| Chapter 192 |
| 2019 -- H 5590 SUBSTITUTE A AS AMENDED Enacted 07/15/2019 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO TAXATION -SALES AND USE TAXES-ENFORCEMENT AND COLLECTION |
| Introduced By: Representatives Filippi, Price, Roberts, Place, and Newberry |
| Date Introduced: February 27, 2019 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Section 44-19-13 of the General Laws in Chapter 44-19 entitled "Sales and |
| Use Taxes - Enforcement and Collection" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 44-19-13. Notice of determination. |
| (a) The tax administrator shall give to the retailer or to the person storing, using, or |
| consuming the tangible personal property a written notice of his or her determination. Except in |
| the case of fraud, intent to evade the provisions of this article, failure to make a return, or claim |
| for additional amount pursuant to §§ 44-19-16 -- 44-19-19, every notice of a deficiency |
| determination shall be mailed within three (3) years after the fifteenth (15th) day of the calendar |
| month following the month for which the amount is proposed to be determined or within three (3) |
| years after the return is filed, whichever period expires later, unless a longer period is agreed |
| upon by the tax administrator and the taxpayer. |
| (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, under no |
| circumstances shall the tax administrator issue a notice of a deficiency determination for any sales |
| or use tax determined to be due and payable more than ten (10) years after the return is filed or |
| was due to be filed, nor shall the tax administrator commence any collection action for any tax |
| that is due and payable unless the collection action is commenced within ten (10) years after a |
| notice of a deficiency determination becomes a final collectible assessment; provided, however, |
| that the tax administrator may renew a statutory lien that was initially filed within the ten-(10) |
| year (10) period for collection actions. Both of the aforementioned ten-(10) year (10) periods are |
| tolled for any period of time the taxpayer is in federal bankruptcy or state receivership |
| proceedings. “Collection action” refers to any activity undertaken by the division of taxation to |
| collect on any state tax liabilities that are final, due, and payable under Rhode Island law. |
| “Collection action” may include, but is not limited to, any civil action involving a liability owed |
| under chapters 18, 18.1, 18.2, and 19 of title 44. This section excludes any sales and use tax |
| liabilities that are deemed trust funds as defined in § 44-19-35, as well as any meals and beverage |
| tax liabilities that are collected pursuant to § 44-18-18.1, and any hotel tax liabilities that are |
| collected pursuant to § 44-18-36.1. |
| (c) The ten-(10) year (10) limitation shall not apply to the renewal or continuation of the |
| state's attempt to collect a liability that became final, due, and payable within the ten-(10) year |
| (10) limitation periods set forth in this section. |
| SECTION 2. Section 44-23-9 of the General Laws in Chapter 44-23 entitled "Estate and |
| Transfer Taxes - Enforcement and Collection" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 44-23-9. Assessment and notice of estate tax -- Collection powers -- Lien. |
| (a) The tax imposed by § 44-22-1.1 shall be assessed upon the full and fair cash value of |
| the net estate determined by the tax administrator as provided in this chapter. Notice of the |
| amount of the tax shall be mailed to the executor, administrator, or trustee, but failure to receive |
| the notice does not excuse the nonpayment of or invalidate the tax. The tax administrator shall |
| receive and collect the assessed taxes in the same manner and with the same powers as are |
| prescribed for and given to the collectors of taxes by chapters 7 -- 9 of this title. The tax shall be |
| due and payable as provided in § 44-23-16, shall be paid to the tax administrator, and shall be and |
| remain a lien upon the estate until it is paid. All executors, administrators, and trustees are |
| personally liable for the tax until it is paid. |
| (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, under no |
| circumstances shall the tax administrator issue any notice of deficiency determination for the |
| amount of the estate tax due more than ten (10) years after the return was filed or should have |
| been filed, nor shall the tax administrator commence any collection action for any estate tax due |
| and payable unless the collection action is commenced within ten (10) years after the date a |
| notice of deficiency determination became a final collectible assessment. “Collection action” |
| refers to any activity undertaken by the division of taxation to collect on any state tax liabilities |
| that are final, due, and payable under Rhode Island law. “Collection action” may include, but is |
| not limited to, any civil action involving a liability owed under chapters 22 and 23 of title 44. |
| (c) The ten-(10) year (10) limitation shall not apply to the renewal or continuation of the |
| state's attempt to collect a liability that became final, due, and payable within the ten-(10) year |
| (10) limitation periods set forth in this section. |
| SECTION 3. Section 44-30-83 of the General Laws in Chapter 44-30 entitled "Personal |
| Income Tax" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 44-30-83. Limitations on assessment. |
| (a) General. Except as otherwise provided in this section the amount of the Rhode Island |
| personal income tax shall be assessed within three (3) years after the return was filed, whether or |
| not the return was filed on or after the prescribed date. For this purpose a tax return filed before |
| the due date shall be considered as filed on the due date; and a return of withholding tax for any |
| period ending with or within a calendar year filed before April 15 of the succeeding calendar year |
| shall be considered filed on April 15 of the succeeding calendar year. |
| (b) Exceptions. |
| (1) Assessment at any time. The tax may be assessed at any time if: |
| (i) No return is filed; |
| (ii) A false or fraudulent return is filed with intent to evade tax; or |
| (iii) The taxpayer fails to file a report, pursuant to § 44-30-59, of a change, correction, or |
| amended return, increasing his or her federal taxable income as reported on his or her federal |
| income tax return or to report a change or correction which that is treated in the same manner as |
| if it were a deficiency for federal income tax purposes. |
| (2) Extension by agreement. Where, before the expiration of the time prescribed in this |
| section for the assessment of tax, or before the time as extended pursuant to this section, both the |
| tax administrator and the taxpayer have consented in writing to its assessment after that time, the |
| tax may be assessed at any time prior to the expiration of the period agreed upon. |
| (3) Report of changed or corrected federal income. If the taxpayer shall, pursuant to § 44- |
| 30-59, file an amended return, or report a change or correction increasing his or her federal |
| taxable income or report a change or correction which that is treated in the same manner as if it |
| were a deficiency for federal income tax purposes, an assessment may be made at any time prior |
| to two (2) years after the report or amended return was filed. This assessment of Rhode Island |
| personal income tax shall not exceed the amount of the increase attributable to the federal change, |
| correction, or items amended on the taxpayer's amended federal income tax return. The |
| provisions of this paragraph shall not affect the time within which or the amount for which an |
| assessment may otherwise be made. |
| (4) Deficiency attributable to net operating loss carryback. If a taxpayer's deficiency is |
| attributable to an excessive net operating loss carryback allowance, it may be assessed at any time |
| that a deficiency for the taxable year of the loss may be assessed. |
| (5) Recovery of erroneous refund. An erroneous refund shall be considered to create an |
| underpayment of tax on the date made. An assessment of a deficiency arising out of an erroneous |
| refund may be made at any time within three (3) years thereafter, or at any time if it appears that |
| any part of the refund was induced by fraud or misrepresentation of a material fact. |
| (6) Armed forces relief. For purposes of this tax, the date appearing in 26 U.S.C. § 692(a) |
| shall be January 1, 1971. |
| (c) Omission of income on return. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this |
| section, the tax may be assessed at any time within six (6) years after the return was filed if an |
| individual omits from his or her Rhode Island income an amount properly includible therein |
| which is in excess of twenty-five percent (25%) of the amount of Rhode Island income stated in |
| the return. For this purpose there shall not be taken into account any amount which that is |
| omitted in the return if the amount is disclosed in the return, or in a statement attached to the |
| return, in a manner adequate to apprise the tax administrator of the nature and amount of the item. |
| (d) Suspension of limitation. The running of the period of limitations on assessment or |
| collection of tax or other amount (or of a transferee's liability) shall, after the mailing of a notice |
| of deficiency, be suspended for the period during which the tax administrator is prohibited under |
| § 44-30-81(c) from making the assessment or from collecting by levy, and for sixty (60) days |
| thereafter. |
| (e) Limitations exclusive. No period of limitations specified in any other law shall apply |
| to the assessment or collection of Rhode Island personal income tax. Under no circumstances |
| shall the tax administrator issue any notice of a deficiency determination for Rhode Island |
| personal income tax due or payable more than ten (10) years after the date upon which the return |
| was filed or due to be filed, nor shall the tax administrator commence any collection action for |
| any personal income tax due and payable unless the collection action is commenced within ten |
| (10) years after a notice of deficiency determination became a final collectible assessment; |
| provided however, that the tax administrator can renew a statutory lien that was initially filed |
| within the ten-(10) year (10) period for collection actions. Both of the aforementioned ten-(10) |
| year (10) periods are tolled for any period of time the taxpayer is in federal bankruptcy or state |
| receivership proceedings. “Collection action” refers to any activity undertaken by the division of |
| taxation to collect on any state tax liabilities that are final, due, and payable under Rhode Island |
| law. “Collection action” may include, but is not limited to, any civil action involving a liability |
| owed under chapter 30 of title 44. This section excludes any liabilities that are deemed trust funds |
| as defined in § 44-30-76, as amended. |
| (f) The ten-(10) year (10) limitation shall not apply to the renewal or continuation of the |
| state's attempt to collect a liability that became final, due, and payable within the ten (10) year |
| limitation periods set forth in this section. |
| SECTION 4. Section 44-11-7.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 44-11 entitled "Business |
| Corporation Tax" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 44-11-7.1. Limitations on assessment. |
| (a) General. Except as provided in this section, the amount of the Rhode Island corporate |
| income tax shall be assessed within three (3) years after the return was filed, whether or not the |
| return was filed on or after the prescribed date. For this purpose, a tax return filed before the due |
| date shall be considered as filed on the due date. |
| (b) Exceptions. (1) The tax may be assessed at any time if: |
| (i) No return is filed. |
| (ii) A false or fraudulent return is filed with intent to avoid tax. |
| (2) Where, before the expiration of the time prescribed in this section for the assessment |
| of tax, or before the time as extended, both the tax administrator and the taxpayer have consented, |
| in writing, to its assessment after that time, the tax may be assessed at any time prior to the |
| expiration of the agreed upon period. |
| (3) If a taxpayer's deficiency is attributable to an excessive net operating loss carryback |
| allowance, it may be assessed at any time that a deficiency for the taxable year of the loss may be |
| assessed. |
| (4) An erroneous refund shall be considered to create an underpayment of tax on the date |
| made. An assessment of a deficiency arising out of an erroneous refund may be made at any time |
| within three (3) years thereafter, or at any time if it appears that any part of the refund was |
| induced by fraud or misrepresentation of a material fact. |
| (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the tax may be assessed at any time |
| within six (6) years after the return was filed if a taxpayer omits from its Rhode Island income an |
| amount properly includable therein which that is in excess of twenty-five percent (25%) of the |
| amount of Rhode Island income stated in the return. For this purpose there shall not be taken into |
| account any amount which that is omitted in the return if the amount is disclosed in the return, or |
| in a statement attached to the return, in a manner adequate to apprise the tax administrator of the |
| nature and amount of the item. |
| (d) The running of the period of limitations on assessment or collection of the tax or other |
| amount, or of a transferee's liability, shall, after the mailing of a notice of deficiency, be |
| suspended for any period during which the tax administrator is prohibited from making the |
| assessment or from collecting by levy, and for sixty (60) days thereafter. |
| (e) No period of limitations specified in any other law shall apply to the assessment or |
| collection of Rhode Island corporate income tax. Under no circumstances shall the tax |
| administrator issue any notice of deficiency determination for Rhode Island business corporation |
| tax due and payable more than ten (10) years after the date upon which the return was filed or due |
| to be filed, nor shall the tax administrator commence any collection action for any business |
| corporation tax due and payable unless the collection action is commenced within ten (10) years |
| after a notice of deficiency determination became a final collectible assessment; provided |
| however, that the tax administrator may renew a statutory lien that was initially filed within the |
| ten-(10) year (10) period for collection actions. Both of the aforementioned ten-(10) year (10) |
| periods are tolled for any period of time the taxpayer is in federal bankruptcy or state receivership |
| proceedings. “Collection action” refers to any activity undertaken by the division of taxation to |
| collect on any state tax liabilities that are final, due, and payable under Rhode Island law. |
| “Collection action” may include, but is not limited to, any civil action involving a liability owed |
| under chapter 11 of title 44. |
| (f) The ten-(10) year (10) limitation shall not apply to the renewal or continuation of the |
| state's attempt to collect a liability that became final, due, and payable within the ten-(10) year |
| (10) Limitation periods set forth in this section. |
| SECTION 5. This act shall take effect on July 1, 2019 and shall apply only to state tax |
| liabilities that become final, due and payable after July 1, 2019. |
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