Bill · S. 5143· Senate(119-S-5143)
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to modify procedural requirements for penalties and disallowance periods.
- Introduced
- 7/28/2026
- Last activity
- 7/28/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- Sponsored by
- Michael Bennet
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill makes changes to the rules for IRS penalties and disallowance periods. It requires that a decision to apply a penalty or disallowance period must be personally approved in writing on an electronic form by an immediate supervisor or the IRS Office of Servicewide Penalties. This approval must happen on or before the date any appealable notice is sent to the taxpayer. The bill also defines what an appealable notice is and clarifies what counts as a disallowance period. Finally, it requires the Secretary of the Treasury to make a yearly public report regarding all penalties assessed by the IRS.
Yes
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?+5
The bill mandates annual public reports on IRS penalties to increase institutional transparency.
Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts?+4
The bill adds oversight and approval requirements to the assessment of IRS penalties.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Under section 1(a), no penalty can be assessed and no disallowance period can take effect unless the decision is personally approved in writing on an electronic form by an immediate supervisor or the IRS Office of Servicewide Penalties. This holds officials accountable by requiring upper-level sign-off before hitting everyday people with penalties.
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Under section 1(a), this approval must be obtained on or before the date any appealable notice is sent to the taxpayer. This is good for the people because it ensures proper procedural steps are locked in early rather than rushed or faked after the fact.
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Under section 1(d), the Secretary of the Treasury must make a publicly available report every year regarding all penalties assessed by the IRS. This transparency provision lets the people and Congress see exactly how the IRS is handing out penalties across every organizational unit.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
Based on the provided text, there are no explicit negative impacts or burdens for individuals or groups of people mentioned in the bill.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+5Improves Due Process+4
- 7/28/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- Introduced in Senate
2 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.