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Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following:
‘Resolve, To Create a Working Group To Review the Property Tax Exemption for Veterans’
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and before the summary and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 1 Convene working group. Resolved: That the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Bureau of Revenue Services shall convene a working group to review the current property tax exemption for veterans and make recommendations for changes that will increase the property tax exemption for qualified post-World War I veterans. The working group must include representatives of the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management, Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services. The Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Bureau of Revenue Services shall invite the participation of the Maine Municipal Association and other interested stakeholders; and be it further
Sec. 2 Duties of working group. Resolved: That the working group under section 1 shall review alternatives for increasing the property tax exemption for qualified post-World War I veterans. The alternatives must include, but are not limited to, an increase on a one-time basis, an increase over time through indexing to the Consumer Price Index or a 5% annual increase. The working group shall review the financial and administrative impact on state and local government as well as the benefit to veterans; and be it further
Sec. 3 Report recommendations. Resolved: That, by January 15, 2011, the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Bureau of Revenue Services shall report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over taxation matters the findings and recommendations of the working group under section 1, including any necessary implementing legislation; and be it further
Sec. 4 Legislation. Resolved: That, after receipt and review of the report and recommendations submitted pursuant to section 3, the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over taxation matters may submit a bill to the First Regular Session of the 125th Legislature related to the report.’
 
SUMMARY
This amendment replaces the bill, changes it to a resolve and changes the title. The amendment requires the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Bureau of Revenue Services to convene a working group, which must include representatives of the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management, Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services. The amendment requires the Bureau of Revenue Services to invite the participation of the Maine Municipal Association and other interested stakeholders. The amendment requires the working group to review alternatives for increasing the property tax exemption for qualified post-World War I veterans and report its findings and recommendations to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over taxation matters, including any necessary implementing legislation. The amendment authorizes the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over taxation matters to submit a bill to the First Regular Session of the 125th Legislature related to the report.