SB 566: Real property tax: Personal Income Tax Law: homeowners’ exemption: renter’s credit.

(1)Existing property tax law, pursuant to authority granted by the California Constitution, provides 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 202627 fiscal year, would increase the homeowners exemption, for certain homeowners, from $7,000 to $50,000 of the full value of a dwelling. By imposing additional duties on local tax officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

(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 taxable years beginning on and after January 1, 2026, would increase this credit for a qualified renter to $550 for spouses filing joint returns, heads of household, and surviving spouses, as specified, if adjusted gross income is $50,000 or less, as adjusted for inflation, and to an amount equal to $275 for other individuals, as specified, if adjusted gross income is $25,000 or less, as adjusted for inflation.

(3)Existing law requires any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure to contain, among other things, specific goals that the tax expenditure will achieve, detailed performance indicators, and data collection requirements.

(4)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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

(5)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 for property tax revenues lost by them pursuant to the bill.

(6)This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.