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AB-2089 • 2026

Property taxation: welfare exemption: filing of claims.

Property taxation: welfare exemption: filing of claims.

Education Healthcare Housing Taxes
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Ward
Last action
2026-04-23
Official status
Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide detailed information on how electronic signatures will be verified and secured.

Property Tax Exemptions and Filing Procedures

This bill modifies procedures for filing welfare exemptions electronically, updates website documentation requirements, and extends benefits to properties that lost their exemption due to specific changes.

What This Bill Does

  • Authorizes county assessors to accept electronic signatures for materials necessary to claim, maintain, or receive the welfare exemption.
  • Requires county boards of supervisors to adopt ordinances or resolutions to implement an electronic portal for filing welfare exemptions if necessary and in collaboration with the county assessor.
  • Mandates that county assessors update their websites with documentation requirements for partial property tax exemptions within 7 days of any changes.
  • Requires counties to release forms related to tenant income recertification by November 15 each year before the due date for these forms.
  • Extends benefits previously available only during construction phases to properties that lost their welfare exemption due to specific changes in control, ownership, or management.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Nonprofit organizations and property owners who qualify for welfare exemptions under California law.
  • County assessors, boards of supervisors, and local tax officials responsible for implementing these new procedures.

Terms To Know

Welfare Exemption
A partial or full exemption from property taxes for properties used exclusively for religious, hospital, scientific, or charitable purposes by certain nonprofit entities.
Ad Valorem Tax
A tax based on the assessed value of a property, commonly known as property tax in California.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how electronic signatures will be verified or secured.
  • It is unclear what specific changes to ownership or control would qualify for extended benefits under this legislation.
  • Local agencies and school districts may incur costs due to the new requirements, which could lead to state reimbursement if mandated by law.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-23 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  2. 2026-04-22 California Legislative Information

    Read second time and amended.

  3. 2026-04-21 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (April 20).

  4. 2026-04-20 California Legislative Information

    In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to REV. & TAX. suspense file.

  5. 2026-04-15 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on REV. & TAX. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (April 15). Re-referred to Com. on REV. & TAX.

  6. 2026-04-07 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on H. & C.D.

  7. 2026-04-06 California Legislative Information

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on H. & C.D. Read second time and amended.

  8. 2026-03-12 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Coms. on H. & C.D. and REV. & TAX. pursuant to Assembly Rule 96.

  9. 2026-03-09 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Coms. on REV. & TAX. and H. & C.D.

  10. 2026-02-19 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 21.

  11. 2026-02-18 California Legislative Information

    Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 2089, as amended, Ward.
Property taxation: welfare exemption: filing of
claims: delinquency penalties.
claims.
(1)
Except
Except
as provided, the California Constitution requires that all property be taxed in proportion to its full value and assessed at the same percentage of fair market value. The tax imposed pursuant to these provisions is commonly referred to as an ad valorem property tax. Existing property tax law, in accordance with the California Constitution, provides for a “welfare exemption” for property used exclusively for religious, hospital, scientific, or charitable purposes and that is owned
or operated by certain types of nonprofit entities, if certain qualifying criteria are met. Under existing property tax law, property that meets these requirements that is used exclusively for rental housing and related facilities is entitled to a partial exemption, equal to that percentage of the value of the property that is equal to the percentage that the number of units serving lower income households represents of the total number of residential units, in any year that any of certain criteria apply. Existing property tax law establishes procedures for claiming the welfare exemption, including requiring the annual filing of a claim for the exemption with the county assessor, as provided.
This bill would
require
authorize
the county assessor to accept electronic signatures
for materials necessary to claim, maintain, or otherwise receive the welfare exemption. The bill would require the county board of supervisors to, if necessary and in collaboration with the county assessor, adopt any ordinances or resolutions to implement the electronic portal and submission
requirement.
This bill would also require the county assessor to provide on their internet website certain documentation requirements for the above-described partial exemption, as described, and would require that information to be updated within 7 days of any changes.
This
authorization. The
bill would
require
require, as provided,
every county to release all forms related to the annual recertification of tenant income necessary to receive the welfare exemption by November 15 of each calendar year prior to the due date for the forms.
(2)
Existing property tax law imposes various penalties and costs for delinquent payment of real property taxes. Existing law provides that a property owner is not liable for interest or penalties, and prohibits the tax collector from taking or continuing any collection action, with respect to ad valorem property taxes levied upon a property if, annually while receiving the benefit, the facilities are in the course of construction, as defined, and the property owner supplies evidence to the tax collector that the property owner has submitted to the county assessor an application for an exemption pursuant to the above-described partial welfare exemption, except as provided, and that the property received a specified reservation of tax credits or award of funds. Existing law makes this benefit applicable to property tax installments that are
due and payable from December 10, 2025, to April 10, 2031.
This bill would extend the benefit to those properties that provide evidence that the property received a welfare tax exemption but lost the exemption due to a change in control, change in ownership, or removal, resignation, or replacement of a nonprofit managing general partner, as those terms are defined, and that the benefit is necessary to continue maintaining the welfare exemption on the property, in lieu of providing evidence that facilities are in the course of construction. The bill would make this extended benefit applicable to property tax installments that are due and payable from December 10, 2027.
(3)
By
By
imposing additional duties on
local tax officials,
counties,
the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Current Bill Text

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