CA SB 284

Title: Property taxation: change in ownership: family homes and farms.
Author: Kelly Seyarto

Summary
SB 284, as amended, Seyarto. Property taxation: change in ownership: family homes and farms. The California Constitution limits the amount of ad valorem taxes on real property to 1% of the full cash value of that property, defined as the county assessor’s valuation of real property as shown on the 1975–76 tax bill and, thereafter, the appraised value of the real property when purchased, newly constructed, or a change in ownership occurs after the 1975 assessment, subject to an annual inflation adjustment not to exceed 2%.Pursuant to constitutional authorization, existing property tax law, on and after February 16, 2021, excludes from classification as a change in ownership the purchase or transfer of a family home or family farm, as those terms are defined, of the transferor in the case of a transfer between parents and their children, or between grandparents and their grandchildren if all the parents of those grandchildren are deceased, if the property continues as the family home or family farm of the transferee, as specified. For purposes of the transfer of a family home, that law requires the transfer to be of a principal residence of the transferor and to become the principal residence of the transferee within one year of the transfer. That law also requires the transferee to file for the homeowners’ or disabled veterans’ exemption within a year of the transfer, as described.This bill would expand the above-described exclusion to include, in the case of the purchase or transfer of a family home or a family farm, as applicable, a purchase or transfer of that family home or family farm between eligible transferees, as specified. The bill would also specify that, in the event of a transfer by certain judicial decrees, the transfer commencing either of the above-described one-year periods shall be deemed to occur as of the effective date of the final judicial decree.Existing law requires the state 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 those provisions, no appropriation is made and the state shall not reimburse local agencies for property tax revenues lost by them pursuant to the bill.This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.

Status
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

Bill Documents
CA SB 284 - 05/07/25 - Amended Senate
05/07/25 - CA SB 284 (05/07/25 - Amended Senate)