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          |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE            |                  AB 1042|
          |Office of Senate Floor Analyses   |                         |
          |1020 N Street, Suite 524          |                         |
          |(916) 651-1520         Fax: (916) |                         |
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                                    CONSENT


          Bill No:  AB 1042
          Author:   Spitzer (R)
          Amended:  As introduced
          Vote:     21

           
           SENATE REVENUE & TAXATION COMMITTEE  :  7-0, 7/11/07
          AYES:  Oropeza, Alquist, Harman, Machado, Runner, Scott,  
            Wiggins
          NO VOTE RECORDED:  Cogdill

           ASSEMBLY FLOOR  :  72-0, 5/14/07 (Consent) - See last page  
            for vote


           SUBJECT  :    Property taxation

           SOURCE  :     Orange County Board of Supervisors


           DIGEST  :    This bill allows taxpayers to file assessment  
          appeals applications electronically.

           ANALYSIS  :    Existing law allows taxpayers to appeal the  
          assessed value of their property by filing an application  
          with the county Board of Equalization or Assessment Appeals  
          Board, subject to specified deadlines, and signed under  
          penalty of perjury that the information in the application  
          is true, correct, and complete to the best of their  
          knowledge.

          Existing law defines and allows the use of a digital  
          signature and stipulates that it has the same force and  
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          effect as a real signature provided that the digital  
          signature:

          1.Is unique to the person using it.
          2.Can be verified.
          3.Is under the sole control of the person using it.
          4.Is linked to the data in such a manner that if the data  
            was changed, the signature is invalidated.

          Complies with regulations adopted by the Secretary of State  
          (approved by the Office of Administrative Law on June 12,  
          1998) 

          This bill allows a Clerk of a county Board of Equalization  
          to accept an electronically filed application for changed  
          assessment if it complies with all other requirements for  
          the application, including the certification under penalty  
          of perjury.  The Board must approve the manner of the  
          electronic signature, and may include, but is not limited  
          to, use of personal identification numbers the Clerk has  
          assigned to applicants.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :    Appropriation:  No   Fiscal Com.:  No    
          Local:  No

          The State Board of Equalization (BOE) estimates  
          insignificant administrative costs and no revenue impact.

           SUPPORT  :   (Verified  7/13/07)

          Orange County Board of Supervisors (source) 
          California Association of Clerks and Elections Officials
          California State Association of Counties
          California Taxpayers Association
          Orange County Board of Supervisors
          Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association


           ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT  :    According to the author's office,  
          "AB 1042, sponsored by the Orange County Board of  
          Supervisors, will amend the Revenue and Taxation Code to  
          allow a property owner to electronically file an  
          application for a changed assessment.  Current law does not  
          clearly state that counties may accept an electronically  

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          filed form.  However, Revenue and Taxation Code Section  
          1603(a) says that an applicant must file with the county  
          assessment appeals board 'a verified, written application  
          showing the facts claimed to require the reduction and the  
          applicant's opinion of the full value of the property.'   
          Also, Government Code Section 16.5 authorizes the use of  
          electronic signatures in communications with a public  
          entity in which a signature is required.  This bill will  
          allow all counties to accept an electronically filed  
          application for a changed assessment, provided that it  
          complies with all other requirements for filing the  
          application.  It also requires that the electronic  
          signature is accompanied by the certification described in  
          the Revenue and Taxation Code Section 1603(f), and that the  
          electronic signature is authenticated in a manner that is  
          approved by a county board of supervisors.  The online  
          e-file process would provide filers with step-by-step  
          instructions, allow them to file completely online, or to  
          print, sign, and send the document directly to the Clerk of  
          the Board.  E-filing would allow for greater efficiency in  
          the filing process by reducing paper, provide for quick  
          retrieval of documents and faster scheduling of appeals  
          hearings." 


           ASSEMBLY FLOOR  :  72-0, 5/14/07
          AYES: Adams, Aghazarian, Anderson, Arambula, Beall, Benoit,  
            Berg, Berryhill, Blakeslee, Brownley, Caballero, Charles  
            Calderon, Carter, Cook, Coto, Davis, De La Torre, De  
            Leon, DeSaulnier, DeVore, Duvall, Dymally, Emmerson, Eng,  
            Evans, Feuer, Fuller, Gaines, Galgiani, Garcia, Garrick,  
            Hancock, Hayashi, Hernandez, Horton, Huff, Huffman,  
            Jeffries, Jones, Karnette, Keene, Krekorian, La Malfa,  
            Leno, Levine, Lieber, Lieu, Ma, Maze, Mendoza, Mullin,  
            Nakanishi, Nava, Parra, Plescia, Portantino, Price,  
            Richardson, Sharon Runner, Salas, Saldana, Silva, Smyth,  
            Solorio, Spitzer, Strickland, Swanson, Torrico, Tran,  
            Villines, Walters, Wolk
          NO VOTE RECORDED:  Bass, Houston, Laird, Niello, Ruskin,  
            Soto, Nunez, Vacancy


          DLW:nl  7/13/07   Senate Floor Analyses 


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                         SUPPORT/OPPOSITION:  SEE ABOVE

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