Delaware County Review

State Representative Brian Lorenz (R-Powell) has introduced legislation to expand homestead exemptions for the surviving spouses of uniformed service members killed in the line of duty. The bill, known as House Bill 378 or the Gold Star Widow’s Bill, passed a House vote on Wednesday.

The Gold Star Widow’s Bill aims to extend a property tax exemption to Gold Star widows or widowers, individuals who have lost their spouses in the line of duty. “We ask a lot of our service members and first responders,” Lorenz stated. “What we don’t see are the sacrifices the families of our military service members and first responders make behind the scenes. While nothing can ease the pain of losing a loved one, reducing the burden from a property tax standpoint will help to ensure the widow does not have to worry about this significant cost of home ownership.”

The homestead exemption under this bill will exempt all taxes imposed on the surviving spouse’s homestead. Additionally, it expands eligibility from the standard household income threshold of $38,600 to $52,300 for surviving spouses.

This exemption will remain available until a surviving spouse dies, remarries, or cohabitates with another unrelated person.

The legislation has not yet been assigned a bill number or referred to a House committee.