Tax Commissioner; examination of financial records; no release of information; sharing of information; confidentiality

(1) The Tax Commissioner may examine or cause to be examined in his or her behalf, and make memoranda from, any of the financial records of state and local subdivisions, persons, and corporations subject to the tax laws of this state, including the social security numbers of employees of such state and local subdivisions, persons, and corporations. No information shall be released that is not so authorized by existing statutes. Unless otherwise prohibited by law, the Tax Commissioner may share the information examined with the taxing or law enforcement authorities of this state, other states, and the federal government.

(2) The audit and examination selection criteria and standards, the discovery techniques, the design of technological systems to detect fraud and inconsistencies, and all other techniques utilized by the Department of Revenue to discover fraud, misstatements, inconsistencies, underreporting, and tax avoidance shall be confidential information. The department may disclose this information to certain persons to further its enforcement activities and as provided under section 50-1213 , but such limited disclosure shall not change the confidential nature of the information.