- Jaspreet Johl
- (916) 335-8871
- Jaspreet.Johl@asm.ca.gov
(Sacramento, CA) – Today a bill authored by Assembly Member Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles) that would create a grant program for free tax assistance clinics passed the Assembly. AB 1515 will provide crucial support to Californians applying for the California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC), Young Child Tax Credit, and the Golden State Stimulus. AB 1515 is supported by a broad coalition comprised of economic and immigrant justice organizations.
“Although COVID-19 cases are on the decline in California, Californians continue to face on-going economic hardships because of the pandemic,” said Assembly Member Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles). “We must include low-income and immigrant communities in our economic recovery. AB 1515 provides these communities with the support needed to receive urgent relief through CalEITC, the Young Child Tax Credit, and the Golden State Stimulus.”
“Filing taxes is a critical pathway for households to access refundable tax credits including the CalEITC and federal Child Tax Credit, as well as relief payments including the Golden State Stimulus. This takes on very real importance for ITIN holders, many of whom are bearing the brunt of the COVID-19 economic crisis and are newly eligible for California-based tax credits and relief,” said Pete Manzo, CEO & President of United Ways of California. “AB 1515 is critical to ensuring all eligible families can access resources like free tax prep assistance from IRS qualified community partners. Our state's recovery looks brighter because of Assembly Member Santiago's commitment to this issue.”
“With the Assembly’s passage of AB 1515, we are one step closer to bringing about essential structural change to our state’s Free Tax Assistance Program,” said Dana Hadl, Directing Attorney at Bet Tzedek Legal Services. “By making free tax preparation assistance available for our state’s most marginalized communities – those communities hardest hit by the pandemic – we are taking the necessary steps toward ensuring that all Californians have access to both tax credits and stimulus dollars. We applaud the Assembly for recognizing the critical role the tax system plays in creating equity.”
“Outreach is absolutely essential to our economy. Tens of thousands of people turn to our partners across the state for reliable, easy-to-understand information they can trust,” said Amy Everitt, President of Golden State Opportunity. “Outreach and free tax preparation assistance connects workers and families with dollars that they reinvest in local communities. Assembly Member Santiago understands that every dollar matters and we are lucky to have him as a champion.”
“With today’s vote, Assemblymembers are standing with immigrant workers who have kept California strong working dangerous jobs during the pandemic despite being excluded from the safety net of unemployment insurance and federal stimulus,” said Elly Matsumura, California Director of Partnership for Working Families. “AB 1515 takes key steps towards repairing this hole in our safety net and living up to our state’s value that we’re stronger together.”
“People need awareness and access to the various anti-poverty tax credits that give them additional dollars,” stated Sevly Snguon, the Economic and Health Justice Policy Associate at Children's Defense Fund-CA. “AB 1515 provides capacity for trusted community-based organizations to inform and link our most under-served Californians to these essential tax credits.”
Upon appropriation, AB 1515 would establish a grant program to support qualified community based organizations to conduct free tax assistance clinics and engage in outreach and education on the CalEITC, the Young Child Tax Credit, and the Golden State Stimulus. In addition, this bill would also require grantees to increase awareness of Individual Tax Identification Numbers (ITIN) eligibility. Expanding outreach on ITIN eligibility is especially critical as Californians with an ITIN may be newly eligible for relief through these tax credits and the Golden State Stimulus, and potentially future stimulus payments.
AB 1515 is expected to be heard next in the Senate Committee on Governance and Finance.
Assembly Member Miguel Santiago is the Chair of the Assembly Committee on Communications and Conveyance and Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Los Angeles County Homelessness. He also sits on the Assembly Committees on Public Safety, Health, Higher Education and Utilities and Energy. He represents the 53rd District composed of the cities of Los Angeles, Huntington Park, and Vernon.