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<regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".04" citation="COMAR 24.05.20.04" title_num="24" subtitle_num="05" chapter_num="20" heading="Definitions.">
  <paragraph num="A.">
    <text>In this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="B.">
    <text>Terms Defined.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>“Act” means the Job Creation Tax Credit Act at Economic Development Article, Title 6, Subtitle 3, Annotated Code of Maryland.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>“Average wage” means the average wage for all employment in the State as reported from time to time by the Maryland Department of Labor.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>Central Administrative Offices.</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>“Central administrative offices” means a facility where a business entity's central management or administrative functions are handled on either a regional or national basis.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>“Central administrative offices” includes offices or locations in the region where functions such as personnel, planning, general management, accounting and financial, purchasing, advertising, legal, data processing, and research and development are performed.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>“Central financial, real estate, or insurance services” means the performance of central management or administrative functions for a business entity engaged in financial, real estate, or insurance services.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5)">
      <text>“Central management or administrative functions” includes general management, accounting, computer tabulating, data processing, purchasing, transportation or shipping, advertising, legal, financial, and research and development.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(6)">
      <text>Company Headquarters.</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>“Company headquarters” means a facility where the majority of a business entity's financial, personnel, legal, and planning functions are handled either on a regional or national basis.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>“Company headquarters” does not include the headquarters of a professional sports organization.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(7)">
      <text>“Credit year” means the taxable year for which a qualified business entity claims the tax credit.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(8)">
      <text>“Department” means the Department of Commerce.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(9)">
      <text>“Federal minimum wage” means the wage established by the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 as amended. For purposes of the tax credit, hourly wages may include bonuses and commissions, prorated on an hourly basis, if these bonuses and commissions are reported on the W-2 Wage and Tax Statements of the qualified employees.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(10)">
      <text>“Full-time position” means a position requiring at least 840 hours of an employee's time during at least 24 weeks in a 6-month period (an average of 35 hours per week).</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(11)">
      <text>“Person” includes an individual, corporation, business trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, two or more persons having a joint or common interest, or any other legal or commercial entity.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(12)">
      <text>“Qualified business entity” has the meaning stated in §C of this regulation.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(13)">
      <text>“Qualified employee” means an employee filling a qualified position.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(14)">
      <text>Qualified Position.</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>“Qualified position” means a position that:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Is a full-time position;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Is of indefinite duration;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>Pays at least 150 percent of the federal minimum wage;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iv)">
          <text>Is located in Maryland;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(v)">
          <text>Is newly created, as a result of the establishment or expansion of a business facility in a single location in the State; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(vi)">
          <text>Is filled.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>“Qualified position” does not include a position that is:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Created when an employment function is shifted from an existing business facility of the business entity located in the State to another business facility of the same business entity if the position does not represent a net new job in the State;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Created through a change in ownership of a trade or business;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>Created through a consolidation, merger, or restructuring of a business entity if the position does not represent a net new job in the State;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iv)">
          <text>Created when an employment function is contractually shifted from an existing business entity located in the State to another business entity if the position does not represent a net new job in the State; or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(v)">
          <text>Filled for a period of less than 12 months.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>“Qualified position” is limited to the following positions if the entity is engaged in the operation of entertainment, recreational, cultural, or tourism-related activities:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Positions engaged in the operation of entertainment, recreational, cultural, or tourism-related activities for the multiuse facility in which the entertainment, recreational, cultural, or tourism-related activities are operated; or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Positions engaged in management, marketing, building maintenance, hotel services, and security for the facility.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>“Qualified position” does not include a temporary training position but does include a permanent position which is filled by hiring a successful trainee from a temporary training position that does not exceed 3 months in length.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(15)">
      <text>“Retention period” means the 3-year period after the credit year during which the qualified business entity is required to maintain the qualified positions. The retention period may be extended under Regulation .10 of this chapter.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(16)">
      <text>“Revitalization area” means an area designated as:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>An enterprise zone by the Secretary under Economic Development Article, §5-704, Annotated Code of Maryland;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>An empowerment zone by the United States Government pursuant to 26 U.S.C. §1391 et seq.; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>A neighborhood that is eligible for economic revitalization assistance under Housing and Community Development Article, §6-303, Annotated Code of Maryland.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(17)">
      <text>“Secretary” means the Secretary of Commerce or the Secretary's designee.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(18)">
      <text>State Priority Funding Area.</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>“State priority funding area” includes the following areas:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>An incorporated municipality;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>A designated neighborhood, as defined in Housing and Community Development Article, §6-305, Annotated Code of Maryland;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>An enterprise zone as designated under Economic Development Article, §5-704, Annotated Code of Maryland, or by the United States government;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iv)">
          <text>Those areas of the State located between Interstate 495 and the District of Columbia;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(v)">
          <text>Those areas of the State located between Interstate 695 and Baltimore City;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(vi)">
          <text>Not more than one area in a county designated in writing to the Department by the county as a priority funding area under State Finance and Procurement Article, §5-7B-03(d), Annotated Code of Maryland; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(vii)">
          <text>That portion of the port land use development zone, as defined in Transportation Article, §6-501(e), Annotated Code of Maryland, that has been designated as an area appropriate for growth in the county comprehensive master plan.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>“State priority funding area”, for purposes of qualifying for the tax credit, includes the entire area of a business facility, if at least 25 percent of the business facility is located within a State priority funding area.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(19)">
      <text>“Tax credit” means job creation tax credit.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="C.">
    <text>Qualified Business Entity.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>“Qualified business entity” means a person conducting or operating a qualified type of business in Maryland who:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Is engaged in an activity specified in Regulation .07 of this chapter;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>During any 24-month period creates at least:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>60 qualified positions,</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>30 qualified positions if the aggregate payroll for the qualified positions is greater than a threshold amount equal to the product of multiplying 60 times the State's average annual salary, as determined by the Department, or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>25 qualified positions if the business facility established or expanded by the business entity is located in a State priority funding area; and</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Is certified by the Secretary under Regulation .06 of this chapter as qualifying for the tax credit.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>“Qualified business entity” includes the persons owning or operating a multiuse facility in which the entertainment, recreation, cultural, or tourism-related activities are operated.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>“Qualified business entity” does not include any separate entity that leases retail space at a multiuse facility.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
</regulation>