TaxConnections Picture - Louisiana FlagLouisiana revenue officials announced that the state’s 2013 Tax Amnesty Program (“Program”) will begin September 23, 2013 and end November 22, 2013. The Program applies to all taxes administered by the Louisiana Department of Revenue (“Department”), except motor fuels taxes, and provides taxpayers an opportunity to avoid all penalties and to get a waiver of half of the interest that would otherwise be owed on the unpaid taxes. Taxpayers must apply to participate and be approved by the Department to meet the Program’s qualification criteria. In announcing dates for the 2013 amnesty period, Revenue Secretary Tim Barfield said all qualified taxpayers accepted into the Program will receive a letter from the Department accompanied by information about the tax periods and amounts owed, as well as payment instructions that the taxpayer should follow to ensure payment is made before the amnesty ends on November 22, 2013. Barfield also announced that the agency has created a website to provide and update information to taxpayers about the Program.

The previously announced Program was authorized by House Bill 456 (“H.B. 456”), which lawmakers passed, and Governor Bobby Jindal signed into law in June 2013. The bill established parameters for the Program, including the criteria for participation, and directed the Department to offer amnesty in 2013, 2014, and 2015 during periods to be set by the agency.

Amnesty is available for the following taxes: Read More

iStock_Louisiana flagXSmallLouisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has signed into law a bill that disqualifies many retailers from participating in the state’s Enterprise Zone Program (“Program”) and makes other changes to the Program’s required employment criteria. House Bill 571 (“H.B. 571”) became effective immediately when Governor Jindal signed it on Friday, June 21, 2013. The bill makes several significant changes to the Program.

•  It increases the percentage of new jobs that a participant must hire from targeted groups to qualify for the Program from the current 35% to 50%. Under the bill, companies must hire 50% of their new jobs from at least one of the three targeted groups: enterprise zone residents, persons receiving some type of public assistance during the six-month period prior to employment, and persons who lack basic skills and are unemployable by traditional standards. Read More