3. a. (1) A taxpayer, upon approval of the taxpayer’s application therefor by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and in consultation with the director, shall be allowed a credit against the tax imposed pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C. 54:10A-5), in an amount equal to 20 percent of the qualified investment made by the taxpayer in a New Jersey emerging technology business, in a New Jersey emerging technology business holding company that makes a verified transfer of funds to a New Jersey emerging technology business, or in a qualified venture fund; provided, however, a taxpayer may be allowed a tax credit in an amount equal to 25 percent of the qualified investment if the taxpayer satisfies one of the requirements set forth in paragraph (2) of this subsection. The value of tax credits allowed to a taxpayer pursuant to this section shall not exceed $500,000 for the privilege period for each qualified investment made by the taxpayer.

(2) Subject to the limits established in paragraph (1) of this subsection, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, in consultation with the director, shall increase the amount of a tax credit allowed pursuant to this section by five percent if the taxpayer makes a qualified investment in a New Jersey emerging technology business, or in a New Jersey emerging technology business holding company that makes a verified transfer of funds to a New Jersey emerging technology business, or in a qualified venture fund, if the New Jersey emerging technology business is either located in a qualified opportunity zone pursuant to 26 U.S.C. § 1400Z-1, or a low-income community as defined in subparagraph (e) of 26 U.S.C. § 45D or

certified by the State as a minority business or a women’s business pursuant to P.L.1986, c.195 (C. 52:27H-21.17 et seq.) and, in the case of a qualified venture fund, if the qualified venture fund commits by contract to invest 50 percent of its funds in diverse entrepreneurs.

b. A credit shall not be allowed pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1993, c.175 (C. 54:10A-5.24), for expenses paid from funds for which a credit is allowed, or which are includable in the calculation of a credit allowed, under this section. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the order of priority in which the credit allowed by this section and any other credits allowed by law may be taken shall be as prescribed by the director.

c. Except as provided in subsection d. of this section, the amount of credit otherwise allowable under this section which cannot be applied for the privilege period against tax liability otherwise due for that privilege period may either be carried over, if necessary, to the 15 privilege periods following the privilege period for which the credit was allowed or, at the election of the taxpayer, be claimed as and treated as an overpayment for the purposes of R.S.54:49-15, provided, however, that section 7 of P.L.1992, c.175 (C. 54:49-15.1) shall not apply.

d. A taxpayer may not carry over any amount of credit allowed under subsection a. of this section to a privilege period during which a corporate acquisition with respect to which the taxpayer was a target corporation occurred or during which the taxpayer was a party to a merger or a consolidation, or to any subsequent privilege period, if the credit was allowed for a privilege period prior to the year of acquisition, merger or consolidation, except that if in the case of a corporate merger or corporate consolidation the taxpayer can demonstrate, through the submission of a copy of the plan of merger or consolidation and such other evidence as may be required by the director, the identity of the constituent corporation which was the acquiring person, a credit allowed to the acquiring person may be carried over by the taxpayer. As used in this subsection, “acquiring person” means the constituent corporation the stockholders of which own the largest proportion of the total voting power in the surviving or consolidated corporation after the merger or consolidation.

e. The Executive Director of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, in consultation with the director, shall adopt, pursuant to the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C. 52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations that are necessary to implement sections 1 through 3 of P.L.1997, c.349 (C. 54:10A-5.28 through C. 54:10A-5.30) and section 4 of P.L.2013, c.14 (C. 54A:4-13), including, but not limited to: examples of and the determination of qualified investments of which applicants shall provide documentation with their tax credit application; the promulgation of procedures and forms necessary to apply for a credit; provisions for recapture in the event a taxpayer receives a credit on the basis of its commitment to transfer cash to a qualified venture fund and it does not fund its commitment; and provisions for credit applicants to be charged an initial application fee and ongoing service fees to cover the administrative costs related to the credit.

The amount of credits approved by the Executive Director of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, and in consultation with the director, pursuant to subsection a. of this section and pursuant to section 4 of P.L.2013, c.14 (C. 54A:4-13), shall not exceed a cumulative total of $35,000,000 in any calendar year to apply against the tax imposed pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1945, c.162 (C. 54:10A-5) and the tax imposed pursuant to the “New Jersey Gross Income Tax Act,” N.J.S. 54A:1-1 et seq. If the cumulative amount of credits allowed to taxpayers in a calendar year exceeds the amount of credits available in that year, then taxpayers who have first applied for and have not been allowed a credit amount for that reason shall be allowed, in the order in which they have submitted an application, the amount of the tax credit on the first day of the next succeeding calendar year in which tax credits under this section and section 4 of P.L.2013, c.14 (C. 54A:4-13) are not in excess of the amount of credits available.

L.1997, c.349, s.3; amended 2013, c.14, s.3; 2017, c.40, s.2; 2019, c.145, s.2; 2020, c.156, s.118.