Regular Session 2017-2018 House Bill 0697 P.N. 2152

PRIOR PASSAGE - NONE

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 748

PRINTER'S NO. 2152

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

No.

697

Session of

2017

INTRODUCED BY SAINATO, BARRAR, DONATUCCI, MURT, LONGIETTI, RAPP,

BURNS, KORTZ, DRISCOLL, SCHWEYER, READSHAW AND GILLEN,

MARCH 3, 2017

AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY

PREPAREDNESS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED,

JUNE 26, 2017

A JOINT RESOLUTION

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth

of Pennsylvania, in taxation and finance, further providing

for exemptions and special provisions.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby resolves as follows:

Section 1. The following amendment to the Constitution of

Pennsylvania is proposed in accordance with Article XI:

That section 2 2(C) of Article VIII be amended by adding a

subsection to read:

§ 2. Exemptions and special provisions.

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SERVED IN ANY WAR OR ARMED CONFLICT IN WHICH THE UNITED STATES

WAS ENGAGED AND WERE HONORABLY DISCHARGED OR RELEASED UNDER

HONORABLE CIRCUMSTANCES FROM ACTIVE SERVICE, SHALL BE EXEMPT

FROM THE PAYMENT OF ALL REAL PROPERTY TAXES UPON THE RESIDENCE

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OCCUPIED BY THE SAID CITIZENS AND RESIDENTS OF THIS COMMONWEALTH

IMPOSED BY THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA OR ANY OF ITS

POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS IF, AS A RESULT OF MILITARY SERVICE, THEY

ARE BLIND, PARAPLEGIC OR DOUBLE OR QUADRUPLE AMPUTEES OR HAVE A

SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITY DECLARED BY THE UNITED STATES

VETERANS ADMINISTRATION OR ITS SUCCESSOR TO BE A TOTAL OR 100%

PERMANENT DISABILITY, AND IF THE STATE VETERANS' COMMISSION

DETERMINES THAT SUCH PERSONS ARE IN NEED OF THE TAX EXEMPTIONS

GRANTED HEREIN. THIS EXEMPTION SHALL BE EXTENDED TO THE

UNMARRIED SURVIVING SPOUSE UPON THE DEATH OF AN ELIGIBLE VETERAN

PROVIDED THAT THE STATE VETERANS' COMMISSION DETERMINES THAT

SUCH PERSON IS IN NEED OF THE EXEMPTION.

(d) (II) The surviving spouse of any member of the armed

forces of the United States who was killed in action IN ANY WAR

OR ARMED CONFLICT as determined by the United States Department

of Defense, or who died as a result of injuries received while

in active service IN ANY WAR OR ARMED CONFLICT , shall be exempt

from the payment of all real property taxes on the surviving

spouse's primary place of residence, without any restriction on

the spouse's relocating to another primary place of residence

and without any requirement that the spouse reside in this

Commonwealth at the time of death of the member of the armed

forces. The exemption shall cease if the surviving spouse

remarries and shall not be claimed thereafter.

SECTION 2. THE ADDITION OF SECTION 2(C)(II) OF ARTICLE VIII

OF THE CONSTITUTION OF PENNSYLVANIA SHALL APPLY TO THE SURVIVING

SPOUSE OF ANY MEMBER OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES

WHO, ON OR AFTER THE RATIFICATION OF THIS CONSTITUTIONAL

AMENDMENT BY THE ELECTORS OF THIS COMMONWEALTH:

(1) WAS KILLED IN ACTION IN ANY WAR OR ARMED CONFLICT AS

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DETERMINED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE; OR

(2) DIED AS A RESULT OF INJURIES RECEIVED WHILE IN

ACTIVE SERVICE IN ANY WAR OR ARMED CONFLICT.

Section 2 3. (a) Upon the first passage by the General

Assembly of this proposed constitutional amendment, the

Secretary of the Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to

comply with the advertising requirements of section 1 of Article

XI of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the

required advertisements to two newspapers in every county in

which such newspapers are published in sufficient time after

passage of this proposed constitutional amendment.

(b) Upon the second passage by the General Assembly of this

proposed constitutional amendment, the Secretary of the

Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to comply with the

advertising requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the

Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the required

advertisements to two newspapers in every county in which such

newspapers are published in sufficient time after passage of

this proposed constitutional amendment. The Secretary of the

Commonwealth shall submit this proposed constitutional amendment

to the qualified electors of this Commonwealth at the first

primary, general or municipal election which meets the

requirements of and is in conformance with section 1 of Article

XI of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and which occurs at least

three months after the proposed constitutional amendment is

passed by the General Assembly.

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