Credit for investments in qualified venture capital companies.

1. Law
2. Oklahoma Statutes
3. Revenue and Taxation
4. Credit for investments in qualified venture capital companies.

A. For taxable years beginning after December 31, 1986, and before January 1, 2009, there shall be allowed a credit against the tax imposed by Section 2355 of this title or Section 624 of Title 36 of the Oklahoma Statutes for investments in qualified venture capital companies whose purpose is to establish or expand the development of business and industry within Oklahoma. Provided, tax credits against liabilities imposed pursuant to Section 624 of Title 36 of the Oklahoma Statutes shall be limited to the amount that would otherwise be collected and allocated to the General Revenue Fund of the State Treasury.

B. For purposes of this section:

1. "Qualified venture capital company" means a C corporation, as defined by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, incorporated pursuant to the laws of Oklahoma or a registered business partnership with a certificate of partnership filed as required by law if such corporation or partnership is organized to provide the direct investment of debt and equity funds to companies within this state, with its principal place of business located within this state and which meets the following criteria:

• a.capitalization of not less than Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000.00),
• b.having a purpose and objective of investing at least seventy-five percent (75%) of its capitalization in Oklahoma business ventures. The temporary investment of funds by a qualified venture capital company in obligations of the United States, state and municipal bonds, bank certificates of deposit, or money market securities pending investment in Oklahoma business ventures is hereby authorized, and
• c.investment of not more than ten percent (10%) of its funds in any one company;

2. "Oklahoma business venture" means a business, incorporated or unincorporated, which:

• a.has or will have, within one hundred eighty (180) days after an investment is made by a qualified venture capital company, at least fifty percent (50%) of its employees or assets located in Oklahoma,
• b.needs financial assistance in order to commence or expand such business which provides or intends to provide goods or services,
• c.is not engaged in oil and gas exploration, real estate development, real estate sales, retail sales of food or clothing, farming, ranching, banking, or lending or investing funds in other businesses. Provided, however, businesses which provide or intend to provide goods or services, including, but not limited to, goods or services involving new technology, equipment, or techniques to such businesses listed in this subparagraph, and investments in the development of tourism facilities in the form of amusement parks, entertainment parks, theme parks, golf courses, or museums shall not be subject to said prohibition, and
• d.expends within eighteen (18) months after the date of the investment at least fifty percent (50%) of the proceeds of the investment for the acquisition of tangible or intangible assets which are used in the active conduct of the trade or business of the Oklahoma business venture or to provide working capital for the active conduct of such trade or business. For purposes of this subparagraph, “working capital” shall not include consulting, brokerage or transaction fees. Provided, that the Oklahoma Tax Commission, upon request and demonstration of need by a qualified venture capital company or an Oklahoma business venture, may extend the eighteen-month period otherwise required by this subparagraph for a period not to exceed six (6) months. Provided, the expenditure of the invested funds by the Oklahoma business venture shall otherwise comply with the requirements applicable to the usage of tax credits for investment in the Oklahoma business venture. As used in this subparagraph, “tangible assets” shall include the acquisition of real property and the construction of improvements upon real property if such acquisition and construction otherwise complies with the requirements applicable to the usage of tax credits for investment in the Oklahoma business venture and “intangible assets” shall be limited to computer software, licenses, patents, copyrights, and similar items;

3. "Direct investment" means the purchase of securities of a private company, or securities of a public company if the securities constitute a new issue of a public company and such public company had previous year sales of less than Ten Million Dollars ($10,000,000.00); and

4. "Debt and equity funds" means investments in debt securities; including unsecured, undersecured, subordinated or convertible loans or debt securities; and/or equity securities, including common and preferred stock, royalty rights, limited partnership interest, and any other securities or rights that evidence ownership in businesses; provided such investment of debt and equity funds shall not have a repayment schedule that is faster than a level principal amortization over five (5) years.

C. The credit provided for in subsection A of this section shall be twenty percent (20%) of the cash amount invested in qualified venture capital companies which is subsequently invested in an Oklahoma business venture by the qualified venture capital company and may only be claimed for a taxable year during which the qualified venture capital company makes an investment in an Oklahoma business venture. The credit shall be allowed for the amount of the investment in an Oklahoma business venture if the funds are used in pursuit of a legitimate business purpose of the Oklahoma business venture consistent with its organizational instrument, bylaws or other agreement responsible for the governance of the business venture. The qualified venture capital company shall issue such reports as the Oklahoma Tax Commission may require attributing the source of funds of each investment it makes in an Oklahoma business venture. The Oklahoma Capital Investment Board shall have the authority to certify an entity as a qualified venture capital company and to certify an investment to be a qualifying Oklahoma business venture for purposes of complying with subsection B of this section. Such certification shall be binding on the Oklahoma Tax Commission. Such certification shall not be mandatory but may be requested by any entity that desires to be certified. A reasonable certification fee may be charged by the Oklahoma Capital Investment Board for this service. If the tax credit allowed pursuant to subsection A of this section exceeds the amount of taxes due or if there are no state taxes due of the taxpayer, the amount of the claim not used as an offset against the taxes of a taxable year may be carried forward as a credit against subsequent tax liability for a period not to exceed three (3) years. No investor in a venture capital company organized after July 1, 1992, may claim tax credits under the provisions of this section.

D. No taxpayer may claim the credit provided for in subsection A of this section for investments in qualified venture capital companies made prior to January 1, 1987.

E. No investor whose capital is guaranteed by the Oklahoma Capital Investment Board may claim or transfer the credit provided for in subsection A of this section for investments in such guaranteed portfolio.

F. The credit provided for in subsection A of this section, to the extent not previously utilized, shall be freely transferable to and by subsequent transferees for a period of three (3) years from the date of investment in the Oklahoma business venture.

G. If a pass-through entity is entitled to a credit under this section, the pass-through entity shall allocate such credit to one or more of the shareholders, partners or members of the pass-through entity; provided, the total of all credits allocated shall not exceed the amount of the credit to which the pass-through entity is entitled. The credit may also be claimed for funds borrowed by the pass-through entity to make a qualified investment if a shareholder, partner or member to whom the credit is allocated has an unlimited and continuing legal obligation to repay the borrowed funds but the allocation may not exceed such shareholder’s, partner’s or member’s pro-rata equity share of the pass-through entity even if the taxpayer’s legal obligation to repay the borrowed funds is in excess of such pro-rata share of such borrowed funds. For purposes of this act, “pass-through entity” means a corporation that for the applicable tax years is treated as an S corporation under the Internal Revenue Code, general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, trust or limited liability company that for the applicable tax year is not taxed as a corporation for federal income tax purposes.

Added by Laws 1986, c. 265, § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1987. Amended by Laws 1987, c. 222, § 110, operative July 1, 1987; Laws 1988, 3rd Ex.Sess., c. 2, § 2, emerg. eff. Sept. 9, 1988; Laws 1989, c. 350, § 3, operative July 1, 1989; Laws 1990, c. 328, § 14, eff. Sept. 1, 1990; Laws 1991, c. 188, § 13, eff. July 1, 1991; Laws 1998, c. 226, § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1999; Laws 2003, c. 181, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2003; Laws 2006, c. 281, § 2, emerg. eff. June 7, 2006; Laws 2008, c. 440, § 1.

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