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LEGISLATION COMMITTEE

Meeting Date:	02/08/2016
Subject: AB 1642 (Obernolte) - Fire Prevention Fee Due Dates
Submitted For:	LEGISLATION COMMITTEE
Department:	County Administrator
Referral No.:	2016-04
Referral Name:	AB 1642 (Obernolte) - Fire Prevention Fee Due Dates
Presenter:	L. DeLaney	Contact:	L. DeLaney, 925-335-1097

Information

Referral History:

Assemblymember Obernolte recently introduced AB 1642, legislation that would increase the deadline for paying fire prevention fees from 30 days to 60 days. His office is currently looking for letters of support for this bill. AB 1642 is similar to a previous bill that Assemblymember Obernolte sponsored last year, AB 203, which Contra Costa County supported.

Referral Update:

Assembly Bill 1642 extends the deadline to pay or dispute a fire prevention fee to 60 days, rather than the 30 days allowed under existing law.

Created by the Legislature and Governor as part of the 2011 Budget, the Fire Prevention Fee charges property owners $152.33 for each habitable structure located in a State Responsibility Area (SRA), with a $35 reduction if they live within the boundaries of a local fire protection district. About 700,000 rural Californians receive a yearly Fire Prevention Fee bill, due 30 days from the date on the notice.
Due to the rural nature of those being billed, many individuals do not receive their bills in a timely manner. Additionally, many of these individuals are on fixed incomes, making it difficult for them to pay their Fire Prevention Fee by the 30-day deadline.

The fire prevention fee affects residents in communities throughout California, and AB 1642 has received bipartisan support.

According to the California Board of Equalization (BOE), many property owners have expressed concern that the 30-day deadline does not allow them sufficient time to either pay or file a petition. If a taxpayer misses the filing deadline to appeal the assessment, they must first pay the fee in full and file a claim for a refund. California would join 20 other states that give homeowners at least 60 days to file a petition.

Attachment A is the text of the bill. Attachment B is the bill's Fact Sheet, provided by the author's office.

Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):

CONSIDER recommending to the Board of Supervisors a position of "Support" on AB 1642 (Obernolte): State Responsibility Areas: Fire Prevention Fees.

Attachments
Attachment A: AB 1642 Bill Text
Attachment B: AB 1642 Fact Sheet