Section 42002 Of Chapter 1. General Provisions And Definitions From California Revenue And Taxation Code >> Division 2. >> Part 21. >> Chapter 1.
42002
. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) Maintaining effective and efficient communications services,
911 emergency systems, communications-related public policy programs
to promote universal service, and various local programs across the
state benefits all persons with access to the telecommunications
system.
(b) Providers of end-use communications services, including
providers of mobile voice telecommunications services, which the
Federal Communications Commission terms mobile telephony service, are
required to collect and remit communications taxes, fees, and
surcharges on various types of communication service revenues, as
provided by existing state or local law.
(c) Consumers purchase prepaid mobile telephony services at a wide
variety of retail locations and other distribution channels, as well
as through service providers.
(d) Prepaid mobile telephony services are an important and growing
segment of the communications industry. Prepaid mobile telephony
services are often the only means by which persons with low incomes
can obtain limited access to the telecommunications system.
(e) To ensure equitable contributions from end-use consumers of
postpaid and prepaid mobile telephony services in this state, there
should be standardization with respect to the method used to collect
communications taxes, fees, and surcharges from end-use consumers of
prepaid mobile telephony services.
(f) Prepaid mobile telephony services are frequently sold by a
third-party retailer that is not the provider of mobile telephony
services, and collecting taxes, fees, and surcharges from prepaid
consumers of mobile telephony services at the time of the retail
transaction is necessary and the most efficient and competitively
neutral means of collection.
(g) An equitable distribution mechanism is necessary to ensure
that utility user taxes and other telecommunication charges are
collected on behalf of cities and counties and are properly
distributed to those jurisdictions.