ARTICLE 14. Emergency Food for Families Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund [18851. - 18855.]

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC 14.

in effect

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 18851. Section 18851.

(a) An individual may designate on the tax return that a contribution in excess of the tax liability, if any, be made to the Emergency Food for Families Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund, which is established by Section 18852. That designation is to be used as a voluntary checkoff on the tax return. (b) The contributions shall be in full dollar amounts and may be made individually by each signatory on a joint return. (c) A designation shall be made for any taxable year on the original return for that taxable year and once made is irrevocable. If payments and credits reported on the return, together with any other credits associated with the taxpayer’s account do not exceed the taxpayer’s liability, the return shall be treated as though no designation has been made. (d) The Franchise Tax Board shall revise the form of the return to include a space labeled the “Emergency Food for Families Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund” to allow for the designation permitted. 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 the contribution shall be used for the Emergency Food Assistance Program. (e) 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).

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 18852. Section 18852.

There is in the State Treasury the Emergency Food for Families Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund to receive contributions made pursuant to Section 18851. The Franchise Tax Board shall notify the Controller of both the amount of money paid by taxpayers in excess of their tax liability and the amount of refund money that taxpayers have designated pursuant to Section 18851 to be transferred to the Emergency Food for Families Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund. The Controller shall transfer from the Personal Income Tax Fund to the Emergency Food for Families Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund an amount not in excess of the sum of the amounts designated by individuals pursuant to Section 18851 for payment into that fund.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 18853. Section 18853.

(a) Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, all money transferred to the Emergency Food for Families Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund shall be continuously appropriated and allocated as follows: (1) To the Franchise Tax Board and the Controller for reimbursement of all costs incurred by the Franchise Tax Board and the Controller in connection with their duties under this article. (2) To the State Department of Social Services for allocation to the Emergency Food Assistance Program. Funds shall be allocated for direct services provided by the Emergency Food Assistance Program and may not be used for the department’s administrative costs. (b) The State Department of Social Services shall report on its Internet Web site the process for awarding money, the amount of money spent on administration, and an itemization of how program funds were awarded, including, but not limited to, information regarding recipients of funds.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 18854. Section 18854.

It is the intent of the Legislature that this article create an additional funding source for the Emergency Food Assistance Program and shall be used to supplement, not supplant, other funding sources for this program.

Cal. Revenue and Taxation Code - RTC § 18855. Section 18855.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (b), this article shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2026, and as of December 1 of that year is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2026, deletes or extends that date. (b) (1) By September 1, 2006, and by September 1 of each subsequent calendar year that the Emergency Food for Families Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund appears on a tax return, the Franchise Tax Board shall determine whether the amount of contributions estimated to be received during the calendar year will equal or exceed the minimum contribution amount for the calendar year as described in paragraph (3). The Franchise Tax Board shall estimate the amount of contributions to be received by using the actual amounts received and an estimate of the contributions that will be received by the end of that calendar year. (2) If the Franchise Tax Board determines that the amount of contributions estimated to be received during a calendar year will not at least equal the minimum contribution amount for the calendar year, this article shall be inoperative with respect to taxable years beginning on or after January 1 of that calendar year, and shall be repealed on December 1 of that year. (3) For purposes of this section, the minimum contribution amount for a calendar year means two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000). (c) Notwithstanding the repeal of this article, any contribution amounts designated pursuant to this article prior to its repeal shall continue to be transferred and disbursed in accordance with this article as in effect immediately prior to that repeal.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026