BILL NUMBER: SB 678	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  JANUARY 4, 2016
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 20, 2015

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Hill

                        FEBRUARY 27, 2015

    An act relating to firearms.   An act to
amend Section 214 of, and to add Section 214.17 to, the Revenue and
Taxation Code, relating to taxation. 


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 678, as amended, Hill.  User-authorized firearms.
  Property taxation: welfare exemption.  
   The California Constitution authorizes the Legislature to exempt
from taxation property that is used exclusively for religious,
hospital, or charitable purposes, and is owned or held in trust by a
nonprofit entity. Pursuant to this constitutional authority, existing
law partially exempts from property taxation property used
exclusively for rental housing and related facilities, if specified
criteria are met, including, except in the case of a limited
partnership in which the managing general partner is a nonprofit
corporation eligible for the exemption, that 90% or more of the
occupants of the property are lower income households whose rent does
not exceed the rent limits prescribed by a specified law. Existing
law limits the total exemption amount allowed to a taxpayer, with
respect to a single property or multiple properties for any fiscal
year on the sole basis of the application of this criterion, to
$20,000 of tax.  
   This bill would increase that total exemption amount allowed to
$100,000 of tax, with respect to lien dates occurring on and after
January 1, 2017.  
   This bill would require any outstanding qualified ad valorem tax
in excess of the $20,000 limitation, and related interest or penalty,
which was levied or imposed on and after January 1, 2014, and before
January 1, 2017, with respect to qualified property for which a
qualified claim was filed, to be cancelled, and any such qualified ad
valorem tax, and related interest or penalty levied or imposed that
was paid on or before January 1, 2017, to be refunded, to the extent
that the amount cancelled or refunded does not result in a total
exemption amount in excess of $100,000 of tax being allowed to a
qualified taxpayer with respect to a single property or multiple
properties for any fiscal year. The bill would, on and after January
1, 2017, prohibit an escape assessment from being levied on qualified
property if that amount would be subject to cancellation or refund
pursuant to this bill.  
   This bill would make legislative findings and declarations
regarding the public purpose served by the bill.  
   By imposing new duties upon county tax officials with respect to
the refund of these property tax payments, 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, 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 these
statutory provisions.  
   Section 2229 of the Revenue and Taxation Code requires the
Legislature 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 Section 2229 of the
Revenue and Taxation Code, no appropriation is made and the state
shall not reimburse local agencies for property tax revenues lost by
them pursuant to the bill.  
   Existing law generally regulates deadly weapons, including
firearms.  
   This bill would direct the Department of Justice to, among other
things, assess market conditions and the barriers to the market for
user-authorized firearms in the state, investigate methods to
increase the availability and use of user-authorized firearms in the
state, and make recommendations on manufacturer performance and
reliability standards and how those standards should be tested for
user-authorized firearms. The bill would require the department to
convene a working group of specified representatives to offer
recommendations for the requirements described above. The bill would
require the department to report its findings to the Legislature on
or before January 1, 2017. 
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program:  no   yes  .


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   SECTION 1.    Section 214 of the   Revenue
and Taxation Code   is amended to read: 
   214.  (a) Property used exclusively for religious, hospital,
scientific, or charitable purposes owned and operated by community
chests, funds, foundations, limited liability companies, or
corporations organized and operated for religious, hospital,
scientific, or charitable purposes is exempt from taxation, including
ad valorem taxes to pay the interest and redemption charges on any
indebtedness approved by the voters prior to July 1, 1978, or any
bonded indebtedness for the acquisition or improvement of real
property approved on or after July 1, 1978, by two-thirds of the
votes cast by the voters voting on the proposition, if:
   (1) The owner is not organized or operated for profit. However, in
the case of hospitals, the organization shall not be deemed to be
organized or operated for profit if, during the immediately preceding
fiscal year, operating revenues, exclusive of gifts, endowments and
grants-in-aid, did not exceed operating expenses by an amount
equivalent to 10 percent of those operating expenses. As used herein,
operating expenses include depreciation based on cost of replacement
and amortization of, and interest on, indebtedness.
   (2) No part of the net earnings of the owner inures to the benefit
of any private shareholder or individual.
   (3) The property is used for the actual operation of the exempt
activity, and does not exceed an amount of property reasonably
necessary to the accomplishment of the exempt purpose.
   (A) For the purposes of determining whether the property is used
for the actual operation of the exempt activity, consideration shall
not be given to use of the property for either or both of the
following described activities if that use is occasional:
   (i) The owner conducts fundraising activities on the property and
the proceeds derived from those activities are not unrelated business
taxable income, as defined in Section 512 of the Internal Revenue
Code, of the owner and are used to further the exempt activity of the
owner.
   (ii) The owner permits any other organization that meets all of
the requirements of this subdivision, other than ownership of the
property, to conduct fundraising activities on the property and the
proceeds derived from those activities are not unrelated business
taxable income, as defined in Section 512 of the Internal Revenue
Code, of the organization, are not subject to the tax on unrelated
business taxable income that is imposed by Section 511 of the
Internal Revenue Code, and are used to further the exempt activity of
the organization.
   (B) For purposes of subparagraph (A):
   (i) "Occasional use" means use of the property on an irregular or
intermittent basis by the qualifying owner or any other qualifying
organization described in clause (ii) of subparagraph (A) that is
incidental to the primary activities of the owner or the other
organization.
   (ii) "Fundraising activities" means both activities involving the
direct solicitation of money or other property and the anticipated
exchange of goods or services for money between the soliciting
organization and the organization or person solicited.
   (C) Subparagraph (A) shall have no application in determining
whether paragraph (3) has been satisfied unless the owner of the
property and any other organization using the property as provided in
subparagraph (A) have filed with the assessor a valid organizational
clearance certificate issued pursuant to Section 254.6.
   (D) For the purposes of determining whether the property is used
for the actual operation of the exempt activity, consideration shall
not be given to the use of the property for meetings conducted by any
other organization if the meetings are incidental to the other
organization's primary activities, are not fundraising meetings or
activities as defined in subparagraph (B), are held no more than once
per week, and the other organization and its use of the property
meet all other requirements of paragraphs (1) to (5), inclusive, of
this subdivision. The owner or the other organization also shall file
with the assessor a copy of a valid, unrevoked letter or ruling from
the Internal Revenue Service or the Franchise Tax Board stating that
the other organization, or the national organization of which it is
a local chapter or affiliate, qualifies as an exempt organization
under Section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code or
Section 23701d, 23701f, or 23701w.
   (E) Nothing in subparagraph (A), (B), (C), or (D) shall be
construed to either enlarge or restrict the exemption provided for in
subdivision (b) of Section 4 and Section 5 of Article XIII of the
California Constitution and this section.
   (4) The property is not used or operated by the owner or by any
other person so as to benefit any officer, trustee, director,
shareholder, member, employee, contributor, or bondholder of the
owner or operator, or any other person, through the distribution of
profits, payment of excessive charges or compensations, or the more
advantageous pursuit of their business or profession.
   (5) The property is not used by the owner or members thereof for
fraternal or lodge purposes, or for social club purposes except where
that use is clearly incidental to a primary religious, hospital,
scientific, or charitable purpose.
   (6) The property is irrevocably dedicated to religious,
charitable, scientific, or hospital purposes and upon the
liquidation, dissolution, or abandonment of the owner will not inure
to the benefit of any private person except a fund, foundation, or
corporation organized and operated for religious, hospital,
scientific, or charitable purposes.
   (7) The property, if used exclusively for scientific purposes, is
used by a foundation or institution that, in addition to complying
with the foregoing requirements for the exemption of charitable
organizations in general, has been chartered by the Congress of the
United States (except that this requirement shall not apply when the
scientific purposes are medical research), and whose objects are the
encouragement or conduct of scientific investigation, research, and
discovery for the benefit of the community at large.
   The exemption provided for herein shall be known as the "welfare
exemption." This exemption shall be in addition to any other
exemption now provided by law, and the existence of the exemption
provision in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 202 shall
not preclude the exemption under this section for museum or library
property. Except as provided in subdivision (e), this section shall
not be construed to enlarge the college exemption.
   (b) Property used exclusively for school purposes of less than
collegiate grade and owned and operated by religious, hospital, or
charitable funds, foundations, limited liability companies, or
corporations, which property and funds, foundations, limited
liability companies, or corporations meet all of the requirements of
subdivision (a), shall be deemed to be within the exemption provided
for in subdivision (b) of Section 4 and Section 5 of Article XIII of
the California Constitution and this section.
   (c) Property used exclusively for nursery school purposes and
owned and operated by religious, hospital, or charitable funds,
foundations, limited liability companies, or corporations, which
property and funds, foundations, limited liability companies, or
corporations meet all the requirements of subdivision (a), shall be
deemed to be within the exemption provided for in subdivision (b) of
Section 4 and Section 5 of Article XIII of the California
Constitution and this section.
   (d) Property used exclusively for a noncommercial educational FM
broadcast station or an educational television station, and owned and
operated by religious, hospital, scientific, or charitable funds,
foundations, limited liability companies, or corporations meeting all
of the requirements of subdivision (a), shall be deemed to be within
the exemption provided for in subdivision (b) of Section 4 and
Section 5 of Article XIII of the California Constitution and this
section.
   (e) Property used exclusively for religious, charitable,
scientific, or hospital purposes and owned and operated by religious,
hospital, scientific, or charitable funds, foundations, limited
liability companies, or corporations or educational institutions of
collegiate grade, as defined in Section 203, which property and
funds, foundations, limited liability companies, corporations, or
educational institutions meet all of the requirements of subdivision
(a), shall be deemed to be within the exemption provided for in
subdivision (b) of Section 4 and Section 5 of Article XIII of the
California Constitution and this section. As to educational
institutions of collegiate grade, as defined in Section 203, the
requirements of paragraph (6) of subdivision (a) shall be deemed to
be met if both of the following are met:
   (1) The property of the educational institution is irrevocably
dedicated in its articles of incorporation to charitable and
educational purposes, to religious and educational purposes, or to
educational purposes.
   (2) The articles of incorporation of the educational institution
provide for distribution of its property upon its liquidation,
dissolution, or abandonment to a fund, foundation, or corporation
organized and operated for religious, hospital, scientific,
charitable, or educational purposes meeting the requirements for
exemption provided by Section 203 or this section.
   (f) Property used exclusively for housing and related facilities
for elderly or handicapped families and financed by, including, but
not limited to, the federal government pursuant to Section 202 of
Public Law 86-372 (12 U.S.C. Sec. 1701q), as amended, Section 231 of
Public Law 73-479 (12 U.S.C. Sec. 1715v), Section 236 of Public Law
90-448 (12 U.S.C. Sec. 1715z), or Section 811 of Public Law 101-625
(42 U.S.C. Sec. 8013), and owned and operated by religious, hospital,
scientific, or charitable funds, foundations, limited liability
companies, or corporations meeting all of the requirements of this
section shall be deemed to be within the exemption provided for in
subdivision (b) of Section 4 and Section 5 of Article XIII of the
California Constitution and this section.
   The amendment of this paragraph made by Chapter 1102 of the
Statutes of 1984 does not constitute a change in, but is declaratory
of, existing law. However, no refund of property taxes shall be
required as a result of this amendment for any fiscal year prior to
the fiscal year in which the amendment takes effect.
   Property used exclusively for housing and related facilities for
elderly or handicapped families at which supplemental care or
services designed to meet the special needs of elderly or handicapped
residents are not provided, or that is not financed by the federal
government pursuant to Section 202 of Public Law 86-372 (12 U.S.C.
Sec. 1701q), as amended, Section 231 of Public Law 73-479 (12 U.S.C.
Sec. 1715v), Section 236 of Public Law 90-448 (12 U.S.C. Sec. 1715z),
or Section 811 of Public Law 101-625 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 8013), shall
not be entitled to exemption pursuant to this subdivision unless the
property is used for housing and related facilities for low- and
moderate-income elderly or handicapped families. Property that would
otherwise be exempt pursuant to this subdivision, except that it
includes some housing and related facilities for other than low- or
moderate-income elderly or handicapped families, shall be entitled to
a partial exemption. The partial exemption shall be equal to that
percentage of the value of the property that is equal to the
percentage that the number of low- and moderate-income elderly and
handicapped families represents of the total number of families
occupying the property.
   As used in this subdivision, "low and moderate income" has the
same meaning as the term "persons and families of low or moderate
income" as defined by Section 50093 of the Health and Safety Code.
   (g) (1) Property used exclusively for rental housing and related
facilities and owned and operated by religious, hospital, scientific,
or charitable funds, foundations, limited liability companies, or
corporations, including limited partnerships in which the managing
general partner is an eligible nonprofit corporation or eligible
limited liability company, meeting all of the requirements of this
section, or by veterans' organizations, as described in Section
215.1, meeting all the requirements of paragraphs (1) to (7),
inclusive, of subdivision (a), shall be deemed to be within the
exemption provided for in subdivision (b) of Section 4 and Section 5
of Article XIII of the California Constitution and this section and
shall be entitled to a partial exemption equal to that percentage of
the value of the property that is equal to the percentage that the
number of units serving lower income households represents of the
total number of residential units in any year in which any of the
following criteria applies:
   (A) The acquisition, rehabilitation, development, or operation of
the property, or any combination of these factors, is financed with
tax-exempt mortgage revenue bonds or general obligation bonds, or is
financed by local, state, or federal loans or grants and the rents of
the occupants who are lower income households do not exceed those
prescribed by deed restrictions or regulatory agreements pursuant to
the terms of the financing or financial assistance.
   (B) The owner of the property is eligible for and receives
low-income housing tax credits pursuant to Section 42 of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as added by Public Law 99-514.
   (C) In the case of a claim, other than a claim with respect to
property owned by a limited partnership in which the managing general
partner is an eligible nonprofit corporation, that is filed for the
2000-01 fiscal year or any fiscal year thereafter, 90 percent or more
of the occupants of the property are lower income households whose
rent does not exceed the rent prescribed by Section 50053 of the
Health and Safety Code. The total exemption amount allowed under this
subdivision to a taxpayer, with respect to a single property or
multiple properties for any fiscal year on the sole basis of the
application of this subparagraph, may not exceed  twenty
  one hundred  thousand dollars  ($20,000)
  ($100,000)  of tax.
   (D) (i) The property was previously purchased and owned by the
Department of Transportation pursuant to a consent decree requiring
housing mitigation measures relating to the construction of a freeway
and is now solely owned by an organization that qualifies as an
exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue
Code.
   (ii) This subparagraph shall not apply to property owned by a
limited partnership in which the managing partner is an eligible
nonprofit corporation.
   (2) In order to be eligible for the exemption provided by this
subdivision, the owner of the property shall do both of the
following:
   (A) (i) For any claim filed for the 2000-01 fiscal year or any
fiscal year thereafter, certify and ensure, subject to the limitation
in clause (ii), that there is an enforceable and verifiable
agreement with a public agency, a recorded deed restriction, or other
legal document that restricts the project's usage and that provides
that the units designated for use by lower income households are
continuously available to or occupied by lower income households at
rents that do not exceed those prescribed by Section 50053 of the
Health and Safety Code, or, to the extent that the terms of federal,
state, or local financing or financial assistance conflicts with
Section 50053, rents that do not exceed those prescribed by the terms
of the financing or financial assistance.
   (ii) In the case of a limited partnership in which the managing
general partner is an eligible nonprofit corporation, the restriction
and provision specified in clause (i) shall be contained in an
enforceable and verifiable agreement with a public agency, or in a
recorded deed restriction to which the limited partnership certifies.

   (B) Certify that the funds that would have been necessary to pay
property taxes are used to maintain the affordability of, or reduce
rents otherwise necessary for, the units occupied by lower income
households.
   (3) As used in this subdivision:
   (A) "Lower income households" has the same meaning as the term
"lower income households" as defined by Section 50079.5 of the Health
and Safety Code.
   (B) "Related facilities" means any manager's units and any and all
common area spaces that are included within the physical boundaries
of the rental housing development, including, but not limited to,
common area space, walkways, balconies, patios, clubhouse space,
meeting rooms, laundry facilities and parking areas, except any
portions of the overall development that are nonexempt commercial
space.
   (C) "Units serving lower income households" shall mean units that
are occupied by lower income households at an affordable rent, as
defined in Section 50053 of the Health and Safety Code or, to the
extent that the terms of federal, state, or local financing or
financial assistance conflicts with Section 50053, rents that do not
exceed those prescribed by the terms of the financing or financial
assistance. Units reserved for lower income households at an
affordable rent that are temporarily vacant due to tenant turnover or
repairs shall be counted as occupied.
   (h) Property used exclusively for an emergency or temporary
shelter and related facilities for homeless persons and families and
owned and operated by religious, hospital, scientific, or charitable
funds, foundations, limited liability companies, or corporations
meeting all of the requirements of this section shall be deemed to be
within the exemption provided for in subdivision (b) of Section 4
and Section 5 of Article XIII of the California Constitution and this
section. Property that otherwise would be exempt pursuant to this
subdivision, except that it includes housing and related facilities
for other than an emergency or temporary shelter, shall be entitled
to a partial exemption.
   As used in this subdivision, "emergency or temporary shelter"
means a facility that would be eligible for funding pursuant to
Chapter 11 (commencing with Section 50800) of Part 2 of Division 31
of the Health and Safety Code.
   (i) Property used exclusively for housing and related facilities
for employees of religious, charitable, scientific, or hospital
organizations that meet all the requirements of subdivision (a) and
owned and operated by funds, foundations, limited liability
companies, or corporations that meet all the requirements of
subdivision (a) shall be deemed to be within the exemption provided
for in subdivision (b) of Section 4 and Section 5 of Article XIII of
the California Constitution and this section to the extent the
residential use of the property is institutionally necessary for the
operation of the organization.
   (j) For purposes of this section, charitable purposes include
educational purposes. For purposes of this subdivision, "educational
purposes" means those educational purposes and activities for the
benefit of the community as a whole or an unascertainable and
indefinite portion thereof, and do not include those educational
purposes and activities that are primarily for the benefit of an
organization's shareholders. Educational activities include the study
of relevant information, the dissemination of that information to
interested members of the general public, and the participation of
interested members of the general public.
   (k) In the case of property used exclusively for the exempt
purposes specified in this section, owned and operated by limited
liability companies that are organized and operated for those
purposes, the State Board of Equalization shall adopt regulations to
specify the ownership, organizational, and operational requirements
for those companies to qualify for the exemption provided by this
section.
   (  l  ) The amendments made by Chapter 354 of the
Statutes of 2004 shall apply with respect to lien dates occurring on
and after January 1, 2005. 
   (m) The amendments made by the act adding this subdivision shall
apply with respect to lien dates occurring on and after January 1,
2017. 
   SEC. 2.    Section 214.17 is added to the  
Revenue and Taxation Code   , to read:  
   214.17.  (a) For purposes of this section:
   (1) "Total exemption amount limitation" means the exemption amount
limitation with respect to a single property or multiple properties
that is specified in subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision
(g) of Section 214, as that section read before January 1, 2017.
   (2) (A) "Qualified property" means property used exclusively for
rental housing and related facilities where 90 percent or more of the
occupants of the property are lower income households whose rent
does not exceed the rent prescribed by Section 50053 of the Health
and Safety Code and that qualifies for exemption under Section 214 on
the sole basis of this criteria as specified in subparagraph (C) of
paragraph (1) of subdivision (g) of Section 214.
   (B) "Qualified property" does not include property owned by a
limited partnership in which the managing general partner is an
eligible nonprofit organization, as described in subparagraph (C) of
paragraph (1) of subdivision (g) of Section 214.
   (3) "Qualified taxpayer" means a taxpayer subject to the total
exemption amount limitation.
   (4) "Qualified claim" means a claim for exemption that was filed
for a qualified property with the assessor on and after January 1,
2014, and before January 1, 2017, for which the assessor granted a
partial exemption.
   (5) "Qualified ad valorem tax, and related interest, or penalty"
means that portion of ad valorem tax levied to a qualified taxpayer
on qualified property with respect to a single property or multiple
properties that does not exceed one hundred thousand dollars
($100,000) of tax, and any interest or penalty imposed with regard to
that portion of tax.
   (b) (1) To the extent that the amount cancelled or refunded does
not result in a total exemption amount in excess of one hundred
thousand dollars ($100,000) of tax being allowed to a qualified
taxpayer with respect to a single property or multiple properties
that are qualified property for any fiscal year, each of the
following shall be cancelled or refunded as provided:
   (A) Any outstanding qualified ad valorem tax in excess of the
total exemption amount limitation, and related interest or penalty,
which was levied or imposed on and after January 1, 2014, and before
January 1, 2017, with respect to a qualified property for which a
qualified claim was filed, shall be cancelled.
   (B) Any qualified ad valorem tax in excess of the total exemption
amount limitation, and related interest or penalty, which was levied
or imposed on and after January 1, 2014, and before January 1, 2017,
with respect to a qualified property for which a qualified claim was
filed, and paid on or before January 1, 2017, shall be refunded.
   (2) On or after January 1, 2017, an escape assessment shall not be
levied on qualified property if that amount would be subject to
cancellation or refund under paragraph (1). 
   SEC. 3.    The Legislature finds and declares that
Section 2 of this act fulfills a statewide public purpose because it
addresses California's serious shortage of affordable decent, safe,
and sanitary housing for persons and families of low or moderate
income, including the elderly and handicapped, by providing necessary
property tax relief for certain tax-exempt organizations so that
these tax-exempt organizations can provide this affordable housing
for persons and families of low or moderate income. 
   SEC. 4.    If the Commission on State Mandates
determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs
shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of
Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code. 
   SEC. 5.    Notwithstanding Section 2229 of the
Revenue and Taxation Code, no appropriation is made by this act and
the state shall not reimburse any local agency for any property tax
revenues lost by it pursuant to this act.  
  SECTION 1.    (a)  The Department of Justice shall
do all of the following:
   (1) Survey the state of the current user-authorized firearm
industry.
   (2) Assess market conditions and the barriers to the market for
user-authorized firearms in the state.
   (3) Investigate methods to increase the availability and use of
user-authorized firearms in the state.
   (4) Make recommendations on manufacturer performance and
reliability standards and how those standards should be tested for
user-authorized firearms.
   (b) The department shall convene a working group in 2016 to
provide recommendations on the requirements of subdivision (a). The
working group shall consist of, but not be limited to,
representatives of the following:
   (1) Law enforcement.
   (2) Firearm manufacturers.
   (3) The military.
   (4) Firearm testing laboratories.
   (5) Firearm safety advocacy organizations.
   (6) Firearm dealers.
   (7) User-authorized firearm manufacturers.
   (8) User-authorized technology research and development entities.
   (9) Members of the public.
   (c) The department shall report its findings to the Legislature on
or before January 1, 2017, in compliance with Section 9795 of the
Government Code.