Provides a totally and permanently disabled veteran with a one hundred percent (100%) exemption from local taxation on real or personal property including real property located in any fire or lighting district.

Plain-English Summary

This bill would give veterans who are considered totally and permanently disabled a complete 100% exemption from local property taxes in Rhode Island. That means a qualifying veteran would pay nothing in local taxes on their home or other real property, as well as any personal property. Importantly, the exemption would also apply to property located within fire districts or lighting districts, which are special local taxing areas that sometimes operate separately from regular municipal taxes.

To benefit from this exemption, a veteran would need to meet the standard legal definition of "totally and permanently disabled," which is typically determined by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This would be a significant expansion of existing property tax relief for disabled veterans, potentially eliminating their entire local property tax bill rather than just reducing it by a partial amount.

This bill primarily affects disabled veterans who own property in Rhode Island, as well as the cities, towns, fire districts, and lighting districts that rely on property tax revenue. Local governments could see a reduction in tax revenue depending on how many qualifying veterans live in their communities. It is worth noting that this bill was withdrawn by its sponsor and had been recommended for further study by committee, meaning it did not advance into law at this time.