AB-2222 • 2026

Personal Income Tax Law and Corporation Tax Law: credits: local news organizations.

Budget 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 details on the exact requirements for a business to be considered a 'qualified taxpayer' or specifics about how many businesses will qualify and benefit.

Tax Credits for Local News Organizations

The bill allows businesses to get tax credits if they hire local journalists.

What This Bill Does

Creates a new tax credit for businesses that employ local news reporters.
Gives $20,000 per journalist for the first five hires and $15,000 for each additional one.
Adds an extra $15,000 credit if the hired journalist is in a brand-new journalism job.

Who It Names or Affects

Businesses that pay taxes and hire local journalists

Terms To Know

Tax Credit: Money a business can subtract from the amount of tax it owes.
Qualified Taxpayer: A business that meets certain requirements to get the tax credit.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill only applies for five years, starting in January 2027.
It does not specify how many businesses will qualify or benefit from this credit.

Bill History

2026-04-23 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2026-04-22 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended.
2026-04-21 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (April 20).
2026-04-13 California Legislative Information
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to REV. & TAX. suspense file.
2026-03-10 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on REV. & TAX.
2026-03-09 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on REV. & TAX. Read second time and amended.
2026-03-09 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on REV. & TAX.
2026-02-20 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 22.
2026-02-19 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 2222, as amended, Ward.
Personal Income Tax Law and Corporation Tax Law: credits: local news organizations.
The Personal Income Tax Law and the Corporation Tax Law allow various credits against the taxes imposed by those laws, including a credit for specified new hiring and employment. Existing law establishes the continuously appropriated Tax Relief and Refund Account and provides that payments required to be made to taxpayers or other persons from the Personal Income Tax Fund are to be paid from that account.
Existing law also establishes the continuously appropriated Corporation Tax Fund in the State Treasury for the purpose of making refunds pursuant to existing law.
This bill would, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2027, and before January 1, 2032, allow a credit against those taxes to a qualified taxpayer, as defined,
equal to $20,000 for each of the first 5 qualifying journalists, as defined, employed by the taxpayer, and $15,000 for each qualifying journalist employed by the taxpayer beyond the first 5. The bill would allow an additional credit of $15,000 for each qualifying journalist in a new journalism position, as defined. The bill would require the amount of the credit exceeding the taxpayer’s liability to be credited against other amounts due, if any, and would require the balance to be paid from the Tax Relief and Refund Account
or the Corporation Tax Fund, as specified,
and refunded to the taxpayer. By increasing the payments from the Tax Relief and Refund
Account, a
Account and the Corporation Tax Fund, which are
continuously appropriated
fund,
funds,
the bill would make an appropriation.
Existing law requires any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure, as defined, to include tax credits, to contain, among other things, specific goals that the tax credit will achieve, detailed performance indicators, and data collection requirements.
This bill also would include additional information required for any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Download Bill PDF