Bill Text: NJ SCR129 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Proposes constitutional amendment permitting Gold Star families to receive veteran's property tax deduction.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-11-03 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee [SCR129 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2022-SCR129-Introduced.html

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SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 129

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

220th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED NOVEMBER 3, 2022

 

 

Sponsored by:

Senator  JEAN STANFIELD

District 8 (Atlantic, Burlington and Camden)

Senator  ANDREW ZWICKER

District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Proposes constitutional amendment permitting Gold Star families to receive veteran's property tax deduction.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

  

A Concurrent Resolution to amend Article VIII, Section I, paragraph 3 of the Constitution of New Jersey.

 

     Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey (the General Asssembly concurring):

 

     1.    The following proposed amendment to the Constitution of the State of New Jersey is agreed to:

 

PROPOSED AMENDMENT

 

     Amend Article VIII, Section I, paragraph 3 to read as follows:

     3.    Any citizen and resident of this State now or hereafter honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances from active service, in time of war or other emergency as, from time to time, defined by the Legislature, in any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States shall be entitled, annually to a deduction from the amount of any tax bill for taxes on real and personal property, or both, including taxes attributable to a residential unit held by a stockholder in a cooperative or mutual housing corporation, in the sum of $50 or if the amount of any such tax bill shall be less than $50, to a cancellation thereof, except that the deduction or cancellation shall be $100 in tax year 2000, $150 in tax year 2001, $200 in tax year 2002 and $250 in each tax year thereafter.  The deduction or cancellation shall not be altered or repealed.  Any person hereinabove described who has been or shall be declared by the United States Veterans Administration, or its successor, to have a service-connected disability, shall be entitled to such further deduction from taxation as from time to time may be provided by law. The surviving spouse of any citizen and resident of this State who has met or shall meet his or her death on active duty in time of war or of other emergency as so defined in any such service shall be entitled, during her widowhood or his widowerhood, as the case may be, and while a resident of this State, to the deduction or cancellation in this paragraph provided for honorably discharged veterans and to such further deduction as from time to time may be provided by law.  The surviving spouse of any citizen and resident of this State who has had or shall hereafter have active service in time of war or of other emergency as so defined in any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States and who died or shall die while on active duty in any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States, or who has been or may hereafter be honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances from active service in time of war or of other emergency as so defined in any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States shall be entitled, during her widowhood or his
widowerhood, as the case may be, and while a resident of this State, to the deduction or cancellation in this paragraph provided for honorably discharged veterans and to such further deductions as from time to time may be provided by law.  In addition to any other benefit authorized by this paragraph, the parent, brother, sister, child, legal guardian, or other legal custodian, residing in this State, whether of whole or half blood or by adoption, of a member of the armed services who died while on active duty for the United States or as a result of injuries sustained while on active duty for the United States shall be entitled to the deduction or cancellation established in this paragraph for honorably discharged veterans as from time to time may be provided by law. This deduction shall be limited to one per family, as provided by law.  Priority among family members eligible for the deduction shall be provided by law. 

 

     2.    When this proposed amendment to the Constitution is finally agreed to pursuant to Article IX, paragraph 1 of the Constitution, it shall be submitted to the people at the next general election occurring more than three months after the final agreement and shall be published at least once in at least one newspaper of each county designated by the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the General Assembly and the Secretary of State, not less than three months prior to the general election.

 

     3.    This proposed amendment to the Constitution shall be submitted to the people at that election in the following manner and form:

     There shall be printed on each official ballot to be used at the general election, the following:

     a.     In every municipality in which voting machines are not used, a legend which shall immediately precede the question as follows:

     If you favor the proposition printed below make a cross (X), plus (+), or check (a) in the square opposite the word "Yes." If you are opposed thereto make a cross (X), plus (+) or check (a) in the square opposite the word "No."

     b.    In every municipality the following question:

		CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO PERMIT VETERAN'S PROPERTY TAX DEDUCTION FOR A SURVIVING FAMILY MEMBER
	YES	Do you approve amending the Constitution to revise the veteran's property tax deduction program to include a family member of a deceased veteran?  The deduction would be available to the parent, brother, sister, child, legal guardian, or other legal custodian of a member of the armed services who died while on active duty for the United States, or as a result of injuries sustained while on active duty.  The deduction would be equal to those already authorized for certain veterans.  Only one new deduction would be allowed per family, as provided by law.  The deduction would be $250.
		INTERPRETIVE STATEMENT
	NO	This constitutional amendment would extend the veteran's property tax deduction to a family member of a deceased veteran.  The deduction would be available to the parent, brother, sister, child, legal guardian, or other legal custodian, of a member of the armed services who died while on active duty for the United States, or as a result of injuries sustained while on active duty for the United States.  The deduction would be equal to those already authorized for certain veterans.  One new deduction would be allowed per family.  The priority for the deduction among eligible family members would be established by law.  The deduction would be $250.  Unmarried surviving spouses of deceased veterans are already eligible for the benefit.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This constitutional amendment would extend the veteran's property tax deduction, currently $250 per year, to Gold Star families.  The deduction would be equal to those already authorized for honorably discharged wartime veterans.  A Gold Star Family in this context is the parent, brother, sister, child, legal guardian, or other legal custodian of a member of the armed services who died while on active duty for the United States.  Unmarried surviving spouses of such veterans are already eligible for the benefit. Under the amendment, only one deduction would be permitted per Gold Star Family, and the priority for the deduction among eligible family members would be established by law.