What's happening
Writing a plain-English summary… Track this bill to get it by email.
Why it matters
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to investigations and government operations
- Referred to investigations and government operations
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Directs the department of taxation and finance to create and implement an online program which will enable New York state taxpayers to electronically file income tax returns free of charge
In Assembly Committee · Ways And Means · Sponsor Linda Rosenthal
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act directing the department of taxation and finance to create and implement an online program which will enable each New York state taxpayer to prepare and electronically file his or her federal and state income tax returns free of charge
Summary of provisions
Section One of the bill states that the department of taxation and finance is authorized and directed to create and implement an online program which will enable each New York State taxpayer to prepare and electronically file his or her federal and state income tax returns free of charge, regardless of the taxpayer's income level. The program shall be made available to all New York State taxpayers in the department's website no later than one hundred eighty days following the effective date of this act.
Existing law
New law
Justification
This legislation shall direct the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance to create an online program for all New York State taxpayers to prepare and file their federal and state income tax returns for free. Currently, there are a number of different for-profit companies offering so-called "Free File," but they often include hidden fees, and only taxpayers within certain income ranges are eligible. Many years into the digital age, our government is entirely capable of offering free online tax preparation and electronic filing without forcing the taxpayer to be duped into using possibly dubious private online tax preparation services.
It is a solid and fundamental principal that taxes are what we pay for civilized society, and most New Yorkers are proud to help pay for essential government programs like public education and food safety regulation. Yet there is no justification for the fees charged by for-profit tax prep and e-filing companies, which serve as obsolete intermediaries in the digital age. Countless government services can be easily accessed on government websites-from registering to vote to applying for public benefits to making complaints about potholes-and there is no reason that filing tax returns should be any different. We don't force people making more than $57,000 to pay a private company for help registering with the Selective Service System, and the State of New York should not allow it for the filing of taxes either.
Government should be embracing technology, not using it as a way to direct people to the services of for-profit companies.
Legislative history
S.4570 of 2013-2014 (Hoylman): Died in Investigations A.6766 of 2013-2014 (Rosenthal): Died in Ways & Means
Fiscal implications
To be determined
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.