The Tennessee State Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 10 and Senate Bill 1675, both of which were sponsored by State Senator Mark Green (R-Clarksville).
“I was honored to sponsor these two bills to help our veterans who have given sacrificially to serve our country. Senate Bill 10 and Senate Bill 1675 both correct injustices in our state law, and I’m glad the Senate voted unanimously to pass them. I look forward to the passage of these bills in the House under the leadership of Rep. Tilman Goins and Rep. Joe Pitts,” Senator Green said in a statement.
Senate Bill 10 finally exempts severely disabled veterans who receive, as gifts, modified vehicles from the US Department of Affairs from paying sales taxes and registration fees:
This bill exempts a new or used motor vehicle that is sold, given, or donated to a veteran or active-duty service member of the armed services from any applicable sales and use tax if:
(1) The veteran or service member has a service-connected disability;
(2) The veteran or service member receives a grant from the United States department of veterans affairs; and
(3) The grant is used to provide or assist in providing the vehicle to the veteran or service member.This bill also exempts a motor vehicle sold, given, or donated to a veteran or active-duty service member who meets criteria (1)-(3) above from the motor vehicle privilege tax, the regular motor vehicle registration fee, and any fee for military cultural plates.
According to Senate Bill 10’s Summary, the fiscal impact of the tax cut would be a modest $100,700.
Senate Bill 1675 would preserve property tax relief for disabled veterans and elderly homeowners:
Under present law, certain disabled veterans are paid or reimbursed, from the general fund of this state, for all or part of the local property taxes paid for a given tax year on property that the disabled veteran owned and used as the veteran’s residence. This bill specifies that a disabled veteran continues to qualify for property tax relief while temporarily hospitalized or temporarily confined in a nursing home if the veteran indicates the intent to return to the residence when recovered sufficiently.
While serving as a state Senator, Dr. Mark Green is running for the Republican nomination to represent the people of Tennessee’s 7th congressional district. Incumbent congress member Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) is currently the front-runner to replace retiring junior Senator Bob Corker.
Although Corker made his retirement announcement in September 2017 – likely due to internal polling that showed him to be ‘underwater’ with his pro-Trump constituency – rumors have surfaced recently the two-term incumbent may be reconsidering a re-election campaign.
