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<section article="gtg" article_name="Tax - General" number="2-116" effective_note="EFFECTIVE UNTIL DECEMBER 31, 2035 PER CHAPTERS 201 AND 202 OF 2026" title_number="2" title_name="Administration by Comptroller" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="General Duties">
  <level label="a">
    <text>In this section, “Program” means the Maryland Earned Income Tax Credit Assistance Program for Low–Income Families.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>There is a Maryland Earned Income Tax Credit Assistance Program for Low–Income Families.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The purpose of the Program is to:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>identify residents who are eligible to claim the credit under § 10–704 of this article but have failed to claim the credit; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>provide residents identified under item (i) of this paragraph with a streamlined mechanism to claim the credit under § 10–704 of this article.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The Comptroller shall administer the Program.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>This subsection applies to a taxable year beginning after December 31, 2029.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Subject to subsection (d) of this section, the Comptroller shall provide, as part of the Program, a form to claim the credit under § 10–704 of this article to any resident:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>for whom the Comptroller has received federal income tax return information for a taxable year described in § 13–1104(c)(1) of this article;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>whose wages were reported by the resident’s employer to the Comptroller for that taxable year;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>who the Comptroller determines, based on all available data, may be eligible to claim the credit under § 10–704 of this article for that taxable year;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>who failed to claim the credit under § 10–704 of this article for that taxable year; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>who is authorized to request a refund under § 13–1104(c)(1) of this article.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The Comptroller shall provide the form required under this subsection no later than 45 days before the expiration of the statute of limitations for claiming a refund under § 13–1104(c)(1) of this article.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>In processing the form to claim the credit under § 10–704 of this article, the Comptroller shall calculate the credit as though the resident elected to use the standard deduction under § 10–217 of this article to compute Maryland taxable income.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Comptroller shall notify each resident identified under subsection (c)(2) of this section that the Program is a method of claiming the credit under § 10–704 of this article available to eligible residents.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The notification required under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall include:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>a description of the Program;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>an explanation of the resident’s eligibility for participation in the Program;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>an explanation that the resident’s participation in the Program is optional but subject to the limitation under subsection (d) of this section;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>an explanation that, notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the resident’s participation in the Program is subject to the provisions of this article relating to the filing of a tax return;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>the time by which the form must be completed and returned in order to claim the credit under § 10–704 of this article; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vi">
        <text>a statement that the resident may be eligible for, in a succeeding taxable year:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>the federal earned income credit under § 32 of the Internal Revenue Code; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>the credit under § 10–704 of this article.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>On request by a resident, a tax collector shall waive any penalties or interest on any assessment of tax due on the form provided to the resident under subsection (c)(2) of this section unless the tax collector reasonably believes the resident knew or should have known the tax was miscalculated.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>On or before December 31, 2030, and each December 31 thereafter through December 31, 2035, the Comptroller shall report to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly on:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the effectiveness of the Program in meeting the purpose specified in subsection (b)(2) of this section and recommendations for potential statutory or administrative changes to enhance participation in the Program;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the number of claim forms provided to residents during the previous fiscal year;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>the number of claim forms filed by residents during the previous fiscal year;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>the number of refundable credits provided to residents during the previous fiscal year; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>the total amount of refundable credits provided to residents during the previous fiscal year.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <text>The Comptroller shall adopt regulations to carry out this section.</text>
  </level>
</section>
