NY Senate advances bill allowing Congress to obtain Trump's state tax returns

The New York Senate advanced a bill on Wednesday permitting President Trump's state tax returns to be shared with congressional committees, the Washington Post reports.

Details: The bill would amend state law to allow New York's Department of Taxation and Finance to deliver state tax returns sought by the House Ways and Means Committee, the Senate Finance Committee or Joint Committee on Taxation for a "specific and legitimate legislative purpose." The bill would specifically apply to Trump's state returns, not the federal returns at the heart of ongoing disputes between the House and the Treasury Department.

• However, former Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry Sandick tells the Post: "The New York state tax returns likely contain information that is similar to what is in the federal returns."

What's next: The legislation — called the TRUST Act — will move to the New York State Assembly, where Democrats hold the majority, and then to the desk of Gov. Andrew Cuomo — who has already expressed support for the bill.

The big picture: House Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.) has led the charge at the national level to obtain Trump's 2013–18 federal tax returns. On Monday, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin officially turned down Neal's request, likely setting up a prolonged court battle.

Go deeper: Tax return bills could kick Trump off the ballot in some blue states