California Senate Bill 974
Session 20252026
Property taxation: change in ownership: generational transfers: special needs trusts.
Active
Passed Senate on Apr 23, 2026
Origin Chamber
Senate
Type
Bill
Bill Number
974
State
California
Session
20252026
Motion Text
Consent Calendar 2nd
Senate Roll Call Votes
Other
Yes
Yes
Other
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Other
Yes
Yes
Summary
The California Constitution limits the amount of ad valorem taxes on real property to 1% of the full cash value of that property, defined as the county assessor's valuation of real property as shown on the 1975–76 tax bill and, thereafter, the appraised value of the property when purchased, newly constructed, or a change in ownership occurs after the 1975 assessment, subject to an annual inflation adjustment not to exceed 2%. Existing property tax law, pursuant to specified provisions of the California Constitution, provides that the purchase or transfer of real property that is the principal residence or a family farm, as those terms are defined, of an eligible transferor in the case of a purchase or transfer between parents and their children, or between grandparents and their grandchildren if all the parents of that grandchild or those grandchildren are deceased as of the date of purchase or transfer, is not a "purchase" or "change in ownership" for purposes of determining the "full cash value" of property for taxation, as provided. Existing law defines "transfer" for these purposes to include, but not be limited to, any transfer of the present beneficial ownership of property from an eligible transferor to an eligible transferee through the medium of an inter vivos or testamentary trust.
Existing law authorizes the establishment of a special needs trust if a court makes specific determinations, including that the minor or person with a disability has a disability that substantially impairs the individual's ability to provide for their own care.
This bill would revise the definition of "transfer" for purposes of the above-described property tax law provisions to specify that an inter vivos or testamentary trust includes, but is not limited to, a special needs trust.
02/04/26 - Introduced
February 4, 2026
03/25/26 - Amended Senate
March 25, 2026
04/03/26- Senate Revenue and Taxation
April 3, 2026
04/21/26- Sen. Floor Analyses
April 21, 2026
Sort by most recent
04/23/2026
Assembly
In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
04/23/2026
Senate
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 37. Noes 0.) Ordered to the Assembly.
04/21/2026
Senate
Read second time. Ordered to consent calendar.
04/20/2026
Senate
From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8 and ordered to consent calendar.
04/10/2026
Senate
Set for hearing April 20.
04/09/2026
Senate
Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
04/09/2026
Senate
Withdrawn from committee.
04/08/2026
Senate
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on HEALTH with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (April 8). Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.
03/26/2026
Senate
Set for hearing April 8.
03/25/2026
Senate
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on REV. & TAX.
02/11/2026
Senate
Referred to Coms. on REV. & TAX. and HEALTH.
02/05/2026
Senate
From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 7.
02/04/2026
Senate
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
Sources
Record Created
Feb 5, 2026 8:25:07 AM
Record Updated
Apr 24, 2026 8:38:25 AM