15-31-401. Application of corporate income tax and alternative corporate income tax. (1) It is the intent of the legislature that the corporate income tax must be applied to all corporations subject to taxation under part 1 of this chapter. Except as provided in subsection (2), the alternative corporate income tax provided by this part must be applied to corporations that are not taxable under part 1 of this chapter but are taxable under an income tax.

(2) During its first 5 taxable years of activity in Montana, the net income earned from research and development activities by a research and development firm as described in 15-31-103 is not subject to either the corporate income tax provided in part 1 of this chapter or to the alternative corporate income tax provided in this part.