relative to local property tax exemptions for veterans with a 100 percent disability rating.

HB 1659 creates a new optional property tax credit for veterans with a 100% service-connected disability rating, as certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Cities or towns can choose to adopt this credit, which would provide a tax credit ranging from $701 to $5,000 annually for qualifying veterans' primary homes (up to 10 acres). The credit replaces existing veteran tax exemptions and continues to a surviving spouse (if unmarried) or dependent children after the veteran's death. This applies only to veterans who own their homestead, excluding other property tax exemptions for military service.