§ 29-3E-7 — Fireworks safety fee; administration; tax crimes; collections; remittances; deposits; distributions; rules

(a) In addition to the sales tax, a fireworks safety fee of twelve percent of all sales is levied on retail sales of consumer fireworks in this state. The fee shall be distributed pursuant to the provisions of this subsection. The fee computation under this subsection shall be carried to the third decimal place, and the fee rounded up to the next whole cent whenever the third decimal place is greater than four, and rounded down to the lower whole cent whenever the third decimal place is four or less.

The State Tax Commissioner shall disburse all proceeds of the fireworks safety fee into the state treasury each month in the following manner:

(1) Seventy-five percent shall be deposited into a special account in the State Treasury, designated the Veterans’ Facility Support Fund established by the provisions of section eleven, article one, chapter nine-a for expenditure on veterans’ programs.

(2) Twenty-five percent shall be deposited into a special account in the State Treasury, designated the Fire Protection Fund established in section thirty-three, article three, chapter thirty-three of this code and distributed in accordance with that section to each volunteer fire company or department on an equal share basis by the State Treasurer.

(b) A person who purchases consumer fireworks in a retail transaction shall pay to the retailer the amount of the fee levied by this section, which fee is added to and constitutes a part of the sale price, and is collectible by the retailer who shall account to the state for all fees paid by a purchaser. If the retailer fails to collect the fee, or fails to account to the state for the fees paid by a purchaser, then the retailer is liable for the payment of the fee to the state.

(c) A retailer shall remit to the State Tax Commissioner no later than thirty days after the end of each preceding month all moneys collected for such preceding month, pursuant to the requirements of this section, and shall report such collections on forms and in the manner prescribed by the State Tax Commissioner.

(d) All moneys so remitted, net of refunds and adjustments, shall be paid by the State Tax Commissioner into the funds specified in this section.

(e) Each and every provision of the West Virginia Tax Crimes and Penalties Act set forth in article nine, chapter eleven of this code applies to the fees imposed pursuant to this article, with like effect as if that act were applicable only to the fees imposed by this article and were set forth in extenso in this article.

(f) The State Tax Commissioner shall propose legislative rules and may promulgate such emergency rules as are necessary to implement the provisions of this article.

Legislative History

2023 Reg. Sess., HB3153; 2023 Reg. Sess., SB91; 2022 Reg. Sess., SB420; 2016 Reg. Sess., HB2852; 2016 Reg. Sess., SB328; 2015 Reg. Sess., HB2646; 2014 Reg. Sess., HB4267; 2010 Reg. Sess., SB175