Signed by Governor Jennifer Granholm

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with House amendments and adopt additional amendments to a bill that establishes a period of amnesty from all criminal and civil penalties imposed for a failure to file a tax return, failure to pay a tax, or making an excessive claim for a tax refund beginning May 15, 2011 through June 30, 2011.

Highlights:

-Requires individuals to do the following in order to be eligible for the amnesty period (Sec. 31):

-File a written request for a waiver; -File a tax return or an amended tax return; and -Make a full lump-sum payment of the tax and interest no later than the last day of the amnesty period.

-Specifies that the amnesty does not apply to taxes due after December 31, 2009 (Sec. 31). -Appropriates $6.8 million of the revenue from the required aforementioned lump-sum payments to the Department of Treasury for administrative costs and for promoting public awareness of the amnesty program (Sec. 31). -This is a substitute bill sponsored by the House Committee of the Whole.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with House amendments and adopt additional amendments to a bill that establishes a period of amnesty from all criminal and civil penalties imposed for a failure to file a tax return, failure to pay a tax, or making an excessive claim for a tax refund beginning May 15, 2011 through June 30, 2011.

Highlights:

-Requires individuals to do the following in order to be eligible for the amnesty period (Sec. 31):

-File a written request for a waiver; -File a tax return or an amended tax return; and -Make a full lump-sum payment of the tax and interest no later than the last day of the amnesty period.

-Specifies that the amnesty does not apply to taxes due after December 31, 2009 (Sec. 31). -Appropriates $6.8 million of the revenue from the required aforementioned lump-sum payments to the Department of Treasury for administrative costs and for promoting public awareness of the amnesty program (Sec. 31). -This is a substitute bill sponsored by the House Committee of the Whole.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires the State Treasurer to establish a 30 to 60 day tax amnesty period ending before December 31, 2009 for all criminal and civil penalties imposed for a failure to file a tax return, failure to pay a tax, or making an excessive claim for a tax refund.

Highlights:

-Requires individuals to do the following in order to be eligible for the amnesty period (Sec. 31):

-File a written request for a waiver; -File a tax return or an amended tax return; and -Make a full lump-sum payment or the following installment payments:
-For individuals, the greater of $10,000 or 50 percent of the tax and interest due must be included with the request for a waiver, and the second installment is due no later than December 20, 2009; and -For non-individuals, the greater of $100,000 or 50 percent of the tax and interest due must be included with the request for a waiver, and the second installment is due no later than December 20, 2009.

-Specifies that the amnesty does not apply to taxes due after October 1, 2009 (Sec. 31). -Establishes a penalty of 20 percent of the amount of tax due for a failure to file a return or pay a tax due before October 1, 2009 during the tax amnesty period (Sec. 24). -Appropriates $1 million for the Department of Treasury for fiscal year 2009-2010 to administer the tax amnesty period (Sec. 31). -This is a substitute bill sponsored by the House Committee of the Whole.

Full Bill Text