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Senator Jen Day Designates Disabled Veterans Homestead Exemption Bill as Personal Priority

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

[LINCOLN, NE] February 23, 2022 – On Thursday, Senator Jen Day of District 49 designated LB 853 as her personal priority bill for the 2022 legislative session. LB 853 provides for an expansion of the Homestead Exemption to veterans who are at least 50% disabled to 100% disabled due to a service-related disability.

The Nebraska homestead exemption program is a property tax relief program for six categories of homeowners: persons over age 65, veterans totally disabled by a non-service connected accident or illness, qualified disabled individuals, qualified totally disabled veterans and their widows, veterans whose home was substantially contributed to by the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) and their widows, and individuals who have a developmental disability. If passed, LB853 would expand the fourth definition to include qualified partially disabled veterans of 50% or higher. Currently, Alaska, Illinois, Kansas and Vermont include this definition in their homestead exemptions.

“I’m honored to have the opportunity to introduce LB853 this session and am grateful to Chairwoman Linehan and members of the Revenue Committee for advancing it. I believe we must always be striving to do better for our veterans and am proud of this bill for being a part of that effort,” said Senator Day.

When this legislation comes up for debate on General File, it will be debated by the full body for the first time in a long while.

“The DAV is extremely grateful to Senator Day for introducing LB853 and for selecting it as a priority bill. LB853 would grant a partial homestead exemption on a sliding scale for veterans with a disability rating of 50 to 90 percent for approximately 15,500 of Nebraska’s 46,000 disabled veterans,” said Jim Shuey, Benefits Protection Team Leader of the Disabled American Veterans of Nebraska and a long-time advocate for this legislation. “Its passage will no doubt help in the retention of veterans residing in Nebraska and will further its reputation as a veteran-friendly state. This has been a DAV priority for several years now and we look forward to seeing its passage.” 

The bill was heard on January 21st before the Revenue Committee and advanced unanimously. Updates on the bill will be posted on the Nebraska Legislature website.

Senator Jen Day of District 49 represents north-central Sarpy County, including the areas of Chalco, western Papillion and La Vista.

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