Volunteer Emergency Responders Tax Deduction Act

(Update 1/15/2015 - seems this did not get put on the agenda for the current year - we will have to push to get it on the next!)

There is an act before Congress to provide a significant tax break for active volunteer emergency service personnel. Please write your representatives today to support this!

113th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5811 To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a charitable deduction for the service of volunteer firefighters and emergency medical and rescue personnel.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

December 9, 2014

Mr. MCKINLEY (for himself and Mr. LOEBSACK) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

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A BILL To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a charitable deduction for the service of volunteer firefighters and emergency medical and rescue personnel.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Volunteer Emergency Responders Tax Deduction Act'.

SEC. 2. ALLOWANCE OF CHARITABLE DEDUCTION FOR THE SERVICE OF VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL AND RESCUE PERSONNEL.

(a) In General- Section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by redesignating subsection (p) as subsection (q) and by inserting after subsection (o) the following new subsection:

`(p) Service of Volunteer Firefighters and Emergency Medical Personnel Treated as Charitable Contribution-

`(1) IN GENERAL- Each hour of qualified services rendered by an individual as a bona fide volunteer shall be treated for purposes of this section as a contribution of $20 to the organization to which such services are rendered.

`(2) LIMITATION- Not more than 300 hours of qualified services shall be taken into account under paragraph (1) with respect to any individual for any taxable year.

`(3) DEFINITIONS- For purposes of this subsection--

`(A) BONA FIDE VOLUNTEER- An individual shall be treated as a bona fide volunteer if the only compensation received by such individual for performing qualified services is in the form of--

`(i) reimbursement for (or a reasonable allowance for) reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of such services, or

`(ii) reasonable benefits (including length of service awards), and fees for such services, customarily paid by eligible employers in connection with the performance of such services by volunteers.

`(B) QUALIFIED SERVICES- The term `qualified services' means fire fighting and prevention services, emergency medical services, ambulance services, civil air patrol, and emergency rescue services. Such term shall include all training and training-related activities related to the services described in the preceding sentence which are required or authorized by the organization referred to in paragraph (1).

`(4) VERIFICATION- A contribution to which this subsection applies shall be verified in such manner as the Secretary may provide.

`(5) INFLATION ADJUSTMENT- In the case of any taxable year beginning in a calendar year after 2015, the $20 amount contained in paragraph (1) shall be increased by an amount equal to--

`(A) such dollar amount, multiplied by

`(B) the cost-of-living adjustment determined under section 1(f)(3) for the calendar year in which the taxable year begins determined by substituting `calendar year 2014' for `calendar year 1992' in subparagraph (B) thereof.

Any increase determined under the preceding sentence which is not a multiple of $1 shall be rounded to the nearest multiple of $1.'.

(b) Effective Date- The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act.

END