SB 601

Bill Subjects

Abstract

The Personal Income Tax Law provides, in modified conformity to federal income tax laws, for the manner in which taxable gains are to be recognized upon the disposition of property, including real property that is the principal residence of the taxpayer. Existing law allows an individual to exclude from their gross income up to $250,000 or $500,000, as specified, of gain realized on the sale or exchange of their residence if the taxpayer owned and occupied the residence as a principal residence for an aggregate period of at least 2 of the 5 years prior to the sale or exchange. This bill, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2021, and before January 1, 2026, would revise the exclusion to provide that if the buyer of a qualified principal residence, as defined, is a qualified first-time homeowner, as defined, the amount of the exclusion is increased to $300,000 or $600,000, as specified. The bill would limit the increased exclusion amount to transactions in which, on or before the closing date of the sale or exchange of the qualified principal residence, the seller obtains a certification from the buyer in writing, signed under penalty of perjury, that the buyer is a qualified first-time homeowner and including specified information concerning the sale of the qualified principal residence. By expanding the scope of the crime of perjury, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would additionally provide that these provisions are only operative for taxable years for which resources are authorized in the annual Budget Act or other statute for specified purposes. Existing law requires that any bill introduced on or after January 1, 2020, that would authorize certain tax expenditures, as defined, or tax exemptions contain, among other things, specific goals, purposes, and objectives that the tax expenditure or exemption will achieve, detailed performance indicators, and data collection requirements. This bill would provide findings and declarations relating to the goals of the expansion of the exclusion from gross income for sales of a qualified principal residence to a first-time homeowner. 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. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.