(a) For taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2018, the department, by rule, shall require any income tax return preparer, as defined in this article, to include his or her PTIN on any tax return prepared by the income tax return preparer and filed under this chapter, or any claim for refund of tax imposed by this chapter.
(b) The department shall develop and by rule implement a program using the PTIN as an oversight mechanism to assess returns, to identify high error rates, patterns of suspected fraud, and unsubstantiated basis for tax positions by income tax return preparers.
(c) The department, by rule, shall establish formal and regular communication protocols with the Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service to share and exchange PTIN information on income tax return preparers who are suspected of fraud, disciplined, or barred from filing tax returns with the department or the Internal Revenue Service. The department, by rule, may establish additional communication protocols with other states to exchange similar enforcement or discipline information.