The House Revenue & Taxation Committee on March 1 gave a due-pass recommendation to House Bill 199, which would allow the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) to obtain specified tax data from the Taxation and Revenue Department (TRD) for evaluation and economic-analysis purposes under a data‑sharing agreement or memorandum of understanding.

Mikaela Fisher, identified in the hearing as LFC deputy director and an expert witness on the measure, told the committee the authority would let LFC use aggregate and business tax data to improve program evaluations. Fisher said LFC staff have performed analysis without direct access to TRD tax files but that access would let the LFC better evaluate program interactions (for example, how job incentive programs stack with other tax credits).

Committee members pressed on confidentiality and operational safeguards. Fisher said the bill requires an MOU with TRD that defines responsibilities and penalties for improper disclosure; that staff accessing tax data must complete IRS-mandated training (similar to TRD requirements); and that the bill prohibits release of personally identifiable information and restricts displays to aggregated results with at least three taxpayers per cell. Fisher also said LFC would likely work within TRD's systems so microdata do not leave TRD’s environment.

Representative Lundstrom and other members expressed surprise the LFC had not had this access in the past and said better tax data could improve fiscal impact reports and program evaluations. Committee discussion noted TRD’s consent and operational capacity; Fisher said TRD had expressed some draft-wording preferences but was generally agreeable to the bill’s provisions while noting potential workload concerns.

The committee moved HB199 by voice to a due‑pass recommendation; no roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript. The committee also noted this measure is part of broader efforts to strengthen the LFC’s evaluation unit.