Req. No. 1752 Page 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 STATE OF OKLAHOMA 1st Session of the 58th Legislature (2021) COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR SENATE BILL 240 By: Hall COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE An Act relating to income tax refunds; amending 68 O.S. 2011, Section 205.2, as last amended by Sectio n 1, Chapter 280, O.S.L. 2015 (68 O.S. Supp. 2020, Section 205.2), which relates to claims by specified entities against income tax refund s; modifying definition; adding definition; and declaring an emergency. BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF TH E STATE OF OKLAHOMA: SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 68 O.S. 2011, Section 205.2, as last amended by Section 1, Chapter 280, O.S.L. 2015 (68 O.S. Supp. 2020, Section 205.2), is amended to read as f ollows: Section 205.2. A. For purposes of this section, a “qualifying entity” shall mean a: 1. State agency; 2. Municipal court; 3. District court; Req. No. 1752 Page 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 4. Public housing authority operating pursuant to Section 1062 of Title 63 of the Oklahoma Statutes; 5. District attorney seeking to collect unp aid court-ordered monetary obligations; or 6. Municipal government, and authorities or trusts with the municipal government as a beneficiary, seeking to recover expenses related to emergency medical services. Fo r the purposes of this section, “emergency medical service” means a service whereby an authorized agent or employee responds to a call for service with the intent of providing care, services, transportation or treatment to any person who may be injured or in need of medical assistance; or 7. The designee of an entity described in paragraphs 1 through 5 6 of this subsection. B. A qualified entity seeking to collect a debt, unpaid fines and cost or final judgment of at least Fifty Dollars ($50.00) from an individual who has filed a state income tax return may file a claim with the Oklahoma Tax Com mission requesting that the amount owed to the qualified entity be deducted from any state income tax refund due to that individual. The claim shall be filed electronically in a form prescribed by the Tax C ommission and shall contain information necessary to identify the person owing the debt , including the full name and Social Security number of the debtor. 1. Upon receiving a claim from a qualified entity, the Ta x Commission shall deduct the claim amount, plus collection expenses Req. No. 1752 Page 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 as provided in this sec tion, from the tax refund due to the debtor and transfer the amount to the qualified entity. Provided, the Tax Commission need not report available funds of less t han Fifty Dollars ($50.00). 2. The qualified entity shall send notice to the debtor by regular mail at the last -known address of the debtor as shown by the records of the Tax Commission when seeking to collect a debt not reduced to final judgment. The qu alified entity shall send notice to the judgment debtor or municipal court defendant by firs t-class mail at the last-known address of the judgment debtor or municipal court defendant as shown by the records of the Tax Commission when seeking to collect a f inal judgment or unpaid municipal fines and cost. The Tax Commission shall provide in an ag reed electronic format to the Department of Human Services the amount withheld by the Tax Commission, the home address and the Social Security number of the taxpayer. The notice shall state: a. that a claim has been filed with the Tax Commission for any portion of the tax refund due to the debtor or municipal court defendant which would satisfy the debt, unpaid municipal fines and cost, or final judgment in full or in part, b. the basis for the claim, c. that the Tax Commission has deducted an amount from the refund and remitted it to such qualified entity, Req. No. 1752 Page 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 d. that the debtor or municipal court defendant has the right to contest the claim by sending a written request to the qualified entity for a hearing to protest the claim, and if the debtor or municipal court defendant fails to apply for a hearing within sixty (60) days after the date of the mailing of the notice, the debtor or municipal court defendant shall be deemed to have waived his or her opportunity to contest the claim. Provided, if the claim was filed by the Department of Human Services, the notice shall state that the debtor must contest the claim by sending a written request to the Department within thirty (30) days after the date of the mailing of the notice, and e. that a collection expense o f five percent (5%) of the gross proceeds owed to the qualified entity has been charged to the debtor or municipal court defendant and withheld from the refund. 3. If the qualified entity determines that a refund is due to the taxpayer, the qualified enti ty shall reimburse the amount claimed plus the five -percent collection expense to the taxpayer. The qualified entity may request reimbursement of the two -percent collection expense retained by the Tax Commi ssion. Such request must be made within ninety ( 90) days of reimbursement to the Req. No. 1752 Page 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 taxpayer. If timely requested, the Tax Commission shall make such reimbursement to the qualified entity within ninety (90) days of the request. 4. In the case of a joint re turn, the notice shall state: a. the name of any taxpayer named in the return against whom no debt, no unpaid fines and cost, or final judgment is claimed, b. the fact that a debt, unpaid municipal fines and cost, or final judgment is not claimed against t he taxpayer, c. the fact that the taxpayer is ent itled to receive a refund if it is due regardless of the debt, municipal fines and cost, or final judgment asserted against the debtor or municipal court defendant, d. that in order to obtain the refund due, the taxpayer must apply, in writing, for a heari ng with the qualified entity named in the notice within sixty (60) days after the date of the mailing of the notice. Provided, if the claim was filed by the Depart ment of Human Services, the notice shall st ate that the taxpayer must apply, in writing, for a hearing with the Department within thirty (30) days after the date of the mailing of the notice, and e. if the taxpayer against whom no debt, no unpaid municipal fines and cost, or final judgment is claim ed Req. No. 1752 Page 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 fails to apply in writing for a hearing within sixty (60) days after the mailing of the notice, the taxpayer shall have waived his or her right to a refund. Provided, if the claim was filed by the Department of Human Services, the notice shall state that if the taxpayer fails to apply in writing for a hearing with the Department within thirty (30) days after the date of the mailing of the notice, the taxpayer shall have waived his or her right to a refund. C. If the qualified entity asserting the claim receives a written request for a hearing from th e debtor or taxpayer against whom no debt, no municipal fines and cost, or final judgment is claimed, the qualified entity shall grant a hearing according to the provisions of the Administrative Procedures A ct. It shall be determined at the hearing whethe r the claimed sum is correct or whether an adjustment to the claim shall be made. Pending final determination at the hearing of the validity of the debt, unpaid fines and cost, or final judgment asserted by the qualified entity, no action shall be taken i n furtherance of the collection of the debt, unpaid fines and cost, or final judgment. Appeals from actions taken at the hearing shall be in accordance with the provisions of the Administrative Procedures A ct. Req. No. 1752 Page 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 D. Upon final determination at a hearing, as provided for in subsection C of this section, of the amount of the debt, unpaid fines and cost, or final judgment, or upon failure of the debtor or taxpayer against whom no debt, no unpaid fines and cost, o r final judgment is claimed to request such a hea ring, the qualified entity shall apply the amount of the claim to the debt owed. Any amounts held by the qualified entity in excess of the final determination of the debt and collection expense shall be ref unded by the qualified entity to the taxpayer. H owever, if the tax refund due is inadequate to pay the collection expense and debt, unpaid fines and cost, or final judgment, the balance due the qualified entity s hall be a continuing debt or final judgment until paid in full. E. Upon receipt of a claim as provided in subsection A of this section, the Tax Commission shall: 1. Deduct from the refund five percent (5%) of the gross proceeds owed to the qualified enti ty, and distribute it by retaining two percent (2%) and transferring three percent (3%) to the qualified entity, as an expense of collection. The two percent (2%) retained by the Tax Commission shall be deposited in the Oklahoma Tax Commission Fund; 2. Transfer the amount of the claimed debt, unp aid fines and cost, or final judgment or so much thereof as is available to the qualified entity; Req. No. 1752 Page 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 3. Notify the debtor in writing as to how the refund was applied; and 4. Refund to the debtor any balance remaini ng after deducting the collection expense a nd debt, unpaid fines and cost, or final judgment. F. The Tax Commission shall deduct from any state tax refund due to a taxpayer the amount of delinquent state tax and penalty and interest thereon, which such ta xpayer owes pursuant to any state tax law prior to payment of such refund. G. The Tax Commission shall have first priority over all other qualified entities, when the Tax Commission is collecting a debt, municipal court fines and cost, or final judgment p ursuant to the provisions of this section. Subsequent to the Tax Commission priority, a claim filed by the Department of Human Services for the collection of child support and spousal support shall have priority over all other claims filed pursuant to thi s section. Priority in multiple claims by other qualified entities pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be in the order in time, in which the Tax Commission receives the claim from the qualified entities required by the provisions of subsectio n B of this section. H. The Tax Commission shall prescribe or approve forms and promulgate rules and regulations for implementing the provisions of this section. Req. No. 1752 Page 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 I. The information obtained by a qualified entity from the Tax Commission pursuant to the pr ovisions of this section shall be used only to aid in collection of the debt, unpaid fines a nd cost, or final judgment owed to the qualified entity. Disclosure of the information for any other purpose shall constitute a misdemeanor. Any employee of a qua lified entity or person convicted of violat ing this provision shall be subject to a fine not exceeding One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) or imprisonment in the county jail for a term not exceeding one (1) year, or both fine and imprisonment and, if still employed by the qualified entity, shall be di smissed from employment. J. The Tax Commission m ay employ the procedures provided by this section in order to collect a debt owed to the Internal Revenue Service if the Internal Revenue Service requires such proc edure as a condition to providing informati on to the Commission concerning federal income tax. K. The provisions of this section shall not apply to claims filed under the provisions of Section 290 6 or Section 5011 of this title. SECTION 2. It being immediately necessary for the pr eservation of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and be in full force from and after its passage an d approval. Req. No. 1752 Page 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 58-1-1752 QD 2/9/2021 3:33:19 PM