(a) For purposes of this chapter, the following words and phrases mean:
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Terms Used In Alabama Code 40-9B-3
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
- following: means next after. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
- Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
- Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
- Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
- person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
- Personal property: All property that is not real property.
- personal property: includes money, goods, chattels, things in action and evidence of debt, deeds and conveyances. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
- property: includes both real and personal property. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
- state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
- United States: includes the territories thereof and the District of Columbia. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
- Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
- year: means a calendar year; but, whenever the word "year" is used in reference to any appropriations for the payment of money out of the treasury, it shall mean fiscal year. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the activities described in this definition shall not predominantly concern farming activities involving trees, animals or crops, nor the retail sale of tangible personal property or services. This provision shall not be deemed to exclude customer service centers or call centers otherwise allowed or provided for herein.
b. With respect to abatements granted in accordance with Section 40-9B-9, and only with respect to such abatements, “industrial or research enterprise” means any trade or business described in NAICS Code 493 488310, or 488320, when such trade or business is conducted on premises in which the Alabama State Port Authority has an ownership, leasehold, or other possessory interest and such premises are used as part of the operations of the Alabama State Port Authority.
c. “Industrial or research enterprise” includes the above-described trades and business and any others as may hereafter be reclassified in any subsequent publication of the NAICS or similar industry classification system developed in conjunction with the United States Department of Commerce or Office of Management and Budget.
d. “Industrial or research enterprise” also includes any underground natural gas storage facility which is located in the Gulf Opportunity Zone, as that phrase is defined in the Gulf Opportunity Zone Act of 2005, developed from existing geologic reservoirs, including, without limitation, salt domes, and placed in service on or before December 31, 2013.
e. “Industrial or research enterprise” also includes any plant, property, or facility that meets both of the following:
1. It produces electricity from:
(i) Alternative energy resources and has capital costs of at least one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000); or
(ii) Hydropower production and has capital costs of at least five million dollars ($5,000,000).
2. All or a portion of the plant, property, or facility is owned by one or more of the following:
(i) A utility described in Section 37-4-1(7)a.,
(iii) An authority both organized and existing pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 50A of Title 11 and subject to the payments required to be made in lieu of ad valorem, sales, use, license, and severance taxes imposed by Section 11-50A-7, or
(iv) An entity in which one or more of the foregoing owns an interest.
f. “Industrial or research enterprise” also includes any headquarters facility.
g. “Industrial or research enterprise” also includes any data processing center.
h. “Industrial or research enterprise” also includes any research and development facility.
i. “Industrial or research enterprise” also includes any renewable energy facility.
j. “Industrial or research enterprise” also includes any tourism destination attraction.
(11) MAJOR ADDITION. Any addition to an existing industrial development property that equals the lesser of: 30 percent of the original cost of the industrial development property or two million dollars ($2,000,000). For purposes of this subsection, the original cost of existing industrial development property shall be the amount of industrial development property with respect to which an abatement was granted under this chapter when the property was constructed, or if the existing industrial development property was constructed before January 1, 1993, the maximum amount that would have been allowed if the provisions of this chapter had applied at the time it was constructed. Only property that constitutes industrial development property shall be taken into account in making the determination in the previous sentence. Major addition shall include any addition costing at least two million dollars ($2,000,000) which constitutes an industrial or research enterprise, regardless of whether added to an existing industrial development property.
(12) MAXIMUM EXEMPTION PERIOD. Except as provided in Section 40-9B-11, a period equal to the shorter of:
a. Either of the following:
1. Twenty years from and after:
(i) The date of initial issuance by a county, city, or public authority of bonds to finance any costs of a private use property, or
(ii) If no such bonds are ever issued, the later of:
A. The date on which title to the property was acquired by or vested in the county, city, or public authority, or
B. The date on which the property is or becomes owned, for federal income tax purposes, by a private user; or
2. Exclusively with respect to one or more private users of a data processing center, the following:
(i) A period of 10 years from and after the date on which private use property is or becomes owned, for federal income tax purposes, by such private user or users (including the lessor and any lessee with respect to co-location centers), if the aggregate capital investment in the data processing center by such private user or users does not exceed $200,000,000 within 10 years from the date on which a private user commences the acquisition, construction, and equipping of the data processing center,
(ii) A period of 20 years from and after the date on which private use property is or becomes owned, for federal income tax purposes, by such private user or users (including the lessor and any lessee with respect to co-location centers), if the aggregate capital investment in the data processing center by such private user or users exceeds $200,000,000 but is not greater than $400,000,000 within 10 years from the date on which a private user commences the acquisition, construction, and equipping of the data processing center, or
(iii) A period of 30 years from and after the date on which private use property is or becomes owned, for federal income tax purposes, by such private user or users (including the lessor and any lessee with respect to co-location centers), if the aggregate capital investment in the data processing center by such private user or users exceeds $200,000,000 within 10 years from the date on which a private user commences the physical work of constructing and equipping the data processing center and exceeds $400,000,000 within 20 years from the date on which a private user commences the acquisition, construction, and equipping of the data processing center.
For purposes of this subparagraph 2., a private user’s aggregate capital investment in a data processing center shall include all real and personal property comprising a data processing center, the costs of which may be capitalized for federal income tax purposes. In no event shall abatements of construction related transaction taxes or noneducational ad valorem taxes granted for a data processing center apply beyond the expiration of the applicable maximum exemption period; or
b. The period ending on the date on which the property has ceased, for 6 consecutive months, to be used in the active conduct of an industrial or research enterprise.
(13) MORTGAGE AND RECORDING TAXES. The taxes imposed by Chapter 22 of this title.
(14) NAICS CODE. Any sector, subsector, industry group, industry or national industry of the 2012 North American Industry Classification System, or any similar classification system developed in conjunction with the United States Department of Commerce or Office of Management and Budget.
(15) NONEDUCATIONAL AD VALOREM TAXES. Ad valorem taxes, or payments required to be made in lieu thereof, imposed by the state, counties, municipalities, and other taxing jurisdictions of Alabama that are not required to be used for educational purposes or for capital improvements for education.
(16) PERSON. Includes any individual, partnership, trust, estate, or corporation.
(17) PRIVATE USER. Any individual, partnership, or corporation organized for profit that is or will be treated as the owner of private use property for federal income tax purposes, any entity organized under Chapter 6 of Title 37, and any authority both organized and existing pursuant to Chapter 50A of Title 11 and subject to the payments required to be made in lieu of ad valorem, sales, use, license, and severance taxes imposed by Section 11-50A-7.
(18) PRIVATE USE INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY. Private use property that also constitutes industrial development property.
(19) PRIVATE USE PROPERTY. Any real and/or personal property which is or will be treated as owned by a private user for federal income tax purposes even though title may be held by a public authority or municipal or county government; any real and/or personal property which is owned by any entity organized under Chapter 6 of Title 37; and any real and/or personal property which is owned by any authority both organized and existing pursuant to Chapter 50A of Title 11, and subject to the payments required to be made in lieu of ad valorem, sales, use, license, and severance taxes imposed by Section 11-50A-7.
(20) PUBLIC AUTHORITY. A corporation created for public purposes pursuant to a provision of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, or a general or local law that authorized it to issue bonds, the interest on which is exempt from the Alabama income tax, as in effect on May 21, 1992.
(21) PUBLIC INDUSTRIAL AUTHORITY. A public authority authorized to issue bonds to acquire, construct, equip, or finance industrial development property.
(22) RENEWABLE ENERGY FACILITY. Any plant, property, or facility that either:
a. Produces electricity or natural gas, in whole or in part, from biofuels as such term is defined in Section 2-2-90(c)(2) or from renewable energy resources as such term is defined in Section 40-18-1(30) with the exception that hydropower production shall be excluded from such definition; or
b. Produces biofuel as such term is defined in Section 2-2-90(c)(2).
(23) RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FACILITY. An establishment engaged in conducting original investigations undertaken on a systematic basis to gain new knowledge or applying research findings or other scientific knowledge to create new or significantly improved products or processes, or both.
(24) STATEMENT OF INTENT. A written statement of intent to claim an abatement provided in this chapter, or to petition for local tax abatement, relating to an industrial or research enterprise described in paragraph e. of subdivision (10) of this subsection that is filed with the Department of Revenue at any time prior to the date on which the industrial or research enterprise described in paragraph e. of subdivision (10) of this subsection is placed in service in accordance with such procedures and on such form or forms as may be prescribed by the Department of Revenue. Such statement of intent shall contain a description of the industrial or research enterprise described in paragraph e. of subdivision (10) of this subsection; the date on which the acquisition, construction, installation, or equipping of the industrial or research enterprise described in paragraph e. of subdivision (10) of this subsection was commenced or is expected to commence; the actual or, if not known, the estimated capital costs of the industrial or research enterprise described in paragraph e. of subdivision (10) of this subsection; the number of new employees to be employed at the industrial or research enterprise described in paragraph e. of subdivision (10) of this subsection; and any other information required by the Department of Revenue.
(25) TOURISM DESTINATION ATTRACTION. A commercial enterprise which is open to the public not less than 120 days during a calendar year and is designed to attract visitors from inside or outside of the State of Alabama, typically for its inherent cultural value, historical significance, natural or man-made beauty, or entertainment or amusement opportunities. The term shall include, but not be limited to, a cultural or historical site; a botanical garden; a museum; a wildlife park or aquarium open to the public that cares for and displays a collection of animals or fish; an amusement park; a convention hotel and conference center; a water park; or a spectator venue or arena.
A tourism destination attraction shall not include a facility primarily devoted to the retail sale of goods; a shopping center; a restaurant; a movie theater; a bowling alley; a fitness center; a miniature golf course; or a nightclub. Provided, however, that the capital costs of the construction of a tourism destination attraction may include the capital costs associated with the construction of any retail establishment, restaurant or other portion of the tourism destination attraction. The term also does not include any gaming facility or establishment that the Secretary of the Department of Commerce deems to be serving the local community.
(b) The abatements of ad valorem taxes, and payments in lieu thereof, allowed by amendments to this section by Act 2008-275 shall become effective for projects for which statements of intent are filed after December 31, 2011. No ad valorem taxes, or payments in lieu thereof, shall be abated for periods prior to January 1, 2012. The other abatements allowed by amendments made to this section by Act 2008-275 shall become effective after December 31, 2011.
For a qualifying industrial or research enterprise described in Section 40-9B-3(a)(10)j., the approval of the abatement of a specified ad valorem tax or construction related tax levied or imposed by a county or municipality, or payments required to be made in lieu thereof, shall take effect only upon adoption of a resolution by the governing body of that county or municipality approving such abatement or abatements.
