. 5.57, 5.95(21), eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 977, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 28, 1995; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 985, Sec. 11, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1121, Sec. 6, eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1467, Sec. 2.25, 2.26, eff. Oct. 1, 1999; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1134, Sec. 1.06, eff. Sept. 1, 2001; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1134, Sec. 2.04, eff. Sept. 1, 2005; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1420, Sec. 18.010, eff. Sept. 1, 2001; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 814, Sec. 3.51, 3.52, 3.53, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.

Amended by:

Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1114 (H.B. 3694), Sec. 20, eff. June 15, 2007.

Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 179 (S.B. 977), Sec. 2, eff. May 28, 2011.

Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 490 (S.B. 1719), Sec. 3, eff. June 14, 2013.

Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 227 (H.B. 1964), Sec. 3, eff. May 29, 2015.

Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 591 (S.B. 100), Sec. 11, eff. September 1, 2015.

Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 591 (S.B. 100), Sec. 12, eff. September 1, 2015.