SACRAMENTO – Legislation sponsored by George Runner to protect California’s disabled veterans has become law.
Senate Bill 1113,
authored by Senator Steve Knight (R-Antelope Valley), passed the
Legislature with unanimous, bipartisan support, and has been signed
by Governor Brown.
“This
new law will help those who bravely served our country,” said Runner.
“Bureaucratic delays will never again rob veterans of the tax benefits
that are rightfully theirs.”
Under
California law, veterans who receive a 100% disability rating from the
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) may be eligible for a property
tax exemption on the value
of their home up to $124,932 or $187,399 in 2014 and equivalent amounts
adjusted for inflation in future years. The exemption starts on the
date of disability and disabled veterans may claim a refund for up to
four years of back taxes paid.
Unfortunately,
due to VA backlogs, some veterans have had to wait more than four years
to receive their disability rating certifications. As a result, they’ve
missed out on
thousands of dollars in property tax refunds to which they were
entitled and anticipated receiving.
SB
1113 increases the availability of refunds on taxes previously paid
from four years to eight years, allowing veterans to receive the full
benefit of their exemption, even
if the rating process takes more than four years to complete.
“Veterans
who are disabled as a direct result of serving our country shouldn’t be
harmed by delays over which they have no control,” said Knight. “Now
disabled veterans who
encounter bureaucratic delays can still claim this key property tax
exemption to which they are entitled.”
The full Board of Equalization voted to support SB 1113 at its March 25 meeting, and the measure has also received support from the California Assessors’ Association, California
Taxpayers Association, Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and a broad coalition of veterans’ organizations.
Elected
in November 2010, George Runner represents more than nine million
Californians as a member of the State Board of Equalization. For more
information, visit
www.boe.ca.gov/Runner.