39-14-402. Administration; confidentiality.

(a) The department shall annually value and assess the gross product of all mines and mining claims at its fair market value for taxation.

(b) The department shall annually value the gross product for the preceding calendar year, in appropriate unit measures of all mines and mining claims from which valuable deposits are produced.

(c) Annually, on or before June 1, or as soon thereafter as the fair market value is determined, the department shall certify the valuation determined by the department to the county assessor of the county in which the property is located, to be entered upon the assessment rolls of the county.

(d) All taxpayer returns and return information shall be confidential and, except as authorized below, no current or former official, officer, employee or agent of the state of Wyoming or any political subdivision thereof shall disclose any such information obtained by him in connection with his service as an officer or employee.

(e) As used in this section, taxpayer returns and return information shall include, but not be limited to, all statements, reports, summaries and all other data and documents under audit or provided by the taxpayer in accordance with the provisions of W.S. 39-14-407(a) and related provision.

(f) Without written authorization from the taxpayer, no current or former official, officer, employee or agent of the state of Wyoming or any political subdivision thereof shall release taxpayer returns and return information pertaining to taxes imposed by this article, except:

(i) Information may be released to the governor or his designee, members of the board, to employees of the department of audit, the department of revenue, the consensus revenue estimating group and to the attorney general;

(ii) Upon prior notice to the taxpayer, information may be released by the department, upon written application, to any other governmental entity if the governmental entity shows sufficient reason to obtain the information for official business;

(iii) Information is admissible in court or administrative proceedings related to mineral taxes or government royalties.

(g) Any person receiving information pursuant to paragraph (f)(ii) of this section shall sign an agreement with the department to keep the information confidential.

(h) Units of production reported by the taxpayer and the taxpayer's taxable value are not confidential and may be released without qualification.

(j) Any person who negligently violates subsections (d) through (h) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00). Any person who intentionally violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be fined not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00), but not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) and imprisoned for not more than one (1) year.

(k) Repealed By Laws 2000, Ch. 68, § 1.