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HB 1385
(The Independence Tax Credit Program) would enact a tax credit for
individuals who incurred costs for assistive technology, housing
access modifications, or assistive technology and housing access
modifications on behalf of an eligible disabled individual (an
individual who is unable to engage in any substantial gainful
activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental
impairment which has or can be expected to result in death or which
can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than
twelve months).
The bill provides a tax credit of up to $2,500 for taxpayers who
incur eligible expenses and have a federal adjusted gross income of
less than $60,000. Those having incomes between $30,000 and $60,000
could get a credit for up to 50 percent of their expenses. Persons
with incomes of $30,000 or less could receive a credit for up to 100
percent of their expenses. Eligible costs for which the credit could
be claimed include "hearing aids."
HB 1385 was introduced by Representative Joan Bray (e-mail:
jbray@services.state.mo.us ;
phone: 573-751-2514) and had a public hearing on 3/6/02 before the
House Ways and Means Committee. The Missouri Commission for the Deaf
supports this bill, but has asked Representative Bray to amend the
language of the bill so as to include other assistive technologies
commonly used by persons who are deaf or hard of hearing, including
assistive listening systems (such as FM, infra-red, or inductive
loop systems), visual alerting or signaling devices (such as
doorbell ringers, fire alarms, alarm clocks, and telephone signaling
devices), cochlear implants, vibrotactile aids, computer TTY modems
and TTY software, TTY’s, amplified telephones, and pagers.
Supporters of this bill should contact the members of the House Ways
and Means Committee and ask them to change the language of the bill
to include the above assistive technology used by persons who are
deaf or hard of hearing, and then vote the bill out of committee
with a "Do Pass" recommendation. The members of the House Ways and
Means Committee are as follows:
2002 House Ways and Means Committee
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