(a) Notwithstanding subdivisions (b) and (c) of Section 14591.1, the department may assess a civil penalty of up to 15 percent of the amount due for payment, and interest at the rate earned by the Pooled Money Investment Account, on a beverage manufacturer that fails to pay a processing fee required pursuant to Section 14575. The department may examine the accounts and records of a beverage manufacturer that pays or should pay a processing fee. No penalty shall be assessed until 30 days after the department has notified the manufacturer of the penalty assessment, and the amount due for payment and interest has not been paid.
(b) If the department determines that an audit of a beverage manufacturer shows that there has been an underpayment of a processing fee, the department may examine the records concerning beverage container sales of a container manufacturer that supplied the beverage containers to the beverage manufacturer.
(Amended by Stats. 2008, Ch. 696, Sec. 25. Effective September 30, 2008.)