Taxpayer Transparency Act of 2017

Taxpayer Transparency Act of 2017

This bill requires each communication funded by a federal agency that is an advertisement, or that provides information about any federal program, benefit, or service, to clearly state: (1) in the case of a printed communication, including mass mailings, signs, and billboards, that the communication is printed or published at taxpayer expense; and (2) in the case of a communication transmitted through radio, television, or the Internet, that the communication is produced or disseminated at taxpayer expense. Such notification must state that a communication is provided by the U.S. government, rather than at taxpayer expense, if the communication is funded entirely by user fees or by other sources that do not include federal funds.

The bill requires any such printed communication to be of sufficient size to be clearly readable, to be contained in a printed box set apart from the other contents of the communication, and to be printed with a reasonable degree of color contrast between the background and the printed statement. The bill sets forth similar requirements for audio, video, and email communications.

The Office of Management and Budget must develop and issue guidance on implementing the requirements of this bill.

The bill prohibits judicial review of compliance with this bill.