ATLANTA – The Georgia House of Representatives today passed House Bills 982 and 1188 to help the state catch tax cheats and capture unpaid revenue.
“These bills give the Department of Revenue the authorization and resources to catch the tax cheaters and thieves in our state and go after the people who are robbing our treasury,” said Representative Larry O’Neal (R-Bonaire), Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. “The honest tax paying citizens of Georgia have every right to expect the cheats to be caught and prosecuted accordingly.”
HB 982 waives court costs incurred by the Department of Revenue (DOR) when having to garnish wages of a delinquent taxpayer. The DOR typically pays $160 in court fees per garnishment. Of a potential 20,000 garnishments in 2009, the Department of Revenue only had resources to file 240 garnishments.
Similar processes as those initiated by HB 982 are currently used in other states throughout the southeast, like North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The measure passed by a vote of 95-68.
Under existing law, the DOR Peace Officer Standards Training (POST) certified law enforcement officers have full enforcement powers for matters relating to alcohol, tobacco, and title fraud. HB1188 would allow DOR POST-certified law enforcement officers to deal with tax fraud and theft. As a result, POST certified law enforcement officers will no longer need mandatory assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation or local law enforcement when handling these issues. The measure passed by a vote of 97-69.
“This special POST certified investigation team saved $30 million last year that we know of in fraudulent refund claims,” stated Rep. O’Neal. “The honest taxpayers of Georgia deserve all we can do to assure every person only pays their fair and legal share of taxes and criminals are not allowed to defraud our state.”
Both pieces of legislation will now move to the Senate for consideration. A link to HB 982 can be found by clicking here. A link to HB 1188 can be found by clicking here.
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