MN HF3869

Authorizes the Commissioner of Employment and Economic Development to approve state general tax refunds for eligible businesses located in designated "job creation zones" where the three-year average unemployment rate is at least 75 percent higher than the statewide average.

Defines eligible businesses as for-profit employers that pay at least 50 percent of total wages to employees residing in or near the job creation zone, with different requirements for businesses in the seven-county metropolitan area versus those outside it in cities with populations greater than 40,000.

Requires eligible businesses to apply annually by July 1, with refunds calculated as the state general tax payable on the property multiplied by the ratio of business-occupied space to total property area, paid by December 1.

Appropriates necessary funds annually from the general fund to the Commissioner of Revenue to make refunds, with program applicability limited to tax years 2016 through 2026.

Requires the Commissioner of Employment and Economic Development to submit a report by January 15, 2023 detailing the number of refunds issued, refund amounts, business identifications and locations, and employment data used for eligibility determinations.