Efforts to provide full property tax exemptions for Ohio’s 100% disabled veterans have stalled once again at the Statehouse, despite growing bipartisan support and similar laws already enacted across much of the country.
Senate Bill 92, first introduced last year, would eliminate property taxes for veterans classified as totally and permanently disabled due to their military service. The proposal mirrors legislation passed in 21 other states that grant full or partial exemptions to disabled veterans—part of a broader national trend to ease financial burdens on those living on fixed incomes.
However, the bill remains locked in the Senate Ways and Means Committee, with no hearings scheduled this session. Lawmakers have cited concerns about lost local revenue for counties, townships, and school districts that depend on property tax collections, even as advocates argue the number of qualifying veterans is relatively small.
“Our veterans have already paid more than their share,” said John Matthews, a U.S. Army veteran from Franklin County who has joined state advocacy groups in urging lawmakers to act. “This isn’t a handout—it’s a recognition of sacrifice.”
Supporters say the measure would particularly benefit low-income disabled veterans who face mounting costs for healthcare and home maintenance amid rising property valuations statewide. Ohio currently offers partial tax credits through the Homestead Exemption program, but veterans who qualify often describe the relief as minimal compared to their overall tax burden.
Committee leaders have not indicated when or whether the bill will advance. State Sen. Theresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Green), who chairs the committee, said the panel is still reviewing its potential fiscal impact. “We fully respect and value the service of our veterans,” Gavarone said, “but we have to understand how this would affect local governments and schools before moving forward.”
Veteran service organizations, including the Ohio Department of Veterans Services and the American Legion Department of Ohio, have pledged to continue lobbying for the bill’s passage before the session’s end.
“This is about fairness,” said Mark Dillard, legislative director for the Ohio Veterans Alliance. “If other states can find a way to do it, so can Ohio.”
For now, advocates say they’ll keep pressing legislators to schedule a hearing this spring—hoping 2026 might finally be the year Ohio joins the growing list of states providing full property tax relief to its most severely disabled veterans.