California AB 386

(1) The Personal Income Tax Law and the Corporation Tax Law allow various credits against the taxes imposed by those laws. This bill, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2027, and before January 1, 2032, would allow a credit against those taxes to a qualified taxpayer for student loan payments, as defined, made by the qualified taxpayer on behalf of a qualified full-time employee, as defined, not to exceed $3,000 per employee during the taxable year. The bill would define qualified taxpayer for this purpose to mean a taxpayer whose employees do not perform jobs described by specified federal law. The bill would limit the aggregate amount of credits allocated to $25,000,000 per year, and would require the Franchise Tax Board, in coordination with the Student Aid Commission, to allocate the credit through tentative credit reservations, as described. (2) The Personal Income Tax Law, in modified conformity with federal income tax law, generally defines "gross income" as income from whatever source derived, except as specifically excluded, and provides various exclusions from gross income. This bill, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2027, and before January 1, 2032, would provide an exclusion from gross income for student loan payments made by a qualifying employer, as defined, on behalf of a qualified taxpayer, as defined, that is a full-time employee. (3) Existing law requires a bill authorizing a new tax expenditure to contain, among other things, specific goals the tax expenditure will achieve, detailed performance indicators, and data collection requirements. This bill would include additional information required for any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure. (4) This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.