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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2017 - 2018
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 14, 2016 12:55 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Neal P. Goodman |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Exempt Veterans’ Benefits from Income Calculations for PACE |
| In the near future, I will re-introduce a bill from last session (former HB 493) to exempt veterans’ benefits from counting as income when determining eligibility for the PACE and PACENET programs. This legislation passed the House last session 197-0 and is supported by the PA Department of Aging. A similar measure to exempt veterans’ benefits from income eligibility calculations for the Property Tax/Rent Rebate program recently became law under Act 117 of 2016. Through the years various benefits, such as service-connected disability payments and pensions, have been authorized by the Pennsylvania Legislature to thank and honor veterans for their service and sacrifice on behalf of our country. Unfortunately, these benefits sometimes result in disqualifying veterans for other state programs because they put them over the income eligibility limit. My legislation would eliminate this unintended consequence. Specifically, my bill would amend the State Lottery Law to exclude 100% of a veteran’s federal disability payment as well as 100% of state veterans’ benefit payments from the definition of income for the purpose of determining income eligibility for PACE or PACENET. Currently, the State Lottery Law requires these payments to be counted as income. Previous co-sponsors: BARRAR, BENNINGHOFF, BIZZARRO, BOBACK, BROWNLEE, CARROLL, DEASY, DeLUCA, FREEMAN, GIBBONS, GILLEN, A. HARRIS, JAMES, KINSEY, KORTZ, MACKENZIE, MATZIE, McNEILL, MURT, O'BRIEN, RAVENSTAHL, SABATINA, SAYLOR, SCHLOSSBERG, SCHWEYER, SIMS, SNYDER, TALLMAN, THOMAS, WATSON, YOUNGBLOOD and HEFFLEY |
Introduced as HB673