Senate Bill 335

     "[NEW MATERIAL] CREDIT--FOSTER PARENT AND GUARDIAN INCOME TAX CREDIT.--

          A. A taxpayer who is a resident, who is not a dependent of another individual and who is a foster parent or a guardian of a child may claim a credit against the taxpayer's tax liability imposed pursuant to the Income Tax Act. The credit authorized pursuant to this section may be referred to as the "foster parent and guardian income tax credit".

          B. The amount of the tax credit shall be in an amount equal to five hundred dollars ($500) for each month the taxpayer is a foster parent or guardian of a child in the taxable year in which the tax credit is claimed; provided that the taxpayer shall be a foster parent or guardian for more than fifty percent of that month; and provided further that the maximum amount of credit that may be claimed by a taxpayer in a taxable year is six thousand dollars ($6,000).

          C. A taxpayer shall apply for certification of eligibility for the tax credit from the children, youth and families department on forms and in the manner prescribed by that department. Except as provided in Subsection E of this section, only one tax credit shall be certified per taxpayer per taxable year. If the children, youth and families department determines that the taxpayer meets the requirements of this section, that department shall issue a dated certificate of eligibility to the taxpayer providing the amount of tax credit for which the taxpayer is eligible and the taxable years in which the credit may be claimed. The children, youth and families department shall provide the department with the certificates of eligibility issued pursuant to this subsection in an electronic format at regularly agreed upon intervals.

          D. That portion of the tax credit that exceeds a taxpayer's income tax liability in the taxable year in which the credit is claimed shall be refunded to the taxpayer.

          E. Married individuals filing separate returns for a taxable year for which they could have filed a joint return may each claim only one-half of the tax credit that would have been claimed on a joint return.

          F. A taxpayer allowed to claim a tax credit pursuant to this section shall claim the tax credit in a manner required by the department. The credit shall be claimed within one taxable year of the end of the year in which the children, youth and families department certifies the credit.

          G. The credit provided by this section shall be included in the tax expenditure budget pursuant to Section 7-1-84 NMSA 1978, including the total annual aggregate cost of the credit.

          H. As used in this section:

                (1) "child" means an unemancipated individual who has not reached eighteen years of age;

                (2) "foster parent" means a person licensed or certified by the children, youth and families department or a child placement agency to provide care for children in the custody of the department or agency; and

                (3) "guardian" means a person appointed as a guardian by a court or an Indian tribal authority pursuant to the Kinship Guardianship Act, but does not include a person appointed as a guardian ad litem."