Archives > 1976 South Carolina Code of Laws - Previous Versions > 2000 Session > Title 12

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SECTION 12-10-10. Short title.

This chapter may be cited as the Enterprise Zone Act of 1995.

SECTION 12-10-20. Legislative intent.

The General Assembly finds:

(1) that the economic well-being of the citizens of the State is enhanced by the increased development and growth of industry within the State, and that it is in the best interests of the State to induce the location or expansion of manufacturing, processing, services, distribution, warehousing, research and development, corporate offices, technology intensive, and certain tourism projects within the State to promote the public purpose of creating new jobs within the State;

(2) that the inducement provided in this chapter will encourage the creation of jobs which would not otherwise exist and will create sources of tax revenues for the State and its political subdivisions;

(3) the powers to be granted to the Advisory Coordinating Council for Economic Development by this chapter and the purposes to be accomplished are proper governmental and public purposes and that the inducement of the location or expansion of manufacturing, processing, services, distribution, warehousing, research and development, corporate offices, and certain tourism facilities within the State is of paramount importance.

(4) The state's per capita income has not reached the United States average and certain rural, less developed counties have not experienced capital investment, per capita income, and job growth at a level equal to the state's average. The economic well-being of these areas will not be sustained without significant incentive to induce capital investment and job creation.

SECTION 12-10-30. Definitions.

As used in this chapter:

(1) "Council" means the Advisory Coordinating Council for Economic Development.

(2) "Department" means the South Carolina Department of Revenue.

(3) "Employee" means an employee of the qualifying business who works full time within the enterprise zone.

(4) "Gross wages" means wages subject to withholding.

(5) "Job development credit" means the amount a qualifying business may claim as a credit against employee withholding pursuant to Sections 12-10-80 and 12-10-81 and a revitalization agreement.

(6) "New job" means a job created or reinstated as defined in Section 12-6-3360(M)(3).

(7) "Qualifying business" means a business that meets the requirements of Section 12-10-50 and other applicable requirements of this chapter and, where required pursuant to Section 12-10-50, enters into a revitalization agreement with the council to undertake a project pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.

(8) "Project" means an investment for one or more purposes pursuant to this chapter needed for a qualifying business to locate, remain, or expand in this State and otherwise fulfill the requirements of this chapter.

(9) "Preliminary revitalization agreement" means the application by the qualifying business for benefits pursuant to Section 12-10-80 if the council approves the application and agrees in writing at the time of approval to allow the approved application to serve as the preliminary revitalization agreement. The date of the preliminary revitalization agreement is the date of the council approval.

(10) "Revitalization agreement" means an executed agreement entered into between the council and a qualifying business that describes the project and the negotiated terms and conditions for a business to qualify for a job development credit pursuant to Section 12-10-80 or 12-10-81.

(11) "Qualifying expenditures" means those expenditures that meet the requirements of Section 12-10-80(C) or 12-10-81(D).

(12) "Withholding" means employee withholding pursuant to Chapter 8 of this title.

(13) "Technology employee" means an employee whose job qualifies for jobs tax credit pursuant to Section 12-6-3360(M)(14).

SECTION 12-10-35. [Repealed by 1998 Act No. 419, Part II, Section 37B, eff July 1, 2003] Moratorium on state corporate income taxes for job creation in specified counties; amount as ratio of total investment in state.

(A) If a qualifying business creates at least one hundred new full-time jobs, as defined and determined in Section 12-6-3360, in a county (1) with an average annual unemployment rate of at least twice the state average based on the two most recent calendar years of data available on November 1 of the preceding year, or (2) which is one of the three lowest per capita income counties based on the average of the three most recent years of average per capita income data, and at least ninety percent of the investment of the qualifying business in this State is in that county, then the company is allowed a moratorium on state corporate income taxes imposed pursuant to Section 12-6-530 for the company's first ten taxable years beginning with the taxable year after it first qualifies. The moratorium applies to that portion of the company's corporate income tax that represents the ratio that the company's new investment is of its total investment in this State.

(B) If at least two hundred new full-time jobs are added, the moratorium period is fifteen taxable years.

SECTION 12-10-40. Designation of enterprise zones; criteria.

The amount of benefits available to qualified businesses is determined by the county designation as defined in Section 12-6-3360(B), in which the business is located.

SECTION 12-10-45. Designation of census tract by tire manufacturer as enterprise zone; certification of tire manufacturer.

A tire manufacturer that has over one billion dollars in capital investment in this State, and employs over five thousand workers in this State may, after certification by the council, designate up to two census tracts, but not to exceed four hundred acres per site, in any area of the State as an enterprise zone provided that a capital investment of at least one hundred million dollars be made over a five-year period at each site. The tire manufacturer's capital investment must be based upon the gross cost of assets in South Carolina as shown on the manufacturer's property tax and fee-in-lieu of property tax filings. The council will certify the manufacturer if it determines that the available incentives are appropriate for the new project, the total benefits of the new project exceed the costs to the public, and the qualifying business otherwise fulfills the requirements of this chapter.

SECTION 12-10-50. Qualification for benefits.

To qualify for the benefits provided in this chapter, a business must be located within this State and must:

(1) be engaged primarily in a business of the type identified in Section 12-6-3360;

(2) provide a benefits package, including health care, to full-time employees at the project;

(3) enter into a revitalization agreement that is approved by the council and that describes a minimum job requirement and minimum capital investment requirement for the project as provided in Section 12-10-90, except that a revitalization agreement is not required for a qualifying business with respect to Section 12-10-80(D); and

(4) have negotiated incentives that council has determined are appropriate for the project, and the council shall certify that:

(a) the total benefits of the project exceed the costs to the public; and

(b) the business otherwise fulfills the requirements of this chapter.

SECTION 12-10-60. Revitalization agreement.

(A) The council may enter into a revitalization agreement with each qualifying business with respect to the project. The terms and provisions of each revitalization agreement must be determined by negotiations between the council and the qualifying business. The decision to enter into a revitalization agreement with a qualifying business is solely within the discretion of the council based on the appropriateness of the negotiated incentives to the project and the determination that approval of the project is in the best interests of the State. The revitalization agreement must set a date by which the qualifying business shall have completed the project. Within three months of the completion date, the qualifying business shall document the actual costs of the project in a manner acceptable to the council.

(B) If a qualifying business that entered into a revitalization agreement before January 1, 1997, receives council approval to amend its revitalization agreement to increase its minimum job requirement, the law in effect on the date of the amendment determines the amount of job development credit a qualifying business may claim pursuant to Section 12-10-80 for additional jobs created after the date of the amendment. This subsection does not apply to a business whose application for job development fees or credits pursuant to Section 12-10-81 has been approved by council before the effective date of this act.

SECTION 12-10-80. Job development credits.

(A) A business that qualifies pursuant to Section 12-10-50 and has met the minimum job requirement and minimum capital investment provided for in the revitalization agreement may claim job development credits as determined by this section.

(1) A business may claim job development credits against its withholding on its quarterly state withholding tax return for the amount of job development credits allowable pursuant to this section.

(2) A business that is current with respect to its withholding tax and other tax due and owing the State and that has maintained its minimum employment and investment levels identified in the revitalization agreement may claim the credit on a quarterly basis beginning with the first quarter after the council's certification to the department that the minimum employment and capital investment levels were met for the entire quarter.

(3) A qualifying business may receive its initial job development credit only after the council has certified to the department that the qualifying business has met the required minimum employment and capital investment levels.

(4) To be eligible to apply to the council to claim a job development credit, a qualifying business shall create at least ten new, full-time jobs, as defined in Section 12-6-3360(M), at the project described in the revitalization agreement within five years of the effective date of the agreement.

(5) A qualifying business is eligible to claim a job development credit pursuant to the revitalization agreement for not more than fifteen years.

(6) To the extent any return of an overpayment of withholding that results from claiming job development credits is not used as permitted by subsection (C) or (D), it must be treated as misappropriated employee withholding.

(7) Except as provided in subsection (D), job development credits may not be claimed for purposes of this section with regard to an employee whose job was created in this State before the taxable year of the qualifying business in which it enters into a preliminary revitalization agreement.

(8) If a qualifying business claims job development credits pursuant to this section, it shall make its payroll books and records available for inspection by the council and the department at the times the council and the department request. Each qualifying business claiming job development credits pursuant to this section shall file with the council and the department the information and documentation requested by the council or department respecting employee withholding, the job development credit, and the use of any overpayment of withholding resulting from the claiming of a job development credit according to the revitalization agreement.

(9) Each qualifying business claiming in excess of ten thousand dollars in a calendar year must furnish an audited report prepared by an independent certified public accountant that itemizes the sources and uses of the funds. The audited report must be filed with the council and the department no later than June thirtieth following the calendar year in which the job development credits are claimed, except when a qualifying business obtains the written approval by the council for an extension of that date. Extensions may be granted only for good cause shown.

(10) Each qualifying business claiming ten thousand dollars or less in any calendar year must furnish a report prepared by the company that itemizes the sources and uses of the funds. This report must be filed with the council and the department no later than June thirtieth following the calendar year in which the job development credits are claimed, except when a qualifying business obtains the written approval by the council for an extension of that date. Extensions may be granted only for good cause shown.

(11) An employer may not claim an amount that results in an employee's receiving a smaller amount of wages on either a weekly or on an annual basis than the employee would receive otherwise in the absence of this chapter.

(B)(1) The maximum job development credit a qualifying business may claim for new employees is limited to the lesser of withholding tax paid to the State on a quarterly basis or the sum of the following amounts:

(a) two percent of the gross wages of each new employee who earns 6.74 dollars or more an hour but less than 8.99 dollars an hour;

(b) three percent of the gross wages of each new employee who earns 8.99 dollars or more an hour but less than 11.23 dollars an hour;

(c) four percent of the gross wages of each new employee who earns 11.23 dollars or more an hour but less than 16.85 dollars an hour; and

(d) five percent of the gross wages of each new employee who earns 16.85 dollars or more an hour.

(2) The hourly gross wage figures in item (1) must be adjusted annually by an inflation factor determined by the State Budget and Control Board. The amount that may be claimed by a qualifying business is limited by subsection (C) and the revitalization agreement. The council may approve a waiver of ninety-five percent of the limits pursuant to subsection (C) for qualifying businesses making a significant capital investment as defined in Section 4-12-30(D)(4) or Section 4-29-67(D)(4).

(C) To claim a job development credit, the qualifying business must incur qualified expenditures at the project or for utility or transportation improvements that serve the project. To be qualified, the expenditures must be:

(1) incurred during the term of the revitalization agreement or within sixty days before the execution of a revitalization agreement, including a preliminary revitalization agreement;

(2) authorized by the revitalization agreement; and

(3) used for any of the following purposes:

(a) training costs and facilities;

(b) acquiring and improving real estate whether constructed or acquired by purchase, or in cases approved by the council, acquired by lease or otherwise;

(c) improvements to both public and private utility systems including water, sewer, electricity, natural gas, and telecommunications;

(d) fixed transportation facilities including highway, rail, water, and air;

(e) construction or improvements of real property and fixtures constructed or improved primarily for the purpose of complying with local, state, or federal environmental laws or regulations;

(f) employee relocation expenses associated with new or expanded technology intensive facilities as defined in Section 12-6-3360(M)(14);

(g) financing the costs of a purpose described in items (a) through (f).

The amount of job development credits a qualifying business may claim for its use for qualifying expenditures is limited according to the designation of the county as defined in Section 12-6-3360(B) as follows:

(1) one hundred percent of the maximum job development credits may be claimed by businesses located in counties designated as "least developed";

(2) eighty-five percent of the maximum job development credits may be claimed by businesses located in counties designated as "under developed";

(3) seventy percent of the maximum job development credits may be claimed by businesses located in counties designated as "moderately developed"; or

(4) fifty-five percent of the maximum job development credits may be claimed by businesses located in counties designated as "developed".

The county designation of the county in which the project is located at the time the qualifying business enters into a preliminary revitalization agreement with the council remains in effect for the entire period of the revitalization agreement, except as to additional jobs created pursuant to an amendment to a revitalization agreement entered into before June 1, 1997, as provided in Section 12-10-60. In that case the county designation on the date of the amendment remains in effect for the remaining period of the revitalization agreement as to any additional jobs created after the effective date of the amendment. This item does not apply to a business whose application for job development fees or credits pursuant to Section 12-10-81 has been approved by council before the effective date of this act.

The council shall certify to the department the maximum job development credit for each qualifying business. After receiving certification, the department shall remit an amount equal to the difference between the maximum job development credit and the job development credit actually claimed to the State Rural Infrastructure Fund as defined and provided in Section 12-10-85.

(D) Subject to the conditions in this section, a qualifying business in this State may negotiate with the council to claim a job development credit for retraining according to the procedure in subsection (A) in an amount equal to five hundred dollars a year for each production and technology employee being retrained, where this retraining is necessary for the qualifying business to remain competitive or to introduce new technologies. This retraining must be approved and performed by the appropriate technical college under the jurisdiction of the State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education. The technical college may provide the retraining program delivery directly or contract with other training entities to accomplish the required training outcomes. In addition to the yearly limits, the amount claimed as a job development credit for retraining may not exceed two thousand dollars over five years for each production employee being retrained. Additionally, the qualifying business must match on a dollar-for-dollar basis the amount claimed as a job development credit for retraining. The total amount claimed as job development credits for retraining and all of the matching funds of the qualifying business must be paid to the technical college that provides the training to defray the cost of the training program. Training cost in excess of the job development credits for retraining and matching funds is the responsibility of the qualifying business based on negotiations with the technical college.

(E) Any job development credit of a qualifying business permanently lapses upon expiration or termination of the revitalization agreement. If an employee is terminated, the qualifying business immediately must cease to claim job development credits.

(F) The statute of limitations provided by Section 12-54-85 is suspended until the end of the five-year period described in item (4) of subsection (A) with respect to state withholding taxes pursuant to this section for a business subject to this section.

(G) For purposes of the job development credit allowed by this section, an employee is a person whose job was created in this State.

(H) Job development credits may not be claimed by a governmental employer who employs persons at a closed or realigned military installation as defined in Section 12-10-88(E).

SECTION 12-10-81. Job development tax credits.

(A) A business may claim a job development credit as determined by this section if the:

(1) council approves the use of this section for the business;

(2) business qualifies pursuant to Section 12-10-50; and

(3) business is a tire manufacturer that has more than four hundred twenty-five million dollars in capital invested in this State and employs more than one thousand employees in this State and that commits within a period of five years from the date of a revitalization agreement, to invest an additional three hundred fifty million dollars and create an additional three hundred fifty jobs in this State qualifying for job development fees or credits pursuant to current or future revitalization agreements. The council, in its discretion, may extend the five-year period for two additional years if the business has made a commitment to the additional three hundred fifty million dollars and makes substantial progress toward satisfying the goal before the end of the initial five-year period. A business that represents to the council its intent to qualify pursuant to this section and is approved by the council may put job development fees computed pursuant to this section into an escrow account until the date the business satisfies the capital and job requirements of this section.

(B)(1) A business qualifying pursuant to this section may claim its job development credit against its withholding on its quarterly state withholding tax return for the amount of job development credit allowable pursuant to this section for not more than fifteen years. Job development credits allowed pursuant to subsection (C)(1)(a) through (d) of this section apply only to withholding on jobs created pursuant to a revitalization agreement adopted pursuant to this section and to the amounts withheld on wages and salaries on those jobs.

(2) A business that is current with respect to its withholding tax as well as any other tax due and owing the State and that has maintained its minimum employment and investment levels identified in the revitalization agreement may claim the credit on a quarterly basis beginning with the quarter subsequent to the council's certification to the department that the minimum employment and capital investment levels have been met for the entire quarter.

(3) To be eligible to apply to the council to claim a job development credit pursuant to this section, a qualifying business must create at least ten new, full-time jobs as defined in Section 12-6-3360(M) at the project or projects described in the revitalization agreement.

(4) To the extent a return of an overpayment of withholding that results from claiming job development credits is not used as permitted by subsection (D), it must be treated as misappropriated employee withholding.

(5) Job development credits may not be claimed for purposes of this section with regard to an employee whose job was created in this State before the taxable year the qualifying business enters into a preliminary revitalization agreement.

(6) If a qualifying business claims job development credits pursuant to this section, it must make its payroll books and records available for inspection by the council and the department at the times the council and the department request. Each qualifying business claiming job development credits pursuant to this section must file with the council and the department the information and documentation they request respecting employee withholding, the job development credit, and the use of overpayment of withholding resulting from the claiming of a job development credit according to the revitalization agreement.

(7) Each qualifying business must furnish an audited report prepared by an independent certified public accountant that itemizes the sources and uses of the funds. The audited report must be filed with the council and the department no later than June thirtieth following the calendar year in which the job development credits are claimed, except when a qualifying business obtains written approval of council for an extension of that date. Extensions may be granted for good cause shown.

(8) An employer may not claim an amount that results in an employee's receiving a smaller amount of wages on either a weekly or on an annual basis than the employee would otherwise receive in the absence of this chapter.

(C)(1) The maximum job development credit a qualifying business may claim for new employees is determined by the sum of the following amounts:

(a) two percent of the gross wages of each new employee who earns $6.74 or more an hour but less than $8.99 an hour;

(b) three percent of the gross wages of each new employee who earns $8.99 or more an hour but less than $11.23 an hour;

(c) four percent of the gross wages of each new employee who earns $11.23 or more an hour but less than $16.85 an hour;

(d) five percent of the gross wages of each new employee who earns $16.85 or more an hour; and

(e) the increase in the state sales and use tax of the business from the year of the effective date of its revitalization agreement pursuant to this section and subsequent years, over its state sales and use tax for the first of the three years preceding the effective date of this revitalization agreement.

(2) The hourly base wages in item (1) must be adjusted annually by the inflation factor determined by the State Budget and Control Board. The amount that may be claimed by a qualifying business is limited by subsection (E) and the negotiated terms of the revitalization agreement. The business may proceed by using either the job development fee escrow procedure available pursuant to revitalization agreements with effective dates before 1997, or the job development credit, or a combination of the two. For a business qualifying pursuant to this section, the council also may approve or waive sections of a revitalization agreement and the council's rules as needed, in the council's discretion, to assist the business.

(D) To claim a job development credit, the qualifying business must incur expenditures at the project or for utility or transportation improvements that serve the project. To be qualified, the expenditures must be:

(1) incurred during the term of the revitalization agreement, including a preliminary revitalization agreement, or within sixty days before council's receipt of an application for benefits pursuant to this section;

(2) authorized by the revitalization agreement; and

(3) used to reimburse the business for:

(a) training costs and facilities;

(b) acquiring and improving real estate whether constructed or acquired by purchase, or in cases approved by the council, acquired by lease or otherwise;

(c) improvements to both public and private utility systems including water, sewer, electricity, natural gas, and telecommunication;

(d) fixed transportation facilities including highway, rail, water, and air; or

(e) construction or improvements of real property and fixtures constructed or improved primarily for the purpose of complying with local, state, or federal environmental laws or regulations.

(E)(1) For purposes of subsection (C)(1)(a) through (d), the amount of job development credits a qualifying business may claim for its use for qualifying expenditures is limited according to the designation of the county as defined in Section 12-6-3360(B) as follows:

(a) one hundred percent of the maximum job development credits may be claimed by businesses located in counties designated as "least developed";

(b) eighty-five percent of the maximum job development credits may be claimed by businesses located in counties designated as "underdeveloped";

(c) seventy percent of the maximum job development credits may be claimed by businesses located in counties designated as "moderately developed"; or

(d) fifty-five percent of the maximum job development credits may be claimed by businesses located in counties designated as "developed".

(2) For purposes of this subsection, the county designation of the county in which the project is located at the time the qualifying business enters into a preliminary revitalization agreement with the council remains in effect for the entire period of the revitalization agreement.

(3) The council shall certify to the department the maximum job development credit for each qualifying business. After receiving certification, the department shall remit an amount equal to the difference between the maximum job development credit and the job development credit actually claimed to the State Rural Infrastructure Fund as defined and provided in Section 12-10-85.

(F) A job development credit of a qualifying business permanently lapses upon expiration or termination of the revitalization agreement. If an employee is terminated, the qualifying business immediately must cease to claim job development credits.

(G) The statute of limitations provided by Section 12-54-85 is suspended until the end of the five-year or seven-year period described in item (3) of subsection (A) with respect to state withholding taxes pursuant to this section for a business subject to this section.

(H) For purposes of the job development credit allowed by this section, an employee is a person whose job was created in this State.

SECTION 12-10-82. Irrevocable assignment of future payments.

At the time the qualifying business enters into a revitalization agreement, it may make, with the approval of council, an irrevocable assignment of future payments attributable to the job development credit made pursuant to this chapter to the designated trustee. For purposes of this chapter, "designated trustee" means the single financial institution designated by the council to receive all assignments of payments made pursuant to this chapter and to the terms of an agreement entered into by the qualifying business. If a qualifying business elects to assign payments to the designated trustee, the election must be made on a form provided by the department, including a waiver of confidentiality pursuant to Section 12-54-240, and the payments may be paid only to the designated trustee.

SECTION 12-10-85. Purpose and use of State Rural Infrastructure Fund; grants.

(A) Funds received by the department for the State Rural Infrastructure Fund must be deposited in the State Rural Infrastructure Fund of the Council. The fund must be administered by the council for the purpose of providing financial assistance to local governments for infrastructure and other economic development activities including, but not limited to:

(1) training costs and facilities;

(2) improvements to regionally planned public and private water and sewer systems;

(3) improvements to both public and private electricity, natural gas, and telecommunications systems including, but not limited to, an electric cooperative, electrical utility, or electric supplier described in Chapter 27 of Title 58; or

(4) fixed transportation facilities including highway, rail, water, and air.

(B) Rural Infrastructure Fund grants must be available to benefit counties designated as "least developed" or "underdeveloped" as defined in Section 12-6-3360 according to guidelines established by the council, except that up to twenty-five percent of the funds annually available in excess of five million dollars must be set aside for grants to areas of "moderately developed" and "developed" counties. A governing body of a "moderately developed" or "developed" county must apply to the council for these set-aside grants stating the reasons that certain areas of the county qualify for these grants because the conditions in that area of the county are comparable to those conditions qualifying a county as "least developed" or "underdeveloped".

(C) For the purposes of this section, "local government" means a county, or group of counties, organized pursuant to Section 4-9-20( a), (b), (c), or (d).

(D) The council shall submit a report to the Governor and General Assembly by March fifteenth covering activities for the prior calendar year.

SECTION 12-10-88. Redevelopment fees.

(A) Subject to the conditions provided in subsection (B), South Carolina individual income tax withholding equal to five percent of all South Carolina wages paid with respect to employees that are employed by a federal employer at a closed or realigned military installation must be remitted by the department to the redevelopment authority vested with authority under Section 31-12-40(A) to oversee the closed or realigned military installation. The amounts of withholding collected and remitted to the applicable redevelopment authority are referred to as "redevelopment fees".

(B) The department shall remit the redevelopment fees during the period described in subsection (C) for each calendar quarter for which the redevelopment authority provides the department with a timely statement from the federal employer that employs the employees working at the closed or realigned military installation setting forth the number of employees employed at the installation, the total wages paid to these employees, and the total amount of South Carolina withholding withheld from the employees for each quarter. In order to receive the redevelopment fees for the applicable quarter, the redevelopment authority shall submit the statement within thirty days of the later of the date that the federal employer's South Carolina withholding tax return is due or the date the federal employer files the withholding tax return.

(C) Redevelopment fees may be remitted to the applicable redevelopment authority for a period beginning with the date that the applicable redevelopment authority first submits the information described in subsection (B) to the department and ending on the earlier of fifteen years later or January 1, 2015. If the redevelopment authority fails to provide the department with the required statement within the requisite time limits, no redevelopment fees must be remitted for that quarter.

(D) Neither the federal employer nor the applicable redevelopment authority is required to meet the requirements of Section 12-10-50 for subsection (A) to apply and the restrictions contained in Section 12-10-80(C) do not apply to redevelopment fees.

(E) For purposes of this section "closed or realigned military installation" means a federal defense site in which permanent employment was reduced by three thousand or more jobs after December 31, 1990, or a federal military base or installation which is closed or realigned under:

(1) the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990;

(2) Title 11 of the Defense Authorization Amendments and Base Closure and Realignment Act; or

(3) Section 2687 of Title 10, United States Code.

SECTION 12-10-90. Levels of capital investment or employment in revitalization agreement; failure to achieve levels and effect thereof.

If a qualifying business fails to achieve the level of capital investment or employment set forth in the revitalization agreement, the council may terminate the revitalization agreement and reduce or suspend all or any part of the incentives until the time the anticipated capital investment and employment levels are met. However, these incentives must not be suspended retroactively. The council shall provide in the revitalization agreement entered into in connection with a project for the levels of capital investment and employment which must be achieved and for the time period in which the levels must be achieved.

SECTION 12-10-100. Criteria for determination and selection of qualifying businesses and for approval of revitalization agreements; application fee schedule; annual publication of itemized revitalization agreement report.

(A) The council may establish criteria for the determination and selection of qualifying businesses and the approval of revitalization agreements. These criteria may include and may give greatest weight to the creditworthiness of the business, the number, type, and quality of new jobs to be provided by the project to residents of this State, and the economic viability of the business. The council may include in its criteria requirements relating to the capital costs of, and projected employment to be produced by, projects eligible for benefits under this chapter and requirements relating to the employment of previously unemployed or underemployed persons.

With respect to each business and project, the council shall request the materials and make the inquiries necessary to determine whether the business and its proposed project satisfy the council's announced criteria and to conduct an adequate cost/benefit analysis with respect to the proposed project and the incentives proposed to be granted by the council with respect to the project. After a review of the relevant materials and completion of its inquires and analysis, the council may by resolution of its members designate an applicant business as a qualifying business and authorize the undertaking of its project according to the revitalization agreement. The decision to enter into a revitalization agreement with a qualifying business is solely within the discretion of the council and a qualifying business does not have a right of appeal from the council's decision.

(B) The council shall establish an application fee schedule, not to exceed two thousand dollars for each qualifying business, for undertaking the provisions of this chapter. The State Treasurer shall establish an account for these fees which must be expended by the council only for meeting administrative, data collection, credit analysis, cost/benefits analysis, reporting, and any other obligations pursuant to this chapter. This account may retain funds for expenditure in the next fiscal year only for purposes enumerated in this section.

(C) By May fifteenth of each year, the council shall prepare a public document that itemizes each revitalization agreement concluded during the previous calendar year. The report must list each revitalization agreement, the results of each cost/benefits analysis, and receipts and expenditures of application fees. This document must be forwarded to the State Budget and Control Board, Senate Finance Committee, and House Ways and Means Committee. This document may not contain proprietary or confidential information that is otherwise exempt pursuant to Chapter 4 of Title 30, the Freedom of Information Act, and this section must not be construed to require the release of that exempt information.

SECTION 12-10-110. Construction of chapter.

This chapter must be liberally construed in conformity with the findings provided in Section 12-10-20.