Chapter 168
2015 -- H 5899
Enacted 07/09/2015

A N   A C T
RELATING TO TAXATION

Introduced By: Representatives Costantino, and Winfield
Date Introduced: March 13, 2015

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
     SECTION 1. Section 44-3-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 44-3 entitled "Property
Subject to Taxation" is hereby amended to read as follows:
     44-3-4. Veterans' exemptions. -- (a) (1) The property of each person who served in the
military or naval service of the United States in the war of the rebellion, the Spanish-American
war, the insurrection in the Philippines, the China-relief expedition, or World War I, and the
property of each person who served in the military or naval service of the United States in World
War II at any time during the period beginning December 7, 1941, and ending on December 31,
1946, and the property of each person who served in the military or naval services of the United
States in the Korean conflict at any time during the period beginning June 27, 1950, and ending
January 31, 1955, or in the Vietnam conflict at any time during the period beginning February 28,
1961, and ending May 7, 1975, or who actually served in the Grenada or Lebanon conflicts of
1983-1984, or the Persian Gulf conflict, the Haitian conflict, the Somalian conflict, and the
Bosnian conflict, at any time during the period beginning August 2, 1990, and ending May 1,
1994, or in any conflict or undeclared war for which a campaign ribbon or expeditionary medal
was earned, and who was honorably discharged from the service, or who was discharged under
conditions other than dishonorable, or who, if not discharged, served honorably, or the property
of the unmarried widow or widower of that person, is exempted from taxation to the amount of
one thousand dollars ($1,000), except in:
      (i) Burrillville , where the exemption is four thousand dollars ($4,000);
      (ii) Cumberland , where the town council may, by ordinance, provide for an exemption
of a maximum of twenty-three thousand seven hundred seventy-two dollars ($23,772);
      (iii) Cranston , where the exemption shall not exceed three thousand dollars ($3,000);
      (iv) Jamestown , where the town council may, by ordinance, provide for an exemption
not exceeding five thousand dollars ($5,000);
      (v) Lincoln , where the exemption shall not exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000); and
where the town council may also provide for a real estate tax exemption not exceeding ten
thousand dollars ($10,000) for those honorably discharged active duty veterans who served in
Operation Desert Storm.
      (vi) Newport , where the exemption is four thousand dollars ($4,000);
      (vii) New Shoreham , where the town council may, by ordinance, provide for an
exemption of a maximum of thirty-six thousand four hundred fifty dollars ($36,450);
      (viii) North Kingstown , where the exemption is ten thousand dollars ($10,000);
      (ix) North Providence , where the town council may, by ordinance, provide for an
exemption of a maximum of five thousand dollars ($5,000);
      (x) Smithfield , where the exemption is four thousand dollars ($4,000) ten thousand
dollars ($10,000);
      (xi) Warren , where the exemption shall not exceed five thousand five hundred dollars
($5,500) on motor vehicles, or nine thousand five hundred eighty-four dollars ($9,584) on real
property.
      (xii) Westerly , where the town council may, by ordinance, provide an exemption of the
total value of the veterans' real and personal property to a maximum of forty thousand five
hundred dollars ($40,500);
      (xiii) Barrington , where the town council may, by ordinance, provide for an exemption
of six thousand dollars ($6,000) for real property;
      (xiv) Exeter , where the exemption is five thousand dollars ($5,000);
      (xv) Glocester , where the exemption shall not exceed thirty thousand dollars ($30,000).
      (xvi) West Warwick , where the exemption shall be equal to one hundred seventy dollars
($170); and
      (xvii) Warwick , where the city council may, by ordinance, provide for an exemption of
a maximum of four thousand dollars ($4,000).
      (2) The exemption is applied to the property in the municipality where the person
resides, and if there is not sufficient property to exhaust the exemption, the person may claim the
balance in any other city or town where the person may own property; provided, that the
exemption is not allowed in favor of any person who is not a legal resident of the state, or unless
the person entitled to the exemption has presented to the assessors, on or before the last day on
which sworn statements may be filed with the assessors for the year for which exemption is
claimed, evidence that he or she is entitled, which evidence shall stand so long as his or her legal
residence remains unchanged; provided, however, that in the town of South Kingstown, the
person entitled to the exemption shall present to the assessors, at least five (5) days prior to the
certification of the tax roll, evidence that he or she is entitled to the exemption; and, provided,
further, that the exemption provided for in this subdivision to the extent that it applies in any city
or town, shall be applied in full to the total value of the person's real and tangible personal
property located in the city or town; and, provided, that there is an additional exemption from
taxation in the amount of one thousand dollars ($1,000), except in:
      (i) Central Falls , where the city council may, by ordinance, provide for an exemption of
a maximum of seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500);
      (ii) Cranston , where the exemption shall not exceed three thousand dollars ($3,000);
      (iii) Cumberland , where the town council may, by ordinance, provide for an exemption
of a maximum of twenty-two thousand five hundred dollars ($22,500);
      (iv) Lincoln , where the exemption shall not exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000);
      (v) Newport , where the exemption is four thousand dollars ($4,000);
      (vi) New Shoreham , where the town council may, by ordinance, provide for an
exemption of a maximum of thirty-six thousand four hundred fifty dollars ($36,450);
      (vii) North Providence , where the town council may, by ordinance, provide for an
exemption of a maximum of five thousand dollars ($5,000);
      (viii) Smithfield , where the exemption is four thousand dollars ($4,000);
      (ix) Warren , where the exemption shall not exceed eleven thousand dollars ($11,000);
and
      (x) Barrington , where the town council may, by ordinance, provide for an exemption of
six thousand dollars ($6,000) for real property; of the property of every honorably discharged
veteran of World War I or World War II, Korean or Vietnam, Grenada or Lebanon conflicts, the
Persian Gulf conflict, the Haitian conflict, the Somalian conflict and the Bosnian conflict at any
time during the period beginning August 2, 1990, and ending May 1, 1994, or in any conflict or
undeclared war for which a campaign ribbon or expeditionary medal was earned, who is
determined by the Veterans Administration of the United States of America to be totally disabled
through service connected disability and who presents to the assessors a certificate from the
veterans administration that the person is totally disabled, which certificate remains effectual so
long as the total disability continues.
      (3) Provided, that:
      (i) Burrillville may exempt real property of the totally disabled persons in the amount of
six thousand dollars ($6,000);
      (ii) Cumberland town council may, by ordinance, provide for an exemption of a
maximum of twenty-two thousand five hundred dollars ($22,500);
      (iii) Little Compton may, by ordinance, exempt real property of each of the totally
disabled persons in the amount of six thousand dollars ($6,000);
      (iv) Middletown may exempt the real property of each of the totally disabled persons in
the amount of five thousand dollars ($5,000);
      (v) New Shoreham town council may, by ordinance, provide for an exemption of a
maximum of thirty-six thousand four hundred fifty dollars ($36,450);
      (vi) North Providence town council may, by ordinance, provide for an exemption of a
maximum of five thousand dollars ($5,000);
      (vii) Tiverton town council may, by ordinance, exempt real property of each of the
totally disabled persons in the amount of five thousand dollars ($5,000), subject to voters'
approval at the financial town meeting;
      (viii) West Warwick town council may exempt the real property of each of the totally
disabled persons in an amount of two hundred dollars ($200); and
      (ix) Westerly town council may, by ordinance, provide for an exemption on the total
value of real and personal property to a maximum of forty-six thousand five hundred dollars
($46,500).
      (4) There is an additional exemption from taxation in the town of:
      Warren , where its town council may, by ordinance, provide for an exemption not
exceeding eight thousand two hundred fifty dollars ($8,250), of the property of every honorably
discharged veteran of World War I or World War II, or Vietnam, Grenada or Lebanon conflicts,
the Persian Gulf conflict, the Haitian conflict, the Somalian conflict and the Bosnian conflict, at
any time during the period beginning August 2, 1990, and ending May 1, 1994, or in any conflict
or undeclared war for which a campaign ribbon or expeditionary medal was earned, who is
determined by the Veterans' Administration of the United States of America to be partially
disabled through a service connected disability and who presents to the assessors a certificate that
he is partially disabled, which certificate remains effectual so long as the partial disability
continues. Provided, however, that the Barrington town council may exempt real property of each
of the above named persons in the amount of three thousand dollars ($3,000); Warwick city
council may, by ordinance, exempt real property of each of the above-named persons and to any
person who served in any capacity in the military or naval service during the period of time of the
Persian Gulf conflict, whether or not the person served in the geographical location of the
conflict, in the amount of four thousand dollars ($4,000).
      (5) Lincoln . There is an additional exemption from taxation in the town of Lincoln for
the property of each person who actually served in the military or naval service of the United
States in the Persian Gulf conflict and who was honorably discharged from the service, or who
was discharged under conditions other than dishonorable, or who, if not discharged, served
honorably, or of the unmarried widow or widower of that person. The exemption shall be
determined by the town council in an amount not to exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000).
      (b) In addition to the exemption provided in subsection (a) of this section, there is a ten-
thousand dollar ($10,000) exemption from local taxation on real property for any veteran and the
unmarried widow or widower of a deceased veteran of the military or naval service of the United
States who is determined, under applicable federal law by the Veterans Administration of the
United States, to be totally disabled through service-connected disability and who, by reason of
the disability, has received assistance in acquiring "specially adopted housing" under laws
administered by the veterans' administration; provided, that the real estate is occupied as his or
her domicile, domicile by the person; and, provided, that if the property is designed for
occupancy by more than one family, then only that value of so much of the house as is occupied
by the person as his or her domicile is exempted; and, provided, that satisfactory evidence of
receipt of the assistance is furnished to the assessors except in:
      (1) Cranston , where the exemption shall not exceed thirty thousand dollars ($30,000);
      (2) Cumberland , where the town council may provide for an exemption not to exceed
seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500);
      (3) Newport , where the exemption is ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or ten percent
(10%) of assessed valuation, whichever is greater;
      (4) New Shoreham , where the town council may, by ordinance, provide for an
exemption of a maximum of thirty-six thousand four hundred fifty dollars ($36,450);
      (5) North Providence , where the town council may, by ordinance, provide for an
exemption not to exceed twelve thousand five hundred dollars ($12,500);
      (6) Westerly , where the town council may, by ordinance, provide for an exemption of a
maximum of forty thousand five hundred dollars ($40,500); and
      (7) Lincoln , where the town council may, by ordinance, provide for an exemption of a
maximum of fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000).
      (c) In addition to the previously provided exemptions, any veteran of the military or
naval service of the United States who is determined, under applicable federal law by the
Veterans' Administration of the United States to be totally disabled through service-connected
disability may, by ordinance, passed in the city or town where the veteran's property is assessed,
receive a ten thousand dollar ($10,000) exemption from local taxation on his or her property
whether real or personal and if the veteran owns real property may be exempt from taxation by
any fire and/or lighting district; provided, that in the town of: North Kingstown , where the
amount of the exemption shall be eleven thousand dollars ($11,000) commencing with the
December 31, 2002 assessment, and for the town of Westerly where the amount of the exemption
shall be thirty-nine thousand dollars ($39,000) commencing with the December 31, 2005
assessment, and in the town of Cumberland, where the amount of the exemption shall not exceed
forty-seven thousand five hundred forty-four dollars ($47,544).
      (d) In determining whether or not a person is the widow or widower of a veteran for the
purposes of this section, the remarriage of the widow or widower shall not bar the furnishing of
the benefits of the section if the remarriage is void, has been terminated by death, or has been
annulled or dissolved by a court of competent jurisdiction.
      (e) In addition to the previously provided exemptions, there may by ordinance passed in
the city or town where the person's property is assessed, be an additional fifteen thousand dollars
($15,000) exemption from local taxation on real and personal property for any veteran of military
or naval service of the United States or the unmarried widow or widower of person who has been
or shall be classified as, or determined to be, a prisoner of war by the Veterans' Administration of
the United States, except in:
      (1) Westerly , where the town council may, by ordinance, provide for an exemption of a
maximum of sixty-eight thousand dollars ($68,000); and
      (2) Cumberland , where the town council may by ordinance provide for an exemption of
a maximum of forty-seven thousand five hundred forty-four dollars ($47,544).
      (f) Cities and towns granting exemptions under this section shall use the eligibility dates
specified in this section.
      (g) The several cities and towns not previously authorized to provide an exemption for
those veterans who actually served in the Persian Gulf conflict may provide that exemption in the
amount authorized in this section for veterans of other recognized conflicts.
      (h) Bristol , where the town council of Bristol may, by ordinance, provide for an
exemption for any veteran and the unmarried widow or widower of a deceased veteran of military
or naval service of the United States who is determined, under applicable federal law by the
Veterans' Administration of the United States to be partially disabled through service connected
disability.
      (i) In addition to the previously provided exemption, any veteran who is discharged from
the military or naval service of the United States under conditions other than dishonorable, or an
officer who is honorably separated from military or naval service, who is determined, under
applicable federal law by the Veterans Administration of the United States to be totally and
permanently disabled through a service-connected disability, who owns a specially adapted
homestead, homestead which that has been acquired or modified with the assistance of a
special adaptive housing grant from the Veteran's Administration and that meets Veteran's
Administration and Americans with disability act guidelines from adaptive housing or which that
has been acquired or modified, modified using proceeds from the sale of any previous
homestead, homestead which that was acquired with the assistance of a special adaptive
housing grant from the veteran's administration, the person or the person's surviving spouse is
exempt from all taxation on the homestead. Provided, that in the town of Westerly where the
amount of the above referenced exemption shall be forty-six thousand five hundred dollars
($46,500).
      (j) The town of Coventry may provide by ordinance a one thousand dollars ($1,000)
exemption for any person who is an active member of the armed forces of the United States.
     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC002129
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