PRINTER'S NO. 1827
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1460
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY SCHLOSSBERG, CALTAGIRONE, CIRESI, FREEMAN, HILL-
EVANS, KENYATTA, KINSEY, KIRKLAND, MADDEN, MALAGARI,
MARKOSEK, McCLINTON, READSHAW, SCHWEYER, SOLOMON AND
YOUNGBLOOD, MAY 14, 2019
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, MAY 14, 2019
AN ACT
Amending Title 51 (Military Affairs) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in military educational programs,
further providing for limitations; in veterans' preference,
further providing for soldier defined; in veterans' pensions
and benefits, further providing for blind veteran's pension
and for amputee and paralyzed veteran's pension; in
educational gratuity program, further providing for
definitions; and, in disabled veterans' real estate tax
exemption, further providing for exemption.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Sections 3206(b)(2), 7101, 7701(a) and 7702(c) of
Title 51 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended
to read:
§ 3206. Limitations.
* * *
(b) Active duty.--
* * *
(2) For eligible members who were called or ordered to
active Federal service or active State duty under section 508
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(relating to active State duty for emergency) after September
11, 2001, the deadline for making grant payments shall be
extended for one additional month for each month or part of
month of such service after the member is discharged or
released under [honorable] other than dishonorable conditions
from the Pennsylvania National Guard.
* * *
§ 7101. Soldier defined.
As used in this chapter, "soldier" means a person who served
or hereafter serves in the armed forces of the United States, or
in any women's organization officially connected therewith,
during any war or armed conflict in which the United States
engaged and who was released from active duty under honorable
conditions, other than from periods of active duty for training,
or with an honorable discharge from such service, or a person
who so served or hereafter serves in the armed forces of the
United States, or in any women's organization officially
connected therewith, since July 27, 1953, including service in
Vietnam, and who [has an honorable discharge] was discharged or
released under conditions other than dishonorable from such
service. Qualifying periods of service during a war or armed
conflict, for purposes of this provision, will be designated by
the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.
§ 7701. Blind veteran's pension.
(a) Definition.--As used in this section the term "blind
veteran" shall mean any person who served in the military or
naval forces of the United States, or any woman's organization
officially connected therewith, at any time, and who gave the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as his or her place of residence
at the time of entering the military or naval forces of the
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United States, and who while performing duties connected with
such service suffered an injury or incurred a disease which
resulted in blindness to the extent that he or she has 3/60 or
10/200 or less normal vision. The term "blind veteran" shall not
include any person [separated] discharged or released from the
military or naval forces of the United States, or any woman's
organization officially connected therewith, under [other than
honorable] dishonorable conditions.
* * *
§ 7702. Amputee and paralyzed veteran's pension.
* * *
(c) Definition.--As used in this section the term "amputee
and paralyzed veteran" means any person who served in the
military or naval forces of the United States, or any woman's
organization officially connected therewith, and who gave this
Commonwealth as his or her place of residence at the time of
entering the military or naval forces of the United States and
who, while performing duties connected with such service,
suffered an injury or incurred a disease which resulted in the
loss or the permanent and severe or complete paralysis of two or
more limbs, being defined as having at least two limbs with a
40% disability compensation rating or higher in each limb as
determined and certified by the United States Department of
Veterans Affairs in accordance with 38 CFR Ch. 1 Pt. 4 (relating
to schedule for rating disabilities), or its successor. The term
does not include any person [separated] discharged or released
from the military or naval forces of the United States under
[other than honorable] dishonorable conditions.
Section 2. The definition of "eligible disabled or deceased
veteran" in section 8701 of Title 51 is amended to read:
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§ 8701. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
* * *
"Eligible disabled or deceased veteran." A person who served
in the military or naval forces of the United States, or a
women's organization officially connected therewith, who:
(1) was killed in action or died as a result of wounds
incurred during a period of war or armed conflict or as a
result of hostile fire or terrorist attack during peacetime
(as determined by the Department of Military Affairs);
(2) died in service during a period of war or armed
conflict;
(3) was [honorably] discharged or released under other
than dishonorable conditions from the military or naval
forces of the United States and certified by the United
States Veterans' Administration as a 100% disabled veteran as
a result of service during a period of war or armed conflict
or as a result of hostile fire or terrorist attack (as
determined by the Department of Military Affairs) during
peacetime; or
(4) was [honorably] discharged or released under other
than dishonorable conditions from the military or naval
forces of the United States and died as a result of a
service-connected disability (as certified by the United
States Veterans' Administration) incurred during a period of
war or armed conflict or as a result of peacetime hostile
fire or terrorist attack (as determined by the Department of
Military Affairs).
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* * *
Section 3. Section 8902(a)(1) of Title 51 is amended to
read:
§ 8902. Exemption.
(a) General rule.--Any resident of this Commonwealth shall
be exempt from the payment of all real estate taxes levied upon
any building, including the land upon which it stands, occupied
by that person as a principal dwelling, if all of the following
requirements are met:
(1) That person has been [honorably] discharged or
released under [honorable] other than dishonorable conditions
or circumstances from the armed forces of the United States
for service in any war or armed conflict in which this nation
was engaged.
* * *
Section 4. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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