New York Senate committee advances measure to get Trump’s state tax returns

A New York state Senate committee Tuesday advanced legislation that would allow congressional committees to obtain President Trump’s state tax returns.

The Associated Press reports the legislation could get a vote before the full Democratic-led state Senate as early as next week.

{mosads}The bill, if passed, would authorize the commissioner of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance to release state tax returns to leaders of three congressional committees if requested.

Trump broke presidential tradition by not releasing his tax returns while campaigning before the 2016 election, saying he is under audit by the IRS. He has continued to refuse their release since taking office.

Congressional Democrats have been pushing for Trump’s tax returns since taking the majority in the House but have been rebuffed by the White House and the Treasury Department

“If the federal government isn’t prepared to deliver the transparency and accountability the American people deserve, New York will,” state Sen. Brian Benjamin (D), chairman of the Senate Budget and Revenue Committee, said after the panel voted to send the bill to the full Senate, according to Newsday.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) signaled his support for the legislation after it was introduced earlier this month.

Currently, state law does not allow the public release of most tax information, but the bill aims to amend that for filings of personal income taxes, real estate transfer taxes and corporate taxes.

The bill would authorize the release of state returns only to the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee, the U.S. Senate Finance Committee or the U.S. Congress’s Joint Committee on Taxation — if requested.

The bill has yet to be taken up in the Democratic-led state Assembly.