Bill > HR6956

This bill, known as the BARCODE Efficiency Act, aims to modernize how the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) processes paper tax returns and correspondence by requiring the use of scanning and digitization technologies. Specifically, it mandates that any federal tax return prepared electronically but then printed and submitted on paper must include a scannable code that converts the data into an electronic format, and the IRS must use barcode scanning technology for these returns. Furthermore, for paper tax returns not prepared electronically and for any paper correspondence received by the IRS (unless already in electronic format), the IRS must utilize optical character recognition (OCR) technology, or similar systems, to transcribe the information. However, these requirements can be waived if the Secretary of the Treasury determines that the technology is slower or less reliable than manual transcription or existing IRS processes, but such exceptions require a report to Congress. These provisions will be phased in for different types of tax returns and correspondence starting from 180 days to 24 months after the bill becomes law.

Budget and Finance

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/6956/all-info