An Act To Allow the Same Homestead and Veterans' Exemptions to a Person Who Has a Life Lease as Are Allowed to Those Who Have a Life Estate
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 0087
Committee: Taxation
Sponsors: JACKSON, MARTIN, PERRY
Amends: 36 MRSA §653

MAINE STATE LEGISLATURE 
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124th MAl E LEGISLATURE· 
FIRST REGULAR SESSIOr~-2009 
Legislative Document 
No. 87 
S.P. 
January 13, 2009 
An Act To Allow the Same Homestead and Veterans' Exemptions to 
a Person Who Has a Life Lease as Are Allowed to Those Who Have 
a Life Estate 
(EMERGENCY) 
Reference to the Committee on Taxation suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Senator JACKSON of Aroostook. 
Cosponsored by Representative MARTIN of Eagle Lake and 
Senator: PERRY of Penobscot. 
Printed on recycled paper 
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JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, some residents of the State occupy their homestead under a life estate or a 
life lease; and 
Whereas, residents who hold their homestead pursuant to a life estate are entitled to 
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homestead and veterans' prope\1y tax exemptions and residents occupying their 
homesteads under a life lease are not; and 
Whereas, residents with a life lease should be treated the same as residents with a 
life estate; and 
Whereas, residents who hold their property in this manner are likely to be elderly 
and in need of immediate prope\1y tax relief; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency with in 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore, 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 36 MRSA §653, sub-§l, ~ 
is enacted to read: 
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A person whose interest in property is a life lease is entitled to the same 
exemptions under this subsection as a person whose interest in property is a life 
estate. 
Sec. 2. 36 MRS A §681, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2005, c. 647, §2 and affected 
by §5, is fmiher amended to read: 
2. Homestead. "Homestead" means any residential property, including cooperative 
property, in this State assessed as real property owned by an applicant, occupied under a 
life lease by the applicant or held in a revocable living trust for the benefit of the 
applicant and occupied by the applicant as the applicant's permanent residence or owned 
by a cooperative housing corporation and occupied as a permanent residence by a 
resident who is a qualifying shareholder. 
A "homestead" does not include any real 
property used solely for commercial purposes. 
Sec. 3. Application. This Act applies to property taxes based on the status of 
property on April 1,2009. 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved. 
Page I - 124LR0627(OI)-1 
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SUMMARY 
This bill extends homestead and veterans' propeJty tax exemptions to persons who 
occupy their propeJty under a life lease.