Section 27-3-87 - Employment of qualified accountant by incentive program applicant or participant to perform third-party audit verification or review of information submitted by applicant or participant in lieu of audit, verification or review by department(1) For any incentive program for which the Department of Revenue audits, verifies or otherwise reviews information submitted by an applicant, program participant or other entity for the purposes of the incentive program and eligibility for any incentive under the program, the applicant, program participant or other entity may employ a qualified accountant to perform a third-party audit, verification or other review of such information, in lieu of the Department of Revenue doing so, for the purposes of the incentive program and eligibility for any incentive under the program. The applicant, program participant or other entity shall be responsible for all costs associated with such purposes, and the qualified accountant shall provide the third-party audit, verification or other review of information to the Department of Revenue. The Department of Revenue shall accept and approve the third-party audit, verification or other review of information for the purposes of the incentive program and eligibility for any incentive under the program and shall notify the applicant, program participant or other entity of such acceptance and approval within thirty (30) days after receipt of the third-party audit, verification or other review of information. If the Department of Revenue does not notify the applicant, program participant or other entity of such acceptance and approval within thirty (30) days after receipt of the third-party audit, verification or other review of information, then the third-party audit, verification or other review of information shall be automatically approved and valid for the purposes of the incentive program and eligibility for any incentive under the program. The State of Mississippi shall not be liable for or otherwise responsible for any actions of a qualified accountant.(2) For the purposes of this section, the term "qualified accountant" means a certified public accountant (CPA) who: (a) maintains an active unrestricted original certified public accountant license,(b) maintains a current Mississippi certified public accountant firm permit,(c) actively participates in a peer review program approved by the State Board of Certified Public Accountants of Mississippi,(d) completes twenty (20) active hours of continuing professional education in approved courses for each reporting cycle, and(e) is capable of conducting two (2) levels of review within the CPA firm or, if not within the firm, then through a cooperative endeavor with another CPA for the review of a verification report prior to its issuance.Laws, 2021, ch. 480, § 30, eff. 4/22/2021.