Amended in Senate July 2, 2014

Amended in Assembly May 28, 2014

Amended in Assembly May 19, 2014

Amended in Assembly April 1, 2014

California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 2372


Introduced by Assembly Members Ammiano and Bocanegra

February 21, 2014


An act to amend Sections 64, 480.1, 480.2, and 482 of, to add Section 480.9 to, and to add and repeal Section 486 of, the Revenue and Taxation Code, relating to taxation, to take effect immediately, tax levy.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2372, as amended, Ammiano. Property taxation: change in ownership.

The California Constitution generally limits ad valorem taxes on real property to 1% of the full cash value of that property. For purposes of this limitation, “full cash value” is defined as the assessor’s valuation of real property as shown on the 1975-76 tax bill under “full cash value” or, thereafter, the appraised value of that real property when purchased, newly constructed, or a change in ownership has occurred.

Existing property tax law specifies those circumstances in which the transfer of ownership interests in a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or other legal entity results in a change in ownership of the real property owned by that entity, and generally provides that a change in ownership as so described occurs if a legal entity or other person obtains a controlling or majority ownership interest in the legal entity. Existing law also specifies other circumstances in which certain transfers of ownership interests in legal entities result in a change in ownership of the real property owned by those legal entities.begin insert Existing law requires the Franchise Tax Board to include a question on corporation and income returns for partnerships, banks, and corporations to assist in the determination of whether a change in ownership as so described has occurred.end insert

This bill wouldbegin delete insteadend delete specify that ifbegin insert, on or after January 1, 2015,end insert 90% or more of thebegin insert direct or indirectend insert ownership interests in a legal entity arebegin delete sold orend deletebegin insert cumulativelyend insert transferred inbegin delete a single transaction, as defined, the real property owned by that legal entity has changed ownership,end deletebegin insert one or more transactions, the transfer of the ownership interest is a change in ownership of the real property owned by the legal entity,end insert whether or not any one legal entity or personbegin delete that is a party to the transactionend delete acquiresbegin delete more than 50%end deletebegin insert controlend insert of the ownership interests. begin insertThis bill would require the Franchise Tax Board to include an additional question on corporation and income returns for partnerships, banks, and corporations to assist in the determination of whether a change in ownership as so described has occurred. end insertThis bill would require the State Board of Equalization to report to the Legislature, no later than January 1, 2020, regarding the implementation of these changes in ownership, including, but not limited to, the economic impact and frequency of reassessments of real property owned by legal entities.

Existing law requires, upon a change in control or change in ownership of a legal entity that owns an interest in real property in this state, or when requested by the State Board of Equalization, that the person or legal entity acquiring ownership or control, or the legal entity that has undergone a change in ownership, file a change in ownership statement with the board, as specified. Existing law requires a penalty of 10% of the taxes applicable to the new base year value, as specified, or 10% of the current year’s taxes on the property, as specified, to be added to the assessment made on the roll if a person or legal entity required to file a change in ownership statement fails to do so.

This bill wouldbegin delete require a person or legal entity acquiring ownership interests in a legal entity, ifend deletebegin insert also require, in the case of a change in ownership whenend insert 90% or more of the ownership interests in the legal entity arebegin delete sold orend deletebegin insert cumulativelyend insert transferred, as described above,begin insert the corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or other legal entity that underwent the change in ownershipend insert to file a change in ownership statement signed under penalty of perjury with the State Board of Equalizationbegin insert, as specifiedend insert. This bill would increase the penalties for failure to file a change in ownership statement, as described above, from 10% to 15%.

This bill would require the State Board of Equalization to notify assessors if a change in control or a change in ownership of a legal entity has occurred.

By expanding the crime of perjury and by imposing new duties upon local county officials with respect to changes in ownership, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

This bill would include a change in state statute that would result in a taxpayer paying a higher tax within the meaning of Section 3 of Article XIII A of the California Constitution, and thus would require for passage the approval of 23 of the membership of each house of the Legislature.

This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.

Vote: 23. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: yes.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

P3    1

SECTION 1.  

(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the
2following:

3(1) The system for determining a change in ownership for the
4purpose of assessment of commercial property is complex and
5difficult to administer.

6(2) Property ownership may include complex legal maneuvers
7and methods of dividing up ownership when changes of ownership
8actually occur.

9(3) There are circumstances in which changes of ownership
10have legally taken place that may not be known to the assessor
11because they are deliberately obscured, for example, if the property
P4    1is kept in the name of the old property owner even when a company
2is purchased.

3(4) Deeds are filed that describe ownership patterns of such
4complexity that it is difficult for the legal powers of the counties,
5and the enforcement powers of the assessor, to be exercised.

6(5) Transactions occur that should be identified as changes of
7ownership, for example, a 90 percent or more purchase of a
8company, that are not reassessed because of the division of
9ownership shares.

10(b) Therefore, it is the intent of the Legislature to provide all of
11the following:

12(1) Greater clarity with regard to those circumstances in which
13a change in ownership has occurred.

14(2) Greater transparency in ownership patterns with respect to
15the filing of deeds and with respect to other real property and
16financial transactions.

17(3) Improved reporting and stronger enforcement.

18(c) It is further the intent of the Legislature that changes in
19ownership in which 90 percent or more of the ownership of a
20business, whether through mergers, private equity buyouts, transfer
21of ownership from one financial institution to another, transfers
22of shares of limited liability companies or trusts, transfers of
23partnership shares, or other changes by which 90 percent or more
24is transferred shall constitute a change of ownership subject to
25reassessment.

26

SEC. 2.  

Section 64 of the Revenue and Taxation Code is
27amended to read:

28

64.  

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (i) of Section 61 and
29subdivisions (c) and (d), the purchase or transfer of ownership
30interests in legal entities, such as corporate stock or partnership or
31limited liability company interests, does not constitute a transfer
32of the real property of the legal entity. This subdivision applies to
33the purchase or transfer of ownership interests in a partnership
34without regard to whether it is a continuing or a dissolved
35partnership.

36(b) Any corporate reorganization, where all of the corporations
37involved are members of an affiliated group, and that qualifies as
38a reorganization under Section 368 of the United States Internal
39Revenue Code and that is accepted as a nontaxable event by similar
40California statutes, or any transfer of real property among members
P5    1of an affiliated group, or any reorganization of farm credit
2institutions pursuant to the federal Farm Credit Act of 1971 (Public
3Law 92-181), as amended, shall not be a change of ownership.
4The taxpayer shall furnish proof, under penalty of perjury, to the
5assessor that the transfer meets the requirements of this subdivision.

6For purposes of this subdivision, “affiliated group” means one
7or more chains of corporations connected through stock ownership
8with a common parent corporation if both of the following
9conditions are met:

10(1) One hundred percent of the voting stock, exclusive of any
11share owned by directors, of each of the corporations, except the
12parent corporation, is owned by one or more of the other
13corporations.

14(2) The common parent corporation owns, directly, 100 percent
15of the voting stock, exclusive of any shares owned by directors,
16of at least one of the other corporations.

17(c) (1) (A) When a corporation, partnership, limited liability
18company, other legal entity, or any other person obtains control
19through direct or indirect ownership or control of more than 50
20percent of the voting stock of any corporation, or obtains a majority
21ownership interest in any partnership, limited liability company,
22or other legal entity through the purchase or transfer of corporate
23stock, partnership, or limited liability company interest, or
24ownership interests in other legal entities, including any purchase
25or transfer of 50 percent or less of the ownership interest through
26which control or a majority ownership interest is obtained, the
27purchase or transfer of that stock or other interest shall be a change
28of ownership of the real property owned by the corporation,
29partnership, limited liability company, or other legal entity in which
30the controlling interest is obtained.

31(B) (i) begin deleteWhen end deletebegin insert(I)end insertbegin insertend insertbegin insertOn or after January 1, 2015, whenever end insert90
32percent or more of thebegin insert direct or indirectend insert ownership interests in a
33legal entity arebegin delete sold orend deletebegin insert cumulativelyend insert transferred inbegin delete a single
34transaction to a legal entity or person, whether by merger,
35acquisition, private equity buyout, transfer of partnership shares,
36or any other means by which a legal entity or person acquires the
37ownership interests of another legal entity, including the
38subsidiaries or affiliates of the legal entity and the property owned
39by those subsidiaries or affiliates, the purchase or transfer of the
40ownership interests is a change of ownership of the real property
P6    1owned by the legal entity, whether or not any one legal entity or
2person that is a party to the transaction acquires more than 50
3percent of the ownership interestsend delete
begin insert one or more transactions, the
4transfer of the ownership interest is a change in ownership of the
5real property owned by the legal entity, including the real property
6owned by a legal entity under its control, whether or not any one
7legal entity or person acquires control of the ownership interestsend insert
.

begin insert

8(II) The date of reappraisal shall be the date of the transfer of
9the ownership interest representing individually or cumulatively
1090 percent of the ownership interest.

end insert

11(ii) For purposes of this subparagraph:

begin insert

12(I) “Control” means control as described in subparagraph (A).

end insert
begin delete

13(I) “Established securities market” means an established
14securities market as defined in Section 1.7704-1(b) of Title 26 of
15the Code of Federal Regulations.

end delete

16(II) “Legal entity” means a corporation, partnership, limited
17liability company, or other legal entity.

begin delete

18(III) “Original transaction” means a transaction that occurs on
19or after January 1, 2015.

end delete
begin delete

20(IV)

end delete

21begin insert(III)end insert “Ownership interests” means corporate voting stock,
22partnership capital and profits interests, limited liability company
23membership interests, and other ownership interests in legal
24entities.

begin delete

25(V) (ia) “Single transaction” means a transaction in which 90
26percent or more of the ownership interests are cumulatively sold
27or transferred in either one calendar year or within a 36-month
28period beginning on the date of the original transaction when any
29percentage of ownership interests are sold or transferred.

30(ib) For purposes of this subclause, whenever an ownership
31interest is counted as having been sold or transferred in a single
32transaction, that has resulted in a change of ownership, it shall not
33be counted again in determining whether any other transaction
34results in a change of ownership.

35(VI) “Sold or transferred”

end delete

36begin insert(IV)end insertbegin insertend insertbegin insert“Transferred”end insert does not include a sale of stock or interests
37of a publicly traded corporation or a publicly traded partnership
38in the regular course of a trading activity on an established
39securities marketbegin insert, as defined in Section 1.7704-1(b) of Title 26 of
40the Code of Federal Regulations,end insert
unless shares are acquired as
P7    1part of a merger, acquisition, private equity buyout, transfer of
2partnership shares, or any other means by which a change of
3ownership would otherwise occur pursuant to this subparagraph.

begin insert

4(V) Multiple transfers of the same ownership interest shall be
5counted only once in determining whether cumulatively 90 percent
6or more of the ownership interests have transferred.

end insert

7(2) On or after January 1, 1996, when an owner of a majority
8ownership interest in any partnership obtains all of the remaining
9ownership interests in that partnership or otherwise becomes the
10sole partner, the purchase or transfer of the minority interests,
11subject to the appropriate application of the step-transaction
12doctrine, shall not be a change in ownership of the real property
13owned by the partnership.

14(d) If property is transferred on or after March 1, 1975, to a
15legal entity in a transaction excluded from change in ownership
16by paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 62, then the persons
17holding ownership interests in that legal entity immediately after
18the transfer shall be considered the “original coowners.” Whenever
19shares or other ownership interests representing cumulatively more
20than 50 percent of the total interests in the entity are transferred
21by any of the original coowners in one or more transactions, a
22change in ownership of that real property owned by the legal entity
23shall have occurred, and the property that was previously excluded
24from change in ownership under the provisions of paragraph (2)
25of subdivision (a) of Section 62 shall be reappraised.

26The date of reappraisal shall be the date of the transfer of the
27ownership interest representing individually or cumulatively more
28than 50 percent of the interests in the entity.

29A transfer of shares or other ownership interests that results in
30a change in control of a corporation, partnership, limited liability
31company, or any other legal entity is subject to reappraisal as
32provided in subdivision (c) rather than this subdivision.

33(e) begin insert(1)end insertbegin insertend insert To assist in the determination of whether a change of
34ownership has occurred under subdivision (c) or (d), the Franchise
35Tax Board shall includebegin delete a questionend deletebegin insert questionsend insert in substantially the
36following form on returns for partnerships, banks, and corporations
37(except tax-exempt organizations):

begin delete

38If the

end delete

39begin insert(A)end insertbegin insertend insertbegin insertIf theend insert corporation (or partnership or limited liability
40company) owns real property in California, has cumulatively more
P8    1than 50 percent of the voting stock (or more than 50 percent of
2total interest in both partnership or limited liability company capital
3and partnership or limited liability company profits) (1) been
4transferred by the corporation (or partnership or limited liability
5company) since March 1, 1975, or (2) been acquired by another
6legal entity or person during the year? (See instructions.)

begin insert

7(B) If the corporation (or partnership or limited liability
8company) owns real property in California, has cumulatively 90
9percent or more of the voting stock (or 90 percent or more of total
10interest in both partnership or limited liability company capital
11and partnership or limited liability company profits) of this
12corporation (or partnership or limited liability company) been
13transferred since January 1, 2015, during the year? (See
14instructions.)

end insert
begin delete

15If the

end delete

16begin insert(2)end insertbegin insertend insertbegin insertIf theend insert entity answers “yes” tobegin delete (1) or (2) in the above question,end delete
17begin insert any of the questions,end insertbegin insert end insertthen the Franchise Tax Board shall furnish
18the names and addresses of that entity and of the stock or
19partnership or limited liability company ownership interest
20transferees to the State Board of Equalization.

begin insert

21(f) For purposes of this section, legal entity ownership interests
22owned by a legal entity shall be considered as being owned by or
23transferred to its owners proportionately.

end insert
begin insert

24(g) A change in ownership of real property owned by a legal
25entity under this section restarts the cumulating of transferred
26ownership interests for purposes of determining whether another
27change in ownership of that real property occurs under this section.

end insert
begin delete

28(f)

end delete

29begin insert(h)end insert The board may prescribe regulations as may be necessary
30to carry out the purposes of the act adding this subdivision.

31

SEC. 3.  

Section 480.1 of the Revenue and Taxation Code is
32amended to read:

33

480.1.  

(a) Whenever there is a change in control or a change
34in ownership of any corporation, partnership, limited liability
35company, or other legal entity, as defined in subdivision (c) of
36Section 64, a signed change in ownership statement as provided
37for in subdivision (b), shall be filedbegin delete by the person or legal entity
38acquiring ownership of the corporation, partnership, limited
39liability company, or other legal entityend delete
with the board at its office
40in begin delete Sacramento within 90 days from the date of the change in control
P9    1or the change in ownership of the corporation, partnership, limited
2liability company, or other legal entity.end delete
begin insert Sacramento.end insert The statement
3shall list all counties in which the corporation, partnership, limited
4liability company, or legal entity owns real property.

begin insert

5(1) In the case of a change in control pursuant to subparagraph
6(A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 64, the statement
7shall be filed by the person or legal entity acquiring ownership
8control of the corporation, partnership, limited liability company,
9or other legal entity. The statement shall be filed within 90 days
10from the date of the change in control of the corporation,
11partnership, limited liability company, or other legal entity.

end insert
begin insert

12(2) In the case of a change in ownership pursuant to
13subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (c), the statement
14shall be filed by the corporation, partnership, limited liability
15company, or other legal entity that underwent the change in
16ownership. The statement shall be filed within 90 days from the
17date that 90 percent or more of the ownership interests in this
18entity cumulatively transferred.

end insert

19(b) The change in ownership statement as required pursuant to
20subdivision (a), shall be declared to be true under penalty of perjury
21and shall give such information relative to the ownership
22acquisition transaction as the board shall prescribe after
23consultation with the California Assessors’ Association. The
24 information shall include, but not be limited to, a description of
25the property owned by the corporation, partnership, limited liability
26company, or other legal entity, the parties to the transaction, and
27the date of the ownership acquisition. The change in ownership
28statement shall not include any question which is not germane to
29the assessment function. The statement shall contain a notice that
30is printed, with the title in at least 12-point boldface type and the
31body in at least 8-point boldface type, inbegin insert substantiallyend insert the following
32form:

33

3435“Important Notice”
36

37“The law requires any person or legal entity acquiring ownership
38in any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or other
39legal entity owning real property in California subject to local
40property taxation to complete and file a change in ownership
P10   1statement with the State Board of Equalization at its office in
2Sacramento. The change in ownership statement must be filed
3within 90 days from the date of the change in control or the change
4in ownership of a corporation, partnership, limited liability
5company, or other legal entity.begin insert In the case of a change in control
6pursuant to subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (c)
7of Section 64 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, the statement
8shall be filed by the person or legal entity acquiring ownership
9control of the corporation, partnership, limited liability company,
10or other legal entity. In the case of a change in ownership pursuant
11to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section
1264 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, the statement shall be filed
13by the corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or other
14legal entity that underwent the change in ownership.end insert
The law
15further requires that a change in ownership statement be completed
16and filed whenever a written request is made therefor by the State
17Board of Equalization, regardless of whether a change in control
18or a change in ownership of the legal entity has occurred. The
19failure to file a change in ownership statement within 90 days from
20the earlier ofbegin insert (1)end insert the date of the change in control or a change in
21ownership of the corporation, partnership, limited liability
22company, or other legal entity, orbegin insert (2)end insert the date of a written request
23by the State Board of Equalization, results in a penalty of 15
24percent of the taxes applicable to the new base year value reflecting
25the change in control or the change in ownership of the real
26property owned by the corporation, partnership, limited liability
27company, or legal entity (or 15 percent of the current year’s taxes
28on that property if no change in control or change in ownership
29occurred). This penalty will be added to the assessment roll and
30shall be collected like any other delinquent property taxes, and be
31subject to the same penalties for nonpayment.”
32

33(c) In the case of a corporation, the change in ownership
34statement shall be signed either by an officer of the corporation or
35an employee or agent who has been designated in writing by the
36board of directors to sign such statements on behalf of the
37corporation. In the case of a partnership, limited liability company,
38or other legal entity, the statement shall be signed by an officer,
39partner, manager, or an employee or agent who has been designated
P11   1in writing by the partnership, limited liability company, or legal
2entity.

3(d) No person or entity acting for or on behalf of the parties to
4a transfer of real property shall incur liability for the consequences
5of assistance rendered to the transferee in preparation of any change
6in ownership statement, and no action may be brought or
7maintained against any person or entity as a result of that
8assistance.

9Nothing in this section shall create a duty, either directly or by
10implication, that such assistance be rendered by any person or
11entity acting for or on behalf of parties to a transfer of real property.

12(e) The board or assessors may inspect any and all records and
13documents of a corporation, partnership, limited liability company,
14or legal entity to ascertain whether a change in control or a change
15in ownership as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 64 has
16occurred. The corporation, partnership, limited liability company,
17or legal entity shall, upon request, make those documents available
18to the board during normal business hours.

19

SEC. 4.  

Section 480.2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code is
20amended to read:

21

480.2.  

(a) Whenever there is a change in ownership of any
22corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or other legal
23entity, as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 64, a signed change
24in ownership statement as provided in subdivision (b) shall be filed
25by the corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or other
26legal entity with the board at its office in Sacramento within 90
27days from the date of the change in ownership of the corporation,
28partnership, limited liability company, or other legal entity. The
29statement shall list all counties in which the corporation,
30partnership, limited liability company, or legal entity owns real
31property.

32(b) The change in ownership statement required pursuant to
33subdivision (a) shall be declared to be true under penalty of perjury
34and shall give that information relative to the ownership interest
35acquisition transaction as the board shall prescribe after
36consultation with the California Assessors’ Association. The
37information shall include, but not be limited to, a description of
38the property owned by the corporation, partnership, limited liability
39company, or other legal entity, the parties to the transaction, the
40date of the ownership interest acquisition, and a listing of the
P12   1“original coowners” of the corporation, partnership, limited liability
2company, or other legal entity prior to the transaction. The change
3in ownership statement shall not include any question which is not
4germane to the assessment function. The statement shall contain
5a notice that is printed, with the title in at least 12-point boldface
6type and the body in at least 8-point boldface type, in the following
7form:

89“Important Notice”
10

11“The law requires any corporation, partnership, limited liability
12company, or other legal entity owning real property in California
13subject to local property taxation and transferring shares or other
14ownership interest in such legal entity that constitute a change in
15ownership pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 64 of the Revenue
16and Taxation Code to complete and file a change in ownership
17statement with the State Board of Equalization at its office in
18Sacramento. The change in ownership statement must be filed
19within 90 days from the date that shares or other ownership
20interests representing cumulatively more than 50 percent of the
21total control or ownership interests in the entity are transferred by
22any of the original coowners in one or more transactions. The law
23further requires that a change in ownership statement be completed
24and filed whenever a written request is made therefor by the State
25Board of Equalization, regardless of whether a change in ownership
26of the legal entity has occurred. The failure to file a change in
27ownership statement within 90 days from the earlier of the date of
28the change in ownership of the corporation, partnership, limited
29liability company, or other legal entity, or the date of a written
30request by the State Board of Equalization, results in a penalty of
3115 percent of the taxes applicable to the new base year value
32reflecting the change in ownership of the real property owned by
33the corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or legal
34entity (or 15 percent of the current year’s taxes on that real property
35if no change in ownership occurred). This penalty will be added
36to the assessment roll and shall be collected like any other
37delinquent property taxes, and be subject to the same penalties for
38nonpayment.”

39(c) In the case of a corporation, the change in ownership
40statement shall be signed either by an officer of the corporation or
P13   1an employee or agent who has been designated in writing by the
2board of directors to sign such statements on behalf of the
3corporation. In the case of a partnership, limited liability company,
4or other legal entity, the statement shall be signed by an officer,
5partner, manager, or an employee or agent who has been designated
6in writing by the partnership, limited liability company, or legal
7entity.

8(d) No person or entity acting for or on behalf of the parties to
9a transfer of real property shall incur liability for the consequences
10of assistance rendered to the transferee in preparation of any change
11in ownership statement, and no action may be brought or
12maintained against any person or entity as a result of that
13assistance.

14Nothing in this section shall create a duty, either directly or by
15implication, that such assistance be rendered by any person or
16entity acting for or on behalf of parties to a transfer of real property.

17(e) The board or assessors may inspect any and all records and
18documents of a corporation, partnership, limited liability company,
19or legal entity to ascertain whether a change in ownership as
20defined in subdivision (d) of Section 64 has occurred. The
21corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or legal entity
22shall upon request, make those documents available to the board
23during normal business hours.

24

SEC. 5.  

Section 480.9 is added to the Revenue and Taxation
25Code
, to read:

26

480.9.  

The board shall notify assessors if a change in control
27or a change in ownership described in Section 64 has occurred.

28

SEC. 6.  

Section 482 of the Revenue and Taxation Code is
29amended to read:

30

482.  

(a) (1) If a person or legal entity required to file a
31statement described in Section 480 fails to do so within 90 days
32from the date a written request is mailed by the assessor, a penalty
33of either: (A) one hundred dollars ($100), or (B) 10 percent of the
34taxes applicable to the new base year value reflecting the change
35in ownership of the real property or manufactured home, whichever
36is greater, but not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000) if the
37property is eligible for the homeowners’ exemption or twenty
38thousand dollars ($20,000) if the property is not eligible for the
39homeowners’ exemption if the failure to file was not willful, shall,
40except as otherwise provided in this section, be added to the
P14   1assessment made on the roll. The penalty shall apply for failure to
2file a complete change in ownership statement notwithstanding
3the fact that the assessor determines that no change in ownership
4has occurred as defined in Chapter 2 (commencing with Section
560) of Part 0.5. The penalty may also be applied if after a request
6the transferee files an incomplete statement and does not supply
7the missing information upon a second request.

8(2) The assessor shall mail the written request specified in
9paragraph (1) to the mailing address of the transferee as provided
10by subdivision (f).

11(b) If a person or legal entity required to file a statement
12described in Section 480.1 or 480.2 fails to do so within 90 days
13from the earlier of (1) the date of the change in control or the
14change in ownership of the corporation, partnership, limited
15liability company, or other legal entity, or (2) the date of a written
16request by the State Board of Equalization, a penalty of 15 percent
17of the taxes applicable to the new base year value reflecting the
18change in control or change in ownership of the real property
19owned by the corporation, partnership, or legal entity, or 15 percent
20of the current year’s taxes on that property if no change in control
21or change in ownership occurred, shall be added by the county
22assessor to the assessment made on the roll. The penalty shall apply
23for failure to file a complete statement with the board
24notwithstanding the fact that the board determines that no change
25in control or change in ownership has occurred as defined in
26subdivision (c) or (d) of Section 64. The penalty may also be
27applied if after a request the person or legal entity files an
28incomplete statement and does not supply the missing information
29 upon that second request to complete the statement. That penalty
30shall be in lieu of the penalty provisions of subdivision (a).

31(c) The penalty for failure to file a timely statement pursuant to
32Sections 480, 480.1, and 480.2 for any one transfer may be imposed
33only one time, even though the assessor may initiate a request as
34often as he or she deems necessary.

35(d) The penalty shall be added to the roll in the same manner
36as a special assessment and treated, collected, and subject to the
37same penalties for the delinquency as all other taxes on the roll in
38which it is entered.

39(1) When the transfer to be reported under this section is of a
40portion of a property or parcel appearing on the roll during the
P15   1fiscal year in which the 90-day period expires, the current year’s
2taxes shall be prorated so the penalty will be computed on the
3proportion of property which has transferred.

4(2) Any penalty added to the roll pursuant to this section
5between January 1 and June 30 may be entered either on the
6unsecured roll or the roll being prepared. After January 1, the
7penalty may be added to the current roll only with the approval of
8the tax collector.

9(3) If the property is transferred or conveyed to a bona fide
10purchaser for value or becomes subject to a lien of a bona fide
11encumbrancer for value after the transfer of ownership resulting
12in the imposition of the penalty and before the enrollment of the
13penalty, the penalty shall be entered on the unsecured roll in the
14name of the transferee whose failure to file the change in ownership
15statement resulted in the imposition of the penalty.

16(e) When a penalty imposed pursuant to this section is entered
17on the unsecured roll, the tax collector may immediately file a
18certificate authorized by Section 2191.3.

19(f) Notice of any penalty added to either the secured or
20unsecured roll pursuant to this section, which shall identify the
21parcel or parcels for which the penalty is assessed, and the written
22request to file a statement specified in subdivision (a), which shall
23identify the real property or manufactured home for which the
24statement is required to be filed, shall be mailed by the assessor
25to the transferee at his or her address contained in any recorded
26instrument or document evidencing a transfer of an interest in real
27property or manufactured home or the address specified for mailing
28tax information contained in the preliminary change in ownership
29report. If the transferee has subsequently notified the assessor of
30a change in address for mailing tax information, the assessor shall
31mail the notice of any penalty, or the written request to file a
32statement specified in subdivision (a), to this address. If there is
33no address specified for mailing tax information on either the
34recorded instrument, the document evidencing a transfer of an
35interest in real property or manufactured home, or on the filed
36preliminary change in ownership report, and the transferee has not
37provided an address for purposes of mailing tax information, the
38assessor shall mail the notice of any penalty, or the written request
39to file a statement specified in subdivision (a), to the transferee at
40any address reasonably known to the assessor.

P16   1

SEC. 7.  

Section 486 is added to the Revenue and Taxation
2Code
, to read:

3

486.  

(a) The board shall report to the Legislature, no later than
4January 1, 2020, regarding the implementation of subparagraph
5(B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 64, including,
6but not limited to, thebegin delete economicend deletebegin insert revenueend insert impact and frequency of
7reassessments of real property owned by legal entities.

8(b) (1) A report submitted pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be
9submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government
10Code.

11(2) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, this
12section is repealed on January 1, 2024.

13

SEC. 8.  

No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
14Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution for certain
15costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district
16because, in that regard, this act creates a new crime or infraction,
17eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime
18or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the
19Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the
20meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California
21Constitution.

22However, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that
23this act contains other costs mandated by the state, reimbursement
24to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made
25pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division
264 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

27

SEC. 9.  

This act provides for a tax levy within the meaning of
28Article IV of the Constitution and shall go into immediate effect.



O

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