HB 2535 provides property tax exemptions for certain veterans and their families starting in 2027. Disabled veterans with a 30%+ disability rating, Purple Heart recipients, and Gold Star spouses (surviving spouses of service members killed in action) receive tax relief based on disability levels, ranging from $3,000 to full exemption on their primary home. To offset lost property tax revenue, the bill increases cigarette taxes and adds new excise taxes on vaping products, tobacco paraphernalia, and hemp consumables. Revenue from these taxes funds a dedicated state fund to reimburse counties for property tax losses tied to the veteran exemptions.
HB 1828 establishes the Veterans Commission Capital Improvement Trust Fund to provide matching funds for veterans memorials and museums. The Missouri Veterans Commission may distribute funds to counties or municipalities meeting specific population criteria (e.g., counties with 17,600-19,000 residents or cities in large-county areas) for restoring, renovating, or maintaining these facilities. Funding is limited to one-time matches of other project funds, with a $5 million maximum per memorial and a total $10 million cap for all memorial projects. All applications must be submitted before July 1, 2004, and the bill applies statewide to eligible local governments.
This bill proposes a constitutional amendment to provide a property tax exemption for disabled veterans in Missouri. It would exempt the homestead property (primary residence) of disabled veterans certified by the VA for 100% service-connected disability, as well as their surviving spouses who continue living in that home. The exemption covers real property used as a homestead but does not apply if the surviving spouse sells the home or stops using it as their primary residence. To offset lost tax revenue, counties would impose a replacement tax on certain business inventory property within the county.
HB 1696 establishes a clear priority order for who can make burial or cremation decisions for a deceased person, directly affecting families, funeral homes, and military dependents. It prioritizes: (1) an attorney-in-fact named in a durable power of attorney for this purpose, (2) a military-designated person via DD-93 form, (3) a surviving spouse, (4) surviving children (with guardian roles clarified for minors), and (5) other relatives or friends who assume costs. The bill requires decision-makers to be 18+, mentally competent, and willing to cover costs, while protecting funeral homes that follow claims of "next-of-kin" without liability if they verify properly. It also sets a 48-hour objection window if someone with a higher priority is notified, preventing disputes over final arrangements.
HB 2588 creates the "Missouri Disabled Veterans Homestead Tax Credit Act," allowing Missouri counties to offer a real property tax credit to eligible disabled veterans who own their primary residence. It directly affects veterans with a 100% permanent and total service-connected disability rating from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, whose primary home has a market value of $500,000 or less. The credit equals all local property taxes paid (excluding state blind pension fund levies) on the qualified residence, is non-refundable, and carries over to a surviving spouse who remains in the home and doesn't remarry. Counties must adopt the program, and veterans must elect to participate; it does not reduce assessed property value or affect bonded indebtedness calculations.
This bill designates a specific segment of U.S. Highway 24 in Jackson County (from Davis Road east to Ferguson Spring Road) as the "WWII Robert Earl Sauls Memorial Highway." It requires the Missouri Department of Transportation to install and maintain signage for this memorial highway, with the department covering all associated costs. The bill directly affects the highway corridor in Jackson County and honors Robert Earl Sauls, a WWII veteran, through a permanent memorial designation. As a ceremonial bill, it does not create new policies or affect funding beyond the existing DOT budget.
SJR 77 is a Senate Joint Resolution proposing a property tax exemption for disabled veterans. It would authorize the state to exempt qualifying disabled veterans from paying property taxes on their primary residence. This resolution is currently in early stages (prefiled and first read) and would require further legislative approval to become law. It does not currently change tax policy but proposes a new exemption for disabled veterans if enacted.
HB 2276 creates a property tax exemption for Missouri veterans with service-connected disabilities, directly affecting qualifying veterans and their surviving spouses. It provides annual tax relief based on disability rating: $2,500 for 50-70% disability, $5,000 for 70-100%, and full tax exemption for 100% disability, all applied to the primary residence (valued under $250,000). Surviving spouses of veterans who died in service or with service-connected death may also qualify if they meet VA certification and residency requirements. The exemption begins January 1, 2027, and requires annual reapplication unless the veteran has a 100% disability rating.
HB 1703 allows Missouri taxpayers who serve in the National Guard or military reserves to deduct a portion of their military-related income from their state taxable income. The deduction percentage increases gradually - from 20% in 2020 up to 100% starting in 2024 - and applies to income from training, reserve duty, or joining/re-enlistment bonuses. It directly affects Missouri military members (National Guard/reserves) who file state tax returns, reducing their taxable income for eligible military compensation. The bill also specifies that this deduction will no longer apply to civilian federal service positions (including uniformed roles) beginning in 2027.
HB 1869 creates a Missouri grant program to help families repair or reset grave markers for deceased veterans buried in state cemeteries when markers are damaged by natural causes (like weather or erosion). Eligible applicants must be family members of veterans who were honorably discharged or died while on active duty, and they must provide proof of relationship and burial location. The program is funded through a dedicated "Veterans' Grave Marker Trust Fund," which can receive state appropriations and private donations, with unspent funds not reverting to general revenue. Grants are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, and applicants must agree to use funds solely for repairing the grave marker.
