Promotion and Expansion of Private Employee Ownership Act of 2019

Promotion and Expansion of Private Employee Ownership Act of 2019

This bill expands tax incentives and federal assistance for employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) that are sponsored by S corporations.

The bill provides additional tax incentives for ESOPs by (1) extending to all domestic corporations, including S corporations, provisions allowing deferral of tax on gain from the sale of employer securities to an ESOP; and (2) allowing a tax deduction for 50% of the interest received by a bank on loans to S corporation-sponsored ESOPs for the purchase of employer securities.

The Department of the Treasury must establish the S Corporation Employee Ownership Assistance Office to foster increased employee ownership of S corporations.

The bill defines an "ESOP business concern" and allows such a concern to continue to qualify as a small business for the purposes of programs under the Small Business Act. An "ESOP business concern" is a business concern that was a small business concern eligible for a loan, preference, or other program under the Small Business Act before more than 49% of the business concern was acquired by an ESOP.