Attorney General Opinion ensures new law protects as many surviving spouses as possible
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas - This week Attorney General Greg Abbott released an opinion that clarifies who can benefit from legislation passed by Senator Dan Patrick in 2011. The legislation Senate Bill 516 allows surviving spouses of 100 disabled veterans to retain the property tax exemption upon the veterans death. Before Senate Bill 516 passed surviving spouses faced dramatically higher property taxes while dealing with the loss of their spouse.
The Attorney General was asked if the legislation only applied to surviving spouses of disabled veterans who died after 2012 when the bill took effect. The Attorney Generals Opinion (GA-0918) clarified that the surviving spouse benefit applies to anyone married to a fully disabled veteran that passes away after 2009. This interpretation ensures that survivors who lost a spouse before my bill became law will not face dramatically increased property taxes upon the death of their veteran spouses.
I am pleased that the Attorney Generals opinion will ensure that surviving spouses who lost a loved one between 2009 and 2012 will also be covered under my legislation said Senator Dan Patrick. To treat surviving spouses from 2009 differently from surviving spouses in 2012 would have been unfair and contradicted the intent of my legislation.
