Legislature(2001 - 2002)

05/04/2001 05:22 PM Senate JUD

Audio Topic
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
            HB 121-QUALIFIED CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITIES                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MS. AMY ERICKSON, staff  to Representative Lisa Murkowski, explained                                                            
gift annuities  as contractual  agreements  whereby a donor  makes a                                                            
gift to a charity  in exchange for a guaranteed annual  income. This                                                            
benefits the  donor by allowing them  to not only make the  gift but                                                            
also to  receive a  partial tax-free  lifetime  income. It  benefits                                                            
charities as  a means of raising funds.  On average, the  charitable                                                            
deduction equals one-half the gift.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
HB 121 is modeled legislation  that has been adopted by more than 30                                                            
other states.  It defines charitable gift annuities  and states that                                                            
they  are  not  insurance.  It  also  sets  a  $300,000.00   minimum                                                            
unrestricted   cash  requirement  and  limits  the  opportunity   to                                                            
established  charities that have been  in operation for three  years                                                            
or more.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Number 565                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR THERRIAULT asked what would happen when the donor died.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MS. ERICKSON said all donors  would have to have named a beneficiary                                                            
to the  annuity and upon  the donor's death  they would receive  the                                                            
money.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MS. GLORIA GLOVER,  Chief Financial Examiner with  the Department of                                                            
Community  &  Economic   Development,  testified   that  the  Alaska                                                            
Division  of Insurance supports  the legislation.  Although  current                                                            
Alaska statute  does not  address this type  of annuity separately,                                                             
gift annuities  sold  by charities  meeting certain  conditions  are                                                            
exempt from insurance regulation.  Charities must give notice to the                                                            
donor as well  as the Division of Insurance when they  begin issuing                                                            
these types of  contracts. Alaska Division of Insurance  provides no                                                            
information  about  the  solvency  or  the  product  but  there  are                                                            
penalties for not issuing the required notices.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MR.  DAVID  G. SHAFTEL,  Alaska  Community  Foundation  (ACF)  board                                                            
member,  expressed general  support  for the bill  but outlined  one                                                            
concern. They are a relatively  new non-profit foundation whose main                                                            
focus  is to  support and  implement  charitable  giving in  Alaska.                                                            
Although they are endowed  for over one million dollars, they do not                                                            
have  $300,000.00 in  unrestricted  cash and  this  would make  them                                                            
ineligible to initiate a charitable gift annuity program.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
He asked that  the committee add a  subsection that would  allow one                                                            
charitable institution  to guarantee annuity programs established by                                                            
another  charitable   institution  such  as  the  Alaska   Community                                                            
Foundation.  With that alternative,  ACF and  other new non-profits                                                             
could establish  a program  while also providing  the security  that                                                            
the Act requires.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN  TAYLOR asked whether  he had  specific language  available                                                            
for the amendment.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Shaftel said he and  Gloria Glover had discussed and agreed upon                                                            
specific  language   and  Ms.  Erickson   should  have  it   in  her                                                            
possession.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN TAYLOR said his  staff would provide members with copies of                                                            
the proposed  changes and  the committee would  return to the  issue                                                            
after other testimony.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MR.  JON CALDER,  testified  in  support  of HB  121.  He wanted  to                                                            
clarify that when  a donor takes out a gift annuity  they are paid a                                                            
lifetime  income by the charity  with which  they took out  the gift                                                            
annuity.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  THERRIAULT referred  to supporting  literature in  the bill                                                            
packet that stated  that, "In addition you will receive  certain tax                                                            
advantages  which make your gift even  more valuable." He  wanted to                                                            
know how  the tax advantages  of the gift  accrue to the  individual                                                            
donor.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MR. CALDER  explained that  when a person  takes out a gift  annuity                                                            
they get several benefits.  The donor receives the benefit of giving                                                            
the gift and a tax deduction  for the charitable portion of the gift                                                            
annuity. A  gift annuity is a legal  contract that is part  gift and                                                            
part return  of principal so some  of the money returned  every year                                                            
is tax-free. There is also  the charitable deduction in the year the                                                            
gift is made or it may be spread over five years.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR THERRIAULT  asked whether  the programs  could be set  up to                                                            
benefit any group or cause.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MR.  CALDER  responded  that  charities   have  been  offering  gift                                                            
annuities for  close to 90 years and  typically a donor takes  out a                                                            
gift annuity with a charity that they believe in or support.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  THERRIAULT   asked  if  his   definition  of  charity   was                                                            
501(c)(3).                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MR. CALDER said that was correct.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR THERRIAULT asked if it was only 501(c)(3) non-profits.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MR. CALDER  said USC  170(c) is also  listed in  the bill under  the                                                            
definition of  charitable contribution but normally  the bill is for                                                            
501 (c) that  "we normally think of  as a charitable organization."                                                             
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR THERRIAULT said  there are 501(c)(3)s that are not political                                                            
and 501(c)(4)s that are political.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MR. CALDER  said that is  correct and "the  one this actually  again                                                            
this applies to  the 501(n-5) and then also 514(c)  5. So you have a                                                            
couple of them there."                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR THERRIAULT  responded, "I'm  not sure if we're gathering  up                                                            
money with governmental support and pouring it into politics."                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MR.  CALDER said  the qualified  charitable  gift  annuity means  an                                                            
annuity  as described  in  the code  as a  501 (n-5)  and a  514(c).                                                            
Normally a  gift annuity is for a  charitable organization  and they                                                            
are normally 501 (c).                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR THERRIAULT said, "(c) (3) or (c) (4)?"                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MR. CALDER replied, "(c)(3)"                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN TAYLOR  pointed out that 501 (c)(3) is provided  on page 3,                                                            
at line 23 and  501(m)(5) is listed at line 25 and  514 (c)(5) is on                                                            
that  same  line and  170  (c) is  on  line 22.  He  shares  Senator                                                            
Therriault's concern.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
He noted that  Mr. Shaftel's amendment was before  them and he asked                                                            
whether Representative Murkowski had any objection.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
MS ERICKSON  stated she had no objection  but her preference  is the                                                            
model act.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN TAYLOR  moved the amendment as amendment  1 for the purpose                                                            
of discussion.  On  page 4,  after "years."  on line  1, remove  the                                                            
period and  add: "; or (C) a guarantee  that the obligations  of the                                                            
annuity  contract will  be  met by  a charitable  organization  that                                                            
meets the requirements of (A) and (B)."                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Number 1323                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR COWDERY  expressed confusion about a charitable  institution                                                            
sponsoring the  required $300,000 in unrestricted  funds. Could they                                                            
sponsor more than once with the same $300,000?                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MR. SHAFTEL responded  that a public charity would  be very cautious                                                            
about   providing  this   type  of   guarantee   because  they   are                                                            
underwriting   the  annuity  program.  He  agreed   that  using  the                                                            
unrestricted  $300,000  more that  once was  a concern  and  perhaps                                                            
there should be additional language to tighten the area.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Number 1480                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  THERRIAULT   referred  to  the  definition   of  charitable                                                            
organization  on page 3, line 20 and  said "person" can be  a living                                                            
breathing  or a  corporation.  On  line 22  he wondered  whether  "a                                                            
person" meant  "a living breathing  person who this gift  was set up                                                            
to benefit?"                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR TAYLOR responded that it did.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR THERRIAULT then  referred to (b) and confirmed that the only                                                            
group that  is allowed for the programs  to be set up to  benefit is                                                            
(c) (3)s.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN  TAYLOR  responded  affirmatively   allaying  the  concerns                                                            
expressed by Senator Therriault.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR TAYLOR  asked whether there  was objection to amendment  one                                                            
and there was none.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Amendment 1 passed with no objection.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  COWDERY  moved  SCS  CSHB  121(JUD)   from  committee  with                                                            
accompanying fiscal notes and individual recommendations.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
There being no objection, the bill moved from committee.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                

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