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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | May 7, 2013 10:08 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Adam Harris |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Lottery winnings/state tax delinquencies -(previous HB 520) |
| As you all know, significant effort and attention has been exerted on establishing creative funding solutions that revolve around the enforcement of current collection laws, as opposed increasing or creating new state taxes. A clear illustration of this effort was the enactment of the Tax Amnesty Program, which generated over $200 million in outstanding tax revenue. To keep with the legislative values embodied by Tax Amnesty Program and other creative proposals, I will be introducing a measure in the near future which will address owed state taxes and lottery winnings. If enacted, my legislation will require the Department of Revenue to conduct a background check on any individual that wins more than $2,500 as a result of playing the Pennsylvania Lottery. The nature of this check will be to determine if the individual in question owes back taxes to the Commonwealth. In the event the background check leads to a determination of taxes owed, the amount will be deducted from any winnings. Current state law only requires the Department of Revenue and the Department of Public Welfare to work together to garnish lottery winnings when back child support is owed. While legislation such as this will never garner the windfall the Tax Amnesty Program did, it is sound policy that keeps with the General Assembly’s efforts of recouping and generating additional state revenue without increasing or creating any taxes. Further, any reduction in the amount owed to the Commonwealth in back taxes is a positive. If you wish to join me in cosponsoring this legislation, please click to link below. Thank you for your consideration of this matter. |
Introduced as HB1489