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The Pennsylvania House of Representatives today unanimously approved legislation authored by Rep. Karen Boback (Lackawanna/Luzerne/Wyoming) to exclude veterans’ compensation benefits from income calculations for Commonwealth programs.
“We owe our veterans a debt of gratitude,” Boback said. “This legislation is a small way to ensure their federal disability compensation or pension does not prevent them from accessing a Commonwealth program or benefit, such as the PACE/PACENET program, food stamps, housing and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.”
House Bill 980 would require 100 percent of a veteran’s disability compensation or pension not be included as income when calculating eligibility for a Commonwealth program or benefit. The bill also would extend this exclusion to an unmarried surviving spouse. Under current law, veterans’ disability compensation and pensions already are not calculated as part of the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program.
The bill will now go to the Senate for its review.