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(a) In the performance of his duties and in relation to any investigation or inquiry which the commissioner is authorized to conduct, the commissioner or any agent designated by him in writing may:
(1) Administer oaths and take affidavits;
(2) Conduct hearings;
(3) Examine witnesses under oath; and
(4) Subpoena the attendance of witnesses and require the production of books, papers, records, and documents and, subject to the rights of the taxpayer as to rights of privacy guaranteed to the taxpayer by the Constitution and laws of this state, may examine such items and the books, records, inventories, or business of any taxpayer or of any fiduciary, bailee, or other person having knowledge of the tax liability of any taxpayer or knowledge pertinent to the investigation or inquiry. The subpoena may be served by the commissioner or the commissioner’s authorized representative to such person at the person’s last known address by registered or certified mail or statutory overnight delivery, return receipt requested. If such person refuses to accept service of a subpoena by registered or certified mail or statutory overnight delivery, the subpoena shall be served by the commissioner or the commissioner’s authorized representative under any other method of lawful service, and the person shall be personally liable to the commissioner for a sum equal to the actual costs incurred to serve the subpoena. This liability shall be paid upon notice and demand by the commissioner or the commissioner’s delegate and shall be assessed and collected in the same manner as other taxes administered by the commissioner.
(b) The powers conferred pursuant to subsection (a) of this Code section shall be exercised with due regard to the rights of the citizen and, when invoked, subject to the approval of the superior courts of this state.
(c) The commissioner, pursuant to his duties in relation to the collection of state ad valorem taxes, shall investigate settlements by tax collectors or tax commissioners and take appropriate action to collect any revenue due the state which has not been collected or, having been collected, has not been paid to the commissioner. No official or person may employ or commission any person to collect any of such taxes on a commission basis. History. Ga. L. 1931, p. 7, §§ 79, 80, 83-85; Ga. L. 1931, Ex. Sess., p. 24, §§ 45, 46; Code 1933, §§ 92-3213, 92-3214, 92-4511; Ga. L. 1937-38, Ex. Sess., p. 77, § 6; Ga. L. 1937-38, Ex. Sess., p. 156, § 9; Ga. L. 1951, p. 360, § 21; Ga. L. 1976, p. 341, § 1; Code 1933, § 91A-211, enacted by Ga. L. 1978, p. 309, § 2; Ga. L. 1979, p. 5, § 7; Ga. L. 2009, p. 816, § 2/HB 485. Editor’s notes. Ga. L. 2009, p. 816, § 1/HB 485, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that: “This Act shall be known and may be cited as the ‘Improved Taxpayer Customer Service Act of 2009.’ ” JUDICIAL DECISIONS Editor’s notes. In light of the similarity of the statutory provisions, decisions under Ga. L. 1951, p. 360, § 17 are included in the annotations for this Code section. Limits on right to examine records. — Right to examine records was not limited by the three-year period set forth in former Code 1933, § 92-3303 (see now O.C.G.A. § 48-7-82) for deficiency assessments, which period applied only to the assessment and collection of taxes. Redwine v. Arvaniti, 83 Ga. App. 203, 63 S.E.2d 222, 1951 Ga. App. LEXIS 832 (1951). Declaratory judgment as to taxability under Ga. L. 1951, p. 360, § 1 et seq. (see now O.C.G.A. Ch. 8, T. 48) will not relieve a taxpayer from audit of the taxpayer’s books under Ga. L. 1951, p. 360, §§ 17, 18, and 21 (see now O.C.G.A. §§ 48-2-8, 48-8-52, and 48-8-55). Undercofler v. Eastern Air Lines, 221 Ga. 824, 147 S.E.2d 436, 1966 Ga. LEXIS 713 (1966) (decided under Ga. L. 1951, p. 360, § 17). OPINIONS OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL Duty to keep tax records. — Former Code 1933, §§ 91A-4525 and 91A-4526 (see now O.C.G.A. §§ 48-8-52 and 48-8-53) require that certain tax records be kept for a period of three years and pertains only to sales tax information. 1969 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 69-288. RESEARCH REFERENCES C.J.S. 67 C.J.S., Oaths and Affirmations, §§ 5, 6. 81A C.J.S., States, §§ 260, 261.