Legislation to Help Low-Income Californians Save Money Passes Policy Committee

(Sacramento, CA) – Following the passage of AB 2191 (Santiago) out of the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee, Assembly Member Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles) released the following statement:

“We can help low-income families save thousands of dollars through our tax credits. In order to do this, we must increase community engagement and free tax preparation services which are essential to support low-income households and fuel the state’s economy,” said Assembly Member Santiago.

“Free tax preparation programs are designed to ensure Californians who face barriers to filing taxes can claim critical anti-poverty tax credits. This bill ensures that CBOs and local government agencies are able to further help underserved and hard-to-reach populations save thousands of dollars in tax credits.”

The federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), California EITC, Young Child Tax Credit, and the Foster Youth Tax Credit are tax credits that help alleviate poverty, stimulate local economies and businesses, and act as a front line of defense against the deepest risks of economic hardship. Free Tax Preparation Assistance (FTPA)/Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) are free services to help low-income Californians file taxes. AB 2191 would codify the Outreach, Education, and FTPA Grant Program to support qualified nonprofit CBOs or local government agencies whose goal is to increase awareness of application assistance for these state and federal tax credits and the Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN).

AB 2191 will be referred to Assembly Appropriations Committee.

Assembly Member Miguel Santiago is the Assistant Assembly Majority Leader. He serves on the Arts, Entertainment, Sports and Tourism Committee, the Health Committee, and the Utilities & Energy Committee. He represents the 54th District composed of the cities of Los Angeles, Commerce, Montebello, and Vernon.

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