Senate Bill 15-282: Rural Jump-Start Zone Act

• Establishes the Rural Jump-Start Zone Program to attract new businesses to economically distressed Colorado counties with populations under 250,000 by offering state and local tax incentives.

• Provides eligible new businesses with 100% income tax credits on zone activities, new hire income tax credits, and sales and use tax refunds on tangible property for four-year periods (extendable to eight years).

• Requires new businesses to have no prior Colorado operations, hire at least five full-time employees earning at least county average wage, and not compete with existing state businesses.

• Mandates state institutions of higher education to partner with businesses and apply to the Colorado Economic Development Commission; limits program to three approved zones for 2016 and prohibits new approvals after January 1, 2021.

• Requires distressed counties and municipalities to adopt resolutions providing local property tax exemptions or incentive payments to participating new businesses.