Montana Code 15-68-815. Information — confidentiality — agreements with another state
15-68-815. Information — confidentiality — agreements with another state. (1) (a) Except as provided in subsections (2) through (4), it is unlawful for an employee of the department or any other public official or public employee to divulge or otherwise make known information that is disclosed in a report or return required to be filed under this chapter or information that concerns the affairs of the person making the return and that is acquired from the person’s records, officers, or employees in an examination or audit.
Terms Used In Montana Code 15-68-815
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
- Person: includes a corporation or other entity as well as a natural person. See Montana Code 1-1-201
- State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Montana Code 1-1-201
(b)This section may not be construed to prohibit the department from publishing statistics if they are classified in a way that does not disclose the identity and content of any particular report or return. A person violating the provisions of this section is subject to the penalty provided in 15-30-2618 or 15-31-511 for violating the confidentiality of individual income tax or corporate income tax information.
(2)(a) The department may enter into an agreement with the taxing officials of another state for the interpretation and administration of the laws of their state that provide for the collection of a sales tax or use tax in order to promote fair and equitable administration of the laws and to eliminate double taxation.
(b)In order to implement the provisions of this chapter, the department may furnish information on a reciprocal basis to the taxing officials of another state if the information remains confidential under statutes within the state receiving the information that are similar to this section.
(3)In order to facilitate processing of returns and payment of taxes required by this chapter, the department may contract with vendors and may disclose data to the vendors. The data disclosed must be administered by the vendor in a manner consistent with this section.
(4)This section may not be construed to limit the investigative authority of the legislative branch, as provided in 5-11-106, 5-12-303, or 5-13-309.