HLS 22RS-3282 ENGROSSED 2022 Regular Session HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 104 BY REPRESENTATIVE WRIGHT REVENUE DEPARTMENT: Urges and requests the Dept. of Revenue to study and report on the feasibility of accepting virtual currency as a form of payment of taxes, licenses, fees, penalties, and interest due to the state 1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION 2To urge and request the Department of Revenue to study the feasibility of accepting virtual 3 currency as a form of payment of taxes, licenses, fees, penalties, and interest that 4 have been delegated to the department for collection and to submit a written report 5 of its findings, including any recommendations for legislation, to the House 6 Committee on Ways and Means and the Senate Committee on Revenue and Fiscal 7 Affairs no later than March 1, 2024. 8 WHEREAS, the Department of Revenue is the state agency charged with the 9assessment, collection, administration, and enforcement of taxes, licenses, fees, penalties, 10and interest due the state; and 11 WHEREAS, R.S. 6:1382, defines "virtual currency" as a digital representation of 12value that is used as a medium of exchange, unit of account, or store of value, and that is not 13legal tender, whether or not denominated in legal tender; and 14 WHEREAS, blockchain technology, which is a system that allows the recording and 15distribution of information without the ability to edit records, is used to maintain a secure 16decentralized record of transactions; and 17 WHEREAS, blockchain technology is used in virtual currency systems to maintain 18the security of the record and generate trust without the need for a third party to the 19transaction; and Page 1 of 3 HLS 22RS-3282 ENGROSSED HCR NO. 104 1 WHEREAS, virtual currency is becoming more commonly used as a form of 2payment for goods and services by citizens of this state in e-commerce and retail 3transactions as well as a form of currency in interstate commerce; and 4 WHEREAS, a number of other states have already passed or are currently 5considering legislation concerning virtual currency technology; and 6 WHEREAS, Louisiana has a tradition of excellence in promoting, assisting, and 7leading the development of traditional and emerging technologies, including financial 8technology; and 9 WHEREAS, it is in the interest of Louisiana to continue this excellence in 10promoting, assisting, and leading the development of technology for use in both private and 11public capacities, including financial technology such as virtual currency and blockchain 12technology. 13 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Louisiana Legislature does hereby urge 14and request the Department of Revenue to study the feasibility of accepting virtual currency 15as a form of payment of taxes, licenses, fees, penalties, and interest that have been delegated 16to the department for collection and to submit a written report of its findings, including any 17recommendations for legislation, to the House Committee on Ways and Means and the 18Senate Committee on Revenue and Fiscal Affairs no later than March 1, 2024. 19 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in conducting its study, the Department of 20Revenue shall include all of the following: 21 (1) Identify transactions for which payment in the form of virtual currency should 22 be accepted. 23 (2) Determine whether current state statutes and rules or regulations allow for the 24 acceptance of virtual currency as a form of payment. 25 (3) Identify any additional costs that will be incurred by the state in connection with 26 the acceptance of virtual currency as a form of payment. 27 (4) Identify fees, if any, that the state should charge taxpayers to reimburse the state 28 for costs associated with the acceptance of virtual currency as a form of payment. 29 (5) Identify technologies available to the state to facilitate the acceptance of virtual 30 currency as a form of payment. Page 2 of 3 HLS 22RS-3282 ENGROSSED HCR NO. 104 1 (6) Identify risks the state may be taking in accepting virtual currency as a form of 2 payment, including, but not limited to risks associated with the fluctuating value of 3 virtual currency. 4 (7) Estimate the rate of usage of virtual currency as a form of payment versus the 5 cost and other resources required to process payments to the state. 6 (8) Survey best practices from other states that accept virtual currency as a form of 7 payment. 8 (9) Identify any other issues deemed necessary in studying acceptance of virtual 9 currency by the Department of Revenue. 10 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the 11secretary of the Department of Revenue. DIGEST The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)] HCR 104 Engrossed 2022 Regular Session Wright Requests the Dept. of Revenue to study the feasibility of accepting virtual currency as a form of payment of taxes, licenses, fees, penalties, and interest that have been delegated to the department for collection and to submit a written report of its findings, including any recommendations for legislation, to the House Committee on Ways and Means and the Senate Committee on Revenue and Fiscal Affairs no later than March 1, 2024. Page 3 of 3