An agriculture authority is exempt from several taxes, and related tax proceeds collected by certain parties must be rebated to the authority.
(a) An agriculture authority, as a governmental entity, is exempt from the payment of all state, county, and municipal sales and use taxes. An agriculture authority and its contractors shall be granted a certificate of exemption from sales and use taxes by the Department of Revenue as provided in Sections 40-9-14.1 and 40-9-60, or other general law. (b)(1) Any county or municipal sales and use tax proceeds and any county or municipal tax proceeds from the sale of alcoholic beverages that are collected by an agriculture authority; a joint venture of the authority, including a public-private venture of the authority; or a lessee or sublessee of the authority or a joint venture of the authority, and remitted to a local taxing authority shall be rebated by that local taxing authority to the agriculture authority. (2) For an agriculture authority established pursuant to this article, after May 1, 2022, the county commission, at the time of the formation of the authority, may opt out of the requirement to rebate sales taxes collected by a private entity, joint venture partner, or public-private partnership. (c) An agriculture authority is exempt from paying all state, county, and local ad valorem taxes. (d) An agriculture authority is exempt from paying any other taxes levied by a county, municipality, or other political subdivision of the state, including, but not limited to, license and excise taxes imposed relating to the privilege of engaging in any activities that the authority may engage in. (e) All state and local lodging taxes collected by an agriculture authority or by another entity operating a lodging accommodation located on property owned by, leased from, subleased from, or otherwise made available by an agriculture authority and remitted to the state or local taxing authority shall be rebated by that taxing authority to the agriculture authority.