Sexual assault treatment and prevention: sexually oriented business tax.

Existing law imposes various taxes, including taxes on the privilege of engaging in certain activities. The Fee Collection Procedures Law, the violation of which is a crime, provides procedures for the collection of certain fees and surcharges. This bill would impose a tax on persons operating a sexually oriented business, as defined, at the rate of $10 per visit by a customer to the business inclusive of admission and reentry. The tax would be administered by the State Board of Equalization and would be collected pursuant to the procedures set forth in the Fee Collection Procedures Law. The bill would create the Sexual Assault Treatment and Prevention Fund, and would require that all revenues, less refunds and the costs of the administration of the tax, derived from the tax be transferred to the fund. This bill would provide that moneys in the fund, upon appropriation by the Legislature, be used by the California Emergency Management Agency for specified purposes related to the treatment and prevention of sexual assault. Because this bill would expand application of the Fee Collection Procedures Law, the violation of which is a crime, it would impose a state-mandated local program. 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 become operative on the first day of the first calendar quarter commencing more than 90 days after the effective date of this bill. This bill would include a change in state statute that would result in a taxpayer paying a higher tax within the meaning of Section 3 of Article XIIIA of the California Constitution, and thus would require for passage the approval of 23 of the membership of each house of the Legislature.