Bill > S3114

Introduced Session

This bill provides an annual exemption under the New Jersey gross income tax, in the amount of $3,000, to a taxpayer who is the surviving spouse of a qualifying veteran of active duty military service. Under current law, a taxpayer who is a veteran honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances from active duty in the United States Armed Forces or a reserve component thereof, or the National Guard of New Jersey in a federal active duty status, may be eligible to receive a gross income tax exemption in the amount of $3,000 for each taxable year in which the veteran qualifies. This bill extends this veterans' exemption to the surviving spouse of a veteran who has: (1) died while on active duty; (2) was honorably discharged from active duty; or (3) was released from active duty under honorable circumstances. If a surviving spouse remarries, he or she becomes no longer eligible to receive the exemption. The following terms are defined elsewhere in the statutes and are incorporated by reference: "active duty" means duty in the active military service; and "armed forces" means the land, air, and sea forces established by State or federal laws, as applicable. This bill extends the veterans' gross income tax exemption to surviving spouses in order to acknowledge the burdens borne by the widows and widowers of our veterans. Tax relief of this nature is a means to further boost the economic security of those individuals who sacrificed to safeguard our security and freedom.

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Patrick Diegnan (D)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee (on 05/01/2017)