PHILADELPHIA, April 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Governor Edward G. Rendell today
announced his support for several legislative initiatives that would provide
benefits and protections to soldiers and airmen of the Pennsylvania National
Guard and their families, as well as Pennsylvania's veterans.
"Today's National Guard is much different than the reserve forces of five
or 10 years ago," Governor Rendell said. "The operations tempo is much higher,
and we know that the pace of deployment can take a toll on our Guard personnel
and their families. Working with the Administration, members of the General
Assembly have come forward with initiatives to support the Guard members and
veterans."
Governor Rendell said that Global War on Terrorism and Operations Iraqi
Freedom and Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan have resulted in a dramatic
increase in operations tempo for the Pennsylvania National Guard. More
National Guard soldiers are being called up for longer periods than at any
time since the Second World War. The 2nd Brigade Combat Team, led by
Pennsylvania National Guard forces, is currently training at Camp Shelby,
Mississippi. It has over 2,300 soldiers from the Pennsylvania National Guard
as part of a force with over 3,500 soldiers from 22 states. The deployment of
the 2BCT to Iraq in June will be the largest combat deployment of Pennsylvania
National Guard soldiers since WWII.
Governor Rendell said he supports the following initiatives:
-- Providing Incentives to Employers of Guard and Reserve Personnel
Mobilized in the Global War on Terrorism
-- Access to Military Voter Absentee Ballot Lists
-- Extension of Time for Educational Assistance Program
-- Payment of Servicemen's Life Insurance Premiums for Deployed Soldiers
-- Pennsylvania's Service members' Civil Relief Act
-- Emergency Relief for Military Families
-- College Tuition for Surviving Spouses
-- Reduced Price Hunting and Fishing Licenses for Deployed Soldiers
-- Student Loan Deferments for Deployed Soldiers
-- Child Care Priority
-- Job Training Priority
-- Extension of Eligibility for Health Insurance Coverage for Deployed
Soldiers who are Full-Time Students
-- Health Coverage for Personnel on Extended State Active Duty
-- State Tax Treatment of Military Pay for State Active Duty
-- Death Benefits for Survivors of Personnel Who Die as a Result of State
Active Duty
-- Disabled Veterans Real Estate Tax Exemption Program
SOLDIERS AND THEIR FAMILIES
Providing Incentives to Employers of Guard and Reserve Personnel Mobilized
in the Global War on Terrorism
Governor Rendell said he supports a 20 percent state business tax credit
for employers that provide compensation to deployed soldiers and airmen.
"When public-minded employers pay the difference between a soldier's
civilian and military pay or pay a stipend like that paid by the Commonwealth,
they should have additional be recognized for their support for the Guard, the
Reserve, our state and the nation," the Governor said.
Access to Military Voter Absentee Ballot Lists
The Election Code currently requires that a list of persons issued
absentee ballots be posted conspicuously at the county election office and at
each polling place. However, Governor Rendell supports legislation, such as
House Bill 1266, to provide that the names and addresses of persons issued
military absentee ballots be exempt from the public posting requirement.
Instead, it allows that names be kept with the county director of elections
and released upon written request.
"Public posting of the names and residence of military personnel who have
requested absentee ballots raises issues of personal security since such a
list would make it easy for anyone to identify who is deployed," Governor
Rendell said. "Our brave servicemen and women should be extended this
courtesy."
Extension of Time for Educational Assistance Program
Governor Rendell supports Senate Bill 358 and House Bill 1259 that would
give soldiers and airmen who served in combat zones additional time to pursue
their higher education using Educational Assistance Program grants and to give
all National Guard soldiers and airmen mobilized after September 11, 2001 an
extension of time to use these grants after their discharge from the Guard.
Payment of Servicemen's Life Insurance Premiums for Deployed Soldiers
Governor Rendell supports House Bill 1068 which would provide for state
payment of group life insurance premiums for members of the Pennsylvania
National Guard who deploy overseas. These payments would be designed to
ensure that our deployed soldiers receive additional state-paid life insurance
coverage.
Pennsylvania's Service members' Civil Relief Act
The federal Service members' Civil Relief Act and provisions of the state
Military Code provide legal protections to Guard members and their families
who are deployed. The Governor supports House Bill 1078, a comprehensive
update to these protections to fill any gaps in the federal protections and to
ensure that we are providing the best possible legal protections for soldiers
and their families.
Emergency Relief for Military Families
Governor Rendell supports House Bill 34 which is moving forward with bi-
partisan support, to provide for a state income tax check off to establish a
military family emergency relief fund to provide assistance to military
families in emergency situations where federal benefits are inadequate or
unavailable. The Governor believes that this program should be administered
not by state government but by a private charitable organization such as the
Red Cross.
College Tuition for Surviving Spouses
In 2004, the General Assembly enacted legislation to extend free tuition
at State System of Higher Education schools to children of Pennsylvania
National Guard members killed in the performance of federal or state active
duty. Governor Rendell supports House Bill 1074 which would extend this
educational opportunity to the unmarried surviving spouses of Guard personnel
killed in the performance of their duties.
Reduced Price Hunting and Fishing Licenses for Deployed Soldiers
Governor Rendell supports House Bills 1076 and 1077 that would allow
certain deployed Pennsylvania National Guard personnel to purchase resident
hunting and fishing licenses for just $1. This proposal gives these personnel
the opportunity to purchase a single $1 hunting and fishing license for up to
two years after their return from extended active duty and overseas
deployment.
Student Loan Deferments for Deployed Soldiers
Governor Rendell supports House Bill 1079 that would allow the
Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency to defer student loan payments
and payment of interest when soldiers and airmen are ordered to extended
active duty, other than active duty for training. The deferment would
automatically kick in when a member is called up, and would remain in place
for six months after the active duty is over.
Child Care Priority
The Governor supports the goals of House Bill 1073 which would provide
families of active-duty Pennsylvania National Guard troops priority for state-
funded childcare.
"Often, National Guard pay is less than what these troops earn in civilian
life, so a spouse often has to work outside the home or work longer hours when
a Guard member is called to active duty," Governor Rendell said. "My
administration intends to implement the objectives of this legislation
administratively."
Job Training Priority
Governor Rendell supports House Bill 1071 which would give the spouses of
active-duty Guard members and Guard members returning from active-duty
service, priority status for state job-training programs.
Extension of Eligibility for Health Insurance Coverage for Deployed
Soldiers who are Full-Time Students
Many health insurance programs provide that dependent children of
employees may remain eligible for coverage under their parents' health
insurance coverage until a certain age as long as they remain full-time
students enrolled in an institution of higher education. When a full-time
student who is a member of the Guard or Reserves is called to active duty, the
soldier no longer qualifies for health insurance under the parents' coverage,
and this is appropriate since they have military health insurance coverage.
However, when they are released from active duty and return to their full-time
studies, often becoming again dependent on their parents for support, they may
have lost their eligibility for coverage under the parents' health insurance
program because they exceed the maximum age for coverage.
Governor Rendell supports legislation to require an extension of
eligibility for coverage for a full-time student who would have been eligible
under their parents' insurance but for their age. The extension of
eligibility would be for a period equal to the period of active duty.
STATE ACTIVE DUTY
Members of the Pennsylvania National Guard not only face the challenges
posed by the increased operations tempo in connection with the Global War on
Terrorism, they also face the prospect of being ordered to state active duty
to deal with natural disasters and homeland security missions. When National
Guard personnel serve on state active duty, the Commonwealth is responsible
for their pay and allowances, benefits, worker's compensation and tort
liability coverage.
For these reasons, Governor Rendell believes that National Guard soldiers
and airmen on state active duty need to have the same rights and protections
as those who serve in active federal service or in a federally funded training
status. Toward that end, the Administration is supporting the following
initiatives:
Health Coverage for Personnel on Extended State Active Duty
Under current law, the Commonwealth provides workers' compensation-type
coverage to Guard personnel for injuries or death incurred while performing
state active duty under Section 508 of the Military Code. The Military Code
does not expressly authorize the Commonwealth to provide health insurance
coverage to these Guard members or their families.
Governor Rendell supports an initiative to provide health insurance
coverage to members of the Guard and their families who are otherwise
uninsured when the Guard member is deployed on extended periods (30 or more
days) of state active duty for an emergency.
State Tax Treatment of Military Pay for State Active Duty
Current law exempts active duty military pay earned outside the
Commonwealth from state income tax and active duty military pay from local
earned income taxes. State active duty pay is not exempt from state income
taxes, and its status for local earned income tax purposes (which uses the
phrase "active military service" in the statute) is not clear.
Governor Rendell supports an initiative to exempt all military pay and
allowances earned by Pennsylvania National Guard personnel performing state
active duty from state and local income taxes.
Death Benefits for Survivors of Personnel Who Die as a Result of State
Active Duty
Governor Rendell supports House Bill 728 which would increase the death
benefits for personnel who die as a result of performance of state active duty
from $50,000 (adjusted for inflation) to $100,000 (adjusted for inflation) and
to provide that personnel who die from heart attack or similar causes within
24 hours after release from state active duty qualify for this death benefit.
VETERANS PROGRAMS
Since today's soldiers and airmen will be tomorrow's veterans, the Rendell
Administration is supporting the following legislative initiative for
Pennsylvania's 1.3 million veterans:
Disabled Veterans Real Estate Tax Exemption Program
Governor Rendell supports House Bill 813 that would allow the State
Veteran's Commission to re-evaluate the need for a real estate tax exemption
every five years instead of every two.
Under the Pennsylvania Constitution, certain disabled veterans and their
unmarried surviving spouses may qualify for an exemption from the real estate
taxes on their residences provided the need for the exemption is determined by
the State Veterans' Commission.
The Governor also urges the General Assembly to take the first steps to
approve a constitutional amendment to extend the exemption to the unmarried
surviving spouses of soldiers and airmen who are killed or missing in action
as a result of war or armed conflict service.
"These legislative initiatives are a testament to our support and thanks
to all service men and women in Pennsylvania who selflessly serve our country
abroad or are in active duty in-state," said Governor Rendell. "I look forward
to working with members of the state legislature on a bipartisan basis to make
these initiatives a reality."
CONTACT: Chuck Ardo
717-579-6667
SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor
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Related links:
http://www.state.pa.us
CONTACT:
Chuck Ardo of Pennsylvania Office of the
Governor, +1-717-579-6667
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