Bill Text: FL S7066 | 2014 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Tax Administration
Spectrum: Committee Bill
Status: (N/A - Dead) 2014-03-10 - Submit as committee bill by Appropriations (SB 1654) [S7066 Detail]
Download: Florida-2014-S7066-Introduced.html
Florida Senate - 2014 (PROPOSED COMMITTEE BILL) SPB 7066 FOR CONSIDERATION By the Committee on Appropriations 576-00885A-14 20147066__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to tax administration; amending s. 3 195.096, F.S.; removing the requirement that the 4 department review the level of assessment of use 5 valued properties in its reviews of county assessment 6 rolls; amending s. 212.07, F.S.; conforming a cross 7 reference to changes made by the act; providing 8 monetary and criminal penalties for a dealer’s willful 9 failure to collect certain taxes or fees after 10 receiving notice of such duty to collect from the 11 Department of Revenue; amending s. 212.12, F.S.; 12 deleting provisions relating to the imposition of 13 criminal penalties after Department of Revenue notice 14 of requirements to register as a dealer or to collect 15 taxes; making technical and grammatical changes to 16 provisions specifying penalties for making a false or 17 fraudulent return with the intent to evade payment of 18 a tax or fee; amending s. 212.14, F.S.; modifying the 19 definition of the term “person”; authorizing the 20 department to adopt rules relating to requirements for 21 a person to deposit cash, a bond, or other security 22 with the department in order to ensure compliance with 23 sales tax laws; making technical and grammatical 24 changes; amending s. 212.18, F.S.; providing criminal 25 penalties for a person who willfully fails to register 26 as a dealer after receiving notice of such duty by the 27 department; making technical and grammatical changes; 28 reenacting s. 212.20, F.S., relating to the 29 disposition of funds collected, to incorporate changes 30 made by the act; amending s. 213.13, F.S.; revising 31 the date for transmitting funds collected by the 32 clerks of court to the department; amending s. 213.21, 33 F.S.; increasing the compromise authority for closing 34 agreements with taxpayers which can be delegated to 35 and approved by the executive director; creating s. 36 213.295, F.S., relating to automated sales suppression 37 devices; defining terms; subjecting a person to 38 criminal penalties and monetary penalties for 39 knowingly selling or engaging in certain other actions 40 involving a sales suppression device or phantom-ware; 41 providing that sales suppression devices and phantom 42 ware are contraband articles under the Florida 43 Contraband Forfeiture Act; amending s. 443.131, F.S.; 44 imposing a requirement on employers to produce records 45 for the Department of Economic Opportunity or its tax 46 collection service provider as a prerequisite for a 47 reduction in the rate of reemployment tax; amending s. 48 443.141, F.S.; providing a method to calculate the 49 interest rate for past due employer contributions and 50 reimbursements, and delinquent, erroneous, incomplete, 51 or insufficient reports; increasing the number of days 52 for an employer to protest an assessment; providing 53 effective dates. 54 55 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 56 57 Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of section 58 195.096, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 59 195.096 Review of assessment rolls.— 60 (3)(a) Upon completing the reviewscompletion of review61 pursuant to paragraph (2)(f), the department shall publish the 62 results of reviews conducted under this section. The results 63 must include all statistical and analytical measures computed 64 under this section for the real property assessment roll as a 65 whole, the personal property assessment roll as a whole, and 66 independently for the following real property classes if the 67 classes constituted 5 percent or more of the total assessed 68 value of real property in a county on the previous tax roll: 69 1. Residential property that consists of one primary living 70 unit, including, but not limited to, single-family residences, 71 condominiums, cooperatives, and mobile homes. 72 2. Residential property that consists of two or more 73 primary living units. 743. Agricultural, high-water recharge, historic property75used for commercial or certain nonprofit purposes, and other76use-valued property.77 3.4.Vacant lots. 78 4.5.Nonagricultural acreage and other undeveloped parcels. 79 5.6.Improved commercial and industrial property. 80 6.7.Taxable institutional or governmental, utility, 81 locally assessed railroad, oil, gas and mineral land, subsurface 82 rights, and other real property. 83 84 If one of the above classes constituted less than 5 percent of 85 the total assessed value of all real property in a county on the 86 previous assessment roll, the department may combine it with one 87 or more other classes of real property for purposes of 88 assessment ratio studies or use the weighted average of the 89 other classes for purposes of calculating the level of 90 assessment for all real property in a county. The department 91 shall also publish such results for any subclassifications of 92 the classes or assessment rolls it may have chosen to study. 93 Section 2. Effective July 1, 2014, paragraph (b) of 94 subsection (1) and subsection (3) of section 212.07, Florida 95 Statutes, are amended to read: 96 212.07 Sales, storage, use tax; tax added to purchase 97 price; dealer not to absorb; liability of purchasers who cannot 98 prove payment of the tax; penalties; general exemptions.— 99 (1) 100 (b) A resale must be in strict compliance with s. 212.18 101 and the rules and regulations, and any dealer who makes a sale 102 for resale which is not in strict compliance iswith s. 212.18103and the rules and regulations shall himself or herself beliable 104 for and must pay the tax. Any dealer who makes a sale for resale 105 shall document the exempt nature of the transaction, as 106 established by rules adoptedpromulgatedby the department, by 107 retaining a copy of the purchaser’s resale certificate. In lieu 108 of maintaining a copy of the certificate, a dealer may document, 109 beforeprior tothe time of sale, an authorization number 110 provided telephonically or electronically by the department, or 111 by such other means established by rule of the department. The 112 dealer may rely on a resale certificate issued pursuant to s. 113 212.18(3)(d)s.212.18(3)(c), valid at the time of receipt from 114 the purchaser, without seeking annual verification of the resale 115 certificate if the dealer makes recurring sales to a purchaser 116 in the normal course of business on a continual basis. For 117 purposes of this paragraph, “recurring sales to a purchaser in 118 the normal course of business” refers to a sale in which the 119 dealer extends credit to the purchaser and records the debt as 120 an account receivable, or in which the dealer sells to a 121 purchaser who has an established cash or C.O.D. account, similar 122 to an open credit account. For purposes of this paragraph, 123 purchases are made from a selling dealer on a continual basis if 124 the selling dealer makes, in the normal course of business, 125 sales to the purchaser at leastno less frequently thanonce in 126 every 12-month period. A dealer may, through the informal 127 protest provided for in s. 213.21 and the rules of the 128 departmentof Revenue, provide the department with evidence of 129 the exempt status of a sale. Consumer certificates of exemption 130 executed by those exempt entities that were registered with the 131 department at the time of sale, resale certificates provided by 132 purchasers who were active dealers at the time of sale, and 133 verification by the department of a purchaser’s active dealer 134 status at the time of sale in lieu of a resale certificate shall 135 be accepted by the department when submitted during the protest 136 period, but may not be accepted in any proceeding under chapter 137 120 or any circuit court action instituted under chapter 72. 138 (3)(a) AAnydealer who fails, neglects, or refuses to 139 collect the tax or fees imposed under this chapterherein140provided, eitherby himself or herself or through the dealer’s 141 agents or employees,is,in addition to the penalty of being 142 liable forandpaying the tax or feehimself or herself, commits 143guilty ofa misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as 144 provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. 145 (b) A dealer who willfully fails to collect a tax or fee 146 after the department provides notice of the duty to collect the 147 tax or fee is liable for a specific penalty of 100 percent of 148 the uncollected tax or fee. This penalty is in addition to any 149 other penalty that may be imposed by law. A dealer who willfully 150 fails to collect taxes or fees totaling: 151 1. Less than $300: 152 a. For a first offense, commits a misdemeanor of the second 153 degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. 154 b. For a second offense, commits a misdemeanor of the first 155 degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. 156 c. For a third or subsequent offense, commits a felony of 157 the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 158 775.083, or s. 775.084. 159 2. An amount equal to $300 or more, but less than $20,000, 160 commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in 161 s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. 162 3. An amount equal to $20,000 or more, but less than 163 $100,000, commits a felony of the second degree, punishable as 164 provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. 165 4. An amount equal to $100,000 or more, commits a felony of 166 the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 167 775.083, or s. 775.084. 168 (c) The department shall give written notice of the duty to 169 collect taxes or fees to the dealer by personal service, by 170 sending notice to the dealer’s last known address by registered 171 mail, or both. 172 Section 3. effective July 1, 2014, paragraph (d) of 173 subsection (2) of section 212.12, Florida Statutes, is amended 174 to read: 175 212.12 Dealer’s credit for collecting tax; penalties for 176 noncompliance; powers of Department of Revenue in dealing with 177 delinquents; brackets applicable to taxable transactions; 178 records required.— 179 (2) 180 (d) AAnyperson who makes a false or fraudulent return and 181 who haswitha willful intent to evade payment of any tax or fee 182 imposed under this chapter is; any person who, after the183department’s delivery of a written notice to the person’s last184known address specifically alerting the person of the185requirement to register the person’s business as a dealer,186intentionally fails to register the business; and any person187who, after the department’s delivery of a written notice to the188person’s last known address specifically alerting the person of189the requirement to collect tax on specific transactions,190intentionally fails to collect such tax, shall, in addition to191the other penalties provided by law, beliable for a specific 192 penalty of 100 percent of any unreportedor any uncollectedtax 193 or fee. This penalty is in addition to any other penalty 194 provided by law. A person who makes a false or fraudulent return 195 with a willful intent to evade payment of taxes or fees 196 totaling: 197 1. Less than $300: 198 a. For a first offense, commits a misdemeanor of the second 199 degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. 200 b. For a second offense, commits a misdemeanor of the first 201 degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. 202 c. For a third or subsequent offense, commits a felony of 203 the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 204 775.083, or s. 775.084. 205 2. An amount equal to $300 or more, but less than $20,000, 206 commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in 207 s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. 208 3. An amount equal to $20,000 or more, but less than 209 $100,000, commits a felony of the second degree, punishable as 210 provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. 211 4. An amount equal to $100,000 or more, commits a felony of 212 the first degree, punishableand, upon conviction, for fine and213punishmentas provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. 214Delivery of written notice may be made by certified mail, or by215the use of such other method as is documented as being necessary216and reasonable under the circumstances. The civil and criminal217penalties imposed herein for failure to comply with a written218notice alerting the person of the requirement to register the219person’s business as a dealer or to collect tax on specific220transactions shall not apply if the person timely files a221written challenge to such notice in accordance with procedures222established by the department by rule or the notice fails to223clearly advise that failure to comply with or timely challenge224the notice will result in the imposition of the civil and225criminal penalties imposed herein.2261. If the total amount of unreported or uncollected taxes227or fees is less than $300, the first offense resulting in228conviction is a misdemeanor of the second degree, the second229offense resulting in conviction is a misdemeanor of the first230degree, and the third and all subsequent offenses resulting in231conviction is a misdemeanor of the first degree, and the third232and all subsequent offenses resulting in conviction are felonies233of the third degree.2342. If the total amount of unreported or uncollected taxes235or fees is $300 or more but less than $20,000, the offense is a236felony of the third degree.2373. If the total amount of unreported or uncollected taxes238or fees is $20,000 or more but less than $100,000, the offense239is a felony of the second degree.2404. If the total amount of unreported or uncollected taxes241or fees is $100,000 or more, the offense is a felony of the242first degree.243 Section 4. Effective July 1, 2014, subsection (4) of 244 section 212.14, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 245 212.14 Departmental powers; hearings; distress warrants; 246 bonds; subpoenas and subpoenas duces tecum.— 247 (4) In all cases where it is necessary to ensure compliance 248 withthe provisions ofthis chapter, the department shall 249 require a cash deposit, bond, or other security as a condition 250 to a person obtaining or retaining a dealer’s certificate of 251 registration under this chapter. Such bond mustshallbe in the 252 form andsuchamountasthe department deems appropriate under 253 the particular circumstances. AEveryperson failing to produce 254 such cash deposit, bond, or other security isas provided for255herein shallnotbeentitled to obtain or retain a dealer’s 256 certificate of registration under this chapter, and the 257 Department of Legal Affairs is hereby authorized to proceed by 258 injunction, ifwhen sorequested by the Department of Revenue, 259 to prevent such person from doing business subject tothe260provisions ofthis chapter until such cash deposit, bond, or 261 other security is posted with the department, and any temporary 262 injunction for this purpose may be granted by any judge or 263 chancellor authorized by law to grant injunctions. Any security 264 required to be deposited may be sold by the department at public 265 sale ifit becomesnecessaryso to doin order to recover any 266 tax, interest, or penalty due. Notice of such sale may be served 267 personally or by mail upon the person who deposited thesuch268 security. If by mail, notice sent to the last known address as 269 itthe sameappears on the records of the department isshall be270 sufficient for the purpose of this requirement. Upon such sale, 271 the surplus, if any, above the amount due under this chapter 272 shall be returned to the person who deposited the security. The 273 department may adopt rules necessary to administer this 274 subsection. For the purpose of the cash deposit, bond, or other 275 security required by this subsection, the term “person” includes 276 those entities defined in s. 212.02(12), as well as: 277 (a) An individual or entity owning a controlling interest 278 in a business; 279 (b) An individual or entity that acquired an ownership 280 interest or a controlling interest in a business that would 281 otherwise be liable for posting a cash deposit, bond, or other 282 security, unless the department has determined that the 283 individual or entity is not liable for the taxes, interest, or 284 penalties described in s. 213.758; or 285 (c) An individual or entity seeking to obtain a dealer’s 286 certificate of registration for a business that will be operated 287 at the same location as a previous business that would otherwise 288 have been liable for posting a cash deposit, bond, or other 289 security, if the individual or entity fails to provide evidence 290 that the business was acquired for consideration in an arms 291 length transaction. 292 Section 5. Effective July 1, 2014, subsection (3) of 293 section 212.18, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 294 212.18 Administration of law; registration of dealers; 295 rules.— 296 (3)(a) AEveryperson desiring to engage in or conduct 297 business in this state as a dealer,as defined in this chapter,298 or to lease, rent, or let or grant licenses in living quarters 299 or sleeping or housekeeping accommodations in hotels, apartment 300 houses, roominghouses, or tourist or trailer camps that are 301 subject to tax under s. 212.03, or to lease, rent, or let or 302 grant licenses in real property, as defined in this chapter, and 303 aeveryperson who sells or receives anything of value by way of 304 admissions, must file with the department an application for a 305 certificate of registration for each place of business. The 306 application must include, showingthe names of the persons who 307 have interests in such business and their residences, the 308 address of the business, andsuchother data reasonably required 309 byasthe departmentmay reasonably require. However, owners and 310 operators of vending machines or newspaper rack machines are 311 required to obtain only one certificate of registration for each 312 county in which such machines are located. The department, by 313 rule, may authorize a dealer that uses independent sellers to 314 sell its merchandise to remit tax on the retail sales price 315 charged to the ultimate consumer in lieu of having the 316 independent seller register as a dealer and remit the tax. The 317 department may appoint the county tax collector as the 318 department’s agent to accept applications for registrations. The 319 application must be submittedmadeto the department before the 320 person, firm, copartnership, or corporation may engage in such 321 business, and it must be accompanied by a registration fee of 322 $5. However, a registration fee is not required to accompany an 323 application to engage in or conduct business to make mail order 324 sales. The department may waive the registration fee for 325 applications submitted through the department’s Internet 326 registration process. 327 (b) The department, upon receipt of such application, shall 328willgrant to the applicant a separate certificate of 329 registration for each place of business, which certificate may 330 be canceled by the department or its designated assistants for 331 any failure by the certificateholder to comply withany of the332provisions ofthis chapter. The certificate is not assignable 333 and is valid only for the person, firm, copartnership, or 334 corporation to which issued. The certificate must be placed in a 335 conspicuous place in the business or businesses for which it is 336 issued and must be displayed at all times. Except as provided in 337 this subsection, anoperson may notshallengage in business as 338 a dealer or in leasing, renting, or letting of or granting 339 licenses in living quarters or sleeping or housekeeping 340 accommodations in hotels, apartment houses, roominghouses, 341 tourist or trailer camps, or real property, oras hereinbefore342defined, nor shall any personsell or receive anything of value 343 by way of admissions, without a validfirst having obtained such344acertificate. Aor after such certificate has been canceled; no345 person may notshallreceive aanylicense from any authority 346 within the state to engage in any such business without a valid 347 certificatefirst having obtained such a certificate or after348such certificate has been canceled. A person may not engageThe349engagingin the business of selling or leasing tangible personal 350 property or servicesoras a dealer; engage, as defined in this351chapter, or the engagingin leasing, renting, or letting of or 352 granting licenses in living quarters or sleeping or housekeeping 353 accommodations in hotels, apartment houses, roominghouses, or 354 tourist or trailer camps that are taxable under this chapter, or 355 real property;,or engagethe engagingin the business of 356 selling or receiving anything of value by way of admissions,357 without a validsuchcertificatefirst being obtained or after358such certificate has been canceled by the department, is359prohibited. 360 (c)1. AThe failure or refusal of anyperson who engages in 361 acts requiring a certificate of registration under this 362 subsection and who fails or refuses to register commits, firm,363copartnership, or corporation to so qualify when required364hereunder isa misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as 365 provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. Such acts are, orsubject 366 to injunctive proceedings as provided by law. A person who 367 engages in acts requiring a certificate of registration and who 368 fails or refuses to register is also subjectSuch failure or369refusal also subjects the offenderto a $100 initial 370 registration fee in lieu of the $5 registration fee required by 371authorized inparagraph (a). However, the department may waive 372 the increase in the registration fee if it findsis determined373by the departmentthat the failure to register was due to 374 reasonable cause and not to willful negligence, willful neglect, 375 or fraud. 376 2.a. A person who willfully fails to register after the 377 department provides notice of the duty to register as a dealer 378 commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in 379 s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. 380 b. The department shall provide written notice of the duty 381 to register to the person by personal service, by sending notice 382 by registered mail to the person’s last known address, or both. 383 (d)(c)In addition to the certificate of registration, the 384 department shall provide to each newly registered dealer an 385 initial resale certificate that will be valid for the remainder 386 of the period of issuance. The department shall provide each 387 active dealer with an annual resale certificate. For purposes of 388 this section, the term “active dealer” means a person who is 389 currently registered with the department and who is required to 390 file at least once during each applicable reporting period. 391 (e)(d)The department may revoke aanydealer’s certificate 392 of registration ifwhenthe dealer fails to comply with this 393 chapter. BeforePrior torevocation of a dealer’s certificate of 394 registration, the department must schedule an informal 395 conference at which the dealer may present evidence regarding 396 the department’s intended revocation or enter into a compliance 397 agreement with the department. The department must notify the 398 dealer of its intended action and the time, place, and date of 399 the scheduled informal conference by written notification sent 400 by United States mail to the dealer’s last known address of 401 record furnished by the dealer on a form prescribed by the 402 department. The dealer is required to attend the informal 403 conference and present evidence refuting the department’s 404 intended revocation or enter into a compliance agreement with 405 the department which resolves the dealer’s failure to comply 406 with this chapter. The department shall issue an administrative 407 complaint under s. 120.60 if the dealer fails to attend the 408 department’s informal conference, fails to enter into a 409 compliance agreement with the department resolving the dealer’s 410 noncompliance with this chapter, or fails to comply with the 411 executed compliance agreement. 412 (f)(e)As used in this paragraph, the term “exhibitor” 413 means a person who enters into an agreement authorizing the 414 display of tangible personal property or services at a 415 convention or a trade show. The following provisions apply to 416 the registration of exhibitors as dealers under this chapter: 417 1. An exhibitor whose agreement prohibits the sale of 418 tangible personal property or services subject to the tax 419 imposed in this chapter is not required to register as a dealer. 420 2. An exhibitor whose agreement provides for the sale at 421 wholesale only of tangible personal property or services subject 422 to the tax imposed underinthis chapter must obtain a resale 423 certificate from the purchasing dealer but is not required to 424 register as a dealer. 425 3. An exhibitor whose agreement authorizes the retail sale 426 of tangible personal property or services subject to the tax 427 imposed underinthis chapter must register as a dealer and 428 collect the taximposed under this chapteron such sales. 429 4. AnAnyexhibitor who makes a mail order sale pursuant to 430 s. 212.0596 must register as a dealer. 431 432 AAnyperson who conducts a convention or a trade show must make 433 his or hertheirexhibitor’s agreements available to the 434 department for inspection and copying. 435 Section 6. Effective July 1, 2014, for the purpose of 436 incorporating the amendment made by this act to subsection (3) 437 of section 212.18, Florida Statutes, in a reference thereto, 438 paragraph (c) of subsection (6) of section 212.20, Florida 439 Statutes, is reenacted to read: 440 212.20 Funds collected, disposition; additional powers of 441 department; operational expense; refund of taxes adjudicated 442 unconstitutionally collected.— 443 (6) Distribution of all proceeds under this chapter and s. 444 202.18(1)(b) and (2)(b) shall be as follows: 445 (c) Proceeds from the fees imposed under ss. 212.05(1)(h)3. 446 and 212.18(3) shall remain with the General Revenue Fund. 447 Section 7. Subsection (5) of section 213.13, Florida 448 Statutes, is amended to read: 449 213.13 Electronic remittance and distribution of funds 450 collected by clerks of the court.— 451 (5) All court-related collections, including fees, fines, 452 reimbursements, court costs, and other court-related funds that 453 the clerks must remit to the state pursuant to law, must be 454 transmitted electronically by the 10th20thday of the month 455 immediately following the month in which the funds are 456 collected. 457 Section 8. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section 458 213.21, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 459 213.21 Informal conferences; compromises.— 460 (2)(a) The executive director of the department or his or 461 her designee is authorized to enter into closing agreements with 462 any taxpayer settling or compromising the taxpayer’s liability 463 for any tax, interest, or penalty assessed under any of the 464 chapters specified in s. 72.011(1). Such agreements mustshall465 be in writing ifwhenthe amount of tax, penalty, or interest 466 compromised exceeds $30,000, or for lesser amounts, ifwhenthe 467 department deems it appropriate or ifwhenrequested by the 468 taxpayer. When a written closing agreement has been approved by 469 the department and signed by the executive director or his or 470 her designee and the taxpayer, it shall be final and conclusive; 471 and, except upon a showing of fraud or misrepresentation of 472 material fact or except as to adjustments pursuant to ss. 198.16 473 and 220.23, no additional assessment may be made by the 474 department against the taxpayer for the tax, interest, or 475 penalty specified in the closing agreement for the time period 476 specified in the closing agreement, and the taxpayer isshall477 notbeentitled to institute any judicial or administrative 478 proceeding to recover any tax, interest, or penalty paid 479 pursuant to the closing agreement. The department is authorized 480 to delegate to the executive director the authority to approve 481 any such closing agreement resulting in a tax reduction of 482 $500,000$250,000or less. 483 Section 9. Effective July 1, 2014, section 213.295, Florida 484 Statutes, is created to read: 485 213.295 Automated sales suppression devices.— 486 (1) As used in this section, the term: 487 (a) “Automated sales suppression device” or “zapper” means 488 a software program that falsifies the electronic records of 489 electronic cash registers or other point-of-sale systems, 490 including, but not limited to, transaction data and transaction 491 reports. The term includes the software program, any device that 492 carries the software program, or an Internet link to the 493 software program. 494 (b) “Electronic cash register” means a device that keeps a 495 register or supporting documents through the use of an 496 electronic device or computer system designed to record 497 transaction data for the purpose of computing, compiling, or 498 processing retail sales transaction data in whatever manner. 499 (c) “Phantom-ware” means a hidden programming option 500 embedded in the operating system of an electronic cash register 501 or hardwired into the electronic cash register which may be used 502 to create a second set of records or eliminate or manipulate 503 transaction records, which may or may not be preserved in 504 digital formats, to represent the true or manipulated record of 505 transactions in the electronic cash register. 506 (d) “Transaction data” includes the identification of items 507 purchased by a customer; the price for each item; a taxability 508 determination for each item; a segregated tax amount for each of 509 the taxed items; the amount of cash or credit tendered; the net 510 amount returned to the customer in change; the date and time of 511 the purchase; the name, address, and identification number of 512 the vendor; and the receipt or invoice number of the 513 transaction. 514 (e) “Transaction report” means a report that documents, but 515 is not limited to documenting, the sales, taxes, or fees 516 collected, media totals, and discount voids at an electronic 517 cash register and is printed on a cash register tape at the end 518 of a day or a shift, or a report that documents every action at 519 an electronic cash register and is stored electronically. 520 (2) A person may not knowingly sell, purchase, install, 521 transfer, possess, use, or access an automated sales suppression 522 device, a zapper, or phantom-ware. 523 (3) A person who violates this section: 524 (a) Commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as 525 provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. 526 (b) Is liable for all taxes, fees, penalties, and interest 527 due the state which result from the use of an automated sales 528 suppression device, a zapper, or phantom-ware and shall forfeit 529 to the state as an additional penalty all profits associated 530 with the sale or use of an automated sales suppression device, a 531 zapper, or phantom-ware. 532 (4) An automated sales suppression device, a zapper, 533 phantom-ware, or any device containing such device or software 534 is a contraband article under ss. 932.701-932.706, the Florida 535 Contraband Forfeiture Act. 536 Section 10. Paragraph (h) of subsection (3) of section 537 443.131, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 538 443.131 Contributions.— 539 (3) VARIATION OF CONTRIBUTION RATES BASED ON BENEFIT 540 EXPERIENCE.— 541 (h) Additional conditions for variation from the standard 542 rate.—An employer’s contribution rate may not be reduced below 543 the standard rate under this section unless: 544 1. All contributions, reimbursements, interest, and 545 penalties incurred by the employer for wages paid by him or her 546 in all previous calendar quarters, except the 4 calendar 547 quarters immediately preceding the calendar quarter or calendar 548 year for which the benefit ratio is computed, are paid;and549 2. The employer has produced for inspection and copying all 550 work records in his or her possession, custody, or control which 551 were requested by the Department of Economic Opportunity or its 552 tax collection service provider pursuant to s. 443.171(5). An 553 employer shall have at least 60 days to provide the requested 554 work records before the employer is assigned the standard rate; 555 and 556 3.2.The employer entitled to a rate reduction must have at 557 least one annual payroll as defined in subparagraph (b)1. unless 558 the employer is eligible for additional credit under the Federal 559 Unemployment Tax Act. If the Federal Unemployment Tax Act is 560 amended or repealed in a manner affecting credit under the 561 federal act, this section applies only to the extent that 562 additional credit is allowed against the payment of the tax 563 imposed by theFederal Unemployment Taxact. 564 565 The tax collection service provider shall assign an earned 566 contribution rate to an employer forunder subparagraph 1.the 567 quarter immediately after the quarter in which all 568 contributions, reimbursements, interest, and penalties are paid 569 in full and all work records requested pursuant to s. 443.171(5) 570 have been produced for inspection and copying by the Department 571 of Economic Opportunity or the tax collection service provider. 572 Section 11. Effective January 1, 2015, paragraph (a) of 573 subsection (1) and paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section 574 443.141, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 575 443.141 Collection of contributions and reimbursements.— 576 (1) PAST DUE CONTRIBUTIONS AND REIMBURSEMENTS; DELINQUENT, 577 ERRONEOUS, INCOMPLETE, OR INSUFFICIENT REPORTS.— 578 (a) Interest.—Contributions or reimbursements unpaid on the 579 date due bear interest at the rate of 1 percent per month 580 through December 31, 2014. Beginning January 1, 2015, the 581 interest rate shall be calculated in accordance with s. 213.235, 582 except that the rate of interest may not exceed 1 percent per 583 month from and after thethatdate due until payment plus 584 accrued interest is received by the tax collection service 585 provider, unless the service provider finds that the employing 586 unit has good reason for failing to pay the contributions or 587 reimbursements when due. Interest collected under this 588 subsection must be paid into the Special Employment Security 589 Administration Trust Fund. 590 (2) REPORTS, CONTRIBUTIONS, APPEALS.— 591 (b) Hearings.—The determination and assessment are final 20 59215days after the date the assessment is mailed unless the 593 employer files with the tax collection service provider within 594 the 2015days a written protest and petition for hearing 595 specifying the objectionsthereto. The tax collection service 596 provider shall promptly review each petition and may reconsider 597 its determination and assessment in order to resolve the 598 petitioner’s objections. The tax collection service provider 599 shall forward each unresolved petitionremaining unresolvedto 600 the department for a hearing on the objections. Upon receipt of 601 a petition, the department shall schedule a hearing and notify 602 the petitioner of the time and place of the hearing. The 603 department may appoint special deputies to conduct hearings who 604 shalland tosubmit their findings together with a transcript of 605 the proceedings before them and their recommendations to the 606 department for its final order. Special deputies are subject to 607 the prohibition against ex parte communications in s. 120.66. At 608 any hearing conducted by the department or its special deputy, 609 evidence may be offered to support the determination and 610 assessment or to prove it is incorrect. In order to prevail, 611 however, the petitioner musteitherprove that the determination 612 and assessment are incorrect or file full and complete corrected 613 reports. Evidence may also be submittedat the hearingto rebut 614 the determination by the tax collection service provider that 615 the petitioner is an employer under this chapter. Upon evidence 616 taken before it or upon the transcript submitted to it with the 617 findings and recommendation of its special deputy, the 618 department shalleitherset aside the tax collection service 619 provider’s determination that the petitioner is an employer 620 under this chapter or reaffirm the determination. The amounts 621 assessed under the final order, together with interest and 622 penalties, must be paid within 15 days after notice of the final 623 order is mailed to the employer, unless judicial review is 624 instituted in a case of status determination. Amounts due when 625 the status of the employer is in dispute are payable within 15 626 days after the entry of an order by the court affirming the 627 determination. However, aanydetermination that an employing 628 unit is not an employer under this chapter does not affect the 629 benefit rights of ananyindividual as determined by an appeals 630 referee or the commission unless: 631 1. The individual is made a party to the proceedings before 632 the special deputy; or 633 2. The decision of the appeals referee or the commission 634 has not become final or the employing unit and the department 635 were not made parties to the proceedings before the appeals 636 referee or the commission. 637 Section 12. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this 638 act, this act shall take effect upon becoming a law.