California tire fee: Stormwater Permit Compliance Fund.

The California Tire Recycling Act, until January 1, 2024, requires a person who purchases a new tire to pay a California tire fee of $1.75 per tire, for deposit, except for 112% retained by retailers and as provided below, in the California Tire Recycling Management Fund for expenditure by the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery upon appropriation by the Legislature for prescribed purposes related to disposal and use of used tires. Commencing January 1, 2024, existing law reduces the California tire fee to $0.75 per tire and changes the retailers' share to 3%. Existing law authorizes the department, in carrying out the act, to solicit and use any and all expertise available in, and to contract or cooperate with, other state agencies, as provided. Existing law authorizes the department to contract with the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration to collect the California tire fee. Existing law requires the department, or its authorized agent, to be reimbursed for its costs of collection, auditing, and making refunds associated with the California Tire Recycling Management Fund, in an amount up to 3% of the total annual revenue deposited in the fund. Existing law, until January 1, 2024, requires that $0.75 per tire on which the California tire fee is imposed be deposited in the Air Pollution Control Fund with these moneys to be available upon appropriation by the Legislature for use by the State Air Resources Board and local air districts to fund programs and projects that mitigate or remediate air pollution caused by tires in the state, as provided. This bill would require the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration to collect the California tire fee and would repeal the provision authorizing the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery to solicit and use the expertise of, and contract or cooperate with, other state agencies. The bill would increase the California tire fee by $1.50. The bill would require the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration to transfer the additional moneys to the Stormwater Permit Compliance Fund, which would be established by the bill, and would make the moneys available to the State Water Resources Control Board. The bill would continuously appropriate moneys in the fund for competitive grants for projects and programs for municipal storm sewer system permit compliance requirements that would prevent or remediate pollutants, including zinc, caused by tires in the state and for an annual audit of the fund. Money in the fund would be available upon appropriation for the administrative expenses of the fund, not to exceed 5% of the overall revenue annually deposited in the fund, except as specified. The bill would also make conforming changes. The bill would revise and recast the provisions governing payments and transfers from the California Tire Recycling Management Fund. The bill would require the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, instead of the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, to be reimbursed for its costs of collection, auditing, and making refunds associated with the California Tire Recycling Management Fund, in an amount up to 2.5% of the total annual revenue deposited in the fund.