House Committee Advances Tax Court, Penalty Approval Bills

House tax writers advanced two measures Wednesday aimed at improving US Tax Court operations and clarifying rules for supervisory approval of IRS penalty assessments.

The Ways and Means Committee voted 40-0 to advance the Tax Court legislation and 44-0 on the supervisory approval bill.

The Tax Court Bill, sponsored by Reps. Nathaniel Moran (R-Texas) and Terri Sewell (D-Ala.), aims to expedite subpoenas and cases, improve judicial review and impose new ethics standards on trial judges.

It would clarify that the Tax Court could extend what’s now a strict deadline for taxpayers seeking to file a late petition and fight a ...