§1516.  Out-of-state debt collection

A.  To facilitate the collection of taxes, interest, penalties, and fees due to the Department of Revenue under any provision of this Title, the secretary is authorized to enter into contracts with collection contractors for the purpose of debt collection on behalf of the secretary, pursuant to the provisions of R.S. 39:1481 et seq.

B.  The secretary shall enter into such contracts only with respect to the collection of obligations that have become collectible by distraint and sale, as provided by this Chapter, from debtors whose identifiable assets subject to distraint in Louisiana, are insufficient to satisfy the obligations owed.  The contracts shall provide, at the discretion of the secretary, the rate of payment and the manner in which compensation for services shall be paid.  The tax debtor shall pay the full amount of any additional charge for collection of any taxes, penalties, or interest which are referred to a collection contractor.

C.  The secretary shall provide information to collection contractors concerning the accounts of individual debtors only to the extent necessary for the collection contractor to fulfill his contractual obligation.  The information furnished by the secretary shall be considered confidential and privileged by the collection contractor and members of his staff, to the same extent as provided by R.S. 47:1508.

D.  Prior to entering into any contract authorized pursuant to this Section, the secretary shall require a performance bond from the collection contractor in an amount not to exceed one hundred thousand dollars.

E.  With the approval of the secretary, the collection contractor may file suit, at his expense, in the name of the secretary in the courts of other states for the purpose of collecting tax debt.

F.  The provisions of this Section shall not be construed to affect in any manner any rights and remedies available to a tax debtor under this Chapter.

G.  For purposes of this Section, "collection contractor" means one or more private persons, companies, associations, or corporations who provide debt collection services outside the state.

Acts 1988, No. 49, §1, eff. June 17, 1988; Acts 1997, No. 658, §2.