Wm. C. Hetherington, Jr., Judge:
¶1 Involved here is one of nine appeals by taxpayers from an order of the Oklahoma Tax Commission (OTC/Tax Commission) denying their protests to the disallowance of a tax credit for investments in "qualified electric motor vehicle property" available under 68 O.S. Supp. 2008 § 2357.22(C). By Supreme Court order, taxpayers' appeals were made companion cases. We disagree with OTC's interpretation of § 2357.22(C) and simultaneously issue a decision in each appeal reversing the agency order and remanding with directions to allow the tax credit.
¶2 In the present case, Robert V. Wilder, Jr. purchased a four-wheeled electric motor vehicle in December of 2009 from Ada Electric Cars, LLC, one of several Oklahoma-authorized Dealers for Tomberlin "low-speed electric vehicles" (LSVs). Mr. Wilder and Marie C. Wilder (the Wilders) insured, paid registration fees, and received an Oklahoma license plate and a certificate of title for their LSV, a 2010 "Tomberlin E-Merge Classic."
¶3 In April 2010, the Wilders filed a joint Oklahoma Resident Income Tax Return (Form 511) for the 2009 tax year, in which they claimed a tax credit for their LSV as an investment in "qualified electric motor vehicle property" (QEMVP). On March 29, 2010, OTC informed the Wilders their "511CR Electric Car credit" was disallowed because "the vehicle(s) does not meet the definition of [QEMVP] as set forth in [§ 2357.22]."
¶4 The Wilders filed a timely protest. By agreement, it was consolidated for hearing purposes with eight other taxpayer protests (collectively, Taxpayers), each of whom were given the same reason for OTC disallowing the tax credit for their 2009 purchases of different, but related models of the Tomberlin E-Merge line of LSVs (the Tomberlin
¶5 An evidentiary hearing limited to the "technical aspects" of the Tomberlin LSVs was held September 29, 2010. During this hearing, counsel for Taxpayers and counsel for OTC's Account Maintenance Division (Division) stipulated the Tomberlin LSVs "meet Federal guidelines and [Oklahoma's] guidelines for LSVs."
¶6 Taxpayers' first witness, Ms. Cash, Director of the OTC's Tax Policy Division, testified that division decided the Tomberlin LSVs were not QEMVP because they were "known as golf carts" and that decision was primarily based on internet research of out-of-state advertising and marketing for the Tomberlin LSVs. Taxpayers' main witness, Mr. Tomberlin, owner and operator of Tomberlin Automotive Group, testified Tomberlin manufactures LSVs and has never manufactured traditional golf carts or golf cars. He explained golf cart dealers do not have to be licensed in Oklahoma, whereas dealers of LSVs are licensed through the Department of Motor Vehicles.
¶7 Ms. Cash, the only witness in Division's case, testified in greater detail about Tax Policy Division's research and its reason for disallowing Taxpayers' claimed tax credits. At the hearing's conclusion, the ALJ agreed to keep the record open for receipt of the only exhibit admitted over Division's objection
¶8 On March 3, 2011, the ALJ submitted to Tax Commission a 42-page "Findings of Facts, Conclusions of Law and Recommendation" (Recommendation), in which the ALJ disagreed with Division's position that the Tomberlin LSVs were disqualified because they were "known as golf carts" and recommended Taxpayers' protest be granted. Division
¶9 By final order filed May 5, 2011, Tax Commission denied Division's request for consideration en banc, deciding instead to review the files and records of the Tomberlin Test Cases. Tax Commission adopted parts of the Recommendation verbatim with slight modifications to the findings of fact, and applying its own interpretation of § 2357.22(C) to the evidence, nevertheless agreed with Division the Tomberlin LSVs did not qualify for the tax credit because they were "known as golf carts" and denied the taxpayers' protests. Tax Commission filed nine final orders specific to the relevant facts in each taxpayer protest. Taxpayers filed nine separate appeals from each final order, raising the same four issues of error, and as previously explained, their appeals were designated companion cases with separate records.
¶10 Article II of the Administrative Procedures Act (APA), 75 O.S. 2011 §§ 308a-323, specifically § 318, which addresses judicial review of final agency orders, does not apply to Tax Commission. 75 O.S. Supp. 2002 § 250.4(B)(1); United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co. v. State ex. rel. Oklahoma Tax Commission, 2002 OK 42, ¶17, fn.1, 54 P.3d 1010, 1012. Therefore, in a direct appeal to this Court from an order by Tax Commission, we will "review the entire record made before an administrative agency acting in its adjudicatory capacity to determine whether the findings and conclusions set forth in the agency order are supported by substantial evidence." Samson Hydrocarbons Co. v. Oklahoma Tax Commission, 1998 OK 82, ¶5, 976 P.2d 532, 535. Tax Commission's order will be affirmed "if the record contains substantial evidence in support of the facts upon which the decision is based and the order is otherwise free of error." Id. However, its legal rulings, like those made by a district court judge, are subject to an appellate court's plenary, independent and non-deferential re-examination. Blitz U.S.A., Inc. v. Oklahoma Tax Commission, 2003 OK 50, ¶6, 75 P.3d 883, 885.
¶11 Tax Commission found the issue presented by the Tomberlin Test Cases is "[w]hether the Tomberlin E-Merge Line of LSVs meets the definition of [QEMVP] and qualifies for the Credit provided by [§ 2357.22(C)]." The parties agreed 68 O.S. Supp. 2008 § 2357.22 is applicable to the 2009 tax year, which provided, in pertinent part:
¶12 There is no dispute the subject vehicles are "motor vehicles originally equipped to be propelled only by electricity to the extent of the full purchase price of the vehicle," the definition of QEMVP provided by § 2357.22(C)'s first sentence. As a result, the proviso that follows for electric vehicles which are also equipped with internal combustion engines does not apply here.
¶13 Tax Commission narrowed the issue when identifying "resolution of the protest requires proper interpretation of the provisions of [§ 2357.22(C)]
¶14 Statutory construction presents a question of law. Blitz U.S.A., Inc. v. Oklahoma Tax Commission, 2003 OK 50, ¶6, 75 P.3d 883, 885. Tax Commission correctly recognized "[t]he goal of any inquiry into the meaning of a legislative act is to ascertain and give effect to the intent of the legislature." Id., ¶14, 75 P.3d at 888. The Legislature "is presumed to have expressed its intent in a statute's language and to have intended what the text expresses." Id. "Where a statute is plain and unambiguous, it will not be subject to judicial construction, but will be given the effect its language dictates." Id. "Only where the intent cannot be ascertained from a statute's text, as occurs when ambiguity or conflict (with other statutes) is shown to exist, may rules of statutory construction be employed." Id.
¶15 Like tax exemptions and deductions, tax credits depend entirely on legislative grace. Tax credits must clearly be expressed, and whether one is allowed to the taxpayer depends upon the statute. Fent v. Oklahoma Tax Commission, 2004 OK 59, ¶7, 99 P.3d 241, 244. Tax credits are strictly construed. TPQ Investment Corp. v. Oklahoma Tax Commission, 1998 OK 13, ¶8, 954 P.2d 139, 141.
¶16 According to Taxpayers, whether the subject vehicles qualify for the tax credit under § 2357.22(C) "depends upon how the LSV was `principally manufactured.'" They argue if the LSV is propelled by electricity and is not a golf cart, go-cart or vehicle principally manufactured for use off streets and highways, it is QEMVP. They also argue a LSV manufactured for incidental use off streets and highways still qualifies for the tax credit, and only those "principally manufactured" for use off streets and highways are not QEMVP. Taxpayers rely on the definition of LSVs in Title 47 (Oklahoma's Highway Safety Code and the Vehicle and Registration Act) which requires compliance with
¶17 Division argued, regardless of whether a vehicle is a LSV under state or federal law, "a vehicle is only qualified for the § 2357.22(C) tax credit if it is: (1) not known as a golf cart or go-cart, or (2) not known as a motor vehicle manufactured principally for use off the streets and highways." (Emphasis in original.) Division relies on the plain language of § 2357.22(C) and that since its enactment in 1996, the Legislature has not amended it to include LSVs, despite having introduced that the new term "LSVs" to Title 47 in 2001 and having since amended § 2357.22 several times.
¶18 The ALJ concluded the Exclusion is clear and unambiguous, but because the term "golf carts" is not defined in Oklahoma statutes, he relied on other states' definitions from which he deduced a "composite description" for that term. After considering Oklahoma law prohibits the registration of golf carts and their operation on its streets and highways, the ALJ then concluded:
Based in part on Tax Policy Division's testimony that the legal, on-road operation of LSVs in Oklahoma do not immediately qualify them for the tax credit because golf carts can become equipped to be street legal, the ALJ concluded the Legislature also intended to exclude a "golf cart," which has been modified (post-manufacture) to meet the safety requirements required by [federal law] to make the "vehicle" a street legal LSV.
¶19 The ALJ next considered OAC 710:60-3-115 (the Rule) recognizes 68 O.S. Supp. 2008 § 1355(10)'s allowance of an exemption from sales tax if the owner of a LSV tags and titles it and has paid the required excise tax for the LSV.
¶20 After dealing with preliminary matters, the Commission cited 68 O.S. Supp. 2006 § 2353(3) for the mandate that "any term used in [the Oklahoma Income Tax Act, 68 O.S. 2001 § 2351 et seq.] shall have the same meaning as when used in a comparable context in the Internal Revenue Code [IRC] unless a different meaning is clearly required." Based on the IRC use of the phrase "`manufactured primarily for use on public
¶21 Finding "the terms `known as a golf cart' and `known as a go-cart' used in [§ 2357.22(C)] have no comparable terms used in the IRC," Tax Commission concluded a "different meaning is clearly required" for those terms and proceeded to interpret the Exclusion, as follows:
(Parentheses in original.)
¶22 Taxpayers argue Tax Commission's interpretation "creates an absurd result" not contemplated by the Oklahoma Legislature. They claim because "LSVs did not exist when [§ 2357.22(C)] was originally enacted — there is no basis to assume the [Legislature] meant to exclude [LSVs] that possibly resembled golf carts in some form" and "it makes no logical sense to disqualify the LSVs from the tax credit if someone, anyone, thinks of them as such." They also complain Tax Commission's analysis introduces criteria which does not appear in § 2357.22(C), i.e., internet advertising/marketing, the existence of enclosures, and appearance, and ignores the plain meaning of the statute.
¶23 Division argues if the Legislature intended to exclude only vehicles which were golf carts, as Taxpayers argue, the term `known as' would constitute surplusage and be rendered meaningless. It claims the Legislature intended to exclude from the status of QEMVP "not only vehicles which are `golf carts' and `go-carts' but vehicles which are known as `golf carts' and `go-carts.'"
¶24 Tax Commission did not agree or disagree with the ALJ's conclusion that the Exclusion was clear and unambiguous, but implied such by limiting its interpretation to the common meaning of the "plain express" language. The test for ambiguity in a statute is whether the language is susceptible to more than one reasonable interpretation. YDF, Inc. v. Schlumar, Inc., 2006 OK 32, ¶6, 136 P.3d 656, 658. This issue is a question of law for this court. Id. We find the "strikingly opposing views of its meaning" demonstrates the Exclusion is ambiguous. McNeill v. City of Tulsa, 1998 OK 2, ¶10, 953 P.2d 329; see also Berry v. State ex rel. Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System, 1989 OK 14, ¶ 7, 768 P.2d 898, 900.
¶25 The ambiguity arises from the phrase "known as `golf carts,' `go-carts'" and § 2357.22(C)'s failure to answer the question that phrase poses, "known by whom?" Responding to that very question at the hearing, Ms. Cash testified Policy Division decided
¶26 We conclude Tax Commission's interpretation of the Exclusion as having three separate categories focuses too narrowly on certain phrases in the Exclusion. While agreeing the phrase "known as" cannot be ignored, we disagree such phrase modifies "golf-carts" and "go-carts."
¶27 The phrase "known as a `golf cart,' `go-cart'" is a participial phrase in which "known" is the past participle of the irregular verb "know." The preposition "as" and its two objects, the plural nouns "`golf carts,' `go-carts'" form a prepositional phrase that acts as an adverb to modify "known." The entire phrase "known as `golf carts,' go-carts'" acts as an adjective to modify or describe the plural noun "vehicles." That term is the object of the prepositional "to," which prepositional phrase together with the auxiliary verb and adverb "shall not," and the intransitive verb "apply" clearly mandate the subject of the Exclusion, "[t]he term `qualified electric motor vehicle property'" shall not apply "to vehicles" described by "known as `golf carts,' `go-carts.'"
¶28 Lacking a statutory definition for "known as," Tax Commission relied on Black's Law Dictionary for the meaning of "known," which is "perceived, understood, recognized, familiar." Webster's Third New International Dictionary (1986). However, the phrase "known as" means "to be called a certain name," www.englishclub.com/ref/esl/phrasal_verbs/K/known_as_1966.htm. It may also mean "perceive as having a specified characteristic" or "give a particular name or title."
¶29 Oklahoma statutes similarly do not define "golf carts" or "go-carts," and the same can be said about most dictionaries printed within the last twenty years. Therefore, we look to other resources to determine the common meaning of the relevant term, "golf carts." Definitions obtained on the internet from various online dictionaries reveal dual meanings of the term "golf carts."
¶30 Despite the industry's new term, our Legislature acknowledged the continued use of "golf carts" by the general public for the conventional motorized versions used on golf courses in 1996, when it amended § 2357.22 to add subsection C. The Exclusion phrase, "vehicles known as `golf carts,' `go-carts' and other motor vehicles which are manufactured principally for use off the streets and highways" was transferred from a statute enacted in 1985 listing "unlawful acts" regarding registration and operation of motor vehicles, i.e., 47 O.S. Supp. 1985 § 1151. In the same subsection as the Exclusion phrase, § 1151(E),
¶31 This interpretation is consistent with the Legislature's continued prohibition in 1996 against registration and operation of golf carts on Oklahoma streets and highways, despite the emerging trend begun by several states and cities in the early-1990's authorizing operation of golf carts and all-terrain vehicles on public roads. Due to this trend and the resulting conflict between state laws and federal motor vehicle safety standards for passenger cars the federal Department of Transportation created in 1998 a new classification of motor vehicles, "Low speed vehicles," and set for it safety standards to decrease injuries or hazards to the public which might potentially be caused by these slower moving vehicles.
¶32 Tax Commission's interpretation also ignores the meaning and significance of the general phrase, "and other motor vehicles," which immediately follows "`golf carts,' `go-carts.'"
¶33 Consistent with the general public view of a conventional "golf cart," Oklahoma's Sales Tax Code lists the term "golf carts" as one example of "amusement, sports, entertainment, or other recreational activities." See 68 O.S. Supp. 2007 § 1354 (15) and (16). The class to which the Exclusion applies is not restricted to those activities, however, because the catchall phrase "and other motor vehicles" is followed by a restrictive clause "which are manufactured principally for use off the streets and highways." See Baccus v. Banks, 1947 OK 322, 199 Okla. 647,192 P.2d 683.
¶34 Interpreting the Exclusion as a whole, we conclude the Legislature's intent was to exclude from the definition of QEMVP a class of electric motor vehicles which, like conventional golf carts and go-carts, are manufactured principally for use off streets and highways. This issue should have been the sole focus when determining whether the Tomberlin LSVs fall within the excluded class, which we find includes not only conventional golf carts and go-carts but also any electric motor vehicle manufactured principally for use off Oklahoma streets and highways.
¶35 Division's application of the Exclusion with three separate exceptions has resulted in approving the credit for 84 models of LSVs and disallowing 66 models of LSVs from approximately 30 manufacturers.
¶36 Article 10, § 22 of the Oklahoma Constitution allows "the classification of property for purposes of taxation." The State, through the Legislature, "may provide for exemptions and credits from income taxation in the Income Tax Code, 68 O.S. 2011 § 2357 et seq." Fent v. State ex rel. Oklahoma Tax Commission, 2004 OK 59, ¶10, 99 P.3d 241, 245. An invalid tax classification includes one that discriminates between persons or property in like situations. Id. "When a statute is susceptible to more than one construction, it must be given an interpretation that frees it from constitutional doubt rather than one which would make it fraught with fundamental-law infirmities." State ex rel. Turpen v. Oklahoma State Board for Property and Casualty Rates, 1986 OK 54, ¶7, 731 P.2d 394, 398-399. Unlike Tax Commission's interpretation and application, our interpretation of the Exclusion as a single exception to QEMVP would prevent inconsistent and unequal operation upon property within the same class when determining entitlement to the tax credit.
¶37 Implied from our interpretation of the Exclusion is legislative intent that the term QEMVP means motor vehicles originally equipped to be propelled by electricity and which are manufactured principally for use on streets and highways. This interpretation is supported by the amendment to § 2357.22, enacted as an emergency measure effective June 9, 2010, eleven months before Tax Commission filed the order on review. Subsection (A)(2) allows a one-time tax credit "[f]or tax years beginning before January 1, 2015" ... [f]or investments in [QEMVP] in service after December 31, 1995, and before July 1, 2010." Pertinent to this appeal is the Legislature's amendment and re-designation of § 2357.22(D) to (E) and substitution of (D) with the following definition, "[a]s used in this section, "motor vehicle" means "a motor vehicle originally designed by the manufacturer to operate lawfully and principally on streets and highways."
¶38 The fact that the 2010 amendment was not in effect when Taxpayers made their claim for the tax credit or when Division disallowed that claim does not make the amended definition irrelevant. Quail Creek Golf and Country Club v. Oklahoma Tax Commission, 1996 OK 35, ¶10, 913 P.2d 302, 304. "It is well settled that subsequent amendments to an act can be used to ascertain the meaning of a prior statute." Id. "Where the meaning of a prior statute is subject to serious doubt and has not been judicially determined, a presumption arises that a subsequent amendment was meant to clarify, as opposed to change, the prior statute." Id.
¶39 Importantly here, the new definition of "motor vehicle" for § 2357.22 clarifies the definition of QEMVP under § 2357.22(C) to mean a "motor vehicle" which is originally designed by the manufacturer to operate lawfully and principally on streets and highways. As we view it, the new definition clarifies what was implied from § 2357.22(A) and (C) as a whole, i.e., the Legislature's intent to benefit taxpayers who invest in electric motor vehicles which, as originally designed and equipped, are manufactured principally for lawful use or operation on streets and highways in Oklahoma. This clarified focus on how the motor vehicles are designed and manufactured or equipped clearly eliminates the tax credit for motor vehicles modified, post-manufacture, to qualify as QEMVP, e.g., street modified golf carts.
¶40 Moreover, even without considering the 2010 amendment, interpretation of the Exclusion as having three separate and distinct "categories" creates an absurd result that we believe was not intended by the Legislature. One of the examples Tax Commission gave in its order to show how the Exclusion would apply demonstrates this point, i.e., "[a] vehicle which is known as a golf car but manufactured principally for use on streets and highways is not a qualified electric motor vehicle property and does not qualify for the tax credit." (Emphasis
¶41 Tax Commission's order is clearly erroneous and must be reversed. However, we need not remand for further resolution in light of our interpretation of § 2357.22(C) and the Exclusion, because its primary issue — whether the Tomberlin LSVs are manufactured principally for use off the streets and highways — was fully tried below.
¶42 REVERSED AND REMANDED.
BELL, P.J., and MITCHELL, J., concur.