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October 10, 2011
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William Leiter (916) 651-4011 .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
SIMITIAN LEGISLATION PRESERVES FUNDING FOR
CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AND ENDANGERED SPECIES
SACRAMENTO – Legislation that will let California citizens continue making voluntary donations to two worthwhile causes when filing their personal income tax returns was signed by Governor Jerry Brown.
Senate Bill 164, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), reauthorizes the State Children’s Trust Fund for the Prevention of Child Abuse and the Rare and Endangered Species Preservation Program until January 1, 2018. Absent Simitian’s legislation, these two popular and successful programs would have expired at the end of the coming year.
“The Children’s Trust Fund and the Endangered Species Program have been a win-win,” Simitian noted. “They fund valuable programs for the State at a time when State funds are particularly scarce. The funds provide critical services in high priority arenas, and provide the public with a carefully tailored opportunity for voluntary giving to the programs of their choice, all at no cost to the taxpayers.”
“These two funds have consistently received some of the largest contributions of any voluntary contribution fund,” said Simitian. “It is clear that they are popular funds that support causes deemed worthy by California taxpayers.” The Franchise Tax Board reports that in calendar year 2010, the Endangered Species Program received $578,215 in contributions, while the Children’s Trust Fund received $448,081.
Contributions to the Preservation Program are allocated to the Department of Fish & Game for various programs for endangered and rare animals and plants. Contributions to the Children’s Trust Fund are allocated to the Department of Social Services for innovative child abuse and neglect prevention and intervention programs.
One of the supporters of the legislation was the Child Abuse Prevention (CAP) Center in Sacramento.
“While the CAP Center continues to advocate for investment in services needed to deal with the underlying factors that cause child abuse and neglect, budget constraints continue to limit innovative prevention and early intervention practices that organizations like ours offer,” said Sheila Boxley, president and CEO of the center. “The CAP Center applauds those who would utilize this contribution option to help provide the critical resources needed to help end the incidence of child abuse and neglect in California.”
Senate Bill 164 received broad bipartisan support in the Legislature, and there was no formal opposition to the bill. The bill’s supporters included the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, The Nature Conservancy, Defenders of Wildlife, Children Now, and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees.
To learn more about SB 164, visit http://www.senatorsimitian.com/legislation.