Title: Tax Relief for Artists Act of 2017
Policy area: Taxation

Summary:
Tax Relief for Artists Act of 2017
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a standard deduction for the trade and business expenses of artists. The deduction is limited to the lesser of: (1) $2,500, or (2) the gross income of the taxpayer derived from one or more artistic trades or businesses carried on by the taxpayer (or, if less, taxable income).
To be eligible for the deduction, a taxpayer must have: (1) household income for the taxable year that does not exceed 250% of the poverty line for a family of the size involved, and (2) gross income derived from one or more artistic trades or businesses carried on by the taxpayer.
An "artistic trade or business" is any trade or business in the literary, graphic design, film, visual, media, musical, theatre, recording, or dance arts.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3453 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3453

   To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a standard 
        deduction for the trade or business expenses of artists.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 27, 2017

Ms. Velazquez introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a standard 
        deduction for the trade or business expenses of artists.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Tax Relief for Artists Act of 
2017''.

SEC. 2. STANDARD DEDUCTION FOR THE TRADE OR BUSINESS EXPENSES OF 
              ARTISTS.

    (a) In General.--Section 162 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
is amended by redesignating subsection (q) as subsection (r) and by 
inserting after subsection (p) the following new subsection:
    ``(q) Standard Deduction for Trade or Business Expenses of 
Artists.--
            ``(1) In general.--In the case of a qualified taxpayer who 
        elects the application of this subsection for any taxable year, 
        there shall be allowed as a deduction for such taxable year an 
        amount equal to the lesser of--
                    ``(A) $2,500, or
                    ``(B) the gross income of the taxpayer derived from 
                one or more artistic trades or businesses carried on by 
                the taxpayer (or, if less, taxable income).
            ``(2) Qualified taxpayer.--For purposes of this subsection, 
        the term `qualified taxpayer' means any taxpayer with respect 
        to any taxable year if--
                    ``(A) the taxpayer's household income for the 
                taxable year does not exceed 250 percent of the poverty 
                line for a family of the size involved, and
                    ``(B) the taxpayer has gross income derived from 
                one or more artistic trades or businesses carried on by 
                the taxpayer.
            ``(3) Artistic trade or business.--For purposes of this 
        subsection, the term `artistic trade or business' means any 
        trade or business in the literary, graphic design, film, 
        visual, media, musical, theatre, recording, or dance arts.
            ``(4) Other definitions and special rules.--For purposes of 
        this subsection--
                    ``(A) Definitions related to household income.--
                Terms used in paragraph (2)(A) which are also used in 
                section 36B shall have the same meaning as when used in 
                such section.
                    ``(B) Joint returns.--In the case of a joint 
                return, paragraph (1)(A) shall be applied by 
                substituting `$5,000' for `$2,500' if both spouses 
                would be treated as a qualified taxpayer if each spouse 
                filed a separate return.
                    ``(C) Denial of double benefit.--If the taxpayer 
                elects the application of this subsection for any 
                taxable year, no deduction (other than the deduction 
                allowed under paragraph (1)) shall be allowable under 
                this chapter to the taxpayer with respect to any amount 
                paid or incurred during such taxable year with respect 
                to any artistic trade or business carried on by the 
                taxpayer.
                    ``(D) Regulations.--The Secretary shall prescribe 
                such regulations or other guidance as the Secretary 
                determines to be necessary or appropriate to carry out 
                the purposes of this subsection.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to taxable years beginning after the date of the enactment of 
this Act.
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