7056
. (a) (1) Excepting the information set forth on permits issued
under Article 2 (commencing with Section 6066) of Chapter 2, the
information set forth on certificates of registration issued pursuant
to Section 6226, and the terms of any settlement made pursuant to
Section 19442 (as amended by Chapter 138 of the Statutes of 1994), it
is unlawful for the board, any person having an administrative duty
under this part or any person who obtains access to information
contained in, or derived from, sales or transactions and use tax
records of the board pursuant to subdivision (b), to make known in
any manner whatever the business affairs, operations, or any other
information pertaining to any retailer or any other person required
to report to the board or pay a tax pursuant to this part, or the
amount or source of income, profits, losses, expenditures, or any
particular thereof, set forth or disclosed in any return, or to
permit any return or copy thereof or any book containing any abstract
or particulars thereof to be seen or examined by any person.
(2) It is also unlawful for any person, other than an officer or
employee of a county, city and county, city, or district, who obtains
access to information contained in, or derived from, sales or
transactions and use tax records of the board pursuant to subdivision
(b), to retain that information after that person's contract with
the county, city and county, city, or district has expired.
(3) Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) and (2), the Governor may, by
general or special order, authorize examination by other state
officers, by tax officers of another state, by the federal
government, if a reciprocal arrangement exists, by the tax officials
of Mexico, if a reciprocal agreement exists, or by any other person
of the records maintained by the board under this part. The
information so obtained pursuant to the order of the Governor shall
not be made public except to the extent and in the manner that the
order may authorize that it be made public.
(b) When requested by resolution of the legislative body of any
county, city and county, city, or district, the board shall permit
any duly authorized officer or employee of the county, city and
county, city, or district, or other person designated by that
resolution, to examine all of the sales or transactions and use tax
records of the board pertaining to the ascertainment of those sales
or transactions and use taxes to be collected for the county, city
and county, city, or district by the board pursuant to contract
entered into between the board and the county, city and county, city,
or district under the Bradley-Burns Uniform Local Sales and Use Tax
Law (Part 1.5 (commencing with Section 7200)) or the Transactions and
Use Tax Law (Part 1.6 (commencing with Section 7251)). Except as
otherwise provided herein, this subdivision shall not be construed to
allow any officer, employee, or other person authorized or
designated by a county, city and county, city, or district to examine
any sales or transactions and use tax records of any taxpayer. The
costs that are incurred by the board in complying with a request made
pursuant to this subdivision shall be deducted by the board from
those revenues collected by the board on behalf of the county, city
and county, city, or district making the request.
(1) The resolution shall certify that any person designated by the
resolution, other than an officer or employee, meets all of the
following conditions:
(A) Has an existing contract with the county, city and county,
city, or district to examine those sales and use tax records.
(B) Is required by that contract to disclose information contained
in, or derived from, those sales or transactions and use tax records
only to an officer or employee of the county, city and county, city,
or district who is authorized by the resolution to examine the
information.
(C) Is prohibited by that contract from performing consulting
services for a retailer during the term of that contract.
(D) Is prohibited by that contract from retaining the information
contained in, or derived from, those sales or transactions and use
tax records, after that contract has expired.
(2) Information obtained by examination of board records as
permitted in this subdivision shall be used only for purposes related
to the collection of local sales or transactions and use taxes by
the board pursuant to the contract, or for purposes related to other
governmental functions of the county, city and county, city, or
district set forth in the resolution.
(c) If the board believes that any information obtained pursuant
to subdivision (b) has been disclosed to any person not authorized or
designated by the resolution of the legislative body of the county,
city and county, city, or district, or has been used for purposes not
permitted by subdivision (b), then notwithstanding subdivision (b),
the board may impose conditions on access to its sales and use tax
records which the board considers reasonable, in order to protect the
confidentiality of those records.
(d) Predecessors, successors, receivers, trustees, executors,
administrators, assignees, and guarantors, if directly interested,
may be given information as to the items included in the measure and
amounts of any unpaid tax or amounts of tax required to be collected,
interest, and penalties.
(e) For purposes of this section, "reciprocal agreement" means a
formal agreement to exchange information between national taxing
officials of Mexico and taxing authorities of the State Board of
Equalization, the Franchise Tax Board, and the Employment Development
Department. Furthermore, the reciprocal agreement shall be limited
to the exchange of information which is essential for tax
administration purposes only. Taxing authorities of the State of
California shall be granted tax information only on California
residents. Taxing authorities of Mexico shall be granted tax
information only on Mexican nationals.