H.B. No. 2712

AN ACT
relating to the temporary exemption of certain tangible personal
property related to large data center projects from the sales and
use tax.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter H, Chapter 151, Tax Code, is amended
by adding Section 151.3595 to read as follows:
Sec. 151.3595. PROPERTY USED IN CERTAIN LARGE DATA CENTER
PROJECTS; TEMPORARY EXEMPTION. (a) In this section:
(1) “County average weekly wage” means the average
weekly wage in a county for all jobs during the most recent four
quarterly periods for which data is available, as computed by the
Texas Workforce Commission, at the time a large data center project
creates a job used to qualify under this section.
(2) “Large data center project” means a project that:
(A) is located in this state;
(B) is composed of one or more buildings
comprising at least 250,000 square feet of space located or to be
located on a single parcel of land or on contiguous parcels of land
that are commonly owned or owned by affiliation with the qualifying
operator;
(C) is specifically constructed or refurbished
and actually used primarily to house servers and related equipment
and support staff for the processing, storage, and distribution of
data;
(D) is used by a single qualifying occupant for
the processing, storage, and distribution of data;
(E) is not used primarily by a telecommunications
provider to place tangible personal property used to deliver
telecommunications services; and
(F) has an uninterruptible power source, a backup
generator, a fire suppression and prevention system, and physical
security that includes restricted access, video surveillance, and
electronic systems.
(3) “Permanent job” means an employment position that
will exist for at least five years after the date the job is
created.
(4) “Qualifying job” means a full-time, permanent job
that pays at least 120 percent of the county average weekly wage in
the county in which the job is based. The term includes a new
employment position staffed by a third-party employer if a written
contract exists between the third-party employer and a qualifying
owner, qualifying operator, or qualifying occupant that provides
that the employment position is permanently assigned to an
associated qualifying large data center project.
(5) “Qualifying large data center project” means a
large data center project that meets the qualifications prescribed
by Subsection (d).
(6) “Qualifying operator” means a person who controls
access to a qualifying large data center project, regardless of
whether that person owns each item of tangible personal property
located at the qualifying large data center project. A qualifying
operator may also be the qualifying owner.
(7) “Qualifying owner” means a person who owns a
building in which a qualifying large data center project is
located. A qualifying owner may also be the qualifying operator.
(8) “Qualifying occupant” means a person who:
(A) contracts with a qualifying owner or
qualifying operator to place, or cause to be placed, and to use
tangible personal property at the qualifying large data center
project; or
(B) in the case of a qualifying occupant who is
also the qualifying owner and the qualifying operator, places or
causes to be placed and uses tangible personal property at the
qualifying large data center project.
(b) Except as otherwise provided by this section, tangible
personal property that is necessary and essential to the operation
of a qualifying large data center project is exempted from the taxes
imposed by this chapter if the tangible personal property is
purchased for installation at, incorporation into, or in the case
of electricity, use in a qualifying large data center project by a
qualifying owner, qualifying operator, or qualifying occupant, and
the tangible personal property is:
(1) electricity;
(2) an electrical system;
(3) a cooling system;
(4) an emergency generator;
(5) hardware or a distributed mainframe computer or
server;
(6) a data storage device;
(7) network connectivity equipment;
(8) a rack, cabinet, and raised floor system;
(9) a peripheral component or system;
(10) software;
(11) a mechanical, electrical, or plumbing system that
is necessary to operate any tangible personal property described by
Subdivisions (2)-(10);
(12) any other item of equipment or system necessary
to operate any tangible personal property described by Subdivisions
(2)-(11), including a fixture; and
(13) a component part of any tangible personal
property described by Subdivisions (2)-(10).
(c) The exemption provided by this section does not apply
to:
(1) office equipment or supplies;
(2) maintenance or janitorial supplies or equipment;
(3) equipment or supplies used primarily in sales
activities or transportation activities;
(4) tangible personal property on which the purchaser
has received or has a pending application for a refund under Section
151.429;
(5) tangible personal property not otherwise exempted
under Subsection (b) that is incorporated into real estate or into
an improvement of real estate;
(6) tangible personal property that is rented or
leased for a term of one year or less; or
(7) notwithstanding Section 151.3111, a taxable
service that is performed on tangible personal property exempted
under this section.
(d) Subject to Subsection (j), a large data center project
may be certified by the comptroller as a qualifying large data
center project for purposes of this section if, on or after June 1,
2015:
(1) a single qualifying occupant:
(A) contracts with a qualifying owner or
qualifying operator to lease space in which the qualifying occupant
will locate a large data center project; or
(B) occupies a space that was not previously used
as a data center in which the qualifying occupant will locate a
large data center project, in the case of a qualifying occupant who
is also the qualifying operator and the qualifying owner; and
(2) the qualifying owner, qualifying operator, or
qualifying occupant, independently or jointly:
(A) creates at least 40 qualifying jobs in the
county in which the large data center project is located, not
including jobs moved from one county in this state to another county
in this state;
(B) on or after May 1, 2015, makes or agrees to
make a capital investment of at least $500 million in that
particular large data center project, the amount of which may not
include a capital investment to replace personal property
previously placed in service in that large data center project,
over a five-year period beginning on the earlier of:
(i) the date the large data center project
submits the application described by Subsection (e); or
(ii) the date the large data center project
is certified by the comptroller as a qualifying large data center
project; and
(C) agrees to contract for at least 20 megawatts
of transmission capacity for operation of the large data center
project.
(e) A large data center project that is eligible under
Subsection (d) to be certified by the comptroller as a qualifying
large data center project shall apply to the comptroller for
certification and for the issuance of a registration number or
numbers by the comptroller. The application must be made on a form
prescribed by the comptroller and must include the information
required by the comptroller. The application must include the name
and contact information for the qualifying occupant, and, if
applicable, the name and contact information for the qualifying
owner and the qualifying operator who will claim the exemption
authorized under this section. The application form must include a
section for the applicant to certify that the capital investment
required by Subsection (d)(2)(B) will be met independently or
jointly by the qualifying occupant, qualifying owner, or qualifying
operator within the time period prescribed by Subsection (d)(2)(B).
(f) The exemption provided by this section begins on the
date the large data center project is certified by the comptroller
as a qualifying large data center project and expires on the 20th
anniversary of that date, if the qualifying occupant, qualifying
owner, or qualifying operator, independently or jointly makes the
capital investment of at least $500 million as provided by
Subsection (d)(2)(B).
(g) Each person who is eligible to claim an exemption
authorized by this section must hold a registration number issued
by the comptroller. The registration number must be stated on the
exemption certificate provided by the purchaser to the seller of
tangible personal property eligible for the exemption.
(h) The comptroller shall revoke all registration numbers
issued in connection with a qualifying large data center project
that the comptroller determines does not meet the requirements
prescribed by Subsection (d). Each person who has the person’s
registration number revoked by the comptroller is liable for taxes,
including penalty and interest from the date of purchase, imposed
under this chapter on purchases for which the person claimed an
exemption under this section, regardless of whether the purchase
occurred before the date the registration number was revoked.
(i) The comptroller shall adopt rules consistent with and
necessary to implement this section, including rules relating to:
(1) a qualifying large data center project, qualifying
owner, qualifying operator, and qualifying occupant;
(2) issuance and revocation of a registration number
required under this section; and
(3) reporting and other procedures necessary to ensure
that a qualifying large data center project, qualifying owner,
qualifying operator, and qualifying occupant comply with this
section and remain entitled to the exemption authorized by this
section.
(j) A data center is not eligible to receive an exemption
under this section if the data center is subject to an agreement
limiting the appraised value of the data center’s property under
Subchapter B or C, Chapter 313.
SECTION 2. Section 151.317(a), Tax Code, is amended to read
as follows:
(a) Subject to Sections 151.1551, 151.359, and 151.3595
[151.1551] and Subsection (d) of this section, gas and electricity
are exempted from the taxes imposed by this chapter when sold for:
(1) residential use;
(2) use in powering equipment exempt under Section
151.318 or 151.3185 by a person processing tangible personal
property for sale as tangible personal property, other than
preparation or storage of prepared food described by Section
151.314(c-2);
(3) use in lighting, cooling, and heating in the
manufacturing area during the actual manufacturing or processing of
tangible personal property for sale as tangible personal property,
other than preparation or storage of prepared food described by
Section 151.314(c-2);
(4) use directly in exploring for, producing, or
transporting, a material extracted from the earth;
(5) use in agriculture, including dairy or poultry
operations and pumping for farm or ranch irrigation;
(6) use directly in electrical processes, such as
electroplating, electrolysis, and cathodic protection;
(7) use directly in the off-wing processing, overhaul,
or repair of a jet turbine engine or its parts for a certificated or
licensed carrier of persons or property;
(8) use directly in providing, under contracts with or
on behalf of the United States government or foreign governments,
defense or national security-related electronics, classified
intelligence data processing and handling systems, or
defense-related platform modifications or upgrades;
(9) use directly by a data center or large data center
project that is certified by the comptroller as a qualifying data
center under Section 151.359 or a qualifying large data center
project under Section 151.3595 in the processing, storage, and
distribution of data;
(10) a direct or indirect use, consumption, or loss of
electricity by an electric utility engaged in the purchase of
electricity for resale; or
(11) use in timber operations, including pumping for
irrigation of timberland.
SECTION 3. Section 313.010, Tax Code, as added by Chapter
1274 (H.B. 1223), Acts of the 83rd Legislature, Regular Session,
2013, is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 313.010. CERTAIN ENTITIES ELIGIBLE. An entity that
has been issued a registration number under Section 151.359 or
Section 151.3595 is not eligible to receive a limitation on
appraised value under this chapter.
SECTION 4. The change in law made by this Act does not
affect tax liability accruing before the effective date of this
Act. That liability continues in effect as if this Act had not been
enacted, and the former law is continued in effect for the
collection of taxes due and for civil and criminal enforcement of
the liability for those taxes.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2015.

______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate         Speaker of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 2712 was passed by the House on May
12, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 114, Nays 26, 3 present, not
voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
No. 2712 on May 27, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 130, Nays 11,
2 present, not voting.

______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 2712 was passed by the Senate, with
amendments, on May 25, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 23, Nays
8.

______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: __________________
Date

__________________
Governor