By:  Haywood, et al.                                    S.B. No. 58
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                                       AN ACT
 1-1     relating to incentives for an employer that establishes and
 1-2     operates a day-care center for children of employees or purchases
 1-3     child-care services for employees.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Chapter 171, Tax Code, is amended by adding
 1-6     Subchapter N to read as follows:
 1-7         SUBCHAPTER N.  TAX CREDIT FOR ESTABLISHING DAY-CARE CENTER
 1-8                      OR PURCHASING CHILD-CARE SERVICES
 1-9           Sec. 171.701.  DEFINITIONS.  In this subchapter:
1-10                 (1)  "Day-care center" has the meaning assigned by
1-11     Section 42.002, Human Resources Code.
1-12                 (2)  "Family home" has the meaning assigned by Section
1-13     42.002, Human Resources Code.
1-14           Sec. 171.702.  CREDIT.  A corporation that meets the
1-15     eligibility requirements under this subchapter is entitled to a
1-16     credit in the amount allowed by this subchapter against the tax
1-17     imposed under this chapter.
1-18           Sec. 171.703.  CREDIT FOR DAY-CARE CENTER AND PURCHASED CHILD
1-19     CARE.  (a)  A corporation may claim a credit under this subchapter
1-20     only for a qualifying expenditure relating to:
1-21                 (1)  the establishment and operation of a day-care
1-22     center primarily to provide care for the children of employees of
1-23     the corporation or of the corporation and one or more other
1-24     entities sharing the costs of establishing and operating the
 2-1     center; or
 2-2                 (2)  the purchase of child-care services that are
 2-3     actually provided to children of employees of the corporation at a:
 2-4                       (A)  day-care center; or
 2-5                       (B)  family home that is registered or listed
 2-6     with the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services under
 2-7     Chapter 42, Human Resources Code.
 2-8           (b)  A qualifying expenditure includes an expenditure for:
 2-9                 (1)  planning the day-care center;
2-10                 (2)  preparing a site to be used for the day-care
2-11     center;
2-12                 (3)  constructing the day-care center;
2-13                 (4)  renovating or remodeling a structure to be used
2-14     for the day-care center;
2-15                 (5)  purchasing equipment necessary in the use of the
2-16     day-care center and installed for permanent use in or immediately
2-17     adjacent to the day-care center, including kitchen appliances and
2-18     other food preparation equipment;
2-19                 (6)  expanding the day-care center;
2-20                 (7)  maintaining and operating the day-care center,
2-21     including paying direct administration and staff costs; or
2-22                 (8)  purchasing all or part of child-care services that
2-23     are actually provided to children of employees of the corporation
2-24     at a day-care center or registered or listed family home.
2-25           (c)  The amount of the credit is equal to the lesser of:
2-26                 (1)  $50,000;
 3-1                 (2)  50 percent of the corporation's qualifying
 3-2     expenditures; or
 3-3                 (3)  the amount of the limitation provided by Section
 3-4     171.705(b).
 3-5           (d)  If a corporation shares in the cost of establishing and
 3-6     operating a day-care center, the corporation is entitled to a
 3-7     credit for the qualifying expenditures made by that corporation,
 3-8     subject to the limitation prescribed by Subsection (c).
 3-9           Sec. 171.704.  APPLICATION FOR CREDIT.  (a)  A corporation
3-10     must apply for a credit under this subchapter on or with the tax
3-11     report for the period for which the credit is claimed.
3-12           (b)  If the corporation is claiming a credit for a qualifying
3-13     expenditure for purchasing child-care services, the corporation
3-14     must include proof that the services were actually provided to
3-15     children of employees of the corporation at a day-care center or
3-16     registered or listed family home.
3-17           (c)  The comptroller shall adopt a form for the application
3-18     for the credit.  A corporation must use this form in applying for
3-19     the credit.
3-20           Sec. 171.705.  PERIOD FOR WHICH CREDIT MAY BE CLAIMED.
3-21     (a)  A corporation may claim a credit under this subchapter for
3-22     qualifying expenditures made during an accounting period only
3-23     against the tax owed for the corresponding reporting period.
3-24           (b)  A corporation may not claim a credit in an amount that
3-25     exceeds 90 percent of the amount of tax due for the report.
3-26           Sec. 171.706.  ASSIGNMENT PROHIBITED.  A corporation may not
 4-1     convey, assign, or transfer the credit allowed under this
 4-2     subchapter  to another entity unless all of the assets of the
 4-3     corporation are conveyed, assigned, or transferred in the same
 4-4     transaction.
 4-5           SECTION 2.  A corporation may claim the credit under
 4-6     Subchapter N, Chapter 171, Tax Code, as added by this Act, only:
 4-7                 (1)  for a qualifying expenditure made on or after the
 4-8     effective date of this Act; and
 4-9                 (2)  on a franchise tax report due under Chapter 171,
4-10     Tax Code, on or after January 1, 2000.
4-11           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
4-12     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
4-13     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
4-14     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-15     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
4-16     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
4-17     passage, and it is so enacted.