State Codes and Statutes

Statutes > Mississippi > Title-27 > 13 > 27-13-57

§ 27-13-57. Information kept secret.
 

(1)  Except in accordance with the proper judicial order, or as otherwise provided in this section, it shall be unlawful for the members of the State Tax Commission, any deputy, agent, clerk or other officer or employee to divulge or make known in any manner any particulars set forth or disclosed in any report or return required under this chapter. When a combined report or return is filed as authorized by Section 27-13-17(5), each report or return which composes the combined return shall be considered separate for the purpose of any examinations authorized in this section and only particulars relating to the specific return or report set forth in the judicial order or as otherwise provided shall be considered lawfully divulged. The term "proper judicial order" as used in this section shall not include subpoenas or subpoenas duces tecum, but shall include only those orders entered by a court of record in this state after furnishing notice and a hearing to the taxpayer and the State Tax Commission. The court shall not authorize the furnishing of such information unless it is satisfied that the information is needed to pursue pending litigation wherein the return itself is in issue, or the judge is satisfied that the need for furnishing the information outweighs the rights of the taxpayer to have such information secreted. Nothing herein shall be construed to prohibit the publication of statistics, so classified as to prevent the identification of particular reports or returns and the items thereof, or the inspection by the Attorney General or any other attorney representing the state of the report or return of any taxpayer who shall bring action to set aside or review the tax based thereon, or against whom an action or proceeding has been instituted to recover any tax or penalty imposed by this chapter. Reports and returns shall be preserved in accordance with approved records control schedules. No records, however, may be destroyed without the approval of the Director of the Department of Archives and History. 
 

Provided, however, that information relating to possible tax liability of other states or the federal government may be furnished to the revenue department of those states or the federal government when said states or federal government grant a like comity to Mississippi. 

(2)  The State Auditor and the employees of his office shall have the right to examine only such tax returns as are necessary for auditing the State Tax Commission, and the same prohibitions against disclosure which apply to the State Tax Commission shall apply to the State Auditor and his office. 

(3)  Nothing in this section shall prohibit the chairman of the commission from making available information necessary to recover taxes owing the state pursuant to the authority granted in Section 27-75-16, Mississippi Code of 1972. 

(4)  Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction shall be punished by a fine of not exceeding Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), or by imprisonment not exceeding one (1) year, or both, at the discretion of the court, and if the offender be an officer or employee of the state he shall be dismissed from office and be incapable of holding any public office in this state for a period of five (5) years thereafter. 
 

Sources: Codes, 1942, § 9333; Laws,  1934, ch. 121; Laws, 1975, ch. 467; § 7; ch. 516, § 3; Laws, 1981, ch. 501, § 23; Laws, 1984, ch. 447, § 5; Laws, 1988, ch. 349, § 4, eff from and after passage (approved April 15, 1988).
 

State Codes and Statutes

Statutes > Mississippi > Title-27 > 13 > 27-13-57

§ 27-13-57. Information kept secret.
 

(1)  Except in accordance with the proper judicial order, or as otherwise provided in this section, it shall be unlawful for the members of the State Tax Commission, any deputy, agent, clerk or other officer or employee to divulge or make known in any manner any particulars set forth or disclosed in any report or return required under this chapter. When a combined report or return is filed as authorized by Section 27-13-17(5), each report or return which composes the combined return shall be considered separate for the purpose of any examinations authorized in this section and only particulars relating to the specific return or report set forth in the judicial order or as otherwise provided shall be considered lawfully divulged. The term "proper judicial order" as used in this section shall not include subpoenas or subpoenas duces tecum, but shall include only those orders entered by a court of record in this state after furnishing notice and a hearing to the taxpayer and the State Tax Commission. The court shall not authorize the furnishing of such information unless it is satisfied that the information is needed to pursue pending litigation wherein the return itself is in issue, or the judge is satisfied that the need for furnishing the information outweighs the rights of the taxpayer to have such information secreted. Nothing herein shall be construed to prohibit the publication of statistics, so classified as to prevent the identification of particular reports or returns and the items thereof, or the inspection by the Attorney General or any other attorney representing the state of the report or return of any taxpayer who shall bring action to set aside or review the tax based thereon, or against whom an action or proceeding has been instituted to recover any tax or penalty imposed by this chapter. Reports and returns shall be preserved in accordance with approved records control schedules. No records, however, may be destroyed without the approval of the Director of the Department of Archives and History. 
 

Provided, however, that information relating to possible tax liability of other states or the federal government may be furnished to the revenue department of those states or the federal government when said states or federal government grant a like comity to Mississippi. 

(2)  The State Auditor and the employees of his office shall have the right to examine only such tax returns as are necessary for auditing the State Tax Commission, and the same prohibitions against disclosure which apply to the State Tax Commission shall apply to the State Auditor and his office. 

(3)  Nothing in this section shall prohibit the chairman of the commission from making available information necessary to recover taxes owing the state pursuant to the authority granted in Section 27-75-16, Mississippi Code of 1972. 

(4)  Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction shall be punished by a fine of not exceeding Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), or by imprisonment not exceeding one (1) year, or both, at the discretion of the court, and if the offender be an officer or employee of the state he shall be dismissed from office and be incapable of holding any public office in this state for a period of five (5) years thereafter. 
 

Sources: Codes, 1942, § 9333; Laws,  1934, ch. 121; Laws, 1975, ch. 467; § 7; ch. 516, § 3; Laws, 1981, ch. 501, § 23; Laws, 1984, ch. 447, § 5; Laws, 1988, ch. 349, § 4, eff from and after passage (approved April 15, 1988).
 


State Codes and Statutes

State Codes and Statutes

Statutes > Mississippi > Title-27 > 13 > 27-13-57

§ 27-13-57. Information kept secret.
 

(1)  Except in accordance with the proper judicial order, or as otherwise provided in this section, it shall be unlawful for the members of the State Tax Commission, any deputy, agent, clerk or other officer or employee to divulge or make known in any manner any particulars set forth or disclosed in any report or return required under this chapter. When a combined report or return is filed as authorized by Section 27-13-17(5), each report or return which composes the combined return shall be considered separate for the purpose of any examinations authorized in this section and only particulars relating to the specific return or report set forth in the judicial order or as otherwise provided shall be considered lawfully divulged. The term "proper judicial order" as used in this section shall not include subpoenas or subpoenas duces tecum, but shall include only those orders entered by a court of record in this state after furnishing notice and a hearing to the taxpayer and the State Tax Commission. The court shall not authorize the furnishing of such information unless it is satisfied that the information is needed to pursue pending litigation wherein the return itself is in issue, or the judge is satisfied that the need for furnishing the information outweighs the rights of the taxpayer to have such information secreted. Nothing herein shall be construed to prohibit the publication of statistics, so classified as to prevent the identification of particular reports or returns and the items thereof, or the inspection by the Attorney General or any other attorney representing the state of the report or return of any taxpayer who shall bring action to set aside or review the tax based thereon, or against whom an action or proceeding has been instituted to recover any tax or penalty imposed by this chapter. Reports and returns shall be preserved in accordance with approved records control schedules. No records, however, may be destroyed without the approval of the Director of the Department of Archives and History. 
 

Provided, however, that information relating to possible tax liability of other states or the federal government may be furnished to the revenue department of those states or the federal government when said states or federal government grant a like comity to Mississippi. 

(2)  The State Auditor and the employees of his office shall have the right to examine only such tax returns as are necessary for auditing the State Tax Commission, and the same prohibitions against disclosure which apply to the State Tax Commission shall apply to the State Auditor and his office. 

(3)  Nothing in this section shall prohibit the chairman of the commission from making available information necessary to recover taxes owing the state pursuant to the authority granted in Section 27-75-16, Mississippi Code of 1972. 

(4)  Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction shall be punished by a fine of not exceeding Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), or by imprisonment not exceeding one (1) year, or both, at the discretion of the court, and if the offender be an officer or employee of the state he shall be dismissed from office and be incapable of holding any public office in this state for a period of five (5) years thereafter. 
 

Sources: Codes, 1942, § 9333; Laws,  1934, ch. 121; Laws, 1975, ch. 467; § 7; ch. 516, § 3; Laws, 1981, ch. 501, § 23; Laws, 1984, ch. 447, § 5; Laws, 1988, ch. 349, § 4, eff from and after passage (approved April 15, 1988).