Missouri 2025 Regular Session

Missouri Senate Bill SB35 Latest Draft

Bill / Engrossed Version Filed 03/10/2025

                             
FIRST REGULAR SESSION 
[PERFECTED] 
SENATE SUBSTITUTE FOR 
SENATE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR 
SENATE BILL NO. 35 
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY  
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR ROBERTS. 
0483S.05P 	KRISTINA MARTIN, Secretary  
AN ACT 
To amend chapter 99, RSMo, by adding thereto six new sections relating to tax credits for 
downtown revitalization. 
 
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows: 
     Section A.  Chapter 99, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto 1 
six new sections, to be known as sections 99.720, 99.722, 2 
99.724, 99.726, 99.728, and 99.730, to read as follows:3 
     99.720.  1.  Sections 99.720 to 99.730 shall be known  1 
and may be cited as the "Revitalizing Missouri Downtowns and 2 
Main Streets Act". 3 
     2.  As used in sections 99.720 to 99.730, the following 4 
terms mean, unless the context requires otherwise: 5 
     (1)  "Department", the Missouri department of e conomic  6 
development; 7 
     (2)  "Qualified conversion expenditures", any amount 8 
properly chargeable to a capital account.  The term  9 
"qualified conversion expenditures" shall not include: 10 
     (a)  The cost of acquisition; 11 
     (b)  Any expenditure attrib utable to the enlargement of 12 
an existing building; or 13 
     (c)  Tax-exempt properties; 14   SS SCS SB 35 	2 
     (3)  "Qualified converted building", any building and 15 
its structural components if: 16 
     (a)  Prior to conversion, such building was 17 
nonresidential real property , as defined in 26 U.S.C. 18 
Section 168(e)(2)(B), as amended, which was leased, or 19 
available for lease, to office tenants, or utilized for 20 
office purposes by the owner -occupant; 21 
     (b)  Such building has been substantially converted 22 
from an office use to a predominantly residential use, 23 
defined as more than fifty percent of the gross square 24 
footage of the building, and may also include retail, or 25 
other commercial use, and may also include accessory on -site  26 
parking; and 27 
     (c)  Such building was in itially placed in service at 28 
least twenty-five years before the beginning of the 29 
conversion; 30 
     (4)  "Qualified Missouri main street district", an 31 
accredited, associated, or affiliated main street district 32 
of the Missouri main street program created pursuant to  33 
sections 251.470 to 251.485; 34 
     (5)  "Substantially converted", qualified conversion 35 
expenditures incurred during the twenty -four-month period  36 
preceding final approval of tax credits that in total are 37 
greater than: 38 
     (a)  The adjusted basis of such building and its 39 
structural components, as determined as of the beginning of 40 
the first day of such twenty -four-month period, or of the 41 
holding period of the building, whichever is later; or 42 
     (b)  Fifteen thousand dollars if the propert y is  43 
located in a qualified Missouri main street district, or 44 
five hundred thousand dollars if the property is not located 45 
in a qualified Missouri main street district. 46   SS SCS SB 35 	3 
In the case of any conversion which may reasonably be 47 
expected to be completed in p hases set forth in 48 
architectural plans and specifications completed before the 49 
conversion begins, qualified conversion expenditures shall 50 
be totaled for the sixty -month period preceding final 51 
approval of tax credits rather than the twenty -four-month  52 
period preceding such final approval; 53 
     (6)  "Upper floor housing", any housing that is 54 
attached to or contained in the same building as commercial 55 
property, whether located on the ground floor behind the 56 
traditional storefront or on other floors of t he property. 57 
     99.722.  1.  For all tax years beginning on or after 1 
January 1, 2026, the department shall issue a taxpayer a 2 
credit against the taxpayer's state tax liability equal to 3 
twenty-five percent of qualified conversion expendit ures  4 
with respect to a qualified converted building.  If the  5 
amount of such tax credit exceeds the taxpayer's state tax 6 
liability for the year in which tax credits are issued, the 7 
amount that exceeds the state tax liability may be carried 8 
back to any of the three preceding tax years or carried 9 
forward for credit against state tax liability for the 10 
succeeding ten tax years, or until the full credit is used, 11 
whichever occurs first. 12 
     2.  Tax credits authorized pursuant to this section may 13 
be transferred, sold, or assigned, and shall retain the same 14 
attributes as in the hands of the assignor.  Tax credits may  15 
be transferred multiple times.  In order to transfer a tax 16 
credit authorized pursuant to this section, the assignor and 17 
assignee shall complete and submit a tax credit transfer 18 
form provided by the department of revenue.  Such transfers  19 
may be facilitated through an intermediary entity as 20   SS SCS SB 35 	4 
permitted by law without affecting the nature or attributes 21 
of the tax credit. 22 
     3.  Tax credits authorized for a partnership, a limited 23 
liability company taxed as a partnership, or multiple owners 24 
of property shall be passed through to the partners, 25 
members, or owners respectively pro rata, or pursuant to an 26 
executed agreement among the partners, members, or owners 27 
documenting an alternate distribution method. 28 
     4.  The assignee of a tax credit may use the acquired 29 
tax credits to offset up to one hundred percent of the 30 
taxpayer's state tax liability.  The assignor shall perfect 31 
such transfer by notifying the department in writing within 32 
thirty calendar days following the effective date of the 33 
transfer and shall provide any information as may be 34 
required by the department. 35 
     99.724.  1.  For all tax years beginning on or a fter  1 
January 1, 2026, the department shall issue a taxpayer a 2 
credit against the taxpayer's state tax liability equal to 3 
thirty percent of qualified conversion expenditures with 4 
respect to upper floor housing located in a qualified 5 
Missouri main street district.  If the amount of such tax 6 
credit exceeds the taxpayer's state tax liability for the 7 
year in which tax credits are issued, the amount that 8 
exceeds the state tax liability may be carried back to any 9 
of the three preceding tax years or carrie d forward for  10 
credit against state tax liability for the succeeding ten 11 
tax years, or until the full credit is used, whichever 12 
occurs first. 13 
     2.  Tax credits authorized pursuant to this section may 14 
be transferred, sold, or assigned, and shall retai n the same  15 
attributes as in the hands of the assignor.  Tax credits may  16 
be transferred multiple times.  In order to transfer a tax 17   SS SCS SB 35 	5 
credit authorized pursuant to this section, the assignor and 18 
assignee shall complete and submit a tax credit transfer 19 
form provided by the department of revenue.  Such transfers  20 
may be facilitated through an intermediary entity as 21 
permitted by law without affecting the nature or attributes 22 
of the tax credit. 23 
     3.  Tax credits authorized for a partnership, a limited 24 
liability company taxed as a partnership, or multiple owners 25 
of property shall be passed through to the partners, 26 
members, or owners respectively pro rata, or pursuant to an 27 
executed agreement among the partners, members, or owners 28 
documenting an altern ate distribution method. 29 
     4.  The assignee of a tax credit may use the acquired 30 
tax credits to offset up to one hundred percent of the 31 
taxpayer's state tax liability.  The assignor shall perfect 32 
such transfer by notifying the department in writing w ithin  33 
thirty calendar days following the effective date of the 34 
transfer and shall provide any information as may be 35 
required by the department. 36 
     99.726.  1.  The total amount of tax credits authorized 1 
pursuant to sections 99.720 to 99 .730 shall not exceed fifty 2 
million dollars in any fiscal year. 3 
     2.  Fifty percent of the maximum amount of tax credits 4 
available to be authorized to taxpayers in a fiscal year 5 
pursuant to this section shall be authorized solely for 6 
structures of more than seven hundred fifty thousand gross 7 
square feet.  If the total amount of such reserved tax 8 
credits have been authorized, structures of more than seven 9 
hundred fifty thousand gross square feet may receive tax 10 
credits from the remaining unreserve d amount of tax  11 
credits.  If the total amount of reserved tax credits have 12 
not been authorized by the department, structures of less 13   SS SCS SB 35 	6 
than seven hundred fifty thousand gross square feet may be 14 
authorized tax credits from such reserved amount.  The total  15 
amount of tax credits for a structure of more than seven 16 
hundred fifty thousand gross square feet may be allocated to 17 
the annual limits provided in this section over a period of 18 
up to ten years, if: 19 
     (1)  The project otherwise meets all the requir ements  20 
of sections 99.720 to 99.730; and 21 
     (2)  The project meets the ten percent incurred costs 22 
test under subsection 6 of section 99.728 within thirty -six  23 
months after an award is authorized. 24 
     3.  Twenty-five percent of the maximum amount of ta x  25 
credits available to be authorized to taxpayers in a fiscal 26 
year pursuant to this section shall be authorized solely for 27 
upper floor housing projects located in a qualified Missouri 28 
main street district.  If the total amount of such reserved 29 
tax credits have been authorized, upper floor housing 30 
projects located in a qualified Missouri main street 31 
district may receive tax credits from the remaining 32 
unreserved amount of tax credits.  If the total amount of 33 
reserved tax credits have not been authori zed by the  34 
department, projects not located in a qualified Missouri 35 
main street district may be authorized tax credits from such 36 
reserved amount. 37 
     4.  If the maximum amount of tax credits allowed in any 38 
fiscal year, as provided pursuant to this sec tion, is  39 
authorized, the maximum amount of tax credits allowed 40 
pursuant to subsection 1 of this section shall be adjusted 41 
by the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for 42 
All Urban Consumers, or its successor index, as such index 43 
is defined and officially reported by the United States 44 
Department of Labor, or its successor agency.  Only one such  45   SS SCS SB 35 	7 
adjustment shall be made for each instance in which the 46 
provisions of this subsection apply.  The department shall 47 
publish such adjusted amount. 48 
    5.  In the event the department authorizes tax credits 49 
equal to the total amount available pursuant to this 50 
section, or sufficient that when totaled with all other 51 
approvals, the amount available pursuant to this section is 52 
exhausted, all taxpayers with applications then awaiting 53 
approval or thereafter submitted for approval shall be 54 
notified by the department that no additional approvals 55 
shall be granted during the fiscal year and shall be 56 
notified of the priority given to such taxpayer's 57 
application then awaiting approval.  Such applications shall 58 
be kept on file by the department and shall be considered 59 
for approval for tax credits in the order established in 60 
this section in the event that additional tax credits become 61 
available due to the rescission of approvals, or when a new 62 
fiscal year's allocation of tax credits becomes available 63 
for approval. 64 
     99.728.  1.  To obtain approval for tax credits 1 
pursuant to sections 99.720 to 99.730, a taxpayer shall 2 
submit an application for tax credit authorization to the 3 
department.  The department shall have sixty days to review 4 
the application and shall notify the applicant in writing 5 
within thirty days of the decision of whether the 6 
application has been authorized for tax cr edits.  Each  7 
application for approval, including any applications 8 
received for supplemental allocations of tax credits as 9 
provided pursuant to subsection 2 of section 99.730, shall, 10 
if approved, be authorized for tax credits in the order of 11 
submission. 12   SS SCS SB 35 	8 
     2.  Each application shall be reviewed by the 13 
department for approval.  In order to receive approval, an 14 
application shall include: 15 
     (1)  Proof of ownership or site control.  Proof of  16 
ownership shall include evidence that the taxpayer is the 17 
fee simple owner of the eligible property, such as a 18 
warranty deed or a closing statement.  Proof of site control 19 
may be evidenced by a leasehold interest or an option to 20 
acquire such an interest.  If the taxpayer is in the process 21 
of acquiring fee simple ownership, proof of site control 22 
shall include an executed sales contract or an executed 23 
option to purchase the eligible property; 24 
     (2)  Floor plans of the existing structure, 25 
architectural plans, and, where applicable, plans of the 26 
proposed conversion of the structure, as well as proposed 27 
additions; 28 
     (3)  The estimated cost of conversion, the anticipated 29 
total costs of the project, the actual basis of the 30 
property, as shown by proof of actual acquisition costs, the 31 
anticipated total la bor costs, the estimated project start 32 
date, and the estimated project completion date; 33 
     (4)  Proof that the property is an eligible property; 34 
     (5)  A copy of all land use and building approvals 35 
reasonably necessary for the commencement of the pr oject; and 36 
     (6)  Any other information which the department may 37 
reasonably require to review the project for approval. 38 
Only the property for which a property address is provided 39 
in the application shall be reviewed for approval.  Once  40 
selected for review, a taxpayer shall not be permitted to 41 
request the review of another property for approval in the 42 
place of the property contained in such application.  Any  43   SS SCS SB 35 	9 
disapproved application shall be removed from the review 44 
process.  If an application is rem oved from the review 45 
process, the department shall notify the taxpayer in writing 46 
of the decision to remove such application.  The taxpayer  47 
may subsequently submit a revised application.  For the  48 
purposes of determining the order of submission and 49 
authorization of credits, the revised application shall be 50 
considered a new application. 51 
     3.  If the department determines that the application 52 
meets the requirements of sections 99.720 to 99.730 to 53 
receive an authorization of tax credits, the taxpayer shall  54 
be notified in writing of the approval for an amount of tax 55 
credits equal to the amounts provided in sections 99.722 and 56 
99.724, less any amount of tax credits previously approved 57 
pursuant to this section.  Tax credits approved pursuant to 58 
this section shall be approved and administered 59 
independently and shall not be evaluated in conjunction with 60 
any other state tax credit program.  Such approvals shall be 61 
granted to applications in the order of priority established 62 
under this section and sh all require full compliance 63 
thereafter with all other requirements of law as a condition 64 
to any claim for such tax credits. 65 
     4.  Following approval of an application, the identity 66 
of the taxpayer contained in such application shall not be 67 
modified except: 68 
     (1)  The taxpayer may add partners, members, or 69 
shareholders as part of the ownership structure, so long as 70 
the principal remains the same; provided, however, that 71 
subsequent to the commencement of renovation and the 72 
expenditure of at leas t ten percent of the proposed 73 
rehabilitation budget, removal of the principal for failure 74   SS SCS SB 35 	10 
to perform duties and the appointment of a new principal 75 
thereafter shall not constitute a change of the principal; or 76 
     (2)  Where the ownership of the project is changed due  77 
to a foreclosure, deed in lieu of a foreclosure or voluntary 78 
conveyance, or a transfer in bankruptcy. 79 
     5.  All taxpayers with applications receiving approval 80 
shall submit within one hundred twenty days following the 81 
award of credits evidence of the capacity of the applicant 82 
to finance the costs and expenses for the conversion of the 83 
eligible property in the form of a line of credit or letter 84 
of commitment subject to the lender's termination for a 85 
material adverse change impacting the extension of credit.   86 
If the department determines that a taxpayer has failed to 87 
comply with the requirements of this subsection, then the 88 
department shall notify the applicant of such failure and 89 
the applicant shall have a thirty -day period from the date  90 
of such notice to submit additional evidence to remedy the 91 
failure. 92 
     6.  All taxpayers with applications receiving approval, 93 
excluding projects described in subsection 2 of section 94 
99.726, shall commence conversion within twelve months of 95 
the date of issuance of the letter from the department 96 
granting the approval for tax credits.  For the purposes of 97 
this subsection, "commence conversion" shall mean that, as 98 
of the date in which actual physical work, contemplated by 99 
the architectural plans submitted with the application, has 100 
begun, the taxpayer has incurred no less than ten percent of 101 
the estimated costs of rehabilitation provided in the 102 
application.  Taxpayers with approval of a project shall 103 
submit evidence of compliance with the provisions of this 104 
subsection.  If the department determines that a taxpayer 105 
has failed to comply with the requirements of this 106   SS SCS SB 35 	11 
subsection, the approval for the amount of tax credits for 107 
such taxpayer shall be rescinded and such amount of tax 108 
credits shall then be included in the total amount of tax 109 
credits from which approvals may be granted.  Any taxpayer  110 
whose approval shall be subject to rescission shall be 111 
notified of such from the department and, upon receipt of 112 
such notice, may submit a new application for the project. 113 
     99.730.  1.  To claim a tax credit authorized pursuant 1 
to sections 99.720 to 99.730, a taxpayer with approval 2 
shall, except with respect to a tax credit authorized 3 
pursuant to subsection 2 of section 99.7 26, apply for final 4 
approval and issuance of tax credits from the department, 5 
which shall determine the final amount of qualified 6 
conversion expenditures and whether the completed 7 
rehabilitation meets the requirements of this section.  A  8 
taxpayer shall submit to the department a final application 9 
demonstrating: 10 
     (1)  That the taxpayer has substantially converted a 11 
qualified converted building or upper floor housing; 12 
     (2)  Satisfactory evidence of any qualified conversion 13 
expenditures for the structure, as determined by the 14 
department; and 15 
     (3)  Any other information reasonably requested by the 16 
department relating to verifying qualified conversion 17 
expenditures or compliance with the requirements of sections 18 
99.720 to 99.730. 19 
For financial institutions, tax credits authorized pursuant 20 
to sections 99.720 to 99.730 shall be deemed to be 21 
redevelopment tax credits for the purposes of sections 22 
135.800 to 135.830.  The approval of all applications and 23 
the issuing of certificates of eligibl e tax credits to  24   SS SCS SB 35 	12 
taxpayers shall be performed by the department.  The  25 
department shall inform a taxpayer of final approval by 26 
letter and shall issue, to the taxpayer, tax credit 27 
certificates.  The taxpayer shall attach the certificate to 28 
all Missouri income tax returns on which the credit is 29 
claimed. 30 
     2.  (1)  The department shall issue seventy -five  31 
percent of the approved tax credits within sixty days of 32 
receiving all required final application materials.  Within  33 
sixty days, the department sha ll make a final determination 34 
of costs and issue the remaining twenty -five percent of  35 
approved tax credits, or request repayment from the 36 
applicant if the final determination results in an over - 37 
issuance of tax credits.  In the event the amount of 38 
qualified conversion expenditures incurred by a taxpayer 39 
would result in the issuance of an amount of tax credits in 40 
excess of the amount authorized pursuant to subsection 3 of 41 
section 99.728, such taxpayer may apply to the department 42 
for issuance of tax c redits in an amount equal to such 43 
excess.  Applications for issuance of tax credits in excess 44 
of the amount provided under a taxpayer's application shall 45 
be made on a form prescribed by the department.  Such  46 
applications shall be subject to all provisi ons regarding  47 
priority provided under subsection 1 of section 99.728. 48 
     (2)  For tax credits authorized pursuant to subsection 49 
2 of section 99.726, the applicant may submit to the 50 
department an application for the issuance of tax credits 51 
annually prior to final completion of the project.  Upon  52 
approval of the annual application for issuance, the 53 
department shall issue eighty percent of the amount of tax 54 
credits that would result from the qualified expenditures, 55 
provided the total amount of credit s issued to date does not 56   SS SCS SB 35 	13 
exceed the total amount of credits authorized for the 57 
project to date.  Any remaining authorized tax credits shall 58 
be issued upon the final approval of the project.  The  59 
department shall issue eighty percent of the approved 60 
credits within sixty days of receiving all required 61 
application materials.  Within sixty days, the department 62 
shall make a final determination of costs and issue any 63 
remaining authorized tax credits upon the final completion 64 
of the phased project, or re quest repayment if an over - 65 
issuance of credits is determined. 66 
     3.  The department shall determine, on an annual basis, 67 
the overall economic impact to the state from the 68 
rehabilitation of eligible property pursuant to sections 69 
99.720 to 99.730. 70 
     4.  No taxpayer shall be issued tax credits for 71 
qualified conversion expenditures on a qualified converted 72 
building within twenty -seven years of a previous issuance of 73 
tax credits pursuant to sections 99.720 to 99.730 on such 74 
qualified converted build ing. 75 
     5.  The department may promulgate any rules and 76 
regulations necessary to administer the provisions of 77 
sections 99.720 to 99.730.  Any rule or portion of a rule, 78 
as that term is defined in section 536.010, that is created 79 
under the authority d elegated in this section shall become 80 
effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of 81 
the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 82 
536.028.  This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and 83 
if any of the powers vested with the general assembly  84 
pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective 85 
date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently 86 
held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking 87   SS SCS SB 35 	14 
authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 88 
2025, shall be invalid and void. 89 
     6.  Notwithstanding the provisions of section 23.253 of 90 
the Missouri sunset act to the contrary: 91 
     (1)  The program authorized pursuant to sections 99.720 92 
to 99.730 shall automatically sunset on December 31, 2033, 93 
unless reauthorized by an act of the general assembly; and 94 
     (2)  If such program is reauthorized, the program 95 
authorized pursuant to sections 99.720 to 99.730 shall 96 
automatically sunset twelve years after the effective date 97 
of the reauthorization; 98 
     (3)  Sections 99.720 to 99.730 shall terminate on 99 
September first of the calendar year immediately following 100 
the calendar year in which the program authorized pursuant 101 
to sections 99.720 to 99.730 is sunset; and 102 
     (4)  The provisions of this subsecti on shall not be  103 
construed to limit or in any way impair: 104 
     (a)  A taxpayer's ability to complete a project and 105 
receive authorization for tax credits pursuant to sections 106 
99.720 to 99.730 for any project for which the taxpayer has 107 
submitted an initial application on or before the date the 108 
program authorized pursuant to sections 99.720 to 99.730 109 
expires; or 110 
     (b)  The department of revenue's ability to redeem tax 111 
credits authorized on or before the date the program 112 
authorized pursuant to section s 99.720 to 99.730 expires, or 113 
a taxpayer's ability to redeem such tax credits. 114 
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