California Assembly Bill AB2656 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 2656AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 8, 2010 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member De Leon FEBRUARY 19, 2010 An act to  amend Section 18872 of the Revenue and Taxation   add Section 66014.7 to the Education  Code, relating to  taxation   postsecondary education  . LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2656, as amended, De Leon.  Personal income taxes: contributions.   Postsecondary education: contracts for academic research.   Existing law, the Donahoe Higher Education Act, sets forth the missions of the public and private segments of higher education in this state. Existing law, the State Contract Act, contains provisions that generally regulate the process through which state agencies enter into contracts for goods and services.   This bill would require that any research conducted by an administrator, faculty member, or staff member of a public or private postsecondary educational institution in this state be subject to internal institutional policies to ensure that the research has been peer reviewed and meets minimum standards and protocols. The bill would prohibit a state agency from entering into a contract for academic research without verifying that the contracting institution and the administrator, faculty member, or staff member conducting the research complies with the internal policies to ensure that adequate academic standards and protocols have been met.   Existing law requires persons who prepare tax returns, as specified, to inform their clients, in writing, that they may make a voluntary contribution to specified funds or programs as provided on the state income tax return and to give them an opportunity, in writing, to designate a contribution to one of the specified funds or programs, and makes legislative findings and declarations in that regard.   This bill would make a technical, nonsubstantive change in those legislative findings and declarations.  Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  no   yes  . State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:  SECTION 1.   Section 66014.7 is added to the   Education Code  , to read:   66014.7. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, any research conducted pursuant to a contract with the State of California by any administrator, faculty member, or staff member of a public or private postsecondary educational institution in this state shall be subject to internal institutional policies to ensure that the research has been peer reviewed and meets minimum academic standards and protocols, in accordance with Section 10109.3 of the Public Contract Code, prior to being released to the contracting agency. (b) A state agency shall not enter into a contract with a public or private postsecondary educational institution for academic research without first verifying that the contracting institution, and the administrator, faculty member, or staff member conducting the research, have complied with internal policies of the institution to ensure that adequate academic standards and protocols have been met in accordance with subdivision (a).   SECTION 1.   Section 18872 of the Revenue and Taxation Code is amended to read: 18872. The Legislature finds and declares that it is important to inform taxpayers of their ability to make voluntary contributions to certain funds or programs, as provided on the state income tax return. The Legislature further finds and declares that many taxpayers remain unaware of the voluntary contribution check-offs on the state income tax return. Therefore, it is the intent of the Legislature to encourage all persons who prepare state income tax returns to inform their clients in writing, prior to the completion of any tax return, that they may make a contribution to any voluntary contribution check-off on the state income tax return if they so choose.