43151-43160
REVENUE AND TAXATION CODE
SECTION 43151-43160
43151. (a) The fee imposed pursuant to Section 25174.1 of the Health and Safety Code, which is a tax collected and administered under Section 43051, is due and payable to the board monthly on or before the last day of the third calendar month following the end of the calendar month for which the fee is due. Each taxpayer shall, on or before the last day of the third calendar month following the end of the calendar month for which the fee is due, make out a tax return for the calendar month, in the form as prescribed by the board, which may include, but not be limited to, electronic media in accordance with subdivision (c). The taxpayer shall deliver the return, together with a remittance of the amount of fee due, to the office of the board on or before the last day of the third calendar month following the end of the calendar month for which the fee is due. Returns shall be authenticated in a form or pursuant to methods as may be prescribed by the board. (b) With the approval of the board, a taxpayer who has more than one facility subject to the taxes collected and administered under this chapter, may file a combined tax return covering operations at more than one, or all, of those facilities. (c) The form required to be submitted by the taxpayer pursuant to this section shall show, for the taxpayer and for each person from whom the taxpayer accepted hazardous waste for disposal, all of the following: (1) The total amount of hazardous waste subject to the tax and the amount of the tax for the period covered by the return. (2) The amount of hazardous waste disposed during the tax period that is in each of the fee categories described in Section 25174.6 of the Health and Safety Code, and the amount of disposal fees paid for each of those categories. (3) The amount of hazardous waste received for disposal by the taxpayer's facility or facilities that is exempt from the payment of disposal fees pursuant to Section 25174.7 of the Health and Safety Code, including a copy of any written documentation provided for any shipment or shipments of hazardous waste received by a facility. (4) The amount of RCRA hazardous waste which is treated by the taxpayer so that the waste is considered to be non-RCRA hazardous waste for purposes of the disposal fee, pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 25174.6. (d) (1) Each taxpayer shall maintain records documenting all of the following information for each person who has submitted hazardous waste for disposal by the taxpayer during each calendar month and shall make those records available for review and inspection at the request of the board or the department: (A) The tonnage of hazardous waste submitted for disposal. (B) The type of hazardous waste disposed as specified by Section 25174.6 of the Health and Safety Code, including both of the following: (i) Any characterization of the hazardous waste made by the person submitting the hazardous waste for disposal. (ii) Any other documentation which the taxpayer maintains regarding the type of hazardous waste disposed to land. (C) Any representation made by the person submitting the hazardous waste regarding any exemptions that may be applicable to the payment of disposal fees. (D) For any RCRA hazardous waste which is treated by the taxpayer so that the waste is considered to be non-RCRA hazardous waste for purposes of the disposal fee, pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 25174.6, all of the following information: (i) The tonnage and type of hazardous waste. (ii) The method or methods used to treat the hazardous waste. (iii) Operating records documenting the treatment activity. (iv) Representative and statistical waste sampling and analysis data demonstrating that the waste is no longer RCRA hazardous waste at the time of disposal. (2) If the hazardous wastes submitted for disposal were accompanied by a manifest, the information specified in paragraph (1) shall be maintained by manifest number for each calendar month. 43152. (a) The board shall establish and annually submit to each generator of hazardous waste a consolidated statement of fees required to be paid by the generator to the board pursuant to Sections 25205.2, 25205.5, 25205.6, and 25205.9 of the Health and Safety Code. (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any return or other document that is required to be submitted by a generator of hazardous waste to the board in connection with the payment of any fee specified in subdivision (a) shall instead be submitted together with the consolidated statement made pursuant to subdivision (a). 43152.6. (a) The fee imposed pursuant to Section 25205.2 of the Health and Safety Code which is collected and administered under Section 43053 of this code is due and payable to the board annually on or before the last day of the second month following the end of the calendar year. (b) Every operator of a facility subject to the fee imposed pursuant to Section 25205.2 of the Health and Safety Code shall file an annual return in the form as prescribed by the board, which may include, but not be limited to, electronic media and pay the proper amount of fee due. Returns shall be authenticated in a form or pursuant to methods as may be prescribed by the board. (c) For purposes of subdivision (a), except as provided in subdivision (d), the operator of a facility shall pay the applicable fee based on the type and size of the facility, as specified in Sections 25205.1 and 25205.4 of the Health and Safety Code. The board shall credit the prepayment of the fee made pursuant to Section 43152.12 against the amount due with the annual return. (d) Notwithstanding subdivision (c), the fee for the 1991 reporting period, which is from July 1, 1991, to December 31, 1991, inclusive, is 50 percent of the fee specified in Section 25205.4 of the Health and Safety Code, based on the type and size of the facility, as specified in Section 25205.4 of the Health and Safety Code. 43152.7. (a) The fee imposed pursuant to Section 25205.5 of the Health and Safety Code which is collected and administered under Section 43053 is due and payable on the last day of the second month following the end of the calendar year. (b) Every generator subject to the fee imposed pursuant to Section 25205.5 of the Health and Safety Code shall file an annual return in the form as prescribed by the board, which may include, but not be limited to, electronic media and pay the proper amount of fee due. The board shall credit the prepayment made pursuant to Section 43152.15 against the amount due with the annual return. Returns shall be authenticated in a form or pursuant to methods as may be prescribed by the board. (c) The fee imposed by Section 25205.5 of the Health and Safety Code shall be offset by any fees paid by the generator for the preceding calendar year for a local hazardous waste management program conducted by a local agency pursuant to a memorandum of understanding with the department. The amount of the credit provided under this subdivision shall not exceed an amount equal to the fees paid to the local agency or the generator fee due under Section 25205.5 of the Health and Safety Code, whichever is less. The credit for local fees paid shall not include fees required under Chapter 6.7 (commencing with Section 25280) or Chapter 6.95 (commencing with Section 25500) of Division 20 of the Health and Safety Code. 43152.8. (a) The department shall notify the board of the occurrence of any of the following: (1) The issuance of a hazardous waste facilities permit or grant of interim status to any facility operator, who has not previously been granted interim status, within 30 days after the facility permit or grant of interim status is issued. (2) When any facility changes size category pursuant to Section 25205.4 of the Health and Safety Code. (b) This section shall become operative July 1, 1991. 43152.9. (a) The fee imposed pursuant to Section 25205.6 of the Health and Safety Code, which is collected and administered under Section 43054, is due and payable on the last day of the second month following the end of the calendar year. (b) Every corporation, limited liability company, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, general partnership, and sole proprietorship subject to the fee imposed pursuant to Section 25205.6 of the Health and Safety Code shall file an annual return in the form as prescribed by the board, which may include, but not be limited to, electronic media and pay the proper amount of fee due. Returns shall be authenticated in a form or pursuant to methods as may be prescribed by the board. 43152.10. The fees imposed pursuant to Sections 25205.7, 25205.8, 25205.14, 25221, and 25343 of the Health and Safety Code, which are collected and administered under Sections 43053 and 43054, are due and payable within 30 days after the date of assessment and the feepayer shall deliver a remittance of the amount of the assessed fee to the office of the board within that 30-day period, except as provided in subdivision (e) of Section 25205.14 of the Health and Safety Code. 43152.11. (a) The surcharge imposed pursuant to Section 25205.9 of the Health and Safety Code, which is collected and administered under Section 43055, is due and payable to the board on the last day of the second month following the end of the calendar year. (b) The surcharge shall be incorporated into the return form prescribed by the board, which every operator subject to the fee imposed by Section 25205.5 of the Health and Safety Code is required to file and pay annually, in accordance with Section 43152.7. The surcharge shall be in addition to the fee imposed by Section 25205.5 of the Health and Safety Code. (c) The surcharge imposed by Section 25205.9 of the Health and Safety Code shall be offset by any fees paid by the generator during the preceding calendar year for a local hazardous waste management program conducted by a local agency pursuant to a memorandum of understanding with the department. The offset provided for under this subdivision shall be allowed to the same extent as the offset provided in subdivision (c) of Section 43152.7. 43152.12. (a) In addition to the requirements imposed pursuant to Section 43152.6, every operator of a facility subject to the fee specified in Section 25205.2 of the Health and Safety Code shall make two prepayments of the fee to the board, which are due and payable on or before the last day of February and the last day of August of each calendar year. Each prepayment shall be accompanied by a prepayment return in a form prescribed by the board. (b) For purposes of subdivision (a), the amount of each prepayment shall be not less than 50 percent of the applicable fee imposed on the facility, based on the facility's type and size, as stated on the hazardous waste facilities permit, interim status document, or Part A application, or as specified in Sections 25205.1 and 25205.4 of the Health and Safety Code. (c) The board shall credit the amount of the prepayments against the amount of the fee due and payable for the reporting period in which the prepayments are due. (d) Any person required to make a prepayment pursuant to this section who fails to make a prepayment by the due dates specified in subdivision (a) shall also pay the penalties and interest in accordance with Section 43155. 43152.13. (a) The fee imposed pursuant to Section 105190 of the Health and Safety Code, which is collected and administered under Section 43056, is due and payable on the last day of the second month following the end of the calendar year. (b) Every employer subject to the fee imposed pursuant to Section 105190 of the Health and Safety Code shall in the form as prescribed by the board, which may include, but not be limited to, electronic media file an annual return and pay the proper amount of fee due. Returns shall be authenticated in a form or pursuant to methods as may be prescribed by the board. 43152.14. The fee imposed pursuant to Section 105310 of the Health and Safety Code, that is collected and administered under Section 43057, is due and payable on or before April 1 of each year for the previous calendar year. 43152.15. (a) In addition to the requirements imposed pursuant to Sections 43152.7 and 43152.11, every generator subject to the fees specified in Sections 25205.5 and 25205.9 of the Health and Safety Code shall make a prepayment of the fee by site to the board which is due and payable on or before the last day of August of each calendar year. The prepayment shall be accompanied by a prepayment return in a form prescribed by the board. (b) For purposes of subdivision (a), the amount of the prepayment shall be not less than either of the following: (1) One hundred percent of the applicable fee imposed on the generator, based on the generator's fee category as specified in Section 25205.5 of the Health and Safety Code for the total volume of hazardous waste generated by site during the period January 1 to June 30, inclusive, of the current calendar year in which the prepayment is due. The prepayment may be offset by fees paid by the generator for a local hazardous waste management program conducted by a local agency pursuant to a memorandum of understanding with the department which includes the following: (A) The local fees are paid for the current calendar year for which the prepayment is due or the local fees are paid for the preceding calendar year, if fees have not been paid for the current year. (B) The offset is subject to the limitations and requirements specified in subdivision (c) of Section 43152.7. (2) Fifty percent of the generator fee liability paid to the board by site for the preceding calendar year provided the generator paid a generator fee liability to the board for the preceding calendar year for that site. (c) The board shall credit the amount of the prepayment against the amount of the fee due and payable for the calendar year in which the prepayment is due. (d) Notwithstanding any other provision in this section, the prepayment of a generator fee shall not be required for any amount due that is less than five hundred dollars ($500), or for any other amount due if the board determines that prepayment is not in the best economic interest of the program. (e) Any person required to make a prepayment pursuant to this section who fails to make a prepayment by the due date specified in subdivision (a) shall also pay penalties and interest in accordance with Section 43155. 43152.16. (a) The board shall issue refunds, if directed to do so by the department, upon making the certification specified in subdivision (d), for some, or all, of the fees imposed pursuant to Sections 25205.5 and 25205.9 of the Health and Safety Code, for hazardous waste generated in 1997. (b) The board may issue a refund only to a generator who received a credit pursuant to Section 43152.7 or 43152.11 for fees paid for hazardous waste generated in 1996. (c) The refund made to a generator pursuant to this section shall not exceed the generator's credit for hazardous waste generated in 1996, or exceed the generator's fee paid to a certified unified program agency in 1997, whichever amount is less. (d) The board may issue refunds pursuant to this section only if the department certifies that funds for these refunds are available. 43153. The board, if it deems it necessary in order to facilitate the administration of this part, may require returns and payments specified under Section 43151 to be made for periods longer than quarterly. 43154. The board for good cause may extend, for a period of time not to exceed one month, the time for making any return or paying any amount required to be paid under this part. The extension may be granted at any time provided a request therefor is filed with the board within or prior to the period for which the extension may be granted. Any person to whom an extension is granted shall pay, in addition to the tax, interest at the modified adjusted rate per month, or fraction thereof, established pursuant to Section 6591.5, from the date on which the tax would have been due without the extension until the date of payment. 43155. (a) Any person who fails to pay any tax or prepayment, except amounts of determinations made by the board under Article 2 (commencing with Section 43201), within the time required shall pay a penalty of 10 percent of the tax or prepayment, plus interest at the modified adjusted rate per month, or fraction thereof, established pursuant to Section 6591.5, from the date on which the tax or the amount of tax required to be collected became due and payable to the state until the date of payment. (b) Any person who fails to file a return or prepayment with the board in accordance with this part within the time prescribed for the filing of a return or prepayment, a penalty of 10 percent of the amount of tax or prepayment shall be added thereto on account of the delinquency. (c) The penalties imposed by this section shall be limited to a maximum of 10 percent of the taxes for which the return or prepayment is required for any one return or prepayment. 43155.5. (a) If the board finds, taking into account all facts and circumstances, that it is inequitable to compute interest at the modified adjusted rate per month or fraction thereof, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 6591.5, interest shall be computed at the modified adjusted daily rate from the date on which the tax or prepayment was due until the date of payment, if all of the following occur: (1) The payment of tax or the prepayment was made one business day after the date the tax or prepayment was due. (2) The person was granted relief from all penalties that applied to that payment of tax or prepayment. (3) The person files a request for an oral hearing before the board. (b) For purposes of this section, "modified adjusted daily rate" means the modified adjusted rate per annum as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 6591.5 determined on a daily basis by dividing the modified adjusted rate per annum by 365. (c) For purposes of this section, "board" means the members of the State Board of Equalization meeting as a public body. (d) For purposes of this section, "business day" means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or any day designated as a state holiday. (e) This section shall not apply to any payment made pursuant to a deficiency determination, a determination where no report or return has been filed, or a jeopardy determination issued by the board. (f) This section shall only apply to electronic payments or prepayments of taxes. (g) This section shall be operative only until January 1, 2016. 43157. (a) If the board finds that a person's failure to make a timely return, prepayment, or payment is due to reasonable cause and circumstances beyond the person's control, and occurred notwithstanding the exercise of ordinary care and the absence of willful neglect, the person may be relieved of the penalty provided by Sections 43155, 43170, and 43306. (b) Except as provided in subdivision (c), any person seeking to be relieved of the penalty shall file with the board a statement, under penalty of perjury, setting forth the facts upon which he or she bases his or her claim for relief. (c) The board shall establish criteria that provide for efficient resolution of requests for relief pursuant to this section. 43158. If the board finds that a person's failure to make a timely return or payment was due to disaster, and occurred notwithstanding the exercise of ordinary care and the absence of willful neglect, the person may be relieved of interest provided for by Sections 43154, 43155, 43170, and 43201. Any person seeking to be relieved of interest shall file with the board a statement under penalty of perjury setting forth the facts upon which he or she bases his or her claim for relief. 43158.5. (a) The board, in its discretion, may relieve all or any part of the interest imposed on a person by this part where the failure to pay fees is due in whole or in part to an unreasonable error or delay by an employee of the board acting in his or her official capacity. (b) For purposes of this section, an error or delay shall be deemed to have occurred only if no significant aspect of the error or delay is attributable to an act of, or a failure to act by, the taxpayer. (c) Any person seeking relief under this section shall file with the board a statement under penalty of perjury setting forth the facts on which the claim for relief is based and any other information which the board may require. (d) The board may grant relief only for interest imposed on tax liabilities that arise during taxable periods commencing on or after January 1, 2000. 43159. (a) If the board finds that a person's failure to make a timely return or payment is due to the person's reasonable reliance on written advice from the board, the person may be relieved of the taxes imposed or administered under this part and any penalty or interest added thereto. (b) For purposes of this section, a person's failure to make a timely return or payment shall be considered to be due to reasonable reliance on written advice from the board, only if the board finds that all of the following conditions are satisfied: (1) The person requested in writing that the board advise him or her whether a particular activity or transaction is subject to tax under this part. The specific facts and circumstances of the activity or transaction shall be fully described in the request. (2) The board responded in writing to the person regarding the written request for advice, stating whether or not the described activity or transaction is subject to tax, or stating the conditions under which the activity or transaction is subject to tax. (3) The liability for taxes applied to a particular activity or transaction which occurred before either of the following: (A) Before the board rescinded or modified the advice so given, by sending written notice to the person of rescinded or modified advice. (B) Before a change in statutory or constitutional law, a change in the board's regulations, or a final decision of a court, which renders the board's earlier written advice no longer valid. (c) Any person seeking relief under this section shall file with the board all of the following: (1) A copy of the person's written request to the board and a copy of the board's written advice. (2) A statement under penalty of perjury setting forth the facts on which the claim for relief is based. (3) Any other information which the board may require. (d) Only the person making the written request shall be entitled to rely on the board's written advice to that person. 43159.1. (a) Under regulations prescribed by the board, except for a fee imposed pursuant to Section 105310 of the Health and Safety Code, if: (1) A tax liability under this part was understated by a failure to file a return required to be filed under this part, by the omission of an amount properly includable therein, or by erroneous deductions or credits claimed on a return, and the understatement of tax liability is attributable to one spouse; or any amount of the tax reported on a return was unpaid and the nonpayment of the reported tax liability is attributable to one spouse. (2) The other spouse establishes that he or she did not know of, and had no reason to know of, that understatement or nonpayment. (3) Taking into account whether or not the other spouse significantly benefited directly or indirectly from the understatement or the nonpayment and taking into account all other facts and circumstances, it is inequitable to hold the other spouse liable for the deficiency in tax attributable to that understatement or nonpayment, then the other spouse shall be relieved of liability for tax (including interest, penalties, and other amounts) to the extent that the liability is attributable to that understatement or nonpayment of tax. (b) For purposes of this section, the determination of the spouse to whom items of understatement or nonpayment are attributable shall be made without regard to community property laws. (c) This section shall apply to all calendar months or years subject to the provisions of this part, but shall not apply to any calendar month or year that is more than five years from the final date on the board-issued determination, five years from the return due date for nonpayment on a return, or one year from the first contact with the spouse making a claim under this section; or that has been closed by res judicata, whichever is later. (d) For purposes of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a), "reason to know" means whether or not a reasonably prudent person would have had reason to know of the understatement or nonpayment. (e) For purposes of this section, with respect to a failure to file a return or an omission of an item from the return, "attributable to one spouse" may be determined by whether a spouse rendered substantial service as a taxpayer with respect to the taxes administered under this part to which the understatement is attributable. If neither spouse rendered substantial services as a taxpayer, then the attribution of applicable items of understatement shall be treated as community property. An erroneous deduction or credit shall be attributable to the spouse who caused that deduction or credit to be entered on the return. (f) Under procedures prescribed by the board, if, taking into account all the facts and circumstances, it is inequitable to hold the other spouse liable for any unpaid tax or any deficiency (or any portion of either) attributable to any item for which relief is not available under subdivision (a), the board may relieve the other spouse of that liability. (g) For purposes of this section, registered domestic partners, as defined in Section 297 of the Family Code, have the same rights, protections, and benefits as provided by this section, and are subject to the same responsibilities, obligations, and duties as imposed by this section, as are granted to and imposed upon spouses. (h) The relief provided by this section shall apply retroactively to liabilities arising prior to the effective date of this section. 43159.2. (a) Under regulations prescribed by the board, with respect to a fee imposed pursuant to Section 105310 of the Health and Safety Code, if: (1) A fee liability due on a notice of determination or other billing document for collection of the fee under this part was unpaid and the nonpayment of the fee liability is attributable to one spouse. (2) The other spouse establishes that he or she did not know of, and had no reason to know of, that nonpayment. (3) Taking into account whether or not the other spouse significantly benefited directly or indirectly from the nonpayment and taking into account all other facts and circumstances, it is inequitable to hold the other spouse liable for the deficiency in the fee attributable to that nonpayment, then the other spouse shall be relieved of liability for the fee (including interest, penalties, and other amounts) to the extent that the liability is attributable to that nonpayment of the fee. (b) For purposes of this section, the determination of the spouse to whom items of nonpayment are attributable shall be made without regard to community property laws. (c) This section shall apply to all calendar years subject to the provisions of this part, but shall not apply to any calendar year that is more than five years from the final date on the board-issued determination or other similar billing document for collection of the fee, five years from the due date for payment on the billing, or one year from the first contact with the spouse making a claim under this section; or that has been closed by res judicata, whichever is later. (d) For purposes of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a), "reason to know" means whether or not a reasonably prudent person would have had reason to know of the understatement or nonpayment. (e) For purposes of this section, with respect to a failure to pay a notice of determination or similar billing document for collection of the fee, "attributable to one spouse" may be determined by whether a spouse rendered substantial service as a feepayer with respect to a fee imposed under Section 105310 of the Health and Safety Code to which the nonpayment is attributable. If neither spouse rendered substantial services as a feepayer, then the attribution of the nonpayment shall be treated as community property. (f) Under procedures prescribed by the board, if, taking into account all the facts and circumstances, it is inequitable to hold the other spouse liable for any unpaid fee or any deficiency (or any portion of either) attributable to any item for which relief is not available under subdivision (a), the board may relieve the other spouse of that liability. (g) For purposes of this section, registered domestic partners, as defined in Section 297 of the Family Code, have the same rights, protections, and benefits as provided by this section, and are subject to the same responsibilities, obligations, and duties as imposed by this section, as are granted to and imposed upon spouses. (h) The relief provided by this section shall apply retroactively to liabilities arising prior to the effective date of this section. 43160. Every person who is required to file the returns and make the payments specified in Section 43151, 43152.6, 43152.7, 43152.9, 43152.11, 43152.13, 43152.14, or 43153 shall, upon transfer or discontinuance of operations, file closing returns on forms prescribed by the board. The closing returns shall be due and payable on the last day of the month following the end of the quarterly period in which the transfer or discontinuance takes place.