Further Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Requirements, 2017
Sec. 2009
Duplication of benefits
(a)
In general— Section 312(b) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5155(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
“(4) Waiver of general prohibition
“(A) In general—The President may waive the general prohibition provided in subsection (a) upon request of a Governor on behalf of the State or on behalf of a person, business concern, or any other entity suffering losses as a result of a major disaster or emergency, if the President finds such waiver is in the public interest and will not result in waste, fraud, or abuse. In making this decision, the President may consider the following:
“(i) The recommendations of the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency made in consultation with the Federal agency or agencies administering the duplicative program.
“(ii) If a waiver is granted, the assistance to be funded is cost effective.
“(iii) Equity and good conscience.
“(iv) Other matters of public policy considered appropriate by the President.
“(B) Grant or denial of waiver—A request under subparagraph (A) shall be granted or denied not later than 45 days after submission of such request.
“(C) Prohibition on determination that loan is a duplication—Notwithstanding subsection (c), in carrying out subparagraph (A), the President may not determine that a loan is a duplication of assistance, provided that all Federal assistance is used toward a loss suffered as a result of the major disaster or emergency.”
(b)
Funding of a federally authorized water resources development project—
(1)
Eligible activities— Notwithstanding section 312 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5155) and its implementing regulations, assistance provided pursuant to section 404 of such Act may be used to fund activities authorized for construction within the scope of a federally authorized water resources development project of the Army Corps of Engineers if such activities are also eligible activities under such section.
(2)
Federal funding— All Federal funding provided under section 404 pursuant to this section shall be applied toward the Federal share of such project.
(3)
Non-Federal match— All non-Federal matching funds required under section 404 pursuant to this section shall be applied toward the non-Federal share of such project.
(4)
Total Federal share— Funding provided under section 404 pursuant to this section may not exceed the total Federal share for such project.
(5)
No effect— Nothing in this section shall—
(A)
affect the cost-share requirement of a hazard mitigation measure under section 404;
(B)
affect the eligibility criteria for a hazard mitigation measure under section 404;
(C)
affect the cost share requirements of a federally authorized water resources development project; and
(D)
affect the responsibilities of a non-Federal interest with respect to the project, including those related to the provision of lands, easements, rights-of-way, dredge material disposal areas, and necessary relocations.
(c)
added
Applicability— This section shall apply to each disaster and emergency declared pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) after January 1, 2016.
Sec. 2037
Additional mitigation activities
(a)
Hazard mitigation clarification— Section 404(a) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170c(a)) is amended by striking the first sentence and inserting the following: “The President may contribute up to 75 percent of the cost of hazard mitigation measures which the President has determined are cost effective and which substantially reduce the risk of, or increase resilience to, future damage, hardship, loss, or suffering in any area affected by a major disaster.”.
(b)
Eligible cost— Section 406(e)(1)(A) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 5172(e)(1)(A)) is amended—
(1)
in the matter preceding clause (i), by inserting after “section,” the following: “for disasters declared on or after August 1, 2017, or a disaster in which a cost estimate has not yet been finalized for a project,”;
(2)
in clause (i), by striking “and”;
(A)
by striking “codes, specifications, and standards” and inserting “the latest published editions of relevant consensus-based codes, specifications, and standards that incorporate the latest hazard-resistant designs and establish minimum acceptable criteria for the design, construction, and maintenance of residential structures and facilities that may be eligible for assistance under this Act for the purposes of protecting the health, safety, and general welfare of a facility’s users against disasters”;
(B)
by striking “applicable at the time at which the disaster occurred”; and
(C)
by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and
(4)
by adding at the end the following:
“(iii) in a manner that allows the facility to meet the definition of resilient developed pursuant to this subsection.”
(c)
Other eligible cost— Section 406(e)(1) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 5172(e)(1)) is further amended by inserting at the end the following:
“(C) Contributions—Contributions for the eligible cost made under this section may be provided on an actual cost basis or on cost-estimation procedures.”
(d)
New rules— Section 406(e) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 5172(e)) is further amended by adding at the end the following:
“(5) New rules
“(A) In general—Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this paragraph, the President, acting through the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, shall issue a final rulemaking that defines the terms resilient and resiliency for purposes of this subsection.
“(B) Interim guidance—Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this paragraph, the Administrator shall issue interim guidance to implement this subsection. Such interim guidance shall expire 18 months after the date of enactment of this paragraph or upon issuance of final regulations pursuant to subparagraph (A), whichever occurs first.
“(C) Guidance—Not later than 90 days after the date on which the Administrator issues the final rulemaking under this paragraph, the Administrator shall issue any necessary guidance related to the rulemaking.
“(D) Report—Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this paragraph, the Administrator shall submit to Congress a report summarizing the regulations and guidance issued pursuant to this paragraph.”
(e)
changed
Conforming amendment— Section 205(d)(2) of the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (Public Law 106–390) is amended by inserting “(C)” “(B)” after “except that paragraph (1)”.
Sec. 5002
Special disaster-related rules for use of retirement funds
added
(a)
added
Tax-Favored withdrawals from retirement plans—
(1)
added
In general— Section 72(t) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 shall not apply to any qualified wildfire distribution.
(2)
added
Aggregate dollar limitation—
(A)
added
In general— For purposes of this subsection, the aggregate amount of distributions received by an individual which may be treated as qualified wildfire distributions for any taxable year shall not exceed the excess (if any) of—
(ii)
added
the aggregate amounts treated as qualified wildfire distributions received by such individual for all prior taxable years.
(B)
added
Treatment of plan distributions— If a distribution to an individual would (without regard to subparagraph (A)) be a qualified wildfire distribution, a plan shall not be treated as violating any requirement of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 merely because the plan treats such distribution as a qualified wildfire distribution, unless the aggregate amount of such distributions from all plans maintained by the employer (and any member of any controlled group which includes the employer) to such individual exceeds $100,000.
(C)
added
Controlled group— For purposes of subparagraph (B), the term controlled group means any group treated as a single employer under subsection (b), (c), (m), or (o) of section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
(3)
added
Amount distributed may be repaid—
(A)
added
In general— Any individual who receives a qualified wildfire distribution may, at any time during the 3-year period beginning on the day after the date on which such distribution was received, make one or more contributions in an aggregate amount not to exceed the amount of such distribution to an eligible retirement plan of which such individual is a beneficiary and to which a rollover contribution of such distribution could be made under section 402(c), 403(a)(4), 403(b)(8), 408(d)(3), or 457(e)(16), of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as the case may be.
(B)
added
Treatment of repayments of distributions from eligible retirement plans other than IRAs— For purposes of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, if a contribution is made pursuant to subparagraph (A) with respect to a qualified wildfire distribution from an eligible retirement plan other than an individual retirement plan, then the taxpayer shall, to the extent of the amount of the contribution, be treated as having received the qualified wildfire distribution in an eligible rollover distribution (as defined in section 402(c)(4) of such Code) and as having transferred the amount to the eligible retirement plan in a direct trustee to trustee transfer within 60 days of the distribution.
(C)
added
Treatment of repayments for distributions from IRAs— For purposes of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, if a contribution is made pursuant to subparagraph (A) with respect to a qualified wildfire distribution from an individual retirement plan (as defined by section 7701(a)(37) of such Code), then, to the extent of the amount of the contribution, the qualified wildfire distribution shall be treated as a distribution described in section 408(d)(3) of such Code and as having been transferred to the eligible retirement plan in a direct trustee to trustee transfer within 60 days of the distribution.
(4)
added
Definitions— For purposes of this subsection—
(A)
added
Qualified wildfire distribution— Except as provided in paragraph (2), the term qualified wildfire distribution means any distribution from an eligible retirement plan made on or after October 8, 2017, and before January 1, 2019, to an individual whose principal place of abode on October 8, 2017, is located in the California wildfire disaster area and who has sustained an economic loss by reason of the wildfires to which the declaration of such area relates.
(B)
added
Eligible retirement plan— The term eligible retirement plan shall have the meaning given such term by section 402(c)(8)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
(5)
added
Income inclusion spread over 3-year period—
(A)
added
In general— In the case of any qualified wildfire distribution, unless the taxpayer elects not to have this paragraph apply for any taxable year, any amount required to be included in gross income for such taxable year shall be so included ratably over the 3-taxable-year period beginning with such taxable year.
(B)
added
Special rule— For purposes of subparagraph (A), rules similar to the rules of subparagraph (E) of section 408A(d)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 shall apply.
(A)
added
Exemption of distributions from trustee to trustee transfer and withholding rules— For purposes of sections 401(a)(31), 402(f), and 3405 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, qualified wildfire distributions shall not be treated as eligible rollover distributions.
(B)
added
Qualified wildfire distributions treated as meeting plan distribution requirements— For purposes the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, a qualified wildfire distribution shall be treated as meeting the requirements of sections 401(k)(2)(B)(i), 403(b)(7)(A)(ii), 403(b)(11), and 457(d)(1)(A) of such Code.
(b)
added
Recontributions of withdrawals for home purchases—
(1)
added
Recontributions—
(A)
added
In general— Any individual who received a qualified distribution may, during the period beginning on October 8, 2017, and ending on June 30, 2018, make one or more contributions in an aggregate amount not to exceed the amount of such qualified distribution to an eligible retirement plan (as defined in section 402(c)(8)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) of which such individual is a beneficiary and to which a rollover contribution of such distribution could be made under section 402(c), 403(a)(4), 403(b)(8), or 408(d)(3), of such Code, as the case may be.
(B)
added
Treatment of repayments— Rules similar to the rules of subparagraphs (B) and (C) of subsection (a)(3) shall apply for purposes of this subsection.
(2)
added
Qualified distribution— For purposes of this subsection, the term qualified distribution means any distribution—
(A)
added
described in section 401(k)(2)(B)(i)(IV), 403(b)(7)(A)(ii) (but only to the extent such distribution relates to financial hardship), 403(b)(11)(B), or 72(t)(2)(F), of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
(B)
added
received after March 31, 2017, and before January 15, 2018, and
(C)
added
which was to be used to purchase or construct a principal residence in the California wildfire disaster area but which was not so purchased or constructed on account of the wildfires to which the declaration of such area relates.
(c)
added
Loans from qualified plans—
(1)
added
Increase in limit on loans not treated as distributions— In the case of any loan from a qualified employer plan (as defined under section 72(p)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) to a qualified individual made during the period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and ending on December 31, 2018—
(A)
added
clause (i) of section 72(p)(2)(A) of such Code shall be applied by substituting “$100,000” for “$50,000”, and
(B)
added
clause (ii) of such section shall be applied by substituting “the present value of the nonforfeitable accrued benefit of the employee under the plan” for “one-half of the present value of the nonforfeitable accrued benefit of the employee under the plan”.
(2)
added
Delay of repayment— In the case of a qualified individual with an outstanding loan on or after October 8, 2017, from a qualified employer plan (as defined in section 72(p)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986)—
(A)
added
if the due date pursuant to subparagraph (B) or (C) of section 72(p)(2) of such Code for any repayment with respect to such loan occurs during the period beginning on October 8, 2017, and ending on December 31, 2018, such due date shall be delayed for 1 year,
(B)
added
any subsequent repayments with respect to any such loan shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the delay in the due date under paragraph (1) and any interest accruing during such delay, and
(C)
added
in determining the 5-year period and the term of a loan under subparagraph (B) or (C) of section 72(p)(2) of such Code, the period described in subparagraph (A) shall be disregarded.
(3)
added
Qualified individual— For purposes of this subsection, the term qualified individual means any individual whose principal place of abode on October 8, 2017, is located in the California wildfire disaster area and who has sustained an economic loss by reason of wildfires to which the declaration of such area relates.
(d)
added
Provisions relating to plan amendments—
(1)
added
In general— If this subsection applies to any amendment to any plan or annuity contract, such plan or contract shall be treated as being operated in accordance with the terms of the plan during the period described in paragraph (2)(B)(i).
(2)
added
Amendments to which subsection applies—
(A)
added
In general— This subsection shall apply to any amendment to any plan or annuity contract which is made—
(i)
added
pursuant to any provision of this section, or pursuant to any regulation issued by the Secretary or the Secretary of Labor under any provision of this section, and
(ii)
added
on or before the last day of the first plan year beginning on or after January 1, 2019, or such later date as the Secretary may prescribe.
(B)
added
Conditions— This subsection shall not apply to any amendment unless—
(i)
added
during the period—
(I)
added
beginning on the date that this section or the regulation described in subparagraph (A)(i) takes effect (or in the case of a plan or contract amendment not required by this section or such regulation, the effective date specified by the plan), and
(II)
added
ending on the date described in subparagraph (A)(ii) (or, if earlier, the date the plan or contract amendment is adopted),
(ii)
added
such plan or contract amendment applies retroactively for such period.
Sec. 5003
Employee retention credit for employers affected by California wildfires
added
(a)
added
In general— For purposes of section 38 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, in the case of an eligible employer, the California wildfire employee retention credit shall be treated as a credit listed in subsection (b) of such section. For purposes of this subsection, the California wildfire employee retention credit for any taxable year is an amount equal to 40 percent of the qualified wages with respect to each eligible employee of such employer for such taxable year. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the amount of qualified wages which may be taken into account with respect to any individual shall not exceed $6,000.
(b)
added
Definitions— For purposes of this section—
(1)
added
Eligible employer— The term eligible employer means any employer—
(A)
added
which conducted an active trade or business on October 8, 2017, in the California wildfire disaster zone, and
(B)
added
with respect to whom the trade or business described in subparagraph (A) is inoperable on any day after October 8, 2017, and before January 1, 2018, as a result of damage sustained by reason of the wildfires to which such declaration of such area relates.
(2)
added
Eligible employee— The term eligible employee means with respect to an eligible employer an employee whose principal place of employment on October 8, 2017, with such eligible employer was in the California wildfire disaster zone.
(3)
added
Qualified wages— The term qualified wages means wages (as defined in section 51(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, but without regard to section 3306(b)(2)(B) of such Code) paid or incurred by an eligible employer with respect to an eligible employee on any day after October 8, 2017, and before January 1, 2018, which occurs during the period—
(A)
added
beginning on the date on which the trade or business described in paragraph (1) first became inoperable at the principal place of employment of the employee immediately before the wildfires to which the declaration of the California wildfire disaster area relates, and
(B)
added
ending on the date on which such trade or business has resumed significant operations at such principal place of employment.
(c)
added
Certain rules To apply— For purposes of this section, rules similar to the rules of sections 51(i)(1), 52, and 280C(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, shall apply.
(d)
added
Employee not taken into account more than once— An employee shall not be treated as an eligible employee for purposes of this section for any period with respect to any employer if such employer is allowed a credit under section 51 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 with respect to such employee for such period.
Sec. 5004
Additional disaster-related tax relief provisions
added
(a)
added
Temporary suspension of limitations on charitable contributions—
(1)
added
In general— Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (2), subsection (b) of section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 shall not apply to qualified contributions and such contributions shall not be taken into account for purposes of applying subsections (b) and (d) of such section to other contributions.
(2)
added
Treatment of excess contributions— For purposes of section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986—
(A)
added
Individuals— In the case of an individual—
(i)
added
Limitation— Any qualified contribution shall be allowed only to the extent that the aggregate of such contributions does not exceed the excess of the taxpayer’s contribution base (as defined in subparagraph (G) of section 170(b)(1) of such Code) over the amount of all other charitable contributions allowed under section 170(b)(1) of such Code.
(ii)
added
Carryover— If the aggregate amount of qualified contributions made in the contribution year (within the meaning of section 170(d)(1) of such Code) exceeds the limitation of clause (i), such excess shall be added to the excess described in the portion of subparagraph (A) of such section which precedes clause (i) thereof for purposes of applying such section.
(B)
added
Corporations— In the case of a corporation—
(i)
added
Limitation— Any qualified contribution shall be allowed only to the extent that the aggregate of such contributions does not exceed the excess of the taxpayer’s taxable income (as determined under paragraph (2) of section 170(b) of such Code) over the amount of all other charitable contributions allowed under such paragraph.
(ii)
added
Carryover— Rules similar to the rules of subparagraph (A)(ii) shall apply for purposes of this subparagraph.
(3)
added
Exception to overall limitation on itemized deductions— So much of any deduction allowed under section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 as does not exceed the qualified contributions paid during the taxable year shall not be treated as an itemized deduction for purposes of section 68 of such Code.
(4)
added
Qualified contributions—
(A)
added
In general— For purposes of this subsection, the term qualified contribution means any charitable contribution (as defined in section 170(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) if—
(i)
added
such contribution—
(I)
added
is paid during the period beginning on October 8, 2017, and ending on December 31, 2017, in cash to an organization described in section 170(b)(1)(A) of such Code, and
(II)
added
is made for relief efforts in the California wildfire disaster area,
(ii)
added
the taxpayer obtains from such organization contemporaneous written acknowledgment (within the meaning of section 170(f)(8) of such Code) that such contribution was used (or is to be used) for relief efforts described in clause (i)(II), and
(iii)
added
the taxpayer has elected the application of this subsection with respect to such contribution.
(B)
added
Exception— Such term shall not include a contribution by a donor if the contribution is—
(i)
added
to an organization described in section 509(a)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or
(ii)
added
for the establishment of a new, or maintenance of an existing, donor advised fund (as defined in section 4966(d)(2) of such Code).
(C)
added
Application of election to partnerships and S corporations— In the case of a partnership or S corporation, the election under subparagraph (A)(iii) shall be made separately by each partner or shareholder.
(b)
added
Special rules for qualified disaster-Related personal casualty losses—
(1)
added
In general— If an individual has a net disaster loss for any taxable year—
(A)
added
the amount determined under section 165(h)(2)(A)(ii) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 shall be equal to the sum of—
(i)
added
such net disaster loss, and
(ii)
added
so much of the excess referred to in the matter preceding clause (i) of section 165(h)(2)(A) of such Code (reduced by the amount in clause (i) of this subparagraph) as exceeds 10 percent of the adjusted gross income of the individual,
(B)
added
section 165(h)(1) of such Code shall be applied by substituting “$500” for “$500 ($100 for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2009)”,
(C)
added
the standard deduction determined under section 63(c) of such Code shall be increased by the net disaster loss, and
(D)
added
section 56(b)(1)(E) of such Code shall not apply to so much of the standard deduction as is attributable to the increase under subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.
(2)
added
Net disaster loss— For purposes of this subsection, the term net disaster loss means the excess of qualified disaster-related personal casualty losses over personal casualty gains (as defined in section 165(h)(3)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986).
(3)
added
Qualified disaster-related personal casualty losses— For purposes of this subsection, the term qualified disaster-related personal casualty losses means losses described in section 165(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 which arise in the California wildfire disaster area on or after October 8, 2017, and which are attributable to the wildfires to which the declaration of such area relates.
(c)
added
Special rule for determining earned income—
(1)
added
In general— In the case of a qualified individual, if the earned income of the taxpayer for the taxable year which includes the applicable date is less than the earned income of the taxpayer for the preceding taxable year, the credits allowed under sections 24(d) and 32 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 may, at the election of the taxpayer, be determined by substituting—
(A)
added
such earned income for the preceding taxable year, for
(B)
added
such earned income for the taxable year which includes October 8, 2017.
(2)
added
Qualified individual— For purposes of this subsection, the term qualified individual means any individual whose principal place of abode on October 8, 2017, was located—
(A)
added
in the California wildfire disaster zone, or
(B)
added
in the California wildfire disaster area (but outside the California wildfire disaster zone) and such individual was displaced from such principal place of abode by reason of the wildfires to which the declaration of such area relates.
(3)
added
Earned income— For purposes of this subsection, the term earned income has the meaning given such term under section 32(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
(A)
added
Application to joint returns— For purposes of paragraph (1), in the case of a joint return for a taxable year which includes October 8, 2017—
(i)
added
such paragraph shall apply if either spouse is a qualified individual, and
(ii)
added
the earned income of the taxpayer for the preceding taxable year shall be the sum of the earned income of each spouse for such preceding taxable year.
(B)
added
Uniform application of election— Any election made under paragraph (1) shall apply with respect to both sections 24(d) and 32, of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
(C)
added
Errors treated as mathematical error— For purposes of section 6213 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, an incorrect use on a return of earned income pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be treated as a mathematical or clerical error.
(D)
added
No effect on determination of gross income, etc— Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 shall be applied without regard to any substitution under paragraph (1).