SPONSOR: Griffith
COMMITTEE ACTION: Voted "Do Pass" by the Standing Committee on Government Efficiency by a vote of 14 to 0. Voted "Do Pass" by the Standing Committee on Rules-Adminstrative by a vote of 9 to 0.
Currently a notice of deficiency from the Department or Revenue must be sent via certified or registered mail.
This bill authorizes the Department to send a notice of deficiency to taxpayers, other than individuals, electronically, upon request. For individual taxpayers, the Department can send the notice of deficiency by first-class mail or electronically at the taxpayer's request.
The bill removes a requirement that any notice sent to an applicant or recipient of the blind pension fund must be sent by certified mail. Instead, the bill allows the notice to be sent by mail delivered by the United States Postal Service, except that, for any notice of adverse actions, as specified in the bill, the notice must also be sent by certified mail delivered by the USPS at the applicant's or recipient's address of record.
Further, this bill removes a requirement that notices of assessments by the Executive Director of the Ethics Commission be sent by mail or registered mail.
This bill is the similar to HB 1489 (2024) and HCS HB 510 (2023).
PROPONENTS: Supporters say that this bill is helpful and a money saving option for the Department. There are many people that cannot make it to a post office to pick up registered mail and the more convenient option is to have notices sent electronically. Approximately 80% of mail returned currently is certified mail that was never delivered.
Testifying in person for the bill were Representative Griffith and Zachary Wyatt, Missouri Department of Revenue.
OPPONENTS: Those who oppose the bill say that people have a hard time adjusting to change and email boxes are often overflowing so an important notice might be missed.
Testifying in person against the bill was Arnie Dienoff. Written testimony has been submitted for this bill. The full written testimony and witnesses testifying online can be found under Testimony on the bill page on the House website.
Statutes affected: