68th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--1995 Regular Session NOTE: Matter within { + braces and plus signs + } in an amended section is new. Matter within { - braces and minus signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within { + braces and plus signs + } . LC 3223 House Bill 3005 Sponsored by Representative WOOTEN (at the request of Oregon Breast Cancer Coalition) SUMMARY The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's brief statement of the essential features of the measure as introduced. Provides that charity or similar organization listed on Oregon tax return to receive contributions by means of checkoff be listed for no more than four tax years. Provides that organization may again be listed after expiration of four years after removal from list. A BILL FOR AN ACT Relating to tax checkoff programs; creating new provisions; and amending ORS 305.720, 305.740 and 305.749. Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon: SECTION 1. ORS 305.720 is amended to read: 305.720. Subject to ORS 305.710 and 305.745, an entity qualifies for listing on the Oregon individual income tax return to receive contributions by means of checkoff if: (1) The entity supports private charitable causes or engages in public activities that are consistent with policies and programs of the state and: (a) Checkoff resources are used to augment existing programs or provide new funding to related activities of proven value. Checkoff funds are not to be used to meet the administrative expenses of the entity; (b) Programs funded by checkoff resources must result in substantial and direct benefits to the human and natural resources of the state that the commission determines are unlikely to occur under existing public and private programs; and (c) After checkoff resources are received by the entity, the entity shows a pattern over several years of increasing its total revenues from other than checkoff sources or reaches the level where no more than 50 percent of its revenues are from checkoff sources. (2) The entity is qualified to receive contributions that are tax deductible under the following: (a) Section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code (relating to contributions and gifts to charitable and governmental entities). (b) Section 501(k) of the Internal Revenue Code (relating to contributions to certain organizations providing child care). (c) Section 7871 of the Internal Revenue Code (relating to contributions to Indian tribal governments). (d) Any other federal law allowing a deduction from federal individual income tax for charitable contributions to an entity classified by rule of the department as being an entity belonging to the general class described in paragraphs (a) to (c) of this subsection. (3) The entity makes application for listing within the time and in the manner prescribed by ORS 305.725. (4) The entity files a financial report, and other information, with the commission as described under ORS 305.730. (5) The entity received $50,000 or more in checkoff contributions in at least one of the two tax years immediately preceding the tax year for which it is to be listed on the Oregon income tax return. This subsection does not apply if the entity has not been included on the Oregon personal income tax return for each of the two tax years immediately preceding the tax year for which determination for purposes of this subsection is being made. { + (6) The entity was not listed on the Oregon tax return for checkoff in any one of the four tax years immediately preceding the tax year for which it is being considered for listing. + } SECTION 2. ORS 305.740 is amended to read: 305.740. (1) Prior to the end of 1990 and prior to the end of each even-numbered calendar year thereafter, and subject to subsection (2) of this section, the commission shall examine the list of entities included on the Oregon personal income tax return for the tax year beginning in the calendar year immediately preceding and shall determine if each entity listed is qualified under ORS 305.710 and 305.720 to be listed on the Oregon individual income tax return to receive contributions by means of checkoff for the ensuing biennial years. (2)(a) The department shall determine for each tax year if each entity listed for checkoff on the Oregon tax return for the preceding tax year meets the criteria under ORS 305.720 (5) { + and (6) + } and shall notify the commission, if and when appropriate. In determining the amount received in contributions from checkoffs for an entity for a particular tax year: (A) For purposes of meeting the $50,000 minimum contribution, the amount received in contributions from checkoffs in the amount shown in the department's financial statement for the fiscal year shall be counted. (B) The amount of receipts shall not be reduced by the amount of administrative expense referred to in ORS 305.747. (b) The determination of the department made under paragraph (a) of this subsection is final and may not be appealed. Notwithstanding subsection (1) of this section, an entity that has not met the criteria of ORS 305.720 (5) { + and (6) + } shall not be listed on the Oregon tax return for checkoff. (3)(a) If the commission, for any reason other than { + those specified in ORS 305.720 (5) or (6) + } { - that contributions by means of checkoff did not reach the amount required under ORS 305.720 (5) - } , determines that an entity included on the list certified under ORS 305.715 (2) for the prior biennial years is not qualified to be included, or that an entity making application is not qualified to be included, or is not included because of determinations under ORS 305.710, on the list for the ensuing biennial years, the commission shall so order. (b) The commission shall serve upon the entity, either by personal service or by certified mail, return receipt requested, the order issued under paragraph (a) of this subsection. The order shall comply with the applicable notice requirements of ORS 183.415. (c) The entity or person or persons to whom the order is directed shall have 20 days from the date of personal service or mailing of the notice in which to make written application to the commission for a contested case hearing to be held in accordance with ORS 183.415 to 183.500 before the commission or the designee of the commission. In any hearing before the designee of the commission, the designee is authorized to issue the final order in the matter. (d) Upon failure to request a contested case hearing within the time specified, the order shall become final. (e) Appeal may be taken from a final order as specified under ORS 183.480 to 183.497. (f) A final order issued by the commission, the designee of the commission, the Court of Appeals or the Oregon Supreme Court determining that an entity be included on the list certified under ORS 305.715 (2) may require only that the entity be included on the list next certified after the effective date of the final order. SECTION 3. ORS 305.749 is amended to read: 305.749. Except ORS 305.690 to 305.753 and as otherwise specifically provided, the following are applicable to the various checkoff programs established under ORS { - 305.690 to 305.753, - } 496.380 and ORS chapter 316: (1) Subject to subsection (4) of this section, the dollar amounts of contributions made by taxpayer checkoff on Oregon tax returns shall be remitted by the Department of Revenue to the State Treasurer who shall deposit them to a suspense account established under ORS 293.445. (2) Of the contributions so deposited, a portion is continuously appropriated for use to reimburse the General Fund for costs incurred in administering the various checkoff programs. No more than 10 percent of the moneys generated by each checkoff program per fiscal year ending June 30 may be appropriated under this subsection. (3) The remainder of the contributions shall be credited by the department to each checkoff program in proportion to the total amounts checked off for the tax year, the proportions to be determined on the basis of tax returns processed as of the June 30 following the tax year. The amounts so credited to each of the checkoff programs are continuously appropriated to the department for payment to the checkoff designee, or shall be transferred by the department to the checkoff designee, as specified under the law governing the particular checkoff program. The department may adopt rules governing the crediting and payment or transfer of checkoff moneys. In addition to any other provision, if adopted, the rules shall specify the time that the contributions to a program so credited are to be paid or transferred by the department. (4)(a) Space for designating the dollar amount of a contribution made to each checkoff program shall be printed on the Oregon tax return. The space shall provide for checkoff boxes for the program in the amounts of $1, $5, $10 or other dollar amount. (b) Overpayments of tax that are insufficient, due to ORS 293.250 or otherwise, to satisfy the total amount of checkoffs designated on a tax return shall be allocated among the designees on a pro rata basis as provided under ORS 305.745 (3). (5)(a) If, as of June 30 of the calendar year immediately following the calendar year in which a particular tax year begins, the department determines that the total amount checked off for that tax year for a checkoff program is $50,000 or less, the department shall notify a person administering the program or other appropriate person. (b) If, as determined by the department under paragraph (a) of this subsection, the total amount checked off for a particular checkoff program is $50,000 or less for each year in a period of two consecutive tax years, a checkoff line and appropriate box for that program shall not be provided on the Oregon individual tax return for the tax year immediately following the later year of the two-year period nor for any tax year thereafter, except as otherwise provided by { + subsection (6) of this section + } { - law - } . (c) As used in this subsection, 'total amount checked off ' means the total amount checked off by taxpayers as reflected by tax returns for the tax year processed as of June 30 before any deduction for administrative costs as required under subsection (2) of this section has occurred but after any proration under subsection (4) of this section. { + (6) If, prior to the preparation of tax returns for any tax year, the department determines that a checkoff program to which this section applies has been listed on the Oregon return for any one of the four tax years immediately preceding, the program shall not be listed on the tax return for that year or for any of the three tax years immediately following. However, notwithstanding ORS 305.710, after the expiration of the four-tax-year period, the checkoff program shall again be listed on the return. + } SECTION 4. { + Determinations shall first be made in accordance with ORS 305.720 and 305.749, as amended by sections 1 and 3 of this Act, in 1996. + } ----------