A council advising the tax agency must meet in public — the Federal Advisory Committee Act at work
The Internal Revenue Service gave notice that its advisory council will hold a public meeting. Required by the Federal Advisory Committee Act, it admits public attendance and accepts written statements. The meeting is held online on September 10, 2026.
Document overview (primary data)
- Document typeNotice
- AgencyDepartment of the Treasury
- Citation91 FR 55982
Key points
- The Internal Revenue Service gave notice that its advisory council will hold a public meeting online on September 10, 2026.
- The basis is the Federal Advisory Committee Act, requiring bodies that advise government to meet in public and follow transparent procedures.
- Attendance requires registration by September 8, 2026, the same date as the deadline for written statements.
- Agenda items include enhancements to agency operations, improving taxpayer experience and service, information reporting, and tax-exempt entities.
- The agenda is posted on the council web page before the meeting.
1Openness applies to advisers too
A committee advising a government agency can look like an internal gathering. In the United States, however, the Federal Advisory Committee Act requires such bodies to meet in public and to follow transparent procedures — so that who is advising government, and on what, does not become invisible. This notice announces a tax agency advisory council meeting under that statute.
2What is made open
- 1Notice of the meetingDate, place and scope of the agenda published in advance in the Federal Register
- 2Posting of the agendaPlaced on the council web page before the meeting
- 3AttendanceOpen to members of the public, subject to advance registration
- 4Written statementsThose germane to the council work may be filed by the deadline
What opens is not only the meeting itself. The schedule, the agenda and the route for public input are all made known beforehand. Being able to watch and being able to contribute are different things, and this notice sets out both.
3The scope of the agenda
| Items listed for discussion |
|---|
| Enhancements to agency operations |
| Administrative and policy changes to improve taxpayer experience, service, compliance and tax administration |
| Information reporting issues |
| Matters concerning tax-exempt and government entities |
Each concerns how the tax agency does its work rather than tax rates or the tax code itself. Administration is the part taxpayers actually encounter, and the council exists as the place where outside advice is drawn into it.
4The form of the meeting
The meeting is held online, with attendance requiring registration by September 8, the same date as the deadline for written statements. Moving online removed the constraint of physical distance, yet the step of registering in advance remains.
This site covers public meeting notices from other agencies too, showing that as the format shifts from in-person to online, the skeleton of advance notice and a participation procedure stays the same.
Why it matters
Requiring openness of advisory bodies makes visible what outside views enter the administration of policy. The agenda sits on administration rather than the tax code — the part taxpayers actually encounter.
FAQ
What is the Federal Advisory Committee Act?
Is attending the same as commenting?
Sources (primary)
Source: Federal Register (federal documents, public domain). Links go to the official site.