Veteran's property tax exemption.

WORKING DRAFT
2006
STATE OF
WYOMING
06LSO-0366

HOUSE BILL
NO.
HB0163

Veteran's property tax exemption.

Sponsored by:
Representative(s) Anderson, R. and Brechtel and Senator(s) Sessions

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to taxation and revenue; amending the veterans' property tax exemption provisions as specified; amending the value of the exemption as specified; providing for residency requirements; providing for qualifying property; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of
Wyoming
:

Section 1.

W.S. 39
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13
‑
105(a)(intro), (i), (v), by creating a new paragraph (vii), (b), (c)(ii), (f), (h)(intro) and (ii) is amended to read:

39
‑
13
‑
105.

Exemptions; veterans.

(a)

The following persons who are bona fide
Wyoming
residents for at least three (3)
continuous
years at the time of claiming the exemption are entitled to receive the tax exemption provided by W.S. 39
‑
11
‑
105(a)(xxiv):

(i)

An honorably discharged veteran of the
Indian Wars, Spanish American War, Filipino insurrection, Boxer rebellion, Puerto Rico campaign or
First World War
, who served in the military service of the United States between April 6, 1917 and November 11, 1918
;

(v)

A widow
or widower
, during
her
widowhood
or widowerhood
, of any person qualifying under this subsection or who died while serving honorably during the war, conflict or period described in this section. The tax exemption shall be applied to property the title to which is held by the widow
or widower
or to property which is the subject of a trust created by or for the benefit of the widow
or widower
;

(vii)

A disabled veteran with a service connected disability as determined by a branch of the armed services or the
United States
veterans administration.

(b)

The exemption for veterans is limited to an annual exemption of
two thousand dollars ($2,000.00)
three thousand five hundred dollars ($3,500.00)
of assessed value and not to exceed a total tax benefit of
eight hundred dollars

($800.00)
five thousand dollars ($5,000.00)
except as hereafter provided. The
eight hundred dollar ($800.00)
five thousand dollar ($5,000.00)
limitation does not apply to qualified widows
or widowers
of
qualifying
veterans
nor veterans of the Spanish American War
under subsection (a) of this section
. Veterans who have received the entire
eight hundred dollar ($800.00)
five thousand dollar ($5,000.00)
exemption and who have a service connected disability certified by the veterans administration or a branch of the armed forces of the United States, or who have been granted individual unemployability status certified by the United States veterans administration, are entitled to additional annual tax exemptions not to exceed
two thousand dollars ($2,000.00)
three thousand five hundred dollars ($3,500.00)
of assessed value times the ratio which the percent of disability certified bears to one hundred percent (100%). Disability certified less than ten percent (10%) shall be treated
for purposes of this section
as a ten percent (10%) disability.

(c)

Except as provided in subsection (g) of this section, in order to receive the exemption provided by this section the claimant shall file an annual sworn claim therefor on or before the fourth Monday in May with the county assessor of the county in which the property against which the exemption is sought is located indicating:

(ii)

That only the claimant or
his
the claimant's
spouse owns the property or that the property is the subject of a trust created by or for the benefit of the claimant or
his
the claimant's
spouse;

(f)

As used in this section
:

(i)

"
H
onorably discharged veteran" means a member of the military forces of the United States whose written evidence of separation from the military forces shows an honorable discharge or the rendition of honorable military service
;
.

(ii)

"Property" means residential real property or a motor vehicle owned by the veteran or qualifying widow or widower.

(h)

A surviving spouse, during widowhood or
widower hood
widowerhood
, is qualified for the tax exemption under W.S. 39
‑
11
‑
105(a)(xxiv) and is entitled to apply for it under the same procedure specified in this section for veterans if:

(ii)

The veteran's spouse has been a resident of
Wyoming
for at least three (3)
continuous
years at the time the spouse claims the exemption; and

Section 2.

This act is effective January 1, 2007.

(END)

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HB0163