Agenda

Return

C. 32

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	LEGISLATION COMMITTEE
Date:	March 15, 2016

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Support position on AB 1642 (Obernolte): State Responsibility Areas: Fire Prevention Fees, as introduced

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 03/15/2016

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Mary N. Piepho, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:

L. DeLaney, 925-335-1097

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: March 15, 2016
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

ADOPT a "Support" position on AB 1642 (Obernolte), as introduced: State Responsibility Areas: Fire Prevention Fees, a bill that would increase the deadline for paying fire prevention fees from 30 days to 60 days, as recommended by the Legislation Committee.

FISCAL IMPACT:

No fiscal impact.

BACKGROUND:

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. At its February 8, 2016 meeting, the Legislation Committee voted unanimously to forward the recommendation of a position of "Support" for AB 1642 to the Board of Supervisors.

BACKGROUND: (CONT'D)

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.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

Contra Costa County would not have a position on the bill.