SENIOR SENATE PROPOSAL NO. 10

INTRODUCED BY SENIOR SENATOR LEVY

(COAUTHORS: SENIOR SENATORS JAFFEE AND YOUNG)

(COAUTHORS: SENIOR ASSEMBLY MEMBERS LUCERO, MACALLISTER, PARK, AND TOM)

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SP 10: PERSONAL INCOME TAX: VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTION: CALIFORNIA FUND FOR SENIOR CITIZENS.

EXISTING LAW ALLOWS TAXPAYERS, UNTIL JANUARY 1, 2015, TO CONTRIBUTE AMOUNTS IN EXCESS OF THEIR PERSONAL INCOME TAX LIABILITY FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA FUND FOR SENIOR CITIZENS.

THIS MEASURE WOULD MEMORIALIZE THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR TO ENACT LEGISLATION THAT WOULD EXTEND THE SUNSET DATE OF THE VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTION RELATING TO THE CALIFORNIA FUND FOR SENIOR CITIZENS TO JANUARY 1, 2020.

VOTE: MAJORITY.

SP 10: RELATING TO TAXATION

WHEREAS, THE LEGISLATURE, IN 1980, INTRODUCED ACR 129 (MELLO), REQUIRING THE CALIFORNIA COMMISSION ON AGING TO CALL A SESSION OF THE CALIFORNIA SILVER HAIRED LEGISLATURE, PRESENTLY KNOWN AS THE CALIFORNIA SENIOR LEGISLATURE, WHICH WAS COMPRISED OF SENIOR CITIZENS, AND WHICH PROPOSED, DEBATED, AND MADE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LEGISLATION THAT AFFECTED ELDERLY CALIFORNIANS; AND

WHEREAS, THE CALIFORNIA SENIOR LEGISLATURE ESTABLISHED ITS PRIMARY GOALS TO (1) IDENTIFY AND PRIORITIZE SENIOR CITIZENS CONCERNS, (2) DEVELOP PROPOSALS IN RESPONSE TO THOSE CONCERNS, AND (3) ADVOCATE FOR THE INCLUSION OF THOSE ISSUES IN THE LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS OF THE CALIFORNIA SENIOR LEGISLATURE; AND

WHEREAS, THE CALIFORNIA SENIOR LEGISLATURE MEETS EVERY FALL IN SACRAMENTO TO CONSIDER LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS THAT ORIGINATE FROM CONSTITUENTS IN THEIR DISTRICTS AND GIVE PRIORITIES TO THE LEGISLATIVE CONCERNS OF 4,000,000 ELDERLY CITIZENS IN CALIFORNIA; AND

WHEREAS, THE CALIFORNIA SENIOR LEGISLATURE HAS CONSISTENTLY PROVIDED 10 TOP STATE PROPOSALS EVERY YEAR SINCE 1980; AND

WHEREAS, THE 40 SENIOR SENATORS AND 80 SENIOR ASSEMBLY MEMBERS OF THE CALIFORNIA SENIOR LEGISLATURE WORK THROUGH THE YEAR WITH THE LEGISLATURE FOR ADOPTION OF SENIOR PROPOSALS PRIORITIZED AT THE ANNUAL SESSION OF THE CALIFORNIA SENIOR LEGISLATURE; AND

WHEREAS, STATE LEGISLATORS HAVE AUTHORED OVER 170 CALIFORNIA SENIOR LEGISLATURE PROPOSALS THAT HAVE BEEN ENACTED INTO LAWS IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE INCREASING NUMBER OF RESIDENTS OF CALIFORNIA THAT ARE 60 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER; AND

WHEREAS, THE PRIMARY FUNDS FOR THE OPERATION OF THE CALIFORNIA SENIOR LEGISLATURE COMES FROM GENEROUS CITIZENS MAKING VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS ON PERSONAL INCOME TAX RETURNS. THEREFORE, THE CALIFORNIA SENIOR LEGISLATURE IS REVENUE NEUTRAL BECAUSE IT DOES NOT RECEIVE FUNDING FROM THE GENERAL FUND; AND

WHEREAS, SUBDIVISION (A) OF SECTION 18724 OF THE REVENUE AND TAXATION CODE STATES “THIS ARTICLE SHALL REMAIN IN EFFECT ONLY UNTIL JANUARY 1, 2015, AND AS OF THAT DATE IS REPEALED, UNLESS A LATER ENACTED STATUTE, WHICH IS ENACTED BEFORE JANUARY 1, 2015, DELETES THAT DATE”; AND

WHEREAS, THE FAILURE TO CHANGE THE SUNSET DATE FROM JANUARY 1, 2015, TO JANUARY 1, 2020, WILL CAUSE THE CALIFORNIA SENIOR LEGISLATURE TO NO LONGER BE ABLE TO RECEIVE REVENUE THROUGH VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT

RESOLVED, BY THE SENIOR SENATE AND THE SENIOR ASSEMBLY, JOINTLY, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AT ITS 2012 REGULAR SESSION, A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS VOTING THEREFOR, HEREBY PROPOSES THAT THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR ENACT LEGISLATION TO EXTEND THE SUNSET DATE OF THE VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTION RELATING TO CALIFORNIA FUND FOR SENIOR CITIZENS TO JANUARY 1, 2020; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA RESPECTFULLY MEMORIALIZES THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO ENACT APPROPRIATE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ADDRESS THE CONCERNS SET FORTH IN THIS MEASURE; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT A COPY OF THIS MEASURE BE TRANSMITTED TO THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE, AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

- 0 -

RN 12 16493