Rhode Island § 42-142-7 - Department of Revenue

§ 42-142-7. Collections of debts.

(a) For the purpose of this section “governmental entity” means the state, a state agency, board, commission, department, public institution of higher learning, all political subdivisions of the state, fire districts, and a quasi-state agency.

(b) Any governmental entity may contract to allow the tax administrator to collect an outstanding liability owed the governmental entity. In administering the provisions of those agreements, the tax administrator shall have all the rights and powers of collection provided pursuant to title 44 for the collection of taxes and all the rights and powers authorized the governmental entity to which the liability is owed. In addition, the tax administrator shall have all of the rights and powers of collection provided pursuant to title 44 for the collection of taxes including, but not limited to, the right to set-off debts enumerated in chapter 30.1 of title 44 against any amounts collected under the agreements. Subject to subordination to any set-off for past-due child support, the tax administrator shall also have the right to set-off amounts owed to the division of taxation against amounts collected under the agreements.

(c) The tax administrator may charge and retain a reasonable fee for a collection effort made on behalf of a governmental entity. The amount of the fee must be negotiated between the governmental entity and the tax administrator. The debtor must be given full credit toward the satisfaction of the debt for the amount of the fee collected by the tax administrator pursuant to this section.

(d) Governmental entities that contract with the tax administrator pursuant to this section shall indemnify the tax administrator against injuries, actions, liabilities, or proceedings arising from the collection, or attempted collection, by the tax administrator of the liability owed to the governmental entity.

(e) The governmental entity shall notify the debtor of its intention to submit the liability to the tax administrator for collection and of the debtor’s right to appeal not less than thirty (30) days before the liability is submitted to the tax administrator for collection.