21st Century IRS Act
Latest action. Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 831, H.R. 5445 is laid on the table.
21st Century IRS Act
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish requirements for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regarding cybersecurity, the protection of taxpayer identities, information technology, and electronic systems.
With respect to cybersecurity and identity protection, the bill:
requires the IRS to work with the public and private sectors to protect taxpayers from identity theft refund fraud,
requires the Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee to make recommendations to prevent identity theft and refund fraud,
authorizes the IRS to participate in an information sharing and analysis center for identity theft tax refund fraud, and
prohibits the disclosure of returns or return information to contractors or other agents for agencies that do not comply with confidentiality safeguards.
The IRS must develop and implement:
online accounts to provide services to taxpayers and return preparers,
a process for accepting electronic tax forms and supporting documents,
an Internet platform for Form 1099 filings,
a fully automated program for disclosing taxpayer information for third-party income verification using the Internet, and
uniform standards and procedures for the acceptance of electronic signatures.
The bill also:
establishes the position of IRS Chief Information Officer;
limits redisclosures and uses of tax return information by individuals designated by taxpayers to receive the information;
allows the IRS to require additional taxpayers to file returns electronically; and
allows the IRS to pay fees for the use of credit, debit, or charge cards for tax payments if the fees are recouped by charging taxpayers.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Reported to House with amendment(s)" stage on April 13, 2018. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 831, H.R. 5445 is laid on the table.
Civibrief does not map this action to a stage in the process. See the official record.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
The latest action on file does not map to a stage Civibrief recognizes, so the page will not name one. The record's own words are the reliable fact here.
The record's latest action, on April 18, 2018: Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 831, H.R. 5445 is laid on the table.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 115th Congress (2017-18), 442 of the 11,421 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 3.9 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one has no outstanding steps listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
Mike Bishop (R-MI) introduced it on April 10, 2018, and 6 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They come from both major parties: 2 Democrats, 4 Republicans.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on April 10, 2018, 3075 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 3067 days ago, on April 18, 2018.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 115th Congress has not finished by January 3, 2019 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HousePursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 831, H.R. 5445 is laid on the table.
- SenateNot stated in the latest action
- PresidentNot stated in the latest action