News release
Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo, D-Chatsworth, has introduced a package of bills focused on affordability and lowering costs, according to a news release from the assemblywoman’s office.
“This bill package is aimed at putting money back in the pockets of working families, protecting seniors, removing barriers to accessing health care, and holding corporations accountable,” the release said.
The package includes the Chiquita Canyon Tax Relief Act (Assembly Bill 27), Senior Fraud Reimbursement Act (AB 909), Ratepayer Relief Act (AB 1020), Timely Care Act (AB 539), Click to Cancel 2.0 (AB 656), and Social Security and Medicare Protection Resolutions (Assembly Joint Resolution 3/AJR 8), Police Pension Tax Exemption Bill (AB 814), Veterans Pension Tax Exemption Bill (AB 53, and Veterans’ Property Tax Exemption (Assembly Constitutional Amendment 5).
“In every part of my district I hear from people who are doing everything right and still struggling to pay for the basics,” Schiavo said in the release. “These bills fight back against corporate red tape, against fraud targeting our seniors, against rising utility bills, and help people keep more of what they earn. We are taking real action to put money back in people’s pockets and make life more affordable.”
The release provided the following summaries of the bills:
• AB 27: The Chiquita Canyon Tax Relief Act would ensure that any compensation residents receive, whether from the landfill operator or a government entity, is exempt from state income taxes and excluded from calculations that affect eligibility for public benefits. This bill ensures that impacted residents can receive the full relief they are entitled to without fear of losing access to essential resources.
• AB 53: The Veterans Pension Tax Exemption Bill would eliminate state income taxes on military retirement pay beginning in 2027. It also extends that exemption to recipients of the Department of Defense’s Survivor Benefits Program, ensuring surviving spouses and dependents are not penalized for the loss of a loved one in service.
• AB 814: The Police Pension Tax Exemption Bill honors would exempt peace officer pensions from state income tax, with the goal of helping to ensure they can afford to remain in the neighborhoods they served.
• ACA 5: The Veterans’ Property Tax Exemption amendment would expand access to veterans’ and disabled veterans’ property tax exemptions, helping to make homeownership more affordable for those who have served. Currently, veterans cannot claim both the homeowners’ exemption and the veterans’ exemption. ACA 5 would remove this restriction, allowing eligible veterans to benefit from both exemptions. It also eliminates an outdated property value cap and authorizes the Legislature to increase the exemption amount in the future.
• AB 909: The Senior Fraud Reimbursement Act would protect victims of financial exploitation, especially seniors, by requiring banks and financial institutions to take proactive measures to prevent scams and to reimburse victims when those measures fail.
• AJR 3 / AJR 8: The Social Security and Medicare Protection Resolutions call on Congress and the president to uphold and strengthen Social Security and Medicare, reject any effort to cut or privatize these programs, and invest in better service for the millions of Californians.
• AB 539: The Timely Care Act would aim to improve health care access by extending prior authorizations for care from 60 or 90 days to one full year. Delays in care caused by slow administrative processes can worsen conditions and lead to more expensive treatments or additional hospital visits.
• AB 1020: The Utility Ratepayer Relief Act would ensure that savings from public grants or low-interest government loans are passed directly to ratepayers, not hoarded by investor-owned utilities. With nearly 20% of Californians behind on their energy bills, this bill promotes transparency and empowers the Public Utilities Commission to enforce compliance and penalize utility companies that fail to pass on savings.
