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Senate Approves Clarified Income Test for VeteransProperty-Tax Exemption
Summary
Senate Bill 202 replaces the vague "received less than $30,000 from all sources" test with a federal adjusted gross income threshold to standardize eligibility for the veterans' property-tax exemption; the bill passed with strong support.
Senate Bill 202, a technical change to the veterans' property-tax exemption, was adopted and passed third reading on Feb. 21 with broad bipartisan support.
Senator Steiner told the chamber the bill replaces language in the statute that read "received less than $30,000 for the previous year from all sources" with a clearer test: "had a federal adjusted gross income, as defined by section 62 of the Internal Revenue Code, of less than $30,000 for the previous year." Steiner and other proponents said the change will create uniform administration across county assessors and avoid inconsistent interpretations that had led some veterans to lose benefits.
The revenue and taxation committee offered a favorable recommendation; the Senate adopted the committee report and passed SB202 on a roll-call third-reading vote recorded as 28 ayes and no nays with one member absent. Senators noted the amendment will reduce variability in county-level application of the exemption and better align eligibility with a defined federal tax measure.
Next steps: With the Senate passage, SB202 will proceed through the legislative enrollment process and, if enacted, will clarify county implementation of the veterans' property-tax exemption.
