PRIOR PASSAGE - NONE
PRINTER'S NO. 1383
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.1257
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY PROBST, McNEILL, MADDEN, GIRAL, SANCHEZ, SOLOMON,
HILL-EVANS, PIELLI, SAPPEY, NEILSON, HOHENSTEIN, DEASY,
KAZEEM, MENTZER, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, HADDOCK, SCOTT, D. WILLIAMS,
STEELE, GREEN, CONKLIN AND CIRESI, APRIL 17, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, APRIL 17, 2025
A JOINT RESOLUTION
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania, 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(c) of Article VIII be amended to read:
ยง 2. Exemptions and special provisions.
* * *
(c) [Citizens and residents of this Commonwealth, who 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
occupied by the said citizens and residents of this Commonwealth
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16 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. ] A veteran of the
United States Armed Forces, including a reserve component of the
United States Armed Forces, who has been rated by the United
State Department of Veterans Affairs or its successor as 100%
permanent and totally disabled or compensated at the 100%
disability rate through a Federal program that provides
compensation to veterans who are unable to work due to a
service-connected disability shall be exempt from payment of
real property taxes. A political subdivision may, by ordinance
or resolution, exempt a veteran with a disability rated or
compensated at any level below 100% from payment of any portion
of real property taxes. This subsection shall apply to the
unmarried surviving spouse upon the death of an eligible
veteran, as well as the unmarried surviving spouses of service
members who died in the line of duty, are taken as prisoners of
war or declared missing in action.
Section 2. The following procedure applies to the proposed
constitutional amendment in this joint resolution:
(1) Upon the first passage by the General Assembly of
the amendment, the Secretary of the Commonwealth shall
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30 proceed immediately to comply with the advertising
requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the Constitution
of Pennsylvania.
(2) Upon the second passage by the General Assembly of
the 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. The Secretary of the Commonwealth shall
submit the amendment to the qualified electors of this
Commonwealth at the first general or municipal election which
meets the requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the
Constitution of Pennsylvania.
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