Skip to main content

AHF: Gov. Brown Signs Thrift Store Sales Tax Bill (SB 1484)

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the operator of a chain of fund- and awareness-raising thrift stores known as ‘Out of the Closet,’ today thanks Governor Brown for signing SB 1484, a bill which renews, “… a sales tax exemption for retail items sold by thrift stores operated by nonprofit organizations, if the purpose of that thrift store is to obtain funding for medical, hospice or social services provided to individuals with HIV or AIDS by the nonprofit organization, as provided.” The law would otherwise ‘sunset’ or have been automatically repealed January 1, 2019.

AHF also thanks State Senator Ed Hernandez (D, West Covina) for authoring SB 1484 and Fiona Ma, Vice Chair of the California Board of Equalization, who cosponsored the legislation with AHF.

“Since our founding in 1987, AHF has been committed to providing care and services for people with HIV or AIDS regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay. The longstanding sales tax exemption for AHF’s ‘Out of the Closet’ thrift stores has helped us honor that commitment. SB 1484 simply allows for the continuation of that exemption, allowing AHF and other similar thrift stores to provide another ten years of quality HIV/AIDS care for low-income Californians,” said Michael Weinstein, President of AHF. “We thank the Governor for signing SB 1484 into law, Senator Hernandez for introducing and carrying this bill and Fiona Ma for cosponsoring this legislation.”

“I couldn’t stand idly by while vulnerable constituents lost access to essential medical care. I sponsored SB 1484 to help improve the quality of life for those living with HIV/AIDS and to help them get the care they need to survive. I thank the Governor for signing SB 1484, to sustain revenue so individuals can receive life impacting treatment,” said Fiona Ma, CPA, Vice Chair of the California State Board of Equalization representing the 2nd district, which covers 23 counties in California and a population of approximately 9.5 million people. Ma, a member of the Board since 2015, previously served in the State Assembly (2006-2012) and on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors (2002-2006).

AHF currently operates 19 ‘Out of the Closet’ thrift stores in California and six other states. Many of the stores also offer free, rapid HIV testing, with linkage to care provided for those individuals testing positive.

About AHF

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is the largest non-profit HIV/AIDS healthcare provider in the USA. AHF currently provides medical care and/or services to over 988,000 individuals in 41 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, Eastern Europe, and Asia. For more information, visit www.aidshealth.org, find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/aidshealth and follow us on Twitter: @AIDSHealthcare

Contacts:

AIDS Healthcare Foundation
Ged Kenslea, Senior Director, Communications
+1.323.308.1833 work
+1.323.791.5526 cell
gedk@aidshealth.org
or
Marin Austin, Director of Communications
+1.323.308.1821 x 1853 work
+1.323.333.7754 mobile
marin.austin@aidshealth.org

Data & News supplied by www.cloudquote.io
Stock quotes supplied by Barchart
Quotes delayed at least 20 minutes.
By accessing this page, you agree to the following
Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.