Beer Brewer Groups Want To Make California Tax Data Public Again

California’s beer industry is asking lawmakers to restart the release of brewer taxpayer data it received improperly for decades, but if the wine industry’s experience is any indication, most individual brewers will want to turn off the tap.

The California Craft Brewers Association wants to overcome a 2019 decision from the State Board of Equalization that it didn’t have the authority to distribute the data with a bill (S.B. 388) making an exception to taxpayer confidentiality rules. If the bill is enacted, information on beer manufacturers’ tax returns, including company names, addresses, account numbers, penalties, interest, total tax ...