Committee advances bill extending veterans' homestead deduction to surviving spouses and partners
October 15, 2025 | Committee on Business and Economic Development, Committees, Legislative, District of Columbia
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The Committee on Business and Economic Development voted Wednesday to advance the Veteran Spouse Homestead Deduction Amendment Act of 2025, which would permit the surviving spouse or domestic partner of a deceased veteran to continue receiving the District’s Disabled Veterans Homestead Deduction.
Chair Kenan McDuffie moved to "draft the committee report in print with legal staff to make technical, editorial, and conforming changes," and the committee approved the motion by voice vote.
According to the committee presentation, current law terminates the deduction upon the veteran's death, which can leave surviving spouses responsible for the full property tax obligation. The introduced bill restructures the relevant code section (cited in the committee record as section 40‑7‑850A2 of the District of Columbia Official Code), clarifies the definition of eligible spouse, revises short and long titles to reflect that the measure amends a deduction rather than an exemption, and sets an applicability date of Oct. 1, 2025.
The transcript records the committee made technical and clarifying revisions to improve implementation and consistency with existing law; the committee did not record additional conditions or a roll-call tally in the meeting record.
The measure will proceed to committee report drafting and legal review as the next step recorded in the meeting transcript.
Chair Kenan McDuffie moved to "draft the committee report in print with legal staff to make technical, editorial, and conforming changes," and the committee approved the motion by voice vote.
According to the committee presentation, current law terminates the deduction upon the veteran's death, which can leave surviving spouses responsible for the full property tax obligation. The introduced bill restructures the relevant code section (cited in the committee record as section 40‑7‑850A2 of the District of Columbia Official Code), clarifies the definition of eligible spouse, revises short and long titles to reflect that the measure amends a deduction rather than an exemption, and sets an applicability date of Oct. 1, 2025.
The transcript records the committee made technical and clarifying revisions to improve implementation and consistency with existing law; the committee did not record additional conditions or a roll-call tally in the meeting record.
The measure will proceed to committee report drafting and legal review as the next step recorded in the meeting transcript.
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