18900.1. (a) For taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2012, the Franchise Tax Board shall revise the individual taxpayer return form to allow an individual to designate a contribution in excess of tax liability, if any, be made to the State Parks Protection Fund established by Section 18900.2.
(b) A contribution shall be in a full dollar amount and may be made individually by each signatory on a joint return.
(c) A designation made under subdivision (a) shall be made for any taxable year on the original return for that taxable year, and once made shall be irrevocable. In the event that payments and credits reported on the return, together with any other credits associated with the taxpayer’s account, do not exceed the taxpayer’s tax liability, if any, the return shall be treated as though no designation had been made. In the event that no designee is specified, the contribution shall, after reimbursement of the direct actual costs of the Franchise Tax Board for the collection and administration of funds under the article, be transferred to the General Fund.
(d) If an individual designates a contribution to more than one account or fund listed on the tax return, and the amount available is insufficient to satisfy the total amount designated, the contribution shall be allocated among the designated accounts on a pro rata basis.
(e) A taxpayer making a designation under subdivision (a) shall be entitled to receive a single state parks day use annual pass from the Department of Parks and Recreation if the price of a single state parks day use annual pass, as determined by the Department of Parks and Recreation, is less than or equal to the amount of the taxpayer’s contribution.
(f) The state parks day use annual pass that an individual is entitled to receive pursuant to this section shall provide the passholder with unlimited day use access to the California state parks that are accessible with a vehicle day use annual pass, as those parks are listed on the Department of Parks and Recreation’s Internet Web site, and shall be valid for one year beginning on the date of issuance.
(g) The Franchise Tax Board shall revise the form of the return to include a space labeled the “State Parks Protection Fund/Parks Pass Purchase” to allow for the designation permitted under subdivision (a). The form shall also include in the instructions information that the contribution may be in the amount of one dollar ($1) or more and that if the contribution amount is equal to or exceeds the price of a single state parks day use annual pass, as determined by the Department of Parks and Recreation, the taxpayer will be entitled to a single state parks day use annual pass from the Department of Parks and Recreation. The instructions shall also include information indicating that the contribution shall be used by the Department of Parks and Recreation to cover the costs of the issuance of state parks day use annual passes to individual taxpayers who made a designation for that purpose pursuant to this section, and for purposes related to the protection and preservation of state parks.
(h) Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 2 (commencing with Section 19542) of Chapter 7, the Franchise Tax Board shall provide necessary information, including the names and addresses of individual taxpayers who contributed to the State Parks Protection Fund, to the Department of Parks and Recreation so that the department may contact the individuals entitled to a state parks day use annual pass under this section and implement a procedure for the distribution of a state parks day use annual pass to those individuals.
(i) A deduction shall be allowed under Article 6 (commencing with Section 17201) of Chapter 3 of Part 10 for any contribution made pursuant to subdivision (a), but only with respect to the amount contributed in excess of the price of the state parks day use annual pass received, if any, pursuant to this section.
(Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 533, Sec. 4. (AB 1589) Effective January 1, 2013. Repealed conditionally, as prescribed in Section 18900.4.)
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