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                              PRIOR PASSAGE - NONE
                                                      PRINTER'S NO. 4040

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


HOUSE BILL

No. 2716 Session of 2002


        INTRODUCED BY TULLI, RYAN, ADOLPH, STERN, WOJNAROSKI, ALLEN,
           ARMSTRONG, M. BAKER, BARRAR, BASTIAN, BEBKO-JONES, BELFANTI,
           BROOKS, CALTAGIRONE, CAPPELLI, COLAFELLA, CORRIGAN, COSTA,
           COY, GABIG, GANNON, GEIST, GEORGE, GRUCELA, HARHAI, HARHART,
           HENNESSEY, HESS, HORSEY, HUTCHINSON, JAMES, KIRKLAND,
           LAUGHLIN, LESCOVITZ, MARKOSEK, McCALL, S. MILLER, PALLONE,
           PERZEL, PETRARCA, PHILLIPS, PIPPY, READSHAW, ROBERTS, ROSS,
           SCHRODER, SCHULER, SEMMEL, SHANER, E. Z. TAYLOR, TRAVAGLIO,
           WANSACZ, WASHINGTON, WILT, G. WRIGHT, YOUNGBLOOD AND
           YUDICHAK, JUNE 17, 2002

        REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON FINANCE, JUNE 17, 2002

                               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


     1  honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances
     2  from active service, shall be exempt from the payment of [all]
     3  real property taxes upon the residence occupied by the said
     4  citizens and residents of this Commonwealth imposed by the
     5  Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or any of its political
     6  subdivisions if, as a result of military service, they are
     7  blind, paraplegic or double or quadruple amputees or have a
     8  service-connected disability declared by the United States
     9  Veterans Administration or its successor to be a [total or 100%]
    10  permanent disability[, and if the State Veterans' Commission
    11  determines that such persons are in need of the tax exemptions
    12  granted herein]. The percentage of exemption from real property
    13  taxes shall be in direct proportion to the percentage of
    14  disability as determined by the United States Veterans
    15  Administration or its successor. This exemption shall be
    16  extended to the unmarried surviving spouse upon the death of an
    17  eligible veteran [provided that the State Veterans' Commission
    18  determines that such person is in need of the exemption].
    19     Section 2.  (a)  Upon the first passage by the General
    20  Assembly of this proposed constitutional amendment, the
    21  Secretary of the Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to
    22  comply with the advertising requirements of section 1 of Article
    23  XI of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the
    24  required advertisements to two newspapers in every county in
    25  which such newspapers are published in sufficient time after
    26  passage of this proposed constitutional amendment.
    27     (b)  Upon the second passage by the General Assembly of this
    28  proposed constitutional amendment, the Secretary of the
    29  Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to comply with the
    30  advertising requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the
    20020H2716B4040                  - 2 -

     1  Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the required
     2  advertisements to two newspapers in every county in which such
     3  newspapers are published in sufficient time after passage of
     4  this proposed constitutional amendment. The Secretary of the
     5  Commonwealth shall submit this proposed constitutional amendment
     6  to the qualified electors of this Commonwealth at the first
     7  primary, general or municipal election occurring at least three
     8  months after the proposed constitutional amendment is passed by
     9  the General Assembly.














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