Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 112 Part 1.djvu/808

 112 STAT. 782 PUBLIC LAW 105-206-JULY 22, 1998 Applicability. 26 USC 6050S note. (1) Paragraph (2) of section 6050S(d) is amended by striking "aggregate". (2) Subsection (e) of section 6050S is amended by inserting "(without regard to subsection (g)(2) thereof)" after "section 25A". (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.— The amendments made by this section shall apply to returns required to be filed with respect to taxable years beginning after December 31, 1998. Subtitle I—Studies 26 USC 6601 note. Deadline. 26 USC 6103 note. Reports. Deadline. SEC. 3801. ADMINISTRATION OF PENALTIES AND INTEREST. The Joint Committee on Taxation and the Secretary of the Treasury shall each conduct a separate study— (1) reviewing the administration and implementation by the Internal Revenue Service of the interest and penalty provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (including the penalty reform provisions of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989); and (2) msiking any legislative and administrative recommendations the Committee or the Secretary deems appropriate to simplify penalty or interest administration and reduce taxpayer burden. Such studies shall be submitted to the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act. SEC. 3802. CONFIDENTIALITY OF TAX RETURN INFORMATION. The Joint Committee on Taxation and the Secretary of the Treasury shall each conduct a separate study of the scope and use of provisions regarding taxpayer confidentiality, and shall report the findings of such study, together with such recommendations as the Committee or the Secretary deems appropriate, to the Congress not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act. Such study shall examine— (1) the present protections for taxpayer privacy; (2) any need for third parties to use tax return information; (3) whether greater levels of voluntary compliance may be achieved by allowing the public to know who is legally required to file tax returns, but does not file tax returns; (4) the interrelationship of the taxpayer confidentiality provisions in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 with such provisions in other Federal law, including section 552a of title 5, United States Code (commonly known as the "Freedom of Information Act"); (5) the impact on taxpayer privacy of the sharing of income tax return information for purposes of enforcement of State and local tax laws other than income tax laws, and including the impact on the taxpayer privacy intended to be protected at the Federal, State, and local levels under Public Law 105- 35, the Taxpayer Browsing Protection Act of 1997; and (6) whether the public interest would be served by greater disclosure of information relating to tax exempt organizations described in section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

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