Purpose


Under Section 213.30, F.S., the Executive Director of the Department is authorized to compensate persons who provide information leading to the punishment of, or collection of taxes, surtaxes, surcharges, fees, penalties, or interest from, any person with respect to taxes enumerated in Section 213.05, F.S. The taxes listed in Section 213.05, F.S., include all taxes and fees under Chapter 212, F.S., as well as registration of secondhand dealers in Section 538.09, F.S., and registration of secondary metal recyclers in Section 538.25, F.S. Section 1, Chapter 2014-196, L.O.F., provides that the prepaid wireless E911 fee created in Section 365.172, F.S., is to be administered as though it is a sales tax under Chapter 212, F.S., except as otherwise provided in that section. The section does not expressly exclude the prepaid wireless E911 fee from the compensation provisions of Section 213.30, F.S. Accordingly, individuals reporting violations of the prepaid wireless E911 fee should also be eligible for compensation under Section 213.30, F.S. The purpose of the proposed amendments to Rules 12-18.001 (Authorization for Compensation) and 12-18.004, (Submission of Information and Claims for Compensation), F.A.C., are: (1) to update the Department’s list of taxes eligible for the compensation provisions to include the prepaid wireless E911 fee, registration of secondhand dealers, secondary metal recyclers, and secondhand precious metal dealers, in accordance with statute, and (2) to incorporate, by reference, an updated Form DR-55, Application for Compensation for Tax Information, that includes these categories. The purpose of the proposed changes to Rule 12-18.008, F.A.C. (Compensation for Vending Machine Violations), are to update contact information for the Department.