INCOME TAX

The income tax (benefit) provision on income from operations consists of the following:



	Years Ended December 31,
	2017			2016			2015
Current:
Federal	$	22,882		$	41,366		$	44,841
State	4,666			7,023			6,670
	27,548			48,389			51,511
Deferred	(29,865		)	(28,939		)	(7,956		)
	$	(2,317	)	$	19,450		$	43,555

Reconciliation of the U.S. statutory income tax rate to our effective income tax expense rate for operations follows:



	Years Ended December 31,
	2017			2016			2015
Federal income tax expense at statutory rate	$	56,570		$	45,257		$	37,949
State income tax, net of federal income tax benefit	4,824			4,807			3,715
Domestic production activities deduction	(2,617		)	(3,947		)	(466		)
Excess tax benefits related to stock option exercises	(40,624		)	(29,582		)	—
Tax Act adjustments	(21,625		)	—			—
Tax credits	(3,578		)	—			—
Non-deductible business expenses	4,573			2,979			2,414
Other, net	160			(64		)	(57		)
	$	(2,317	)	$	19,450		$	43,555

On December 22, 2017, the Tax Act was enacted into law. The Tax Act amends the Internal Revenue Code to reduce tax rates and modify policies, credits and deductions for individuals and businesses. For businesses, the Tax Act reduces the U.S. corporate federal tax rate from a maximum of 35% to a flat 21% rate and transitions from a worldwide tax system to a territorial tax system. The Tax Act also adds many new provisions including changes to bonus depreciation, the deduction for executive compensation and a tax on global intangible low-taxed income (GILTI). The most significant impact of the Tax Act to us is the reduction in the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21%. The impact of the rate reduction on our 2017 income tax provision is a $21.6 million tax benefit due to the remeasurement of deferred tax assets and liabilities. We have reported provisional amounts for the income tax effects of the Tax Act for which the accounting is incomplete but a reasonable estimate could be determined. There were no specific impacts of the Tax Act that could not be reasonably estimated which we accounted for under prior tax law. Based on a continued analysis of the estimates and further guidance on the application of the law, it is anticipated that additional revisions may occur throughout the allowable measurement period. Overall, the changes due to the Tax Act will favorably affect income tax expense and future U.S. earnings.

Due to the adoption of ASU No. 2016-09 in 2016, federal and state excess tax benefits from stock option exercises for years subsequent to 2015 are reflected as a reduction of the provision for income taxes, whereas they were previously accounted for as an increase to shareholders’ equity.

The tax effects of the major items recorded as deferred tax assets and liabilities as of December 31 are:



	2017			2016
Deferred income tax assets:
Operating expenses not currently deductible	$	11,232		$	18,721
Stock option and other employee benefit plans	15,932			19,665
Total deferred income tax assets	27,164			38,386
Deferred income tax liabilities:
Intangible assets	(60,189		)	(103,754		)
Property and equipment	(5,699		)	(3,207		)
Other	(190		)	(204		)
Total deferred income tax liabilities	(66,078		)	(107,165		)
Net deferred income tax liabilities	$	(38,914	)	$	(68,779	)

Although realization is not assured, we believe it is more likely than not that all the deferred tax assets will be realized. Accordingly, we believe no valuation allowance is required for the deferred tax assets. However, the amount of the deferred tax asset considered realizable could be adjusted in the future if estimates of reversing taxable temporary differences are revised. There were no unrecognized tax benefits during any of the reported periods.

We are subject to U.S. federal tax, as well as income tax of multiple state, local and foreign jurisdictions. We are routinely subject to income tax examinations by these taxing jurisdictions, but we do not have a history of, nor do we expect any, material adjustments to result from these examinations. During 2017, the Internal Revenue Service issued a “no change” letter upon completion of their examination of our 2012 tax year. With few exceptions, major U.S. federal, state and foreign jurisdictions are no longer subject to examinations for years before 2013. As of February 20, 2018, no significant adjustments have been proposed by any taxing jurisdiction.

We paid income taxes, net of refunds received, of $36.0 million in 2017, $30.2 million in 2016, and $27.3 million in 2015.