Bill > HB1953

This bill proposes an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, further providing for exemptions and special provisions. The key provisions of the bill are: 1) It expands the eligibility criteria for a real property tax exemption for certain veterans and their surviving spouses. Previously, the exemption was limited to veterans who served in a war or armed conflict and were honorably discharged. The bill broadens this to include any member of the armed forces, including reserves and National Guard, who was discharged under conditions other than dishonorable, and who have a 100% permanent and total service-connected disability. 2) The exemption is now based on the economic circumstances of the eligible veteran or surviving spouse, as determined by the State Veterans' Commission, rather than just the disability status. 3) The bill also extends the exemption to the unmarried surviving spouses of members of the armed forces who died in the line of duty, without any residency requirements. 4) The bill outlines the process for advertising and submitting the proposed constitutional amendment to the voters of Pennsylvania for approval.