§ 691. Mailing rules; holidays; miscellaneous.–(a) Timely mailing.–(1) If any return, claim, statement, notice, petition, or other document required to be filed, or any payment required to be made, within a prescribed period or on or before a prescribed date under authority of any provision of this article is, after such period or such date, delivered by United States mail to the tax commission, bureau, office, officer or person with which or with whom such document is required to be filed, or to which or to whom such payment is required to be made, the date of the United States postmark stamped on the envelope shall be deemed to be the date of delivery. This subsection shall apply only if the postmark date falls within the prescribed period or on or before the prescribed date for the filing of such document, or for making the payment, including any extension granted for such filing or payment, and only if such document or payment was deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, properly addressed to the tax commission, bureau, office, officer or person with which or with whom the document is required to be filed or to which or to whom such payment is required to be made. If any document or payment is sent by United States registered mail, such registration shall be prima facie evidence that such document or payment was delivered to the tax commission, bureau, office, officer or person to which or to whom addressed. To the extent that the tax commission shall prescribe by regulation, certified mail may be used in lieu of registered mail under this section. This subsection shall apply in the case of postmarks not made by the United States Post Office only if and to the extent provided by regulations of the tax commission.

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(2)(A) Any reference in paragraph one of this subsection to the United States mail shall be treated as including a reference to any delivery service designated by the secretary of the treasury of the United States pursuant to section seventy-five hundred two of the internal revenue code and any reference in paragraph one of this subsection to a postmark by the United States mail shall be treated as including a reference to any date recorded or marked in the manner described in section seventy-five hundred two of the internal revenue code by a designated delivery service. If the commissioner finds that any delivery service designated by such secretary is inadequate for the needs of the state, the commissioner may withdraw such designation for purposes of this article. The commissioner may also designate additional delivery services meeting the criteria of section seventy-five hundred two of the internal revenue code for purposes of this article, or may withdraw any such designation if the commissioner finds that a delivery service so designated is inadequate for the needs of the state. Any reference in paragraph one of this subsection to the United States mail shall be treated as including a reference to any delivery service designated by the commissioner and any reference in paragraph one of this subsection to a postmark by the United States mail shall be treated as including a reference to any date recorded or marked in the manner described in section seventy-five hundred two of the internal revenue code by a delivery service designated by the commissioner.

(B) Any equivalent of registered or certified mail designated by the United States secretary of the treasury, or as may be designated by the commissioner pursuant to the same criteria used by such secretary for such designations pursuant to section seventy-five hundred two of the internal revenue code, shall be included within the meaning of registered or certified mail as used in paragraph one of this subsection. If the commissioner finds that any equivalent of registered or certified mail designated by such secretary or the commissioner is inadequate for the needs of the state, the commissioner may withdraw such designation for purposes of this article.

(b) Last known address.–For purposes of this article, a taxpayer's last known address shall be the address given in the last return filed by him, unless subsequently to the filing of such return the taxpayer shall have notified the tax commission of a change of address.

(c) Last day a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday.–When the last day prescribed under authority of this article (including any extension of time) for performing any act falls on Saturday, Sunday, or a legal holiday in the state of New York, the performance of such act shall be considered timely if it is performed on the next succeeding day which is not a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday.

(d) Certificate; unfiled return.–For purposes of this chapter, the certificate of the tax commission to the effect that a tax has not been paid, that a return has not been filed, or that information has not been supplied, as required by or under the provisions of this article, shall be prima facie evidence that such tax has not been paid, that such return has not been filed, or that such information has not been supplied.

(e) Attorney general; jurisdiction.–The attorney general shall have concurrent jurisdiction with any district attorney in the prosecution of any offenses arising under article thirty-seven of this chapter with respect to the tax imposed under this article.

(f) Voter registration forms.–The commissioner of taxation and finance shall from time to time distribute mail voter registration forms, designed by the state board of elections, that conform to the requirements of subdivision five of section 5-210 of the election law. One such registration form shall be included by the commissioner in each packet of forms and instructions that the commissioner distributes to residents who may be required to file a return pursuant to section six hundred fifty-one of this article.