Chief Patron: O'Bannon
Allow Tax Dept. to Contract for Refund Analysis (language only)

Item 465 #5h

Language
Page 426, strike lines 32 through 33 and insert:
"A.  There is hereby established a special fund in the state treasury to be known as the Refund Suspense Fund, hereinafter referred to as the Fund.  The Tax Commissioner is hereby authorized to contract with nongovernmental entities for review of requests for refunds of taxes to enhance, expand and/or modify the administration of the refund review program, and to perform analysis of refund processing techniques.  The amount of any refund identified by the nongovernmental entity as potentially erroneous shall be deposited to the Fund pending review of the refund request.  Amounts in the Fund may be used to pay refunds subsequently determined to be valid, to pay the contracted nongovernmental entity for its services, to perform oversight of their operations, to upgrade necessary refund processing systems and data interfaces to facilitate the contractor’s work, to offset any administrative or other costs related to any contracts authorized under this provision, and to retain experts to perform analysis of refund processing techniques.  Any balance in the fund remaining after such payments, or provision therefore, shall be deposited into the appropriate general, nongeneral, or local fund."

Explanation
(This amendment establishes a Refund Suspense Fund for the Department of Taxation. It also authorizes the Tax Commissioner to contract with a private company to perform analysis of refund processing techniques.)