PRIOR PASSAGE - NONE
PRINTER'S NO. 2327
No. 1539 Session of 2008
INTRODUCED BY REGOLA, SCARNATI, BOSCOLA, BROWNE, BRUBAKER,
COSTA, ERICKSON, FOLMER, FONTANA, GREENLEAF, KASUNIC,
KITCHEN, LOGAN, ORIE, PIPPY, PUNT, RAFFERTY, TOMLINSON,
WASHINGTON, WAUGH, D. WHITE, M. WHITE AND WOZNIAK,
AUGUST 20, 2008
REFERRED TO FINANCE, AUGUST 20, 2008
A JOINT RESOLUTION
1 Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth
2 of Pennsylvania, further providing for persons with military
3 service-connected disabilities to receive property tax
4 exemptions.
5 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
6 hereby resolves as follows:
7 Section 1. The following amendment to the Constitution of
8 Pennsylvania is proposed in accordance with Article XI:
9 That section 2(c) of Article VIII be amended to read:
10 § 2. Exemptions and special provisions.
11 * * *
12 (c) Citizens and residents of this Commonwealth, who served
13 in [any war or armed conflict in which the United States was
14 engaged] the armed forces of the United States and were
15 honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances
16 from active service, shall be exempt from the payment of [all]
17 real property taxes upon the residence occupied by the said
1 citizens and residents of this Commonwealth imposed by the
2 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or any of its political
3 subdivisions if, as a result of military service, they are
4 blind, paraplegic or double or quadruple amputees or have a
5 service-connected disability declared by the United States
6 Veterans Administration or its successor to be a [total or 100%]
7 permanent disability[, and if the State Veterans' Commission
8 determines that such persons are in need of the tax exemptions
9 granted herein]. The percentage of exemption from real property
10 taxes shall be in direct proportion to the percentage of
11 disability as determined by the United States Department of
12 Veterans Affairs or its successor. This exemption shall be
13 extended to the unmarried surviving spouse upon the death of an
14 eligible veteran [provided that the State Veterans' Commission
15 determines that such person is in need of the exemption].
16 Section 2. (a) Upon the first passage by the General
17 Assembly of this proposed constitutional amendment, the
18 Secretary of the Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to
19 comply with the advertising requirements of section 1 of Article
20 XI of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the
21 required advertisements to two newspapers in every county in
22 which such newspapers are published in sufficient time after
23 passage of this proposed constitutional amendment.
24 (b) Upon the second passage by the General Assembly of this
25 proposed constitutional amendment, the Secretary of the
26 Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to comply with the
27 advertising requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the
28 Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the required
29 advertisements to two newspapers in every county in which such
30 newspapers are published in sufficient time after passage of
20080S1539B2327 - 2 -
1 this proposed constitutional amendment. The Secretary of the
2 Commonwealth shall submit this proposed constitutional amendment
3 to the qualified electors of this Commonwealth at the first
4 primary, general or municipal election occurring at least three
5 months after the proposed constitutional amendment is passed by
6 the General Assembly.
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