Existing sales and use tax laws impose a tax on retailers measured by the gross receipts from the sale of tangible personal property sold at retail in this state, or on the storage, use, or other consumption in this state of tangible personal property purchased from a retailer for storage, use, or other consumption in this state. Existing law defines “sale” and “purchase” for these purposes and provides certain exclusions from those definitions. The Sales and Use Tax Law provides various exemptions from those taxes.

This bill would provide that “sale” and “purchase” do not include any lease or transfer of title of exempt from these taxes the gross receipts in this state of, and the storage, use, or other consumption in this state of, a new or used oak barrel to a person who leases or purchases that oak barrel for the purpose of incorporating oak into distilled spirits. The bill would repeal this exemption on January 1, 2025.

The Bradley-Burns Uniform Local Sales and Use Tax Law authorizes counties and cities to impose local sales and use taxes in conformity with the Sales and Use Tax Law, and existing laws authorize districts, as specified, to impose transactions and use taxes in accordance with the Transactions and Use Tax Law, which generally conforms to the Sales and Use Tax Law. Amendments to the Sales and Use Tax Law are automatically incorporated into the local tax laws.

Existing law requires the state to reimburse counties and cities for revenue losses caused by the enactment of sales and use tax exemptions.

This bill would provide that, notwithstanding these provisions, no appropriation is made and the state shall not reimburse any local agencies for sales and use tax revenues lost by them pursuant to this bill.

This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy, but its operative date would depend on its effective date.