The Personal Income Tax Law allows various credits against the taxes imposed by the law. Existing law establishes the continuously appropriated Tax Relief and Refund Account and provides that payments required to be made to taxpayers or other persons from the Personal Income Tax Fund are to be paid from that account, including any amount to be paid as a refundable tax credit in excess of any tax liabilities.

This bill, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2023, and before January 1, 2028, would allow a credit against those taxes to a qualified taxpayer in an amount equal to $1,000 for each household with zero registered vehicles, as defined. The bill would require the qualified taxpayer to self-certify the number of registered vehicles owned by the qualified taxpayer and their dependents and by each entity in which the qualified taxpayer or their dependent holds a controlling interest, and that the qualified taxpayer and their dependent do not own or operate a vehicle within the state that is required to be registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles but is not. The bill would require the Department of Motor Vehicles to provide necessary taxpayer and vehicle information to the Franchise Tax Board for administration of the credit. For a qualified taxpayer that was allowed the California Earned Income Tax Credit, the bill would require amounts of this credit in excess of the tax liability be paid to the qualified taxpayer from the Tax Relief and Refund Account. By authorizing new refund payments to be paid from the continuously appropriated Tax Relief and Refund Account, the bill would make an appropriation.

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

This bill would include additional information required for a bill authorizing a new tax credit.