SB 789

  • California Senate Bill
  • 2025-2026 Regular Session
  • Introduced in Senate Feb 21, 2025
  • Senate
  • Assembly
  • Governor

Taxation: information returns: vacant commercial real property.

Abstract

Except as provided, the California Constitution requires that all property be taxed in proportion to its full value and assessed at the same percentage of fair market value. Existing statutory law, the Documentary Transfer Tax Act, authorizes the imposition of a tax by a county or city, as provided, with respect to specified instruments that transfer specified interests in real property. Existing law establishes the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration for the purpose of administering various taxes. This bill would require a person, as defined, that owns commercial property, as defined, in this state to register with the department, as provided. The bill would require every person owning commercial real property in this state to file an information return each year by a date determined by the department, as provided. The bill would require the information return to include specified information, including, among other requirements, whether any buildings or portions of buildings were vacant in the previous calendar year. The bill would authorize extensions of the time for a person to file an information return under specified circumstances, including for good cause. The bill would impose on any person who fails or refuses to timely furnish a return required by its provisions a penalty of $100 per commercial property that the person fails or refuses to timely furnish the information return. The bill would authorize the Director of Finance to make a loan from the General Fund to the department to implement those provisions, and would require any loan to be repaid from revenues from penalties imposed. By authorizing the expenditure of moneys from the General Fund for specified purposes, the bill would create an appropriation. This bill would require the department to collect information from the information returns filed pursuant to its provisions and would require the department to annually post on its internet website data aggregated by ZIP Code, including, among other information, the percentage of commercial properties included in information returns required under this part that were vacant in a calendar year. The bill would repeal these provisions as of January 1, 2031. The bill would also make findings and declarations related to its provisions.

Bill Sponsors (1)

Votes


Actions


May 23, 2025

Senate

May 23 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

May 16, 2025

Senate

Set for hearing May 23.

May 12, 2025

Senate

May 12 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.

May 02, 2025

Senate

Set for hearing May 12.

Apr 30, 2025

Senate

Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  • Amendment-Passage
  • Reading-1
  • Reading-2
  • Referral-Committee
Com. on APPR.

Apr 29, 2025

Senate

From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 3. Noes 1. Page 873.) (April 23).

Apr 21, 2025

Senate

From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on REV. & TAX.

  • Amendment-Passage
  • Committee-Passage
  • Reading-1
  • Reading-2
  • Referral-Committee
Com. on REV. & TAX.

Apr 04, 2025

Senate

Set for hearing April 23.

Apr 02, 2025

Senate

Re-referred to Com. on REV. & TAX.

  • Referral-Committee
Com. on REV. & TAX.

Mar 26, 2025

Senate

From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.

  • Amendment-Passage
  • Committee-Passage
  • Reading-1
  • Reading-2
  • Referral-Committee
Com. on RLS.

Mar 12, 2025

Senate

Referred to Com. on RLS.

  • Referral-Committee
Com. on RLS.

Feb 24, 2025

Senate

Read first time.

Senate

From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 24.

Feb 21, 2025

Senate

Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Bill Text

Bill Text Versions Format
SB789 HTML
02/21/25 - Introduced PDF
03/26/25 - Amended Senate PDF
04/21/25 - Amended Senate PDF
04/30/25 - Amended Senate PDF

Related Documents

Document Format
04/21/25- Senate Revenue and Taxation PDF
05/09/25- Senate Appropriations PDF

Sources

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