ADVOCACY

CSEA advocates for the rights of Enrolled Agents and taxpayers before all state and legislative and regulatory agencies. While the Society’s advocacy efforts are aimed at legislation and regulation that protect the rights of EAs to practice in California, we advocate for efficient and effective tax administration as well. We maintain strong, strategic relationships with the agencies that make decisions impacting Enrolled Agents and the tax industry such as:

  • Internal Revenue Service  (IRS)
  • Franchise Tax Board (FTB)
  • California Department of Tax & Fee Administration (CDTFA)
  • Board of Equalization (BOE)
  • Employment Development Department (EDD)
  • California Board of Accountancy (CBA)
  • California Tax Education Council (CTEC)

We have cultivated an effective presence in the State Capitol through:

  • Grassroots Lobbying
  • Annual Stern/Mulak Advocacy "Week"
  • STALM - State Tax Agency Liaison Meeting (annual)
  • FTB Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TBOR) Hearing

Want to know more about our advocacy efforts and successes?  
   
Check out the video by Jennifer Tannehill, our lobbyist from Aaron Read & Associates, on the Legislative Action Fund page of this website!

Your contributions to the Legislative Action Fund (LAF) help support all legislative activities. 

Grassroots Advocacy Town Hall - May 16, 2025 - 11:00 am via zoom

CSEA’s Tax Advocacy Committee (TAC) will be hosting a town hall to provide information about grassroots advacacy at 11:00 am PDT on Friday May 16, 2025. This will be a virtual town hall and all members are invited.  We will hear from Jennifer Tannehill, our lobbyist, about our recent successes in advocacy and will discuss organizing local district visits with your legislators the first week of November, 2025.     Join Zoom Here

The November Visits:
The November district visits are in-person meetings and we will start with a short orientation, followed by district visits, and a debriefing meeting to discuss the impact of the visits.

All the hard work will be done by TAC and our lobbyist, Jennifer Tannehill of Aaron Read, and Associates, so you can relax and enjoy your visit with your legislator and/or staff. Similar to our Stern/Mulak Advocacy Event in January, TAC will provide you with a leave-behind packet with all the information you need for your visit. This is a members only event. Appointments will be made for you and there will be an orientation via zoom for all participants.

To participate you will need to register, however there is no fee for participation. Once registered we will work with you on availability in order to set up your appointment with the district office. Registration will open later in the year. 

In the meantime, take a look at CSEA’s Grassroots Advocacy Guide . It’s short and full of the basics you’ll need to know. 

 
 

Legislative Platform - Position Statements 

Our Legislative Platform is established by Board-approved position statements that address a myriad of tax administration issues.  These issues provide the guidance for your Legislative Affairs Committee to apply as they review all newly introduced legislation, determine its relevancy, and assign a level of action to take, if any.  Levels of action include Support, Oppose, Neutral/No Action, or Watch.  The current approved position statements are provided below, or you can download a copy here:  Current Position Statements

  1. The California SocietoEnrolled Agents,consistent with thMission Statement othe Society, will striveto protect and enhance the interests othose Enrolled Agents engagein providing fundamental anprofessional tax basis accountinservices.

  2. The California Societof Enrolled Agents supports legislatioand regulatiothat promotes fair aneffectivtax policwhich reduces taxpayer burdeand opposes legislatioor regulatiowhich would in hibit or limit fair aneffectivtax policand increase taxpayer burden.

  3. The California Societof Enrolled Agentopposeconformity to tax reformthawould limit the ability tclaipersonal itemized deductions, deductiofoalimonpaid,or any similar proposal that would placan additional tax burden omanCalifornia taxpayers.

  4. The California Societof Enrolled Agents believethat California laanCalifornia Tax& Enforcement agencies oughto confortfederal laas irelateto payroll taanthdefinitioof employee vs. independent contractostatus.

  5. The California Societof Enrolled Agents supports and encourages the protectionotaxpayer rights per the Taxpayers Bill of Rights, as iwas intended by California law,anmaintaininthose samprotectioneven upothe disbandinor dissolutioof new tax administratioagencies, provided that all ofthe privileges anrights afforded tall practitioners governed by TreasurDepartmenCircular 230 remain in effect.

  6. The California Societof Enrolled Agents supportthconcept oconsolidated collectioof California taliabilities.

  7. The California Societof Enrolled Agents supportamnestfoCalifornia tax payers to cominto compliance with anCalifornia Codanopposes aninconsistent policies amonCalifornia tax and regulatoragencies tharestrict oconfountaxpayers’ ability to becomcompliant.

  8. The California SocietoEnrolled Agents supports legislatiooregulatiointended tcombat identity theft, data breaches, cyber-crimeand other scamagainst taxpayers, taxpreparers, and government agencies, provided that such regulatiodoes noinhibit Enrolled Agents froeffectively representintaxpayers.

  9. The California Societyof Enrolled Agentsupports legislatiooregulation which enhances thability of professional associationto servthinterests otheir members anopposes legislatioand regulatiowhich would inhibit or limit their abilities tservthinterestotheir members.

  10. The California Societof Enrolled Agentopposes sales/use taxeopersonal services.

  11. The California Societyof Enrolled Agentopposes personal incomtawithholdinon independent contractors.

  12. The California Societof Enrolled Agentopposetax agencies collecting any informatioother than tax information.

  13. The California Societof Enrolled Agentopposes any retroactivtax increases.

(Revised by the Board of Directors January 9, 2022).

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