KRS 138.880: Notification of Department of Revenue by Commonwealth's attorney or

county attorney of nonpayment of tax after conviction or plea -- Filing of

notice of lien -- Release of lien.

(1) Each Commonwealth's attorney or county attorney in this state who obt ains a

conviction of, or a guilty or Alford plea from, an offender for violating KRS

Chapter 218A shall, within seventy -two (72) hours after the conviction or the plea,

notify the department in writing if the offender has not paid the tax imposed by

KRS 138.872 as evidenced by the absence of the tax stamps, labels, or other official

tax indicia required to be affixed to the marijuana or controlled substance that was

the subject of the conviction or plea. The weight or dosage units prescribed in this

subsection shall include the weight of the marijuana or the weight or dosage units of

the controlled substance, whether pure, impure, or diluted. The notice required in

this subsection shall be submitted in the manner prescribed by the department and

shall include:

(a) The name, address, and Social Security number of the offender from whom

the conviction or plea was obtained;

(b) The type and quantity of the items that were the subject of the conviction or

plea;

(c) Any information developed during the course of t he investigation regarding

any real or personal properties owned by the offender from whom the

conviction or plea was obtained; and

(d) Other information the Department of Revenue may require to facilitate the

assessment and collection of the tax due pursuant to KRS 138.872.

(2) To facilitate collection of the tax due pursuant to KRS 138.872, the

Commonwealth's attorney or county attorney shall, as an authorized agent of the

department, simultaneously file a copy of the notice required pursuant to subsectio n

(1) of this section with:

(a) The county clerk of the county in which the conviction or the guilty or Alford

plea was entered;

(b) The county clerk of the county in which the offender resides if different from

the county in which the conviction or plea was entered;

(c) The county clerk of any other county in which the Commonwealth's attorney

or county attorney reasonably believes the offender from whom the conviction

or plea was obtained owns real or personal property; and

(d) Each financial institution o r other custodian the Commonwealth's attorney or

county attorney reasonably believes possesses any funds, safe deposit box, or

other assets owned in whole or in part by the offender from whom the

conviction or plea was obtained.

(3) The notice required by subsection (2) of this section shall be a lien in favor of the

Commonwealth pursuant to KRS 131.515 to secure payment of the tax, penalty, and

interest due. The tax shall be and remain a lien upon the property, and all property

subsequently acquired, and m ay be enforced as other liens on similar property are

enforced. The lien may be released only upon written notice from the department

that:

(a) The tax, penalty and interest due pursuant to KRS 138.872 and 138.889 have

been paid;

(b) A bond has been given to the department as provided in KRS 131.150; or

(c) The tax, penalty, and interest are determined by the department not to be due.

(4) The county clerk recording or releasing a state tax lien pursuant to this section shall

be entitled to the fee prescribed therefor by KRS 64.012.

(5) Except as necessary to accept taxes that the offender voluntarily pays under KRS

138.874, the department shall not require a bond or otherwise attempt to collect the

tax due under KRS 138.874 until the offender's taxable activity results in a

conviction or a guilty or Alford plea for a violation of KRS Chapter 218A.

However, the department may impose a notice of lien on issuance of a warrant or

indictment, which shall be released upon acquittal or dismissal of the case.