238.23(5)(a)
(a) Criteria for designating an area as a technology zone.
238.23(5)(b)
(b) A business's eligibility for certification, including definitions for all of the following:
238.23(5)(d)
(d) Standards for establishing the limit on the amount of tax credits that a business may claim.
238.23(5)(e)
(e) Standards for extending a business's certification, including what measures, in addition to job creation, the corporation will use to determine the growth of a specific business and how the corporation will establish baselines against which to measure growth.
238.23(5)(f)
(f) Reporting requirements for certified businesses.
238.23(5)(g)
(g) The exchange of information between the corporation and the department of revenue.
238.23(5)(h)
(h) Reasons for revoking a business's certification.
238.23(5)(i)
(i) Standards for changing the boundaries of a technology zone.
238.23 History
History: 2001 a. 16,
104;
2007 a. 183;
2009 a. 2;
2011 a. 32 s.
3448; Stats. 2011 s. 238.23;
2015 a. 55.
238.25
238.25
Assistance to loan recipients. The corporation shall assist new businesses and small businesses receiving the assistance of the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority in locating sources of venture capital and in obtaining the state and federal licenses and permits necessary for business operations.
238.25 History
History: 2011 a. 32 s.
3305; Stats. 2011 s. 238.25;
2011 a. 214.
238.26
238.26
Report to investment board. No later than September 30 of each even-numbered year, the corporation shall submit to the investment board a report describing the types of investments in businesses in this state that will have the greatest likelihood of enhancing economic development in this state.
238.26 History
History: 2011 a. 32 s.
3329.
238.28
238.28
Refundable tax credits. It is the intent of the legislature that all credits awarded under ss.
238.16,
238.308,
238.396, and
238.399 become a permanent part of the working capital structure of businesses claiming the credits.
238.28 History
History: 2017 a. 59.
TAX INCENTIVES FOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
238.30(2)
(2) “Development zone program" means the program administered under this subchapter.
238.30(2m)(a)(a) Except as provided in par.
(b), “full-time job" means a regular, nonseasonal full-time position in which an individual, as a condition of employment, is required to work at least 2,080 hours per year, including paid leave and holidays, and for which the individual receives pay that is equal to at least 150 percent of the federal minimum wage and benefits that are not required by federal or state law. “Full-time job" does not include initial training before an employment position begins.
238.30(2m)(b)
(b) The corporation may grant exceptions to the requirement under par.
(a) that a full-time job means a position in which an individual, as a condition of employment, is required to work at least 2,080 hours per year if all of the following apply:
238.30(2m)(b)1.
1. The annual pay for the position is more than the amount determined by multiplying 2,080 by 150 percent of the federal minimum wage.
238.30(2m)(b)2.
2. An individual in the position is offered retirement, health, and other benefits that are equivalent to the retirement, health, and other benefits offered to an individual who is required to work at least 2,080 hours per year.
238.30(4)
(4) “Local governing body" means the governing body of one or more cities, villages, towns, or counties or the elected governing body of a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band in this state.
238.30(4m)
(4m) “Member of a targeted group" means a person who resides in an area designated by the federal government as an economic revitalization area, a person who is employed in an unsubsidized job but meets the eligibility requirements under s.
49.145 (2) and
(3) for a Wisconsin Works employment position, a person who is employed in a trial job, as defined in s.
49.141 (1) (n), 2011 stats., or in a trial employment match program job, as defined in s.
49.141 (1) (n), a person who is eligible for child care assistance under s.
49.155, a person who is a vocational rehabilitation referral, an economically disadvantaged youth, an economically disadvantaged veteran, a supplemental security income recipient, a general assistance recipient, an economically disadvantaged ex-convict, a dislocated worker, as defined in
29 USC 2801 (9), or a food stamp recipient, if the person has been certified in the manner under
26 USC 51 (d) (13) (A) by a designated local agency, as defined in
26 USC 51 (d) (12).
238.30(5)
(5) “Metropolitan statistical area" means a federal standard metropolitan statistical area but does not include areas located within Indian reservations.
238.301
238.301
Certification for tax benefits. 238.301(1)(1)
Application. Any person may apply to the corporation on a form prepared by the corporation for certification under this section. The application shall include all of the following:
238.301(1)(b)
(b) The federal tax identification number of the person.
238.301(1)(c)
(c) The names and addresses of the locations where the person conducts business and a description of the business activities conducted at those locations.
238.301(1)(d)
(d) A description of each eligible activity conducted or proposed to be conducted by the person.
238.301(1)(e)
(e) Other information required by the corporation or the department of revenue.
238.301(2)(a)(a) The corporation may certify a person who submits an application under sub.
(1) if, after conducting an investigation, the corporation determines that the person is conducting or intends to conduct at least one eligible activity.
238.301(2)(b)
(b) The corporation shall provide a person certified under this section with a copy of the certification.
238.301(3)
(3) Contract. A person certified under this section shall enter into a written contract with the corporation. The contract shall include provisions that detail all of the following:
238.301(3)(a)
(a) A description of each eligible activity being conducted or proposed to be conducted by the person.
238.301(3)(b)
(b) Whether any of the eligible activities will occur in an economically distressed area, as designated by the corporation under s.
238.304 (1).
238.301(3)(c)
(c) Whether any of the eligible activities will benefit members of a targeted group, as determined by the corporation under s.
238.304 (2).
238.301(3)(d)
(d) A compliance schedule that includes a sequence of anticipated actions to be taken or goals to be achieved by the person before the person may receive tax benefits under s.
238.303.
238.301(3)(e)
(e) The reporting requirements with which the person must comply.
238.301(3)(f)
(f) If feasible, a determination of the tax benefits the person will be authorized to claim under s.
238.303 (2) if the person fulfills the terms of the contract.
238.301 History
History: 2009 a. 2;
2011 a. 32 s.
3410; Stats. 2011 s. 238.301;
2015 a. 55.
238.302
238.302
Eligible activities. A person who conducts or proposes to conduct any of the following may be certified under s.
238.301 (2):
238.302(1)
(1) Job creation project. A project that creates and maintains for a period of time established by the corporation by rule full-time jobs in addition to any existing full-time jobs provided by the person.
238.302(2)
(2) Capital investment project. A project that involves a significant investment of capital, as defined by the corporation by rule under s.
238.306 (2) (b), by the person in new equipment, machinery, real property, or depreciable personal property.
238.302(3)
(3) Employee training project. A project that involves significant investments in the training or reeducation of employees, as defined by the corporation by rule under s.
238.306 (2) (c), by the person for the purpose of improving the productivity or competitiveness of the business of the person.
238.302(4)
(4) Project related to persons with corporate headquarters in Wisconsin. A project that will result in the location or retention of a person's corporate headquarters in Wisconsin or that will result in the retention of employees holding full-time jobs in Wisconsin if the person's corporate headquarters are located in Wisconsin.
238.302 History
History: 2009 a. 2;
2011 a. 32 s.
3411; Stats. 2011 s. 238.302.
238.303
238.303
Limits on tax benefits and claiming tax benefits. 238.303(1)(a)(a) Except as provided in pars.
(am) and
(b), the total tax benefits available to be allocated by the corporation under ss.
238.301 to
238.306 may not exceed the sum of the tax benefits remaining to be allocated under s.
560.71 to
560.785, 2009 stats., s.
560.797, 2009 stats., s.
560.798, 2009 stats., s.
560.7995, 2009 stats., and s.
560.96, 2009 stats., on March 6, 2009, plus $100,000,000.
238.303(1)(am)
(am) The corporation may initially allocate only $61,000,000 of the additional $100,000,000 in tax benefits specified in par.
(a). Before the corporation allocates the remaining $39,000,000 in tax benefits specified in par.
(a), the corporation shall submit its plan for such allocation, including a report that describes the intended use of the tax benefits, to the joint committee on finance. If the cochairpersons of the committee do not notify the corporation within 14 working days after the date of the corporation's submittal that the committee has scheduled a meeting for the purpose of reviewing the plan, the plan may be implemented and the remaining amount may be allocated as proposed by the corporation. If, within 14 working days after the date of the corporation's submittal, the cochairpersons of the committee notify the corporation that the committee has scheduled a meeting for the purpose of reviewing the proposed plan, the plan may be implemented and the remaining amount allocated only upon approval of the committee.
238.303(1)(b)
(b) The corporation may submit to the joint committee on finance a request in writing to exceed the total tax benefits specified in par.
(a). The corporation shall submit with its request a justification for seeking an increase under this paragraph. The joint committee on finance, following its review, may approve or disapprove an increase in the total tax benefits available to be allocated under ss.
238.301 to
238.306.
238.303(2)
(2) Authority to claim tax benefits. The corporation may authorize a person certified under s.
238.301 (2) to claim tax benefits only after the person has submitted a report to the corporation that documents to the satisfaction of the corporation that the person has complied with the terms of the contract under s.
238.301 (3) and the requirements of any applicable rules adopted under s.
238.306 (2).
238.303(3)
(3) Notice of eligibility. The corporation shall provide to the person a notice of eligibility to receive tax benefits that reports the amount of tax benefits for which the person is eligible.
238.303(4)
(4) Sunset. No tax benefits may be awarded under ss.
238.301 to
238.306 after December 31, 2015, unless the tax benefits were allocated to a taxpayer by the corporation in a contract that the corporation executed before that date or in a letter of intent to enter into such a contract that the corporation issued before that date.
238.303 History
History: 2009 a. 2,
265;
2011 a. 4;
2011 a. 32 ss.
3412 to
3415; Stats. 2011 s. 238.303;
2013 a. 20;
2015 a. 55;
2015 a. 195 s.
82.
238.304
238.304
Eligible activities in economically distressed areas and benefiting members of targeted groups. The corporation may authorize a person certified under s.
238.301 (2) to claim additional tax benefits under s.
238.303 if, after conducting an investigation, the corporation determines any of the following:
238.304(1)
(1) The person conducts at least one eligible activity in an area designated by the corporation as economically distressed. In designating an area as economically distressed under this subsection, the corporation shall follow the methodology established by rule under s.
238.306 (2) (e).
238.304(2)
(2) The person conducts at least one eligible activity that benefits, creates, retains, or significantly upgrades full-time jobs for, that trains, or that reeducates, members of a targeted group.
238.304 History
History: 2009 a. 2;
2011 a. 32 s.
3416; Stats. 2011 s. 238.304.
238.3045
238.3045
Transferability of tax benefits. 238.3045(1)(a)
(a) An applicant for certification for tax benefits under s.
238.301 may submit with its application under s.
238.301 (1) an application to the corporation on a form prescribed by the corporation to transfer those tax benefits to another person under this section. The application shall include the name, address, and tax identification number of the person to whom the applicant intends to transfer the tax benefits and any other information the corporation requires. The corporation shall notify the applicant of the corporation's determination concerning the transfer of tax benefits when the corporation notifies the applicant of the corporation's certification determination under s.
238.301.
238.3045(1)(b)
(b) The corporation may approve the transfer of tax benefits under this section if the corporation certifies the applicant under par.
(a) for tax benefits under s.
238.301 and finds that the applicant meets at least one of the following conditions:
238.3045(1)(b)1.
1. Is headquartered and employs at least 51 percent of its employees in this state.
238.3045(1)(b)2.
2. Intends to relocate its headquarters to this state and employ at least 51 percent of its employees in this state.
238.3045(1)(b)3.
3. Intends to expand its operations in this state, and that expansion will result in an increase in the number of full-time employees employed by the applicant in this state in an amount equal to at least 10 percent of the applicant's full-time workforce in this state at the time of application.
238.3045(1)(b)4.
4. Intends to expand its operations in this state, and that expansion will result in the applicant making a significant capital investment in property located in this state, as determined by the corporation.
238.3045(1)(c)1.1. Subject to subd.
2., a person that receives an approval under par.
(b) shall transfer tax benefits in accordance with the terms of the application under par.
(a) after the corporation authorizes the person to claim tax benefits under s.
238.303 (2) and provides the notice of eligibility under s.
238.303 (3). The notice of eligibility shall contain all relevant information concerning a transfer of tax benefits under this section. The person to whom tax benefits are transferred may carry forward, beginning on the date of the notice of eligibility, any unused amount of the value of those tax benefits as provided under the appropriate provision in ch.
71 or in s.
76.636.
