S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  9164

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                             March 24, 2014
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  SKARTADOS  --  read once and referred to the
  Committee on Ways and Means

AN ACT to amend the tax law, in relation to establishing  a  credit  for
  farmers who donate to a food bank or other emergency food program

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. Section 606 of the tax law  is  amended  by  adding  a  new
subsection (n-1) to read as follows:
  (N-1) CREDIT FOR DONATIONS TO FOOD BANK OR EMERGENCY FOOD PROGRAM. (1)
GENERAL.  IN  THE  CASE  OF  A TAXPAYER WHO IS AN ELIGIBLE FARMER, THERE
SHALL BE ALLOWED A  CREDIT,  TO  BE  COMPUTED  AS  HEREINAFTER  PROVIDED
AGAINST  THE TAX IMPOSED BY THIS ARTICLE FOR THE TAXABLE YEAR REDUCED BY
THE CREDITS PERMITTED BY THIS ARTICLE. THE AMOUNT OF THE CREDIT SHALL BE
TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT OF THE TAXPAYER'S QUALIFIED DONATIONS, AS DEFINED IN
PARAGRAPH THREE OF THIS SUBSECTION, MADE  TO  ANY  FOOD  BANK  OR  OTHER
PUBLIC,  CHARITABLE  OR  NOT-FOR-PROFIT EMERGENCY FOOD PROGRAM OPERATING
WITHIN THIS STATE UP TO A ONE THOUSAND DOLLAR LIMIT DURING  THE  TAXABLE
YEAR.  IF THE AMOUNT OF THE CREDIT UNDER THIS SUBSECTION FOR ANY TAXABLE
YEAR  SHALL EXCEED THE TAXPAYER'S TAX FOR SUCH YEAR, THE EXCESS SHALL BE
TREATED AS AN OVERPAYMENT OF TAX TO BE CREDITED OR REFUNDED  IN  ACCORD-
ANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION SIX HUNDRED EIGHTY-SIX OF THIS ARTI-
CLE, PROVIDED, HOWEVER THAT NO INTEREST SHALL BE PAID THEREON.
  (2) ELIGIBLE FARMER. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SUBSECTION, THE TERM "ELIGI-
BLE FARMER" MEANS A TAXPAYER WHOSE FEDERAL GROSS INCOME FROM FARMING FOR
THE  TAXABLE YEAR IS AT LEAST TWO-THIRDS OF EXCESS FEDERAL GROSS INCOME.
EXCESS FEDERAL GROSS INCOME MEANS THE AMOUNT  OF  FEDERAL  GROSS  INCOME
FROM  ALL SOURCES FOR THE TAXABLE YEAR REDUCED BY THE SUM (NOT TO EXCEED
THIRTY THOUSAND DOLLARS) OF THOSE ITEMS INCLUDED IN FEDERAL GROSS INCOME
WHICH CONSIST OF (I) EARNED INCOME,  (II)  PENSION  PAYMENTS,  INCLUDING
SOCIAL  SECURITY  PAYMENTS,  (III)  INTEREST,  AND  (IV)  DIVIDENDS. FOR
PURPOSES OF THIS PARAGRAPH, THE TERM "EARNED INCOME" SHALL  MEAN  WAGES,
SALARIES, TIPS AND OTHER EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION, AND THOSE ITEMS OF GROSS
INCOME  WHICH  ARE  INCLUDIBLE  IN  THE COMPUTATION OF NET EARNINGS FROM
SELF-EMPLOYMENT. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS PARAGRAPH, PAYMENTS  FROM  THE

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                           LBD04732-04-4

A. 9164                             2

STATE'S  FARMLAND  PROTECTION PROGRAM, ADMINISTERED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE AND MARKETS, SHALL BE INCLUDED AS FEDERAL GROSS INCOME  FROM
FARMING FOR OTHERWISE ELIGIBLE FARMERS.
  (3)  QUALIFIED  DONATION.  FOR  PURPOSES  OF THIS SUBSECTION, THE TERM
"QUALIFIED DONATION" MEANS A DONATION OF ANY EDIBLE FOOD ITEM TO A  FOOD
BANK OR OTHER EMERGENCY FOOD PROGRAM OPERATING WITHIN THIS STATE.
  S  2. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeed-
ing the date on which it shall have become a  law  and  shall  apply  to
taxable years beginning on or after such date.