The director of revenue, hereinafter in chapter 26, Laws of 1967 ex. sess. referred to as the director, through the department of revenue, hereinafter in chapter 26, Laws of 1967 ex. sess. referred to as the department, must:
(1) Assess and collect all taxes and administer all programs relating to taxes which are the responsibility of the tax commission at the time chapter 26, Laws of 1967 ex. sess. takes effect or which the legislature may hereafter make the responsibility of the director or of the department;
(2) Make, adopt and publish such rules as he or she may deem necessary or desirable to carry out the powers and duties imposed upon him or her or the department by the legislature. However, the director may not adopt rules after July 23, 1995, that are based solely on a section of law stating a statute's intent or purpose, on the enabling provisions of the statute establishing the agency, or on any combination of such provisions, for statutory authority to adopt any rule;
(3) Rules adopted by the tax commission before July 23, 1995, remain in force until such time as they may be revised or rescinded by the director;
(4) Provide by general regulations for an adequate system of departmental review of the actions of the department or of its officers and employees in the assessment or collection of taxes;
(5) Maintain a tax research section with sufficient technical, clerical and other employees to conduct constant observation and investigation of the effectiveness and adequacy of the revenue laws of this state and of the sister states in order to assist the governor, the legislature and the director in estimation of revenue, analysis of tax measures, and determination of the administrative feasibility of proposed tax legislation and allied problems;
(6) Recommend to the governor such amendments, changes in, and modifications of the revenue laws as seem proper and requisite to remedy injustice and irregularities in taxation, and to facilitate the assessment and collection of taxes in the most economical manner;
(7) Provide the opportunity for any person feeling aggrieved by any action taken against the person by the department in the administration of chapters
19.02, 19.80, and
59.30 RCW to request a review of the department's action. Such review may be conducted as a brief adjudicative proceeding under RCW
34.05.485 through
34.05.494; and
(8)(a) Establish background investigation policies applicable to those current and prospective department employees and contractors that are or may be authorized by the department to access federal tax information. Such policies must require a criminal history record check through the Washington state patrol criminal identification system and through the federal bureau of investigation, at the expense of the department. The record check must include a fingerprint check using a complete Washington state criminal identification fingerprint card, which must be forwarded by the Washington state patrol to the federal bureau of investigation. The department's background investigation policies must also satisfy any specific background investigation standards established by the internal revenue service.
(b) Information received by the department pursuant to this subsection may be used only for the purposes of making, supporting, or defending decisions regarding the appointment, hiring, or retention of persons, or for complying with any requirements from the internal revenue service. Further dissemination or use of the information is prohibited, notwithstanding any other provision of law.
