LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Senate on Wednesday gave final approval to a bipartisan effort that would ensure the spouses of disabled veterans receive the property tax exemption afforded to disabled veterans and streamline the process to ensure those who are eligible receive the exemption.
“This is a simple, agreeable reform that makes the process easier, eliminates the need for repeated applications, and cuts burdensome government red tape,” said Sen. John Damoose, R-Harbor Springs. “Our nation’s veterans have done so much for us and to defend our way of life, providing this relief is a small gesture of our gratitude, and this process shouldn’t be an inefficient, complicated, convoluted ordeal — especially for those who returned home with a disability.
“The original law from 2013 recognized the sacrifice of disabled veterans and their families and had good intentions. These bills would simply clean things up and smooth out the process for everyone involved.”
The original law, Public Act 161 of 2013, granted a property tax exemption to 100% disabled veterans, unmarried surviving spouses and veterans who were determined to be unemployable by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Damoose’s legislation, Senate Bill 364, would join two other bills to ensure surviving spouses of disabled veterans are eligible for the exemption, even after their spouse has passed, and eliminate some of the burdensome hurdles to provide for a “one and done” application process for the exemption.
Under the legislation, a property tax exemption granted after Jan. 1, 2025, to the qualifying disabled veteran and the surviving spouse would remain in effect without the need to reapply and would stay in effect until it is rescinded by either the individual who was granted the exemption or until the exemption is denied by the assessor.
“I’ve had numerous conversations with veterans across my district about how this process could be improved and I believe these reforms address a number of those concerns,” Damoose said. “Senate passage takes these bills one step closer to a final product, and I hope we can get this legislation through the House and to the governor’s desk to sign into law.”
SBs 176, 330 and 364 will now go before the House of Representatives for further consideration.
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