Revitalizing Underdeveloped Rural Areas and Lands (RURAL) Act

Bill: 116-s-1032
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Portman, Rob [R-OH]
Introduced: 2019-04-04
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Disaster relief and insurance

Electric power generation and transmission

Emergency planning and evacuation

Internet and video services

Internet, web applications, social media

Public utilities and utility rates

Rural conditions and development

Tax-exempt organizations

Telephone and wireless communication
Latest action: action_date: 2019-04-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Summaries:
action_date: 2019-04-04
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Revitalizing Underdeveloped Rural Areas and Lands (RURAL) Act</b></p> <p>This bill modifies the definition of income used to determine the tax-exempt status of a mutual or cooperative telephone or electric company to exclude certain government grants, contributions, and assistance.</p> <p>Specifically, the bill excludes from income (1) grants, contributions, and assistance provided under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act or by local, state, or regional governmental entities for disasters or emergencies; and (2) certain grants or contributions provided by a government entity for electric, communications, broadband, internet, or other utility facilities or services. </p>

tv_txt: II 116th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1032 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES April 4, 2019 Mr. Portman (for himself and Ms. Smith ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance A BILL To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to modify the definition of income for purposes of determining the tax-exempt status of certain corporations.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Revitalizing Underdeveloped Rural Areas and Lands (RURAL) Act . 2. Modification of income for purposes of determining tax-exempt status of certain organizations (a) In general Section 501(c)(12) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: (J) In the case of a mutual or cooperative telephone or electric company described in this paragraph, subparagraph (A) shall be applied without taking into account any income received or accrued from— (i) any grant, contribution, or assistance provided pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act or any similar grant, contribution, or assistance by any local, State, or regional governmental entity for the purpose of relief, recovery, or restoration from, or preparation for, a disaster or emergency, or (ii) any grant or contribution by any governmental entity (other than a contribution in aid of construction or any other contribution as a customer or potential customer) the purpose of which is substantially related to providing, con­struct­ing, restoring, or relocating electric, communication, broadband, internet, or other utility facilities or services. . (b) Effective date The amendment made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017.