HCR 23-1002

House Concurrent Resolution 23-1002 proposes an amendment to the Colorado state constitution that would expand property tax exemptions for veterans. Currently, only veterans with a 100% permanent service-connected disability qualify for this exemption. The proposed change would also include veterans who are considered unemployable by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs due to their service-related disabilities, even if they do not meet the 100% rating requirement. This means more veterans could benefit from reduced property taxes on their primary residence. The resolution has been signed and is now being reviewed by the State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs committee before it goes to a statewide vote in 2024.

Official Summary

The state constitution allows a veteran who has a service-connected disability rated as a 100% permanent disability to claim a property tax exemption for a portion of the actual value of the veteran's owner-occupied primary residence. The 100% permanent disability requirement can only be changed through a constitutional amendment. The concurrent resolution submits a constitutional amendment to the voters of the state at the 2024 general election that will, if approved, expand eligibility for the exemption by allowing a veteran who has individual unemployability status, as determined by the U.S. department of veterans affairs, to claim the exemption. In most cases, to have individual unemployability status, a veteran must be unable to keep a steady job because the veteran either has at least one service-connected disability rated at 60% or more disabling or has 2 or more service-connected disabilities with at least one disability rated at 40% or more disabling and a combined rating of 70% or more disabling. To conform to the existing public policy of the state that "people first language" be used in new or amended legislation that refers to persons with disabilities, the concurrent resolution also changes the existing defined term "disabled veteran" to "veteran with a disability". (Note: This summary applies to this concurrent resolution as adopted.)

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