Delaware 2023-2024 Regular Session

Delaware Senate Bill SB87 Latest Draft

Bill / Draft Version

                            SPONSOR:      Sen. Huxtable & Sen. Lockman & Rep. Baumbach & Rep. Bush & Rep. K. Johnson & Rep. Parker Selby       Sens. Hoffner, Pinkney, Townsend; Reps. S. Moore, Ramone           DELAWARE STATE SENATE   152nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY       SENATE SUBSTITUTE NO. 1   FOR   SENATE BILL NO. 87       AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 30 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE REALTY TRANSFER TAX.      

     

     SPONSOR:      Sen. Huxtable & Sen. Lockman & Rep. Baumbach & Rep. Bush & Rep. K. Johnson & Rep. Parker Selby       Sens. Hoffner, Pinkney, Townsend; Reps. S. Moore, Ramone     

SPONSOR: Sen. Huxtable & Sen. Lockman & Rep. Baumbach & Rep. Bush & Rep. K. Johnson & Rep. Parker Selby
Sens. Hoffner, Pinkney, Townsend; Reps. S. Moore, Ramone

 SPONSOR:  

 Sen. Huxtable & Sen. Lockman & Rep. Baumbach & Rep. Bush & Rep. K. Johnson & Rep. Parker Selby 

 Sens. Hoffner, Pinkney, Townsend; Reps. S. Moore, Ramone 

   

 DELAWARE STATE SENATE 

 152nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY 

   

 SENATE SUBSTITUTE NO. 1 

 FOR 

 SENATE BILL NO. 87 

   

 AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 30 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE REALTY TRANSFER TAX. 

   

      BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:        Section 1. Amend 5401, Title 30 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:     5401. Definitions.    As used in this subchapter, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:    (1) Document means any deed, instrument or writing whereby any real estate within this State, or any interest therein, shall be quitclaimed, granted, bargained, sold, or otherwise conveyed to the grantee, but shall not include the following:   v. Any conveyance to or from an organization exempt from tax under 501(c)(3) of the federal Internal Revenue Code when the purpose of said conveyance is to provide owner-occupied housing to low and moderate income households by  doing any of the following:   1.  rehabilitating   Rehabilitating  residential properties and reselling said properties without profit;    2. Constructing residences on properties and reselling the properties without profit;   x. Any conveyance to or from a land bank formed under Chapter 47 of Title  31.  31;   y.1. Any portion of a conveyance that meets all of the following:   A. The grantees intent and obligation is to construct affordable housing units;   B. The conveyance is financed using funding provided by the federal government, this State, or a county or municipality of this State for the purpose of constructing affordable housing units;   2. For purposes of this paragraph (1)y., affordable housing units means a residential dwelling for a household whose income does not exceed 80% of the median income for the area as defined by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.   (2) First-time home buyer means any 1 of the following:   a. A natural person who has at no time held any direct legal interest in residential real estate, wherever located, and who intends to  do one of the following:   1.  occupy   Occupy  the property being conveyed as  his or her  the natural persons  principal residence within 90 days following the transaction.   2. Occupy the property being conveyed as the natural persons principal residence after the construction of a residence on the property within 90 days of securing the certificate of occupancy.   b. Spouses purchasing as joint tenants or tenants by the entirety, when neither spouse has ever held any direct legal interest in residential real estate, wherever located, and both of whom intend to  do one of the following:   1.   occupy   Occupy  the property being conveyed as their principal residence within 90 days following the transaction.   2. Occupy the property being conveyed as their principal residence after the construction of a residence on the property within 90 days of securing the certificate of occupancy.   c. Individuals purchasing as joint tenants or cotenants, when  none  neither  of the individuals has ever held any direct legal interest in residential real estate, wherever located, and both of whom intend to  do one of the following:   1.  occupy  Occupy  the property being conveyed as their principal residence within 90 days following the transaction.   2. Occupy the property being conveyed as their principal residence after the construction of a residence on the property within 90 days of securing the certificate of occupancy.      

   

 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE: 

   

  Section 1. Amend 5401, Title 30 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows: 

   5401. Definitions. 

  As used in this subchapter, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning: 

  (1) Document means any deed, instrument or writing whereby any real estate within this State, or any interest therein, shall be quitclaimed, granted, bargained, sold, or otherwise conveyed to the grantee, but shall not include the following: 

 v. Any conveyance to or from an organization exempt from tax under 501(c)(3) of the federal Internal Revenue Code when the purpose of said conveyance is to provide owner-occupied housing to low and moderate income households by  doing any of the following: 

 1.  rehabilitating   Rehabilitating  residential properties and reselling said properties without profit;  

 2. Constructing residences on properties and reselling the properties without profit; 

 x. Any conveyance to or from a land bank formed under Chapter 47 of Title  31.  31; 

 y.1. Any portion of a conveyance that meets all of the following: 

 A. The grantees intent and obligation is to construct affordable housing units; 

 B. The conveyance is financed using funding provided by the federal government, this State, or a county or municipality of this State for the purpose of constructing affordable housing units; 

 2. For purposes of this paragraph (1)y., affordable housing units means a residential dwelling for a household whose income does not exceed 80% of the median income for the area as defined by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. 

 (2) First-time home buyer means any 1 of the following: 

 a. A natural person who has at no time held any direct legal interest in residential real estate, wherever located, and who intends to  do one of the following: 

 1.  occupy   Occupy  the property being conveyed as  his or her  the natural persons  principal residence within 90 days following the transaction. 

 2. Occupy the property being conveyed as the natural persons principal residence after the construction of a residence on the property within 90 days of securing the certificate of occupancy. 

 b. Spouses purchasing as joint tenants or tenants by the entirety, when neither spouse has ever held any direct legal interest in residential real estate, wherever located, and both of whom intend to  do one of the following: 

 1.   occupy   Occupy  the property being conveyed as their principal residence within 90 days following the transaction. 

 2. Occupy the property being conveyed as their principal residence after the construction of a residence on the property within 90 days of securing the certificate of occupancy. 

 c. Individuals purchasing as joint tenants or cotenants, when  none  neither  of the individuals has ever held any direct legal interest in residential real estate, wherever located, and both of whom intend to  do one of the following: 

 1.  occupy  Occupy  the property being conveyed as their principal residence within 90 days following the transaction. 

 2. Occupy the property being conveyed as their principal residence after the construction of a residence on the property within 90 days of securing the certificate of occupancy. 

   

      SYNOPSIS   This Act is a substitute for Senate Bill No. 87. Like Senate Bill No. 87, this Act does the following:   (1) Clarifies that the exemption from the realty transfer tax for conveyances to or from an organization exempt from tax under 501(c)(3) of the federal Internal Revenue Code when the purpose of the conveyance is to provide owner-occupied housing to low and moderate income households applies to rehabilitating residential properties and reselling the properties without profit and to constructing residences on properties and reselling the properties without profit.      (2) Exempts any portion of a conveyance in which it is the grantees intent to construct affordable housing units and the conveyances are financed using funding provided by the federal government, this State, or a county or municipality of this State for the purpose of constructing affordable housing units, defined as a residential dwelling for a household whose income does not exceed 80% of the median income for the area as defined by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.      (3) Clarifies that individuals are first-time homebuyers if they intend to occupy the property being conveyed as their principal residence after the construction of a residence on the property to include circumstances where the residence cannot be built within 90 days after the property is purchased.      (4) Corrects the first-time homebuyer definition related to individuals purchasing as joint tenants or cotenants to replace none with neither to conform the number of joint tenants or cotenants indicated by the indefinite pronoun to the number indicated by the use of both later in the sentence.      (5) Makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.      This Act differs from Senate Bill No. 87 by removing the exemption created by Senate Bill No. 87 for any portion of a conveyance financed through the federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit program.      Author: Senator Huxtable  

   

 SYNOPSIS 

 This Act is a substitute for Senate Bill No. 87. Like Senate Bill No. 87, this Act does the following: 

 (1) Clarifies that the exemption from the realty transfer tax for conveyances to or from an organization exempt from tax under 501(c)(3) of the federal Internal Revenue Code when the purpose of the conveyance is to provide owner-occupied housing to low and moderate income households applies to rehabilitating residential properties and reselling the properties without profit and to constructing residences on properties and reselling the properties without profit. 

  

 (2) Exempts any portion of a conveyance in which it is the grantees intent to construct affordable housing units and the conveyances are financed using funding provided by the federal government, this State, or a county or municipality of this State for the purpose of constructing affordable housing units, defined as a residential dwelling for a household whose income does not exceed 80% of the median income for the area as defined by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. 

  

 (3) Clarifies that individuals are first-time homebuyers if they intend to occupy the property being conveyed as their principal residence after the construction of a residence on the property to include circumstances where the residence cannot be built within 90 days after the property is purchased. 

  

 (4) Corrects the first-time homebuyer definition related to individuals purchasing as joint tenants or cotenants to replace none with neither to conform the number of joint tenants or cotenants indicated by the indefinite pronoun to the number indicated by the use of both later in the sentence. 

  

 (5) Makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual. 

  

 This Act differs from Senate Bill No. 87 by removing the exemption created by Senate Bill No. 87 for any portion of a conveyance financed through the federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit program. 

  

 Author: Senator Huxtable