A. Notwithstanding the provisions of § 58.1-3, any commissioner of revenue or other such local revenue assessing or tax collecting officer of a county, city or town, upon written request by the State Auditor of Public Accounts or by a certified public accountant engaged in making an audit of the accounts of such political subdivision in conformity with authorization of its governing body or by law, or upon the initiative of such officer to seek an audit of the operations of his office, shall make available to such auditors or their representatives such information as he possesses relating to local tax returns, reports and other data on file in his office as may be deemed necessary by any such auditors for their proper verification of the assessments and collections of local taxes and other local revenues including any abatements or exonerations thereof or exclusions therefrom in accordance with law.

B. The provisions of this section shall not be construed to apply to any tax returns, reports and other data or information relating solely to state taxes and other state revenues including abatements and exonerations thereof or exclusions therefrom.

C. Any information furnished to any person in accordance with the provisions of this section shall be deemed privileged and confidential; and each lawful recipient thereof shall be subject to the penalties imposed by § 58.1-3 for any unauthorized dissemination of such information in any manner or at any time.

Code 1950, § 58-46.2; 1975, c. 19; 1984, c. 675.