BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  AB 658
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   January 21, 2010

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Kevin De Leon, Chair

                  AB 658 (Hayashi) - As Amended:  January 13, 2010 

          Policy Committee:                              Revenue and  
          Taxation     Vote:                            8-0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:              

           SUMMARY  

          This bill creates the California Police Activities League Fund  
          (CALPAL) checkoff to the personal income tax form upon the  
          removal of another voluntary contribution fund. Specifically,  
          the bill:

            1)  Requires the State Controller to allocate the funds to the  
              state CALPAL (the statewide chapter of the nonprofit  
              organization).

            2)  Requires the Franchise Tax Board to compile a report of  
              the CALPAL contributions received, by ZIP code, and  
              distribute this report to the state CALPAL and the chairs of  
              the Senate and Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committees.

            3)  Directs the state CALPAL - upon receipt of the FTB  
              information - to then allocate the funds to local chapters  
              in proportion to the voluntary contributions made in the  
              counties in which the local chapters reside.

            4)  Sunsets in five years after becoming operative, or  
              whenever FTB estimates the annual contribution amount will  
              be less than $250,000, as adjusted for inflation.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          1)The contributions may be taken as an itemized deduction on  
            income tax returns. The Franchise Tax Board estimates that the  
            annual revenue losses from these deductions would be about  
            $15,000.









                                                                  AB 658
                                                                  Page  2

          2)State administrative costs will be deducted from the  
            contribution proceeds.

           COMMENTS

          1)Rationale  . The bill is intended to provide an additional  
            funding source for CALPAL. The author states that the program  
            plays a vital role in building relationships between law  
            enforcement personnel and community residents, particularly  
            at-risk youth.

           2)Background  . Taxpayers can make voluntary contributions to any  
            of 15 funds listed on the state personal income tax return.  
            The contributions are in addition to any tax liabilities  
            otherwise owed. Thus, they do not directly reduce state taxes  
            otherwise available to support state-funded programs in the  
            year in which they are made. However, the amounts are allowed  
            as an itemized deduction for charitable contributions on the  
            subsequent year's income tax return. These voluntary  
            contributions support various purposes, including cancer  
            research, endangered species preservation, and emergency food  
            assistance. Contributions to the VCFs have historically ranged  
            from $250,000 to $800,000 per year. All but one VCF (the    
            California Seniors Special Fund) have sunset dates, and most  
            must meet a minimum annual contribution to remain on the  
            return.

           3)Background - CALPAL  .  The Police Athletic League is a  
            non-profit organization, founded about 35 years ago by police  
            officers, that provides education and recreational programs  
            for youth ages 5-18. CALPAL has 130 local chapters and  
            currently serves about 300,000 youth. These chapters rely  
            exclusively on contributions for funding.

           4)Related Legislation  . AB 1088 (Fletcher), also in this  
            committee, would create the California Veterans Fund to  
            provide an additional funding source for veterans' homes  
            services. 


           Analysis Prepared by  :    Brad Williams / APPR. / (916) 319-2081