Today's Law As Amended


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AB-345 Diesel fuel tax.(2001-2002)



As Amends the Law Today


SECTION 1.

 Section 60043.5 is added to the Revenue and Taxation Code, to read:

60043.5.
  “Public safety department” means either of the following:
(a) A fire department maintained by a city or town, a fire company in an unincorporated town organized pursuant to Section 14825 of the Health and Safety Code, or a fire protection district formed pursuant to the Fire Protection District Law of 1987.
(b) A police department or a sheriff department maintained by a city, county, or city and county.

SEC. 2.

 Section 60100 of the Revenue and Taxation Code is amended to read:

60100.
 (a) The provisions of this part requiring the payment of taxes do not apply to any of the following:
(1) The removal from a terminal or refinery of, or the entry or sale of, any diesel fuel if all of the following apply:
(A) The person otherwise liable for tax is a diesel fuel registrant.
(B) In the case of a removal from a terminal, the terminal is an approved terminal.
(C) The diesel fuel satisfies the dyeing and marking requirements of Section 60101.
(2) Any entry or removal from a terminal or refinery of taxable diesel fuel transferred in bulk to a refinery or terminal if the persons involved (including the terminal operator) are registered.
(3) The removal of diesel fuel if all of the following apply:
(A) The diesel fuel is removed by railroad car from an approved refinery and is received at an approved terminal.
(B) The refinery and the terminal are operated by the same diesel fuel registrant.
(C) The refinery is not served by pipeline (other than a pipeline for the receipt of crude oil) or vessel.
(4) Diesel fuel which, pursuant to the contract of sale, is required to be shipped and is shipped to a point outside of this state by a supplier by means of any of the following:
(A) Facilities operated by the supplier.
(B) Delivery by the supplier to a carrier, customs broker, or forwarding agent, whether hired by the purchaser or not, for shipment to the out-of-state point.
(C) Delivery by the supplier to any vessel clearing from a port of this state for a port outside of this state and actually exported from this state in the vessel.
(5) Backup tax does not apply to delivery of diesel fuel into the fuel tank of a diesel-powered highway vehicle as provided in Section 60058 for any of the following:
(A) Use on a farm for farming purposes.
(B) Use in an exempt bus operation.
(C) Use in a diesel-powered highway vehicle that is operated off the highway.
(D) Use in a diesel-powered highway vehicle that is owned and operated by a government entity.
(E) Use by the United States and its agencies and instrumentalities.
(F) Use in an “authorized emergency vehicle,” as defined in Section 165 of the Vehicle Code, by a public safety department, as defined in Section 60043.5.
(6) Diesel fuel sold by credit card certified by the United States Department of State to any consulate officer or consulate employee of a foreign government who is not engaged in any private occupation for gain within this state, who uses the diesel fuel in a motor vehicle which is registered with the United States Department of State, and whose government has done either of the following:
(A) Entered into a treaty with the United States providing for the exemption of its representatives from national, state, and municipal taxes.
(B) Granted a similar exemption to representatives of the United States.
(7) Diesel fuel sold by a supplier to a train operator for use in a diesel-powered train or for other off-highway use and the supplier has on hand an exemption certificate from the train operator.
(8) Diesel fuel sold by a supplier to the United States and its agencies and instrumentalities.
(9) Diesel fuel sold by a supplier to a public safety department, as defined in Section 60043.5, for use in an authorized emergency vehicle, as defined in Section 165 of the Vehicle Code.
(b) For purposes of this section:
(1) “Carrier” means a person or firm engaged in the business of transporting for compensation property owned by other persons, and includes both common and contract carriers.
(2) “Forwarding agent” means a person or firm engaged in the business of preparing property for shipment or arranging for its shipment.

SEC. 3.

 Section 60101 of the Revenue and Taxation Code is amended to read:

60101.
 (a) Diesel fuel that is required to be dyed satisfies the dyeing requirement of this part if it meets the dyeing requirements of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Internal Revenue Service, including, but not limited to, requirements respecting type, dosage, and timing.
(b) Marking shall meet the marking requirements of the Internal Revenue Service.
(c) No person shall operate or maintain a motor vehicle on any public highway in this state with dyed diesel fuel in the fuel supply tank. This subdivision does not apply to uses of dyed diesel fuel on the highway that are lawful under the Internal Revenue Code or regulations promulgated thereunder, if the person is registered as a qualified  highway vehicle operator, exempt bus operator, or government entity. entity, or if the person is an intercity bus operator, as defined in Section 60046, who is registered as an interstate user under this part, or if the person is a public safety department, as defined in Section 60043.5. 

SEC. 4.

 Section 60108 of the Revenue and Taxation Code is amended to read:

60108.
 Notwithstanding the exemption provided for in subparagraph (D) of paragraph (5) of subdivision (a) of Section 60100, any government entity  entity, other than a public safety department, as defined in Section 60043.5,  using diesel fuel exempt from tax under subparagraph (D) of paragraph (5) of subdivision (a) of Section 60100 shall, for the privilege of operating diesel-powered highway vehicles on highways in this state, make a payment equal to the tax specified in Section 60050 for each gallon of exempt diesel fuel used. The payments required by this subdivision shall be paid to the State Board of Equalization in the manner prescribed by the board, and the payments shall be treated as a tax for all purposes of this part.

SEC. 5.

 Section 60146 of the Revenue and Taxation Code is amended to read:

60146.
 Each government entity  entity, other than a public safety department, as defined in Section 60043.5,  operating a diesel-powered highway vehicle upon this state’s highways shall apply for a diesel fuel tax license on forms prescribed by the board. It is unlawful for any government entity to operate a diesel-powered highway vehicle upon the state’s highways without first securing a diesel fuel tax license.

SEC. 6.

 Section 60205.5 of the Revenue and Taxation Code is amended to read:

60205.5.
 (a) Each government entity  entity, other than a public safety department, as defined in Section 60043.5,  shall prepare and file with the board a return in the form as  on forms  prescribed by the board, which may include, but not be limited to, electronic media  board a return  showing the total number of gallons of dyed diesel fuel and undyed diesel fuel used in a diesel-powered highway vehicle during each calendar month, or the monthly period ending during the calendar month covered by the return, and any other information as the board deems necessary for the proper administration of this part. The person shall file the return on or before the last day of the calendar month following the monthly period to which it relates, together with a remittance payable to the board for the amount of tax due for that period. To facilitate the administration of this part, the board may require the filing of the returns for other than monthly periods. Returns shall be authenticated in a form or pursuant to methods as may be prescribed by the board. 
(b) A government entity  entity, other than a public safety department, as defined in Section 60043.5,  that has paid diesel fuel tax to a retail vendor that sold the diesel fuel to the government entity shall be allowed a credit on its tax return for the tax paid to the retail vendor.

SEC. 7.

 Section 60501 of the Revenue and Taxation Code is amended to read:

60501.
 Persons who have paid a tax for diesel fuel lost, sold, or removed as provided in paragraph (4) of subdivision (a), or used in a nontaxable use, other than on a farm for farming purposes or in an exempt bus operation, shall, except as otherwise provided in this part, be reimbursed and repaid the amount of the tax.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (b), a  A  claim for refund with respect to diesel fuel is allowed under this section only if all of the following apply:
(1) Tax was imposed on the diesel fuel to which the claim relates.
(2) The claimant bought or produced the diesel fuel and did not sell or resell it in this state except as provided in paragraph (4).
(3) The claimant has filed a timely claim for refund that contains the information required under subdivision (b) and the claim is supported by the original invoice or original invoice facsimile retained in an alternative storage media  showing the purchase. If no original invoice was created, electronic invoicing shall be accepted as reflected by a computerized facsimile when accompanied by an original copy of the bill of lading or fuel manifest that can be directly tied to the electronic invoice.
(4) The diesel fuel was any of the following:
(A) Used for purposes other than operating motor vehicles upon the public highways of the state.
(B) Exported for use outside of this state. Diesel fuel carried from this state in the fuel tank of a motor vehicle is not deemed to be exported from this state unless the diesel fuel becomes subject to tax as an import under the laws of the destination state.
(C) Used in any construction equipment that is exempt from vehicle registration pursuant to the Vehicle Code, while operated within the confines and limits of a construction project.
(D) Used in the operation of a motor vehicle on any highway that is under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Agriculture and with respect to the use of the highway the claimant pays, or contributes to, the cost of construction or maintenance thereof pursuant to an agreement with, or permission of, the United States Department of Agriculture.
(E) Used in any motor vehicle owned by any county, city and county, city, district, or other political subdivision or public agency when operated by it over any highway constructed and maintained by the United States or any department or agency thereof within a military reservation in this state. If the motor vehicle is operated both over the highway and over a public highway outside the military reservation in a continuous trip the tax shall not be refunded as to that portion of the diesel fuel used to operate the vehicle over the public highway outside the military reservation.
Nothing contained in this section shall be construed as a refund of the tax for the use of diesel fuel in any motor vehicle operated upon a public highway within a military reservation, which highway is constructed or maintained by this state or any political subdivision thereof.
As used in this section, “military reservation” includes any establishment of the United States Government government  or any agency thereof used by the Armed Forces armed forces  of the United States for military, air, or naval operations, including research projects.
(F) Sold by a supplier and which was sold  to any consulate officer or consulate employee under circumstances which would have entitled the supplier to an exemption under paragraph (6) of subdivision (a) of Section 60100 if the supplier had sold the diesel fuel directly to the consulate officer or consulate employee.
(G) Lost in the ordinary course of handling, transportation, or storage.
(H) (i)  Sold by a person to the United States and its agencies and instrumentalities under circumstances that would have entitled that person to an exemption from the payment of diesel fuel tax under Section 60100 had that person been the supplier of this diesel fuel.
(ii) Sold by a supplier and which was sold by credit card to the United States and its agencies and instrumentalities under circumstances which would have entitled the supplier to an exemption under Section 60100 if the supplier had sold the diesel fuel directly to the United States and its agencies and instrumentalities.
(I) Sold by a person to a train operator for use in a diesel-powered train or for other off-highway use under circumstances that would have entitled that person to an exemption from the payment of diesel fuel tax under Section 60100 had that person been the supplier of this diesel fuel.
(J) Removed from an approved terminal at the terminal rack, but only to the extent that the supplier can show that the tax on the same amount  Sold by a person to a public safety department, as defined in Section 60043.5, under circumstances that would have entitled that person to an exemption from the payment  of diesel fuel has been paid more than one time by the same supplier. tax under Section 60100 if that person had been the supplier of the diesel fuel. 
(b) (K)  Where tax is not imposed on dyed blended biodiesel fuel upon removal from an approved terminal at the terminal rack, if tax was previously imposed on the biodiesel fuel portion of the dyed blended biodiesel fuel, then, pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), a claim for refund is allowed for the tax that was paid on that biodiesel fuel, but only to the extent a supplier can show that the tax on that biodiesel fuel has been paid by the same supplier. Used in an “authorized emergency vehicle,” as defined in Vehicle Code Section 165, by a public safety department as, defined in Section 60043.5. 
(c) (b)  Each claim for refund under this section shall contain the following information with respect to all of the diesel fuel covered by the claim:
(1) The name, address, telephone number, and permit number of the person that sold the diesel fuel to the claimant and the date of the purchase.
(2) A statement by the claimant that the diesel fuel covered by the claim did not contain visible evidence of dye.
(3) A statement, which may appear on the invoice, original  invoice facsimile,  or similar document, by the person that sold the diesel fuel to the claimant that the diesel fuel sold did not contain visible evidence of dye.
(4) The total amount of diesel fuel covered by the claim.
(5) The use made of the diesel fuel covered by the claim described by reference to specific categories listed in paragraph (4) of subdivision (a).
(6) If the diesel fuel covered by the claim was exported, a statement that the claimant has the proof of exportation.
(d) (c)  Each claim for refund under this section shall be made on a form prescribed by the board and shall be filed for a calendar year. If, at the close of any of the first three quarters of the calendar year, more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750) is refundable under this section with respect to diesel fuel used or exported during that quarter or any prior quarter during the calendar year, and for which no other claim has been filed, a claim may be filed for the quarterly period. To facilitate the administration of this section, the board may require the filing of claims for refund for other than yearly periods.
SEC. 8.
 This act provides for a tax levy within the meaning of Article IV of the Constitution and shall go into immediate effect.