SECOND REGULAR SESSION
92ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES DUSENBERG (Sponsor), REINHART, SUTHERLAND, WILSON (119) AND SAGER (Co-sponsors).
Pre-filed December 15, 2003, and copies ordered printed.
STEPHEN S. DAVIS, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
To amend chapter 135, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to an income tax credit for surviving spouses of certain public safety officers.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 135, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be known as section 135.050, to read as follows:
135.050. 1. As used in this section, the following terms mean:
(1) "Homestead", the dwelling in Missouri owned by the surviving spouse and not exceeding five acres of land surrounding it as is reasonably necessary for use of the dwelling as a home. As used in this section, "homestead" shall not include any dwelling which is occupied by more than two families;
(2) "Public safety officer", any firefighter, police officer, capitol police officer, parole officer, probation officer, state correctional employee, water patrol agents, park ranger, conservation officer, emergency medical technician, first responder, or highway patrolman employed by the state of Missouri or a political subdivision thereof who is killed in the line of duty, unless the death was the result of the officer's own misconduct or abuse of alcohol or drugs;
(3) "Surviving spouse", a spouse, who has not remarried, of a public safety officer;
2. For all tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2005, a surviving spouse shall be allowed a credit against the tax otherwise due under chapter 143, RSMo, excluding withholding tax imposed by sections 143.191 to 143.265, RSMo, in an amount equal to the total amount of the property taxes on the surviving spouse's homestead paid during the tax year for which the credit is claimed.
3. The director of revenue shall establish the procedure by which the tax credit in this section may be claimed, and may promulgate rules and regulations necessary to administer this section. No rule or portion of a rule promulgated pursuant to the authority of this section shall become effective unless it has been promulgated pursuant to chapter 536, RSMo.
4. Pursuant to section 23.253, RSMo, of the Missouri Sunset Act:
(1) Any new program authorized under this section shall automatically sunset six years after the effective date of this section unless reauthorized by an act of the general assembly; and
(2) If such program is reauthorized, the program authorized under this section shall automatically sunset twelve years after the effective date of the reauthorization of this section; and
(3) This section shall terminate on September first of the calendar year immediately following the calendar year in which a program authorized under this section is sunset.