BILL ANALYSIS
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 91|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 91
Author: Correa (D) and Alquist (D)
Amended: As introduced
Vote: 21
SENATE REVENUE & TAXATION COMMITTEE : 7-1, 4/22/09
AYES: Wolk, Walters, Alquist, Florez, Padilla, Runner,
Wiggins
NOES: Ashburn
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 9-1, 5/4/09
AYES: Kehoe, Corbett, Denham, Hancock, Leno, Walters,
Wolk, Wyland, Yee
NOES: Cox
NO VOTE RECORDED: DeSaulnier, Oropeza, Runner
SUBJECT : Tax checkoff: senior citizens
SOURCE : California Senior Legislature
DIGEST : This bill extends the California Fund for Senior
Citizens voluntary contribution/check-off designation on
the personal income tax return to January 1, 2015.
ANALYSIS : Existing law allows taxpayers to contribute
money to one or more of 15 voluntary contribution funds by
checking a box on their state income tax return.
California law requires contributions made through
check-offs to be made from taxpayers' own resources (not
from their tax liability, as is possible on federal tax
CONTINUED
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returns). Check-off amounts may be claimed as charitable
contributions on taxpayers' tax returns during the
subsequent year. Existing law allows the Franchise Tax
Board (FTB) to design tax returns to provide for the
designation of contributions to specified funds either on
the return itself or on a separate schedule that must be
attached to the return.
This bill extends the check off for the California Fund for
Senior Citizens to January 1, 2015. This bill requires
that the check off meet the minimum contribution
requirement of $250,000.
Background
This bill is intended to allow the California Fund for
Senior Citizens to remain on the income tax form through
2015. The minimum contribution amount for each year is
$250,000. In the past four calendar years, the fund has
received the following total annual contributions:
2005 2006 2007 2008
$296, 136 $258,411
$264,645$288,695
FTB states that the minimum contribution amount does not
adjust for inflation. The California Fund for Senior
Citizens has consistently exceeded its $250,000
requirement.
1.With the following exceptions, VCFs remain on the return
until they are either repealed or fail to meet their
minimum contribution amount:
2.Except for the California Seniors Special Fund, which has
no sunset date, each VCF has a specific sunset date.
3.Except for the California Seniors Special Fund, the
California Firefighters Memorial Fund, and the California
Peace Officer Memorial Foundation Fund, each VCF must
meet an initial minimum contribution amount of $250,000.
4.Except for the California Fund for Senior Citizens, each
of the remaining VCF minimum contribution amounts is
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adjusted annually for inflation which is based on the
percentage change in the California Consumer Price Index.
2008 Check-Offs
Contributions to voluntary funds in 2008 were as follows:
--------------------------------------------
|Voluntary Contribution Fund |2008 |
| |Contribution|
| |s |
|-------------------------------+------------|
|Alzheimer's Disease/Related |$505,510 |
|Disorders Fund | |
|-------------------------------+------------|
|California Breast Cancer |$596,729 |
|Research Fund | |
|-------------------------------+------------|
|California Firefighters' |$250,060 |
|Memorial Fund | |
|-------------------------------+------------|
|California Fund for Senior |$288,695 |
|Citizens | |
|-------------------------------+------------|
|California Military Family |$306,750 |
|Relief Fund | |
|-------------------------------+------------|
|California Peace Officer |$184,261 |
|Memorial Foundation Fund | |
|-------------------------------+------------|
|California Sea Otter Fund |$294,966 |
|-------------------------------+------------|
|Emergency Food for Families |$438,582 |
|Fund | |
|-------------------------------+------------|
|Rare and Endangered Species |$580,823 |
|Preservation Fund | |
|-------------------------------+------------|
|State Children's Trust for the |$528,609 |
|Prevention of Child Abuse | |
--------------------------------------------
-------------------------------
| Newly Added as of January |
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|2009 |
|-------------------------------|
|ALS/Lou Gehrig's Disease |
|Research Fund |
|-------------------------------|
|California Cancer Center |
|Research Fund |
|-------------------------------|
|California Ovarian Cancer |
|Research Fund |
|-------------------------------|
|California Seniors Special |
|Fund |
|-------------------------------|
|Municipal Shelter Spay and |
|Neuter Fund |
| |
-------------------------------
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
According to FTB extending this check-off will result in
annual revenue losses of approximately $15,000 per year
beginning in the 2009-10 fiscal years.
SUPPORT : (Verified 5/4/09)
California Senior Legislature (source)
Area 12 Agency on Aging
San Joaquin County Commission on Aging
California Alliance for Retired Americans
DLW:nl 5/5/09 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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