STARTS Act of 2021

Bill: 117-hr-306
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Emmer, Tom [R-MN-6]
Introduced: 2021-01-13
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Cardiovascular and respiratory health

Child health

Elementary and secondary education

Emergency medical services and trauma care

Health technology, devices, supplies

Income tax deductions

Infectious and parasitic diseases

Teaching, teachers, curricula

Worker safety and health
Latest action: action_date: 2021-01-13
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-01-13
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Safe Teachers Assistance and Return To School Act of 2021 or the STARTS Act of 2021</b></p> <p>This bill allows an increase in the tax deduction for the expenses of elementary and secondary school teachers in 2020 or 2021 for the purchase of personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) national health emergency. Specifically, the amount of the deduction is increased from $250 to $1,000, and $750 of such increase may only be used to purchase personal protective equipment or cleaning supplies to combat the spread of COVID-19. Any unused deduction amount for taxable year 2020 may be carried over to taxable year 2021.</p>

tv_txt: I 117th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 306 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 13, 2021 Mr. Emmer introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means A BILL To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to temporarily increase the educator expense deduction to facilitate the purchase of personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies during the COVID–19 pandemic, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Safe Teachers Assistance and Return To School Act of 2021 or the STARTS Act of 2021 . 2. Deduction increases for certain expenses of elementary and secondary school teachers (a) In general Section 62(a)(2)(D) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended to read as follows: (D) Certain expenses of elementary and secondary school teachers (i) In general The deductions allowed by section 162 which consist of expenses, not in excess of— (I) $250, paid or incurred by an eligible educator— (aa) by reason of the participation of the educator in professional development courses related to the curriculum in which the educator provides instruction or to the students for which the educator provides instruction, and (bb) in connection with books, supplies (other than nonathletic supplies for courses of instruction in health or physical education), computer equipment (including related software and services) and other equipment, and supplementary materials used by the eligible educator in the classroom. (ii) Temporary increase in deduction to support purchases of personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies due to the COVID–19 national emergency (I) In general For the purpose of facilitating the purchase of personal protective equipment necessitated by the COVID–19 national emergency, in the case of an expense described in clause (i) and paid or incurred in taxable years 2020 or 2021— (aa) such clause shall be applied by substituting $1,000 for $250 , and (bb) $750 of such $1,000 may only be used for the purpose of purchasing personal protective equipment or cleaning supplies to combat the spread of COVID–19. (II) Unused deduction in taxable year 2020 may be carried to taxable year 2021 Any unused deduction or portion of such deduction remaining after application of subclause (I) with respect to taxable year 2020 shall be treated as a deduction allowable with respect to taxable year 2021. . (b) Effective date The amendment made by this section shall apply with respect to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2019.