The Political Reform Act of 1974 prohibits a public officer from expending or accepting any public moneys for the purpose of seeking elective office. The act imposes various limitations on contributions that may be made to, or accepted by, candidates for elective office, for statewide elective office, and for Governor. The act exempts a political party committee from these contribution limitations. The act makes a violation of its provisions punishable as a misdemeanor and subject to specified penalties. This bill instead would make political party committees subject to these contribution limitations. By expanding the scope of an existing crime with regard to a violation of the contribution limitation, the 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. The Political Reform Act of 1974, an initiative measure, provides that the act may be amended by a statute that becomes effective upon approval of the voters. This bill would call a special election to be consolidated with the statewide direct primary scheduled for June 5, 2018. It would require the Secretary of State to submit the provisions of the bill that would amend the Political Reform Act of 1974 to the voters for approval at that election. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an act calling an election.
Sponsored bills
Existing law, the Financial Information System for California (FISCal) Act, establishes the FISCal system, a single integrated financial management system for the state. The act requires the system to include a state transparency component that allows the public to have information regarding General Fund and federal fund expenditure data, using an Internet Web site. This bill would modify the FISCal system's transparency component to provide that the public have access to information regarding expenditures to the extent that information was provided by all state onboarded departments and agencies utilizing the system. The bill would require the Internet Web site to be interactive, searchable, and regularly updated, and include specified features.
The Personal Income Tax Law, in modified conformity with federal income tax laws, allows various exclusions from gross income, and allows various deductions in computing the income that is subject to the taxes imposed by that law, including miscellaneous itemized deductions that are allowed only to the extent that the aggregate amount of those deductions exceeds 2% of adjusted gross income. This bill, upon appropriation of specified funds by the Legislature, for taxable years beginning on and after January 1, 2017, and before January 1, 2019, would allow a deduction, not to exceed specified amounts, of the amount a qualified taxpayer, as defined, contributed in any taxable year to a homeownership savings account and would exclude from gross income any income earned on the moneys contributed to a homeownership savings account. The bill would provide that a qualified taxpayer may withdraw amounts from a homeownership savings account to pay for qualified homeownership savings expenses, defined as expenses paid or incurred in connection with the purchase of a principal residence in this state. The bill would provide that any amount withdrawn from that account that is not used for these expenses would be included as income for that taxpayer. The bill would define various terms for its purposes. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.
Existing law establishes the Assumption Program of Loans for Education, administered by the Student Aid Commission, under which any person enrolled in a participating institution of postsecondary education, or any person who agrees to participate in a teacher trainee or teacher internship program, is eligible to enter into an agreement for loan assumption, to be redeemed pursuant to a prescribed procedure upon becoming employed as a teacher if he or she satisfies certain conditions. Existing law prohibits the commission from awarding more than the number of loan assumption agreements that are authorized by the Governor and the Legislature in the annual Budget Act, as provided. This bill would, among other things, require a program participant to demonstrate financial need, remove references to the Academic Performance Index, revise the information that the Superintendent is required to furnish to the commission annually regarding the program, and make conforming changes. The bill would require the program to continue to be implemented as it read on January 1, 2017, for specified purposes relating to loan assumption agreements entered into before January 1, 2018. The bill would require the commission to issue 7,200 new warrants for the assumption of loans under the program commencing with the 2017–18 fiscal year.
Existing law imposes an annual minimum franchise tax, except as provided, on every corporation incorporated in this state, qualified to transact intrastate business in this state, or doing business in this state. Existing law imposes an annual tax in an amount equal to the minimum franchise tax on every limited liability company doing business in this state. This bill, upon appropriation of specified funds by the Legislature, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2018, and before January 1, 2023, would prorate that annual tax for a new limited liability company, as defined, depending upon the quarter in which the company's articles of organization are filed, as provided. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.
The Permit Streamlining Act within the Planning and Zoning Law requires the lead agency that has the principal responsibility for approving a development project, as defined, to approve or disapprove the project within a specified number of days from the date of certification of an environmental impact report, the date of the adoption of a negative declaration, or the determination by the lead agency that the project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act. This bill would require a lead agency, where an ordinance requiring design review applies to a development project, to approve or disapprove the design of the development project within 30 days of the date that application has been determined to be complete, or the date of the certification of the environmental impact report, the date of the adoption of a negative declaration, or the date of a determination that the project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act, whichever occurs later. The bill would provide, that if the lead agency has not approved or disapproved the design of the development project within that 30-day period, the design of the project is deemed to be approved on the 31st day.
The Personal Income Tax Law, in modified conformity with federal income tax laws, allows various deductions from gross income in computing adjusted gross income under that law, including deductions for payments to individual retirement accounts, alimony payments, and interest on educational loans. This bill, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2017, and before January 1, 2022, would allow a deduction in computing adjusted gross income for those amounts paid or incurred by a qualified first-time home buyer, as defined, during the taxable year for qualified home-buying expenses, as provided. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.
(1) Existing property tax law provides, pursuant to the authority of a specified provision of the California Constitution, for a homeowners' exemption in the amount of $7,000 of the full value of a "dwelling," as defined, and authorizes the Legislature to increase this exemption. This bill, beginning with the lien date for the 2018–19 fiscal year, contingent upon a specified appropriation, would increase the homeowners' exemption from $7,000 to $25,000 of the full value of a dwelling. This bill would also require, for the 2019–20 fiscal year and for each fiscal year thereafter, the county assessor to adjust the amount of the homeowners' exemption by the percentage change in the House Price Index for California for the first 3 quarters of the prior calendar year, as specified. (2) The California Constitution requires the Legislature, whenever it increases the homeowners' property tax exemption, to provide a comparable increase in benefits to qualified renters. The Personal Income Tax Law authorizes various credits against the taxes imposed by that law, including a credit for qualified renters in the amount of $120 for spouses filing joint returns, heads of household, and surviving spouses if adjusted gross income is $50,000 or less, and in the amount of $60 for other individuals if adjusted gross income is $25,000 or less. Existing law requires the Franchise Tax Board to annually adjust for inflation these adjusted gross income amounts. This bill, for each taxable year beginning on and after January 1, 2018, contingent upon a specified appropriation, would increase this credit for a qualified renter to $428 for spouses filing joint returns, heads of household, and surviving spouses if adjusted gross income is $50,000 or less, as adjusted for inflation, and to an amount equal to $214 for other individuals if adjusted gross income is $25,000 or less, as adjusted for inflation. The bill would also require, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2019, the Franchise Tax Board to annually adjust for inflation, based upon the California Consumer Price Index, the amount of these credits. The bill would also make technical, nonsubstantive changes to the renters' credit. (3) Existing law requires the state to reimburse local agencies annually for certain property tax revenues lost as a result of any exemption or classification of property for purposes of ad valorem property taxation. This bill would provide that, notwithstanding those provisions, no appropriation is made and the state shall not reimburse local agencies under those provisions for property tax revenues lost by them pursuant to the bill. (4) This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.
Existing law creates various transit districts throughout the state, with specified powers and duties relative to providing public transit services. This bill would create the Omnitrans Transit District in the County of San Bernardino. The bill would provide that the jurisdiction of the district would initially include the Cities of Chino, Chino Hills, Colton, Fontana, Grand Terrace, Highland, Loma Linda, Montclair, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands, Rialto, San Bernardino, Upland, and Yucaipa, and unspecified portions of the unincorporated areas of the County of San Bernardino. The bill would authorize other cities in the County of San Bernardino to subsequently join the district. The bill would provide for the district to succeed to the rights and obligations of the existing Omnitrans Joint Powers Authority upon the dissolution of that authority. The bill would provide for the transfer of assets from the authority to the district. The bill would provide for a governing board composed of representatives of governing bodies within the county and would specify voting procedures for the taking of certain actions by the board. The bill would specify the powers and duties of the board and the district to operate transit services and issue bonds for the raising of funds. The bill would enact other related provisions. By imposing requirements on the district and affected local agencies, the 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
The Personal Income Tax Law authorizes various credits against the taxes imposed by that law, including a credit for qualified renters in the amount of $120 for spouses filing joint returns, heads of household, and surviving spouses if adjusted gross income is $50,000, as adjusted, or less, and in the amount of $60 for other individuals if adjusted gross income is $25,000, as adjusted, or less. Existing law requires the Franchise Tax Board to annually adjust for inflation these adjusted gross income amounts. For 2016, the adjusted gross income limit is $76,518 and $38,259, respectively. This bill would, for each taxable year beginning on and after January 1, 2017, and before January 1, 2022, contingent upon a specified appropriation, increase this credit for a qualified renter to $240 for spouses filing joint returns, heads of household, and surviving spouses if adjusted gross income is $100,000 or less, and to an amount equal to $120 for other individuals if adjusted gross income is $50,000 or less. The bill would require the Franchise Tax Board to annually adjust the increased adjusted gross income amount for inflation. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.