By:  Moncrief                                          S.B. No. 783
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                                       AN ACT
 1-1     relating to a franchise tax credit for wages paid to persons with
 1-2     certain disabilities.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Chapter 171, Tax Code, is amended by adding
 1-5     Subchapter P to read as follows:
 1-6             SUBCHAPTER P.  TAX CREDIT FOR WAGES PAID TO PERSONS
 1-7                          WITH CERTAIN DISABILITIES
 1-8           Sec. 171.751.  ENTITLEMENT TO CREDIT. A corporation is
 1-9     entitled to a credit in the amount and under the conditions and
1-10     limitations provided by this subchapter against the tax imposed
1-11     under this chapter.
1-12           Sec. 171.752.  QUALIFICATION.  A corporation qualifies for a
1-13     credit under this subchapter for each employee:
1-14                 (1)  originally hired on or after January 1, 2000;
1-15                 (2)  who, at the time of being hired, is an individual
1-16     eligible under 42 U.S.C. Section 1382 and its subsequent amendments
1-17     for supplemental security income benefits on the basis of
1-18     disability or blindness or is a recipient of social security
1-19     disability insurance benefits; and
1-20                 (3)  who:
1-21                       (A)  remains continuously employed with the
1-22     corporation for at least six months;
1-23                       (B)  earns at least the minimum wage;
1-24                       (C)  works an average of at least 20 hours a
 2-1     week; and
 2-2                       (D)  receives the same benefits as the employer's
 2-3     other workers.
 2-4           Sec. 171.753.  AMOUNT; LIMITATIONS.  (a)  The amount of the
 2-5     credit is 10 percent of the wages paid by the corporation for each
 2-6     qualified employee.
 2-7           (b)  A corporation may claim the credit only for wages paid
 2-8     the qualified employee during the first two years of employment.
 2-9           (c)  The credit claimed for each privilege period may not
2-10     exceed 50 percent of the amount of net franchise tax due, after any
2-11     other applicable credits, for the privilege period.
2-12           Sec. 171.754.  APPLICATION FOR CREDIT.  (a)  A corporation
2-13     must apply for a credit under this subchapter on or with the tax
2-14     report for the period for which the credit is claimed.
2-15           (b)  The comptroller shall promulgate a form for the
2-16     application for the credit.  A corporation must use this form in
2-17     applying for the credit.
2-18           Sec. 171.755.  PERIOD FOR WHICH CREDIT MAY BE CLAIMED.  A
2-19     corporation may claim a credit under this subchapter for wages paid
2-20     during an accounting period only against the tax owed for the
2-21     corresponding privilege period.
2-22           Sec. 171.756.  RULES.  The comptroller shall adopt rules
2-23     necessary to implement this subchapter.
2-24           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect January 1, 2000, and
2-25     applies only to:
2-26                 (1)  a report originally due on or after that date; and
 3-1                 (2)  wages paid on or after that date.
 3-2           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
 3-3     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 3-4     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 3-5     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 3-6     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.