This bill is part of the 2024 Cannabis Bills section of our ongoing update on California Cannabis Legislation – see the full California Cannabis Law Legislative Update which includes information on cannabis bills from other years.
AB-2555 (Quirk-Silva D) Sales and use tax: exemption: medicinal cannabis: donations.
(Update: On 9.29.24, AB 2555 was signed by the Governor.)
Existing law, the Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MAUCRSA), among other things, consolidates the licensure and regulation of commercial medicinal and adult-use cannabis activities. Existing sales and use tax laws impose use taxes 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, presumes tangible personal property purchased outside the state that is stored, used, or consumed in this state is purchased for use in this state, and provides various exemptions from those taxes.
Existing law exempts from the use tax the storage, use, or other consumption in this state of medicinal cannabis or medicinal cannabis products that are donated, for no consideration, under specified circumstances. Existing law requires the exemption to apply only if the cannabis retailer certifies in writing, as specified, that the medicinal cannabis or medicinal cannabis product will be used as specified. Existing law makes a licensee that uses the donated medicinal cannabis or medicinal cannabis product in some other manner, or for some other purpose, liable for the payment of use tax and subject to having their license suspended. Existing law repeals these provisions 5 years after the specified operative date.
This bill would extend these provisions until January 1, 2030. By expanding the scope of the crime of perjury, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
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 Section 2230 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, 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.
Existing law requires a bill authorizing a new tax expenditure to contain, among other things, specific goals, purposes, and objectives that the tax expenditure will achieve, detailed performance indicators, and data collection requirements.
This bill would require the Legislative Analyst’s Office, in order to enable the Legislature to determine whether the use tax exemption provided by the bill is meeting, failing to meet, or exceeding a specified goal and objective, to collect certain data regarding the tax exemption from specified entities, and to submit a report containing the data to the Legislature and the Governor annually each year that the tax exemption is in effect.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.
Read more about California Cannabis Legislation – see the full California Cannabis Law Legislative Update.
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