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House moves to clarify disabled veterans property tax exemption; bill would limit repeated VA letter requests
Summary
Representative Cooper introduced a bill to require only a one-time Department of Veterans Affairs verification for 100% permanent and total disability property tax exemptions, to ease burdens on veterans and county collectors.
House moves to clarify disabled veterans property tax exemption; bill would limit repeated VA letter requests
Representative Matthew Cooper presented House Bill 10-72 on March 20, 2025, proposing that a Department of Veterans Affairs letter verifying 100% total and permanent disability need be submitted only once to county tax collectors to establish eligibility for a homestead and personal property tax exemption.
Why it matters: Collectors currently vary in practice — some require annual re-submission of VA verification letters — which sponsors said imposes a recurring burden on veterans who are unlikely to lose a permanent disability designation. The bill seeks statutory clarity to make one submission sufficient, while preserving a process (and criminal penalty) if a person later ceases to qualify.
Details and floor exchange: Cooper cited Arkansas Code 26-3-306 and read a 2010 Attorney General opinion that found a strong textual argument for a one-time verification but said judicial or legislative clarification would be warranted. Cooper said the bill would require the verification letter be submitted only once and would require a taxpayer to notify the county collector if they no longer qualify (for example, if a VA determination changes). In response to questions from Representative Brown and Representative Steimel, Cooper said notarized statements from surviving spouses and notification if a veteran dies or remarries remain part of enforcement; he also noted existing criminal penalties for improperly claiming the exemption and that counties can pursue penalties and back taxes if an exemption was claimed fraudulently.
Sponsor quote: “We owe it to our disabled veterans to help ease this burden. They paid so much to ask for so little,” Representative Matthew Cooper said on the floor.
Ending: The bill sponsor said he and Senate sponsors plan to work with county collectors on remaining concerns and called for a favorable vote. (Vote tally not specified in the public floor transcript excerpt.)
