Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 68A.djvu/794

 754

INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1954

chapter 33, and subchapter B of chapter 37, shall constitute public records and shall be open to public examination and inspection to such extent as shall be authorized in rules and regulations promulgated by the President. (3) Whenever a return is open to the inspection of any person, a certified copy thereof shall, upon request, be furnished to such person under rules and regulations prescribed by the Secretary or his delegate. The Secretary or his delegate may prescribe a reasonable fee for furnishing such copy. (b) INSPECTION BY STATES.— (1) STATE OFFICERS.—The proper officers

of any State

may,

upon the request of the governor thereof, have access to the returns of any corporation, or to an abstract thereof showing the name and income of any corporation, at such times and in such manner as the Secretary or his delegate may prescribe. (2) STATE BODIES OR COMMISSIONS.—All income returns filed with respect to the taxes imposed by chapters 1, 2, 3, and 6 (or copies thereof, if so prescribed by regulations made under this subsection), shall be open to inspection by any oflEicial, body,, or commission, lawfully charged with the administration of any State tax law, if the inspection is for the purpose of such administration or for the purpose of obtaining information to be furnished to local taxing authorities as provided in this paragraph. The inspection shall be permitted only upon written request' of the governor of such State, designating the representative of such official, body, or commission to make the inspection on behalf of such official, body, or commission. The inspection shall be made in such manner, and at such times and places, as shall be prescribed by regulations made by the Secretary or his delegate. Any information thus secured by any official, body, or commission of any State may be used only for the administration of the tax laws of such State, except that upon written request of the governor of such State any such information may be furnished to any official, body, or commission of any political subdivision of such State, lawfully charged with the administration of the tax laws of such political subdivision, b u t may be furnished only for the purpose of, and may be used only for, the administration of such tax laws. (c) INSPECTION BY SHAREHOLDERS.—All bona fide shareholders of record owning 1 percent or more of the outstanding stock of any corporation shall, upon making request of the Secretary or his delegate, be allowed to examine the annual income returns of such corporation and of its subsidiaries. (d) INSPECTION BY COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS.— (1) COMMITTEES ON WAYS AND MEANS AND FINANCE.—

(A) The Secretary and any officer or employee of the Treasury Department, upon request from the Committee on Ways and "Means of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Finance of the Senate, or a select committee of the Senate or House specially authorized to investigate returns by a resolution of the Senate or House, or a joint committee so authorized by concurrent resolution, shall furnish such committee sitting in executive session with any data of any character contained in or shown by any return. § 6103(a)(2)

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