Bill Text: MS HB167 | 2016 | Regular Session | Enrolled


Bill Title: Sales tax; withhold portion of diversion to municipality that fails to comply with audit requirement.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2016-04-06 - Approved by Governor [HB167 Detail]

Download: Mississippi-2016-HB167-Enrolled.html

MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2016 Regular Session

To: Accountability, Efficiency,Transparency; Revenue and Expenditure General Bills

By: Representatives Dixon, Monsour

House Bill 167

(As Sent to Governor)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 27-65-75, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT IF THE STATE AUDITOR ISSUES A CERTIFICATE OF NONCOMPLIANCE, THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE SHALL WITHHOLD TEN PERCENT OF THE ALLOCATIONS AND PAYMENTS TO THE MUNICIPALITY THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE PAYABLE TO THE MUNICIPALITY UNTIL SUCH TIME THAT THE DEPARTMENT RECEIVES WRITTEN NOTICE OF THE CANCELLATION OF A CERTIFICATE OF NONCOMPLIANCE FROM THE STATE AUDITOR; TO PROVIDE THAT IF THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE HAS MADE ERRONEOUS DISBURSEMENTS TO A MUNICIPALITY AS A DIVERSION OF SALES TAX REVENUE FOR A PERIOD OF THREE YEARS OR MORE, THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT THAT MAY BE RECOVERED OR WITHHELD FROM THE MUNICIPALITY IS THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF FUNDS ERRONEOUSLY DISBURSED FOR A PERIOD OF THREE YEARS BEGINNING WITH THE DATE OF THE FIRST ERRONEOUS DISBURSEMENT; TO PROVIDE THAT IF DURING SUCH PERIOD, A MUNICIPALITY PROVIDES WRITTEN NOTICE TO THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE INDICATING THE ERRONEOUS DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS, THEN THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT THAT MAY BE RECOVERED OR WITHHELD FROM THE MUNICIPALITY IS THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF FUNDS ERRONEOUSLY DISBURSED FOR A PERIOD OF ONE YEAR BEGINNING WITH THE DATE OF THE FIRST ERRONEOUS DISBURSEMENT; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 21-35-31, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH REQUIRES MUNICIPALITIES TO HAVE AN ANNUAL AUDIT OR REPORT REGARDING THEIR BOOKS, FOR THE PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

     BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

     SECTION 1.  Section 27-65-75, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

     27-65-75.  On or before the fifteenth day of each month, the revenue collected under the provisions of this chapter during the preceding month shall be paid and distributed as follows:

     (1)  (a)  On or before August 15, 1992, and each succeeding month thereafter through July 15, 1993, eighteen percent (18%) of the total sales tax revenue collected during the preceding month under the provisions of this chapter, except that collected under the provisions of Sections 27-65-15, 27-65-19(3) and 27-65-21, on business activities within a municipal corporation shall be allocated for distribution to the municipality and paid to the municipal corporation.  Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph (a), on or before August 15, 1993, and each succeeding month thereafter, eighteen and one-half percent (18-1/2%) of the total sales tax revenue collected during the preceding month under the provisions of this chapter, except that collected under the provisions of Sections 27-65-15, 27-65-19(3), 27-65-21 and 27-65-24, on business activities within a municipal corporation shall be allocated for distribution to the municipality and paid to the municipal corporation.  However, in the event the State Auditor issues a certificate of noncompliance pursuant to Section 21-35-31, the Department of Revenue shall withhold ten percent (10%) of the allocations and payments to the municipality that would otherwise be payable to the municipality under this paragraph (a) until such time that the department receives written notice of the cancellation of a certificate of noncompliance from the State Auditor.

     A municipal corporation, for the purpose of distributing the tax under this subsection, shall mean and include all incorporated cities, towns and villages.

     Monies allocated for distribution and credited to a municipal corporation under this paragraph may be pledged as security for a loan if the distribution received by the municipal corporation is otherwise authorized or required by law to be pledged as security for such a loan.

     In any county having a county seat that is not an incorporated municipality, the distribution provided under this subsection shall be made as though the county seat was an incorporated municipality; however, the distribution to the municipality shall be paid to the county treasury in which the municipality is located, and those funds shall be used for road, bridge and street construction or maintenance in the county.

          (b)  On or before August 15, 2006, and each succeeding month thereafter, eighteen and one-half percent (18-1/2%) of the total sales tax revenue collected during the preceding month under the provisions of this chapter, except that collected under the provisions of Sections 27-65-15, 27-65-19(3) and 27-65-21, on business activities on the campus of a state institution of higher learning or community or junior college whose campus is not located within the corporate limits of a municipality, shall be allocated for distribution to the state institution of higher learning or community or junior college and paid to the state institution of higher learning or community or junior college.

     (2)  On or before September 15, 1987, and each succeeding month thereafter, from the revenue collected under this chapter during the preceding month, One Million One Hundred Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($1,125,000.00) shall be allocated for distribution to municipal corporations as defined under subsection (1) of this section in the proportion that the number of gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel sold by distributors to consumers and retailers in each such municipality during the preceding fiscal year bears to the total gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel sold by distributors to consumers and retailers in municipalities statewide during the preceding fiscal year.  The Department of Revenue shall require all distributors of gasoline and diesel fuel to report to the department monthly the total number of gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel sold by them to consumers and retailers in each municipality during the preceding month.  The Department of Revenue shall have the authority to promulgate such rules and regulations as is necessary to determine the number of gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel sold by distributors to consumers and retailers in each municipality.  In determining the percentage allocation of funds under this subsection for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1987, and ending June 30, 1988, the Department of Revenue may consider gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel sold for a period of less than one (1) fiscal year.  For the purposes of this subsection, the term "fiscal year" means the fiscal year beginning July 1 of a year.

     (3)  On or before September 15, 1987, and on or before the fifteenth day of each succeeding month, until the date specified in Section 65-39-35, the proceeds derived from contractors' taxes levied under Section 27-65-21 on contracts for the construction or reconstruction of highways designated under the highway program created under Section 65-3-97 shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 31-17-127, be deposited into the State Treasury to the credit of the State Highway Fund to be used to fund that highway program.  The Mississippi Department of Transportation shall provide to the Department of Revenue such information as is necessary to determine the amount of proceeds to be distributed under this subsection.

     (4)  On or before August 15, 1994, and on or before the fifteenth day of each succeeding month through July 15, 1999, from the proceeds of gasoline, diesel fuel or kerosene taxes as provided in Section 27-5-101(a)(ii)1, Four Million Dollars ($4,000,000.00) shall be deposited in the State Treasury to the credit of a special fund designated as the "State Aid Road Fund," created by Section 65-9-17.  On or before August 15, 1999, and on or before the fifteenth day of each succeeding month, from the total amount of the proceeds of gasoline, diesel fuel or kerosene taxes apportioned by Section 27-5-101(a)(ii)1, Four Million Dollars ($4,000,000.00) or an amount equal to twenty-three and one-fourth percent (23-1/4%) of those funds, whichever is the greater amount, shall be deposited in the State Treasury to the credit of the "State Aid Road Fund," created by Section 65-9-17.  Those funds shall be pledged to pay the principal of and interest on state aid road bonds heretofore issued under Sections 19-9-51 through 19-9-77, in lieu of and in substitution for the funds previously allocated to counties under this section.  Those funds may not be pledged for the payment of any state aid road bonds issued after April 1, 1981; however, this prohibition against the pledging of any such funds for the payment of bonds shall not apply to any bonds for which intent to issue those bonds has been published for the first time, as provided by law before March 29, 1981.  From the amount of taxes paid into the special fund under this subsection and subsection (9) of this section, there shall be first deducted and paid the amount necessary to pay the expenses of the Office of State Aid Road Construction, as authorized by the Legislature for all other general and special fund agencies.  The remainder of the fund shall be allocated monthly to the several counties in accordance with the following formula:

          (a)  One-third (1/3) shall be allocated to all counties in equal shares;

          (b)  One-third (1/3) shall be allocated to counties based on the proportion that the total number of rural road miles in a county bears to the total number of rural road miles in all counties of the state; and

          (c)  One-third (1/3) shall be allocated to counties based on the proportion that the rural population of the county bears to the total rural population in all counties of the state, according to the latest federal decennial census.

     For the purposes of this subsection, the term "gasoline, diesel fuel or kerosene taxes" means such taxes as defined in paragraph (f) of Section 27-5-101.

     The amount of funds allocated to any county under this subsection for any fiscal year after fiscal year 1994 shall not be less than the amount allocated to the county for fiscal year 1994.

     Any reference in the general laws of this state or the Mississippi Code of 1972 to Section 27-5-105 shall mean and be construed to refer and apply to subsection (4) of Section 27-65-75.

     (5)  One Million Six Hundred Sixty-six Thousand Six Hundred Sixty-six Dollars ($1,666,666.00) each month shall be paid into the special fund known as the "State Public School Building Fund" created and existing under the provisions of Sections 37-47-1 through 37-47-67.  Those payments into that fund are to be made on the last day of each succeeding month hereafter.

     (6)  An amount each month beginning August 15, 1983, through November 15, 1986, as specified in Section 6 of Chapter 542, Laws of 1983, shall be paid into the special fund known as the Correctional Facilities Construction Fund created in Section 6 of Chapter 542, Laws of 1983.

     (7)  On or before August 15, 1992, and each succeeding month thereafter through July 15, 2000, two and two hundred sixty-six one-thousandths percent (2.266%) of the total sales tax revenue collected during the preceding month under the provisions of this chapter, except that collected under the provisions of Section 27-65-17(2), shall be deposited by the department into the School Ad Valorem Tax Reduction Fund created under Section 37-61-35.  On or before August 15, 2000, and each succeeding month thereafter, two and two hundred sixty-six one-thousandths percent (2.266%) of the total sales tax revenue collected during the preceding month under the provisions of this chapter, except that collected under the provisions of Section 27-65-17(2), shall be deposited into the School Ad Valorem Tax Reduction Fund created under Section 37-61-35 until such time that the total amount deposited into the fund during a fiscal year equals Forty-two Million Dollars ($42,000,000.00).  Thereafter, the amounts diverted under this subsection (7) during the fiscal year in excess of Forty-two Million Dollars ($42,000,000.00) shall be deposited into the Education Enhancement Fund created under Section 37-61-33 for appropriation by the Legislature as other education needs and shall not be subject to the percentage appropriation requirements set forth in Section 37-61-33.

     (8)  On or before August 15, 1992, and each succeeding month thereafter, nine and seventy-three one-thousandths percent (9.073%) of the total sales tax revenue collected during the preceding month under the provisions of this chapter, except that collected under the provisions of Section 27-65-17(2), shall be deposited into the Education Enhancement Fund created under Section 37-61-33.

     (9)  On or before August 15, 1994, and each succeeding month thereafter, from the revenue collected under this chapter during the preceding month, Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000.00) shall be paid into the State Aid Road Fund.

     (10)  On or before August 15, 1994, and each succeeding month thereafter through August 15, 1995, from the revenue collected under this chapter during the preceding month, Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000.00) shall be deposited into the Motor Vehicle Ad Valorem Tax Reduction Fund established in Section 27-51-105.

     (11)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this section to the contrary, on or before February 15, 1995, and each succeeding month thereafter, the sales tax revenue collected during the preceding month under the provisions of Section 27-65-17(2) and the corresponding levy in Section 27-65-23 on the rental or lease of private carriers of passengers and light carriers of property as defined in Section 27-51-101 shall be deposited, without diversion, into the Motor Vehicle Ad Valorem Tax Reduction Fund established in Section 27-51-105.

     (12)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this section to the contrary, on or before August 15, 1995, and each succeeding month thereafter, the sales tax revenue collected during the preceding month under the provisions of Section 27-65-17(1) on retail sales of private carriers of passengers and light carriers of property, as defined in Section 27-51-101 and the corresponding levy in Section 27-65-23 on the rental or lease of these vehicles, shall be deposited, after diversion, into the Motor Vehicle Ad Valorem Tax Reduction Fund established in Section 27-51-105.

     (13)  On or before July 15, 1994, and on or before the fifteenth day of each succeeding month thereafter, that portion of the avails of the tax imposed in Section 27-65-22 that is derived from activities held on the Mississippi State Fairgrounds Complex shall be paid into a special fund that is created in the State Treasury and shall be expended upon legislative appropriation solely to defray the costs of repairs and renovation at the Trade Mart and Coliseum.

     (14)  On or before August 15, 1998, and each succeeding month thereafter through July 15, 2005, that portion of the avails of the tax imposed in Section 27-65-23 that is derived from sales by cotton compresses or cotton warehouses and that would otherwise be paid into the General Fund shall be deposited in an amount not to exceed Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000.00) into the special fund created under Section 69-37-39.  On or before August 15, 2007, and each succeeding month thereafter through July 15, 2010, that portion of the avails of the tax imposed in Section 27-65-23 that is derived from sales by cotton compresses or cotton warehouses and that would otherwise be paid into the General Fund shall be deposited in an amount not to exceed Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000.00) into the special fund created under Section 69-37-39 until all debts or other obligations incurred by the Certified Cotton Growers Organization under the Mississippi Boll Weevil Management Act before January 1, 2007, are satisfied in full.  On or before August 15, 2010, and each succeeding month thereafter through July 15, 2011, fifty percent (50%) of that portion of the avails of the tax imposed in Section 27-65-23 that is derived from sales by cotton compresses or cotton warehouses and that would otherwise be paid into the General Fund shall be deposited into the special fund created under Section 69-37-39 until such time that the total amount deposited into the fund during a fiscal year equals One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00).  On or before August 15, 2011, and each succeeding month thereafter, that portion of the avails of the tax imposed in Section 27-65-23 that is derived from sales by cotton compresses or cotton warehouses and that would otherwise be paid into the General Fund shall be deposited into the special fund created under Section 69-37-39 until such time that the total amount deposited into the fund during a fiscal year equals One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00).

     (15)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this section to the contrary, on or before September 15, 2000, and each succeeding month thereafter, the sales tax revenue collected during the preceding month under the provisions of Section 27-65-19(1)(d)(i)2, and 27-65-19(d)(i)3 shall be deposited, without diversion, into the Telecommunications Ad Valorem Tax Reduction Fund established in Section 27-38-7.

     (16)  (a)  On or before August 15, 2000, and each succeeding month thereafter, the sales tax revenue collected during the preceding month under the provisions of this chapter on the gross proceeds of sales of a project as defined in Section 57-30-1 shall be deposited, after all diversions except the diversion provided for in subsection (1) of this section, into the Sales Tax Incentive Fund created in Section 57-30-3.

          (b)  On or before August 15, 2007, and each succeeding month thereafter, eighty percent (80%) of the sales tax revenue collected during the preceding month under the provisions of this chapter from the operation of a tourism project under the provisions of Sections 57-26-1 through 57-26-5, shall be deposited, after the diversions required in subsections (7) and (8) of this section, into the Tourism Project Sales Tax Incentive Fund created in Section 57-26-3.

     (17)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this section to the contrary, on or before April 15, 2002, and each succeeding month thereafter, the sales tax revenue collected during the preceding month under Section 27-65-23 on sales of parking services of parking garages and lots at airports shall be deposited, without diversion, into the special fund created under Section 27-5-101(d).

     (18)  [Repealed]

     (19)  (a)  On or before August 15, 2005, and each succeeding month thereafter, the sales tax revenue collected during the preceding month under the provisions of this chapter on the gross proceeds of sales of a business enterprise located within a redevelopment project area under the provisions of Sections 57-91-1 through 57-91-11, and the revenue collected on the gross proceeds of sales from sales made to a business enterprise located in a redevelopment project area under the provisions of Sections 57-91-1 through 57-91-11 (provided that such sales made to a business enterprise are made on the premises of the business enterprise), shall, except as otherwise provided in this subsection (19), be deposited, after all diversions, into the Redevelopment Project Incentive Fund as created in Section 57-91-9.

          (b)  For a municipality participating in the Economic Redevelopment Act created in Sections 57-91-1 through 57-91-11, the diversion provided for in subsection (1) of this section attributable to the gross proceeds of sales of a business enterprise located within a redevelopment project area under the provisions of Sections 57-91-1 through 57-91-11, and attributable to the gross proceeds of sales from sales made to a business enterprise located in a redevelopment project area under the provisions of Sections 57-91-1 through 57-91-11 (provided that such sales made to a business enterprise are made on the premises of the business enterprise), shall be deposited into the Redevelopment Project Incentive Fund as created in Section 57-91-9, as follows:

              (i)  For the first six (6) years in which payments are made to a developer from the Redevelopment Project Incentive Fund, one hundred percent (100%) of the diversion shall be deposited into the fund;

              (ii)  For the seventh year in which such payments are made to a developer from the Redevelopment Project Incentive Fund, eighty percent (80%) of the diversion shall be deposited into the fund;

              (iii)  For the eighth year in which such payments are made to a developer from the Redevelopment Project Incentive Fund, seventy percent (70%) of the diversion shall be deposited into the fund;

              (iv)  For the ninth year in which such payments are made to a developer from the Redevelopment Project Incentive Fund, sixty percent (60%) of the diversion shall be deposited into the fund; and

              (v)  For the tenth year in which such payments are made to a developer from the Redevelopment Project Incentive Fund, fifty percent (50%) of the funds shall be deposited into the fund.

     (20)  On or before January 15, 2007, and each succeeding month thereafter, eighty percent (80%) of the sales tax revenue collected during the preceding month under the provisions of this chapter from the operation of a tourism project under the provisions of Sections 57-28-1 through 57-28-5 shall be deposited, after the diversions required in subsections (7) and (8) of this section, into the Tourism Sales Tax Incentive Fund created in Section 57-28-3.

     (21)  (a)  On or before April 15, 2007, and each succeeding month thereafter through June 15, 2013, One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($150,000.00) of the sales tax revenue collected during the preceding month under the provisions of this chapter shall be deposited into the MMEIA Tax Incentive Fund created in Section 57-101-3.

          (b)  On or before July 15, 2013, and each succeeding month thereafter, One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($150,000.00) of the sales tax revenue collected during the preceding month under the provisions of this chapter shall be deposited into the Mississippi Development Authority Job Training Grant Fund created in Section 57-1-451.

     (22)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this section to the contrary, on or before August 15, 2009, and each succeeding month thereafter, the sales tax revenue collected during the preceding month under the provisions of Section 27-65-201 shall be deposited, without diversion, into the Motor Vehicle Ad Valorem Tax Reduction Fund established in Section 27-51-105.

     (23)  The remainder of the amounts collected under the provisions of this chapter shall be paid into the State Treasury to the credit of the General Fund.

     (24)  (a)  It shall be the duty of the municipal officials of any municipality that expands its limits, or of any community that incorporates as a municipality, to notify the commissioner of that action thirty (30) days before the effective date.  Failure to so notify the commissioner shall cause the municipality to forfeit the revenue that it would have been entitled to receive during this period of time when the commissioner had no knowledge of the action.

          (b)  (i)  Except as otherwise provided in subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, if any funds have been erroneously disbursed to any municipality or any overpayment of tax is recovered by the taxpayer, the commissioner may make correction and adjust the error or overpayment with the municipality by withholding the necessary funds from any later payment to be made to the municipality.

              (ii)  Subject to the provisions of Sections 27-65-51 and 27-65-53, if any funds have been erroneously disbursed to a municipality under subsection (1) of this section for a period of three (3) years or more, the maximum amount that may be recovered or withheld from the municipality is the total amount of funds erroneously disbursed for a period of three (3) years beginning with the date of the first erroneous disbursement.  However, if during such period, a municipality provides written notice to the Department of Revenue indicating the erroneous disbursement of funds, then the maximum amount that may be recovered or withheld from the municipality is the total amount of funds erroneously disbursed for a period of one (1) year beginning with the date of the first erroneous disbursement.

     SECTION 2.  Section 21-35-31, Mississippi Code of 1972, is brought forward as follows:

     [For municipal fiscal years commencing before October 1, 2009, this section shall read as follows:]

     21-35-31.  The governing authorities of every municipality in the state shall have their books audited annually, prior to the close of the next succeeding fiscal year, either by a competent accountant approved by the State Auditor or by a certified public accountant, who has paid a privilege tax as such in this state, and shall pay for same out of the General Fund.  No advertisement shall be necessary before entering into such contract, but same shall be entered into as a private contract.  Said audit shall be made upon a uniform formula set up and promulgated by the State Auditor, as the head of the State Department of Audit, or the director thereof, appointed by him, as designated and defined in Title 7, Chapter 7, of the Mississippi Code of 1972, or any office or officers hereafter designated to replace or perform the duties imposed by said chapter.  Provided, however, any municipality with a population of three thousand (3,000) or less may employ a competent accountant or auditor, approved by the State Auditor, to prepare annually a compilation report and a compliance letter, in a format prescribed by the State Auditor, in lieu of an annual audit when such audit will be a financial hardship on the municipality.  Two (2) copies of said audit or compilation shall be mailed to the said State Auditor within thirty (30) days after completion of said audit.  Said State Auditor shall, at the end of each fiscal year, submit to the Legislature a composite report showing any information concerning municipalities in this state that he might deem pertinent and necessary to the Legislature for use in its deliberations.  A synopsis of said audit, in a format prescribed by the State Auditor, shall be published within thirty (30) days by the governing authorities of such municipalities in a newspaper published in such municipalities or, if no newspaper be published in any such municipality, in any newspaper having a general circulation published in the county wherein such municipality is located.  The publication of the audit may be made as provided in Section 21-17-19, Mississippi Code of 1972.  Such publication shall be made one (1) time, and the governing authorities of such municipalities shall be authorized to pay only one-half (1/2) of the legal rate prescribed by law for such legal publication.

     [For municipal fiscal years commencing on or after October 1, 2009, this section shall read as follows:]

     21-35-31.  (1)  The governing authority of every municipality in the state shall have the municipal books audited annually, before the close of the next succeeding fiscal year, in accordance with procedures and reporting requirements prescribed by the State Auditor.  The municipality shall pay for the audit or report out of its general fund.  No advertisement shall be necessary before entering into the contract, and it shall be entered into as a private contract.  The audit or report shall be made upon a uniform formula set up and promulgated by the State Auditor, as the head of the State Department of Audit, or the director thereof, appointed by him, as designated and defined in Title 7, Chapter 7, Mississippi Code of 1972, or any office or officers hereafter designated to replace or perform the duties imposed by said chapter.  Two (2) copies of the audit or report shall be mailed to the said State Auditor within thirty (30) days after completion.  The State Auditor, at the end of each fiscal year, shall submit to the Legislature a composite report showing any information concerning municipalities in this state that the Auditor deems pertinent and necessary to the Legislature for use in its deliberations.  A synopsis of the audit or report, in a format prescribed by the State Auditor, shall be published within thirty (30) days by the governing authority of each municipality in a newspaper published in the municipality or, if no newspaper is published in a municipality, in any newspaper having a general circulation published in the county wherein the municipality is located.  The publication of the audit or report may be made as provided in Section 21-17-19.  Publication shall be made one (1) time, and the governing authority of each municipality shall be authorized to pay only one-half (1/2) of the legal rate prescribed by law for such legal publication.

     (2)  It shall be the duty of the State Auditor to determine whether each municipality has complied with the requirements of subsection (1) of this section.  If upon examination the State Auditor determines that a municipality has not initiated efforts to comply with the requirements of subsection (1), the State Auditor shall file a certified written notice with the clerk of the municipality notifying the governing authority of the municipality that a certificate of noncompliance will be issued to the State Tax Commission and to the Attorney General thirty (30) days immediately following the date of the filing of the notice unless within that period the municipality substantially complies with the requirements of subsection (1).  If, after thirty (30) days from the giving of the notice, the municipality, in the opinion of the State Auditor, has not substantially initiated efforts to comply with the requirements of subsection (1), the State Auditor shall issue a certificate of noncompliance to the clerk of the municipality, State Tax Commission and the Attorney General.  Thereafter, the State Tax Commission shall withhold from all allocations and payments to the municipality that would otherwise be payable the amount necessary to pay one hundred fifty percent (150%) of the cost of preparing the required audit or report as contracted for by the State Auditor.  The cost shall be determined by the State Auditor after receiving proposals for the audit or report required in subsection (1) of this section.  The State Auditor shall notify the State Tax Commission of the amount in writing, and the State Tax Commission shall transfer that amount to the State Auditor.  The State Auditor is authorized to escalate, budget and expend these funds in accordance with rules and regulations of the Department of Finance and Administration consistent with the escalation of federal funds.  All remaining funds shall be retained by the State Auditor to offset the costs of administering these contracts.  The State Auditor shall not unreasonably delay the issuance of a written notice of cancellation of a certificate of noncompliance but shall promptly issue a written notice of cancellation of certificate of noncompliance upon an affirmative showing by the municipality that it has come into substantial compliance.

     SECTION 3.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2016.


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