Senator Stone amends tax bill to help special needs families

Senator Jeff Stone (R-Riverside County) announced he has submitted amendments to his proposed legislation to eliminate state income taxes for individuals earning less than $100,000 per year and married couples earning more than $200,000 while requiring part-time residents to begin paying income taxes based on the amount of time spent in California.

The amended legislation drops the requirement for out-of-state, part-time residents, to pay California State income taxes based on the amount of time they spend in the state. It also eliminates the much needed tax relief for 90 percent of Californians that was the original intent of the bill.

After listening to dozens of individuals testify before the Budget Subcommittee on Health and Human Services, Senator Stone decided to amend his Senate Bill 1352 to help struggling families who care for their disabled children, siblings or parents.

Because the Senate imposes strict limits on the number of bills a legislator can carry, Senator Stone decided it was more feasible to gain support for a tax bill helping families of disabled citizens than pass a bill that could be seen as adversely impacting Hollywood billionaires and Silicon Valley tycoons.

Specifically, the amended legislation will allow individuals earning less than $125,000 a year to deduct healthcare expenses spent on care for a family member with autism or other special needs.

“As a Member of the Budget Subcommittee dealing with Health and Human Services, I’ve seen struggling parents who have sacrificed nearly everything to pay for the care of their autistic child. Children have had to mortgage their homes to pay for a parent who has Alzheimer’s or other special needs,” said the Senator.

He added, “It was clear that my original introduction of SB 1352 served its purpose by getting people around the state to realize that their taxes are too high. But since I introduced the measure, I’ve concluded that my constituents would be better served by having a law that allows people to help their family members by setting up tax-free accounts to pay for adult or child dependent care.”

Senator Stone concluded, “To help so many people with one piece of legislation is a humbling concept, and I’m confident that the new SB 1352 will receive a fair hearing from my colleagues in the Legislature.  We need substantial tax reform in California, but with this new language, I’m sure more than a few struggling families will rest easier in the knowledge that their loved ones are being cared for.”

Senate Bill 1352 will be heard in Committee in April or May. To keep up to date on the most recent changes to this legislation or any other bill, visit senate.ca.gov/stone and click on the “Legislation” tab.

Jeff Stone represents California’s 28th Senate District. The district, which is entirely in Riverside County, stretches from the vineyards of the Temecula Valley to the Colorado River and includes the cities of Blythe, Canyon Lake, Cathedral City, Coachella, Desert Hot Springs, Indian Wells, Indio, Lake Elsinore, La Quinta, Murrieta, Temecula, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage and Wildomar.




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