2016 California Code
Business and Professions Code - BPC
DIVISION 8 - SPECIAL BUSINESS REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 3.5 - Medical Cannabis Regulation and Safety act
ARTICLE 11 - Taxation
Section 19348.

19348. (a) (1) A county may impose a tax on the privilege of cultivating, dispensing, producing, processing, preparing, storing, providing, donating, selling, or distributing medical cannabis or medical cannabis products by a licensee operating pursuant to this chapter.

(2) The board of supervisors shall specify in the ordinance proposing the tax the activities subject to the tax, the applicable rate or rates, the method of apportionment, if necessary, and the manner of collection of the tax. The tax may be imposed for general governmental purposes or for purposes specified in the ordinance by the board of supervisors.

(3) In addition to any other method of collection authorized by law, the board of supervisors may provide for the collection of the tax imposed pursuant to this section in the same manner, and subject to the same penalties and priority of lien, as other charges and taxes fixed and collected by the county. A tax imposed pursuant to this section is a tax and not a fee or special assessment. The board of supervisors shall specify whether the tax applies throughout the entire county or within the unincorporated area of the county.

(4) The tax authorized by this section may be imposed upon any or all of the activities set forth in paragraph (1), as specified in the ordinance, regardless of whether the activity is undertaken individually, collectively, or cooperatively, and regardless of whether the activity is for compensation or gratuitous, as determined by the board of supervisors.

(b) A tax imposed pursuant to this section shall be subject to applicable voter approval requirements imposed by law.

(c) This section is declaratory of existing law and does not limit or prohibit the levy or collection of any other fee, charge, or tax, or a license or service fee or charge upon, or related to, the activities set forth in subdivision (a) as otherwise provided by law. This section shall not be construed as a limitation upon the taxing authority of a county as provided by law.

(d) This section shall not be construed to authorize a county to impose a sales or use tax in addition to the sales and use tax imposed under an ordinance conforming to the provisions of Sections 7202 and 7203 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.

(Added by Stats. 2015, Ch. 719, Sec. 16. Effective January 1, 2016.)