Rev. & Tax. Code, § 19549

For purposes of this article:

(a) “Return” means any tax or information return, or claim for refund required by, or provided for or permitted under, the provisions of Part 10 (commencing with Section 17001), Part 11 (commencing with Section 23001), or this part which is filed with the Franchise Tax Board by, on behalf of, or with respect to any person, estate, or trust, and any amendment or supplement thereto, including supporting schedules, attachments, or lists which are supplemental to, or part of, the return so filed.

(b) “Return information” means a taxpayer’s identity, the nature, source, or amount of his, her, or its income, payments, receipts, deductions, exemptions, credits, assets, liabilities, net worth, tax liability, tax withheld, deficiencies, overassessments, or tax payments, whether the taxpayer’s return was, is being, or will be examined or subject to other investigation or processing, or any other data, received by, recorded by, prepared by, furnished to, or collected by the Franchise Tax Board with respect to a return or with respect to the determination of the existence, or possible existence, of liability, or the amount thereof, of any person under Part 10 (commencing with Section 17001), Part 11 (commencing with Section 23001), or this part for any tax, addition to tax, penalty, interest, fine, forfeiture, or other imposition, or offense.

(c) “Taxpayer return information” means return information as defined in subdivision (b) which is filed with, or furnished to, the Franchise Tax Board by or on behalf of the taxpayer to whom the return information relates.

(d) “Tax administration” means the administration, management, conduct, direction, and supervision of the execution and application of Part 10 (commencing with Section 17001), Part 10.7 (commencing with Section 21001), Part 11 (commencing with Section 23001), and this part.