resolution

Resolution

The following resolution was reviewed by the Gilbert City Council at its April 7, 2003, meeting. There seemed to be unanimous consent to pass the measure, but the council needed to call a special meeting for April 10 to vote on the resolution.

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Sample resolution to support Iowans called to duty
by passing the Service Member Support Agenda

Whereas: More than 2,000 Iowans in the Iowa National Guard, the Reserve and on active duty have been called to duty in Iraq and for Homeland Security;

Whereas: These Iowans are disrupting their lives and families to serve their country;

Whereas: The "Service Members Support Agenda" is a collection of common sense suggestions developed in consultation with Iowa service members that the state of Iowa can do to help ease the stresses they and their families face. These are no-cost and low-cost steps that include delayed filing of taxes, tuition rebates for students forced to leave classes for the military, allowing service members to deduct military expenses, and the elimination of state taxes on death benefits;

Whereas: In a month the Iowa Legislature is scheduled to finish its session and none of these messages have passed the Legislature;

Be it therefore enacted: That the City of Gilbert urge the Iowa Legislature make supporting Iowans called to duty a top priority and consider these measures on the floor of the Iowa House and Senate as soon as possible and take action before the end of the session.

Service Member Support Agenda
(Updated: March 25, 2003)

Iowa Senator Steve Warnstadt
515-281-3371

steve.warnstadt@legis.state.ia.us

90 day lease termination if activated
A service member who signs a lease and then receives reassignment or deployment orders for a duty of 90 days or more can terminate the lease by written notice. (Senate File 323, amended to Senate File 359)

Death gratuity exemption
Beneficiaries of a service member killed in action receive a $6,000 death gratuity, the first $3,000 tax free. This would exempt total amount from state taxes. This was agreed to at federal level last year but not implemented. (Senate File 246) (Ways and Means)

Delayed filing of taxes
Present law allows those deployed to combat zone an 180-day extension on filing their state taxes. This will would extend that delay to those activated for homeland security who may be deployed to non-combat zone. (Senate File 264) (Ways and Means)

Deduction of all military expenses
Service members are currently eligible to take military expenses as deduction if the total is over 2% of their gross income. This bill would allow service members to deduct all of their military expenses. (Senate File 284) (Ways and Means)

Iowa Military Relief Fund
This state tax check off would fund emergency financial grants to the families of Iowa reservists and members of the Guard. (To be filed)

Counseling
The state would provide three counseling sessions or a $150 voucher for the families of service members who are activated. (Senate File 294) (Stopped in Human Resources Committee by legislative funnel, may be added as amendment.)

Exempt military student loan repayment from taxes
The military services sometimes send a service member to college and/or provide student loan repayment. This idea would exempt the loan repayment from state taxes. (Senate File 264)

Fully fund National Guard Education Assistance Program
A projected shortfall may mean hundreds of Iowa National Guard members may not receive promised educational benefits. (To be offered as amendment to education budget.)

No waiting period to regain insurance coverage
College students on family health insurance plans who are activated are usually dropped from their family's insurance coverage, as they are under military plan. When they come off active duty, their military insurance ends and they are sometimes ineligible or have delays in getting back on the family plan. (Senate File 320) (Stopped in Commerce Committee by legislative funnel, may be added as amendment.)

Total reimbursement of college tuition if activated
Would allow for 100% tuition reimbursement of college tuition for classes interrupted when a student is activated. (To be offered as amendment to education budget.)