Tax administration: property taxes and diesel fuel taxes.

(1) Existing law provides for the annual assessment and collection of property taxes by each county, and provides for the state administration of the property tax by the State Board of Equalization. The California Constitution generally limits ad valorem taxes on real property to 1% of the full cash value of that property. For purposes of this limitation, "full cash value" is defined as the assessor's valuation of real property as shown on the 1975–76 tax bill under "full cash value" or, thereafter, the appraised value of that real property when purchased, newly constructed, or a change in ownership has occurred. Existing property tax law requires a transferee of real property or a manufactured home that is locally assessed to file a change in ownership statement with the assessor of the county in which the property or manufactured home is located, and also requires a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or other legal entity to file a change in ownership statement with the board. Existing property tax law also includes various property tax exemptions as authorized or established by the California Constitution. This bill would prohibit a person from making decisions with regard to change in ownership, or with regard to property tax exemptions, except a homeowners' exemption claim, as an employee of the state, a county, or a city and county, unless he or she is the holder of a valid assessment analyst certificate issued by the board. The bill would require the board to provide for the examination of applicants for a certificate and would authorize the board to contract with the Department of Human Resources to give the examinations. The bill would provide for an advanced certificate, pursuant to a course of study prescribed by, and on examination prepared by, the board. The bill would require prescribed annual training for certification, including advanced certification. Failure to complete training as required would be grounds for revocation. The bill would also authorize the board to issue temporary certificates and interim certificates under prescribed circumstances. This bill would specify that its provisions are not to be construed to impede assessors from managing their staff resources efficiently regarding exemption applications and change in ownership documents, provided that noncertificated staff are not responsible for making exemption or change in ownership decisions. (2) The Diesel Fuel Tax Law imposes a tax upon the removal, entry, sale, delivery, or specified use of diesel fuel, at a specified rate per gallon. That law provides for a reimbursement of the amount of that tax to persons who have used that tax-paid fuel in specified nontaxable uses, which is allowed through a claim for refund. This bill would allow a claim for refund for amounts of tax paid on the biodiesel fuel portion of dyed blended biodiesel fuel removed from an approved terminal at the terminal rack, as provided, to the extent a supplier can show that the tax on that biodiesel fuel has been paid by the same supplier.