#968 million eligible voters

[haridha5]

Lok Sabha election 2024: How much does it cost?

Conducting an election of this magnitude is a massive effort for the Election Commission (EC), necessitating rigorous planning to guarantee that the voting rights of the country's large population are protected. This election will see roughly 968 million eligible voters exercising their political rights.

Read more: https://yourviews.mindstick.com/view/87276/lok-sabha-election-2024-how-much-does-it-cost

[cassandradodds]

J&J Talc Ovarian Cancer Lawsuits Continue to Mount

Over 4,800 talcum powder lawsuits have been filed against Johnson & Johnson (J&J) as an increasing number of women come forward alleging that the company had failed to warn of the risk of developing ovarian cancer as a result of using the popular baby powder as part of their feminine hygiene regimen.

Five of these cases have resulted in significant monetary awards. The most recent was in August 2017, when a Los Angeles jury awarded a 63-year-old woman $417 million. The plaintiff contracted ovarian cancer in 2007 that she alleged was a result of 40 years of regularly using Johnson’s Baby Powder. The total award included $70 million in compensatory damages and $347 in punitive damages. J&J is disputing the verdict and vows to appeal the decision.

Other cases resulted in awards of $110 million, $72 million, $70 million, and $55 million. More than 300 talcum powder lawsuits still await trial in California courts while 4,500 claims await trial in other parts of the United States.

National law firm Parker Waichman LLP has extensive and successful experience in product liability litigation, including talcum powder’s alleged link to ovarian cancer. Attorneys at the firm are available to answer questions for anyone seeking legal information for potential lawsuits.

Until the 1970s, talc, the softest mineral known to man, contained asbestos. Asbestos, a known carcinogen, has been linked to mesothelioma. J&J has since removed the asbestos, but some tests have shown an increased risk of ovarian cancer for women who use talc for feminine hygiene on a regular basis.

Talc Study Findings

The Journal of the National Cancer Institute noted in a 1999 study, “Perineal talc use has been associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer in a number of case-control studies,” and concluded that “perineal talc use may modestly increase the risk of invasive serious ovarian cancer.”

In 2013, the American Association for Cancer Research published findings that talcum powder “is associated with a modest 20-30 percent increase in risk of developing epithelial ovarian cancer.”

Recent Talc Lawsuit Awards

A St. Louis jury in May 2017, awarded $110 million to a 62-year-old-woman who alleged her regular use of Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower-to-Shower products over a 40-year span resulted in her developing ovarian cancer which subsequently spread to her liver. Of the $110 million award, $105 were punitive damages.

In October 2016, a St. Louis jury awarded $70 million who developed ovarian cancer in 2012 after many years of using Johnson’s Baby Powder. These consistent awards for the plaintiffs reaffirmed the need for J&J to warn the consumers of the ovarian cancer risk associated with their talc-based products.

In yet another case, a Missouri jury in May 2016, decided in favor of a woman who contracted ovarian cancer after using J&J’s Baby Powder and Shower-to-Shower on her pelvic area for multiple decades. The woman had to have a hysterectomy along with other surgeries. The jury awarded the plaintiff $55 million: 50 million for punitive damages, and $5 million for compensatory damages.

It was determined by a pathologist that the woman’s ovaries became inflamed and then cancerous from the talc. Internal company memos suggested J&J executives were aware of the risks. One of their medical consultants allegedly, even comparing talc use to smoking.

Sadly, the woman passed away in the fall of 2015. A Missouri jury awarded her family $72 million. J&J says it will appeal the decision, posting a fact sheet on its blog maintaining that talc has been approved for use worldwide.

Outdated Cosmetic Safety Standards

The cosmetic industry’s safety industry’s safety standards have not been reviewed or updated since the passage of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act in 1938. In April 2015, Senators Diane Feinstein, a Democrat from California and Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine, co-sponsored the Personal Care Products Safety act to give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) more oversight, including the authority to require recalls of potentially dangerous products.

In July 2017, a national poll by the Mellman Group and American Viewpoint found that 68 percent of likely voters favor stricter regulation of the cosmetics industry to control the safety of its products.

This impressive show of support is not surprising given the 1,200 Johnson & Johnson lawsuits, and the 17,000 complaints over Guthy-Renker’s WEN hair conditioner. The hair product has allegedly caused thousands of women’s hair to fall out. Two hundred women have so far filed suit against WEN’s manufacturer.

Legal Information Involving Talcum Powder Products

If you or someone you know has been injured by a Johnson & Johnson talc-based product, you may be eligible for compensation. Parker Waichman LLP offers free, no-obligation case evaluations. We urge you to contact the personal injury lawyers at 1-800-YOURLAWYER (1-800-968-7529).

from Parker Waichman http://www.yourlawyer.com/blog/jj-talc-ovarian-cancer-lawsuits-continue-mount/

from WordPress https://parkerwaichman.wordpress.com/2017/08/28/jj-talc-ovarian-cancer-lawsuits-continue-to-mount/

[parkerwaichmanlaw]

J&J Talc Ovarian Cancer Lawsuits Continue to Mount

Over 4,800 talcum powder lawsuits have been filed against Johnson & Johnson (J&J) as an increasing number of women come forward alleging that the company had failed to warn of the risk of developing ovarian cancer as a result of using the popular baby powder as part of their feminine hygiene regimen.

Five of these cases have resulted in significant monetary awards. The most recent was in August 2017, when a Los Angeles jury awarded a 63-year-old woman $417 million. The plaintiff contracted ovarian cancer in 2007 that she alleged was a result of 40 years of regularly using Johnson’s Baby Powder. The total award included $70 million in compensatory damages and $347 in punitive damages. J&J is disputing the verdict and vows to appeal the decision.

Other cases resulted in awards of $110 million, $72 million, $70 million, and $55 million. More than 300 talcum powder lawsuits still await trial in California courts while 4,500 claims await trial in other parts of the United States.

National law firm Parker Waichman LLP has extensive and successful experience in product liability litigation, including talcum powder’s alleged link to ovarian cancer. Attorneys at the firm are available to answer questions for anyone seeking legal information for potential lawsuits.

Until the 1970s, talc, the softest mineral known to man, contained asbestos. Asbestos, a known carcinogen, has been linked to mesothelioma. J&J has since removed the asbestos, but some tests have shown an increased risk of ovarian cancer for women who use talc for feminine hygiene on a regular basis.

Talc Study Findings

The Journal of the National Cancer Institute noted in a 1999 study, “Perineal talc use has been associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer in a number of case-control studies,” and concluded that “perineal talc use may modestly increase the risk of invasive serious ovarian cancer.”

In 2013, the American Association for Cancer Research published findings that talcum powder “is associated with a modest 20-30 percent increase in risk of developing epithelial ovarian cancer.”

Recent Talc Lawsuit Awards

A St. Louis jury in May 2017, awarded $110 million to a 62-year-old-woman who alleged her regular use of Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower-to-Shower products over a 40-year span resulted in her developing ovarian cancer which subsequently spread to her liver. Of the $110 million award, $105 were punitive damages.

In October 2016, a St. Louis jury awarded $70 million who developed ovarian cancer in 2012 after many years of using Johnson’s Baby Powder. These consistent awards for the plaintiffs reaffirmed the need for J&J to warn the consumers of the ovarian cancer risk associated with their talc-based products.

In yet another case, a Missouri jury in May 2016, decided in favor of a woman who contracted ovarian cancer after using J&J’s Baby Powder and Shower-to-Shower on her pelvic area for multiple decades. The woman had to have a hysterectomy along with other surgeries. The jury awarded the plaintiff $55 million: 50 million for punitive damages, and $5 million for compensatory damages.

It was determined by a pathologist that the woman’s ovaries became inflamed and then cancerous from the talc. Internal company memos suggested J&J executives were aware of the risks. One of their medical consultants allegedly, even comparing talc use to smoking.

Sadly, the woman passed away in the fall of 2015. A Missouri jury awarded her family $72 million. J&J says it will appeal the decision, posting a fact sheet on its blog maintaining that talc has been approved for use worldwide.

Outdated Cosmetic Safety Standards

The cosmetic industry’s safety industry’s safety standards have not been reviewed or updated since the passage of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act in 1938. In April 2015, Senators Diane Feinstein, a Democrat from California and Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine, co-sponsored the Personal Care Products Safety act to give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) more oversight, including the authority to require recalls of potentially dangerous products.

In July 2017, a national poll by the Mellman Group and American Viewpoint found that 68 percent of likely voters favor stricter regulation of the cosmetics industry to control the safety of its products.

This impressive show of support is not surprising given the 1,200 Johnson & Johnson lawsuits, and the 17,000 complaints over Guthy-Renker’s WEN hair conditioner. The hair product has allegedly caused thousands of women’s hair to fall out. Two hundred women have so far filed suit against WEN’s manufacturer.

Legal Information Involving Talcum Powder Products

If you or someone you know has been injured by a Johnson & Johnson talc-based product, you may be eligible for compensation. Parker Waichman LLP offers free, no-obligation case evaluations. We urge you to contact the personal injury lawyers at 1-800-YOURLAWYER (1-800-968-7529).

from Parker Waichman http://www.yourlawyer.com/blog/jj-talc-ovarian-cancer-lawsuits-continue-mount/

[cassandradodds]

Arthritis Drugs’ Potentially Deadly Side Effects

When Actemra was approved and made available to the public in 2010, patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were eager to try the new medication that promised to offer some relief without the negative side effects of competing drugs. The drugs that had been available were associated with heart attacks, heart failure, or life-threatening lung complications. However, according to a STAT report, hundreds of patients who were treated with Actemra have died or were harmed, from just such problems.

Adverse Events Analysis

Approximately 1.5 million Americans suffer from RA, a disabling autoimmune disease. Over 500,000 reports of adverse events were analyzed during treatment with RA drugs. Evidence was found that the risks of heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, and other conditions were as high or higher for patients treated with Actemra than for patients treated with some competing drugs. Most of those medications have warning on their labels. Actemra does not.

Actemra (tocilizumab) helps to reduce pain and swelling and belongs to a class of drugs known as Interleukin-6 (IL-6). It works by blocking IL-6, a substance made by the body that causes inflammation, according to WebMD. The drug is injected once every one to two weeks or infused into the body through an IV (intravenously) each month.

STAT’s investigation suggests that the risks might be greater than patients are led to believe. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has received reports on 1,128 people who died after taking tocilizumab. The agency has reviewed the drug’s safety a number of times since it was approved, but does not have the tools to determine if the drug was the primary cause of those deaths.

The FDA is responsible for monitoring the safety of prescription drugs, but does not verify the adverse-event reports that it receives. These documents do not prove that Actemra was the cause of the reported deaths, but they can be revealing, STAT reports.

National law firm Parker Waichman LLP has extensive experience and success representing clients in pharmaceutical litigation. Attorneys at the firm are available to answer questions for any individuals seeking information for a potential lawsuit.

Deaths Possibly Caused by Actemra

Through the Freedom of Information Act, information was obtained when a doctor reported that no factor other than Actemra could have explained a 73-year-old man’s fatal brain bleed two days after receiving the drug intravenously. Another example was a 62-year-old German woman’s heart attack in 2014. “The company assessed fatal myocardial infarction as related to (Actemra).” The company was Roche, whose subsidiary, Genentech markets Actemra in the U.S.

Neither Roche nor the FDA has done anything to change the labelling for Actemra to alert patients and physicians of potentials risks that turned up in the reports, as well as in post-marketing clinical studies.

Experts who reviewed the Actemra safety data at STAT’s request said the FDA should consider warnings immediately for heart failure and pancreatitis. In its acute form, pancreatitis can kill up to 50 percent of patients. Evidence that Acemra might increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and interstitial lung disease is not as convincing, but deserves further investigation.

Failure to Warn

Experts said, the failure to warn the public, highlights the FDA’s inability to sufficiently scrutinize the safety of drugs after they have been approved, and to act promptly when potential danger signs emerge.

“We’ve done a very good job of making it easier to approve drugs, often based on very preliminary evidence. But we haven’t ramped up the standards of post-marketing surveillance to make sure that what’s been out there for several years is safe and effective,” said Dr. Vinay Prasad, an oncologist and medical ethicist at the Oregon Health and Science University. “The system is broken, and all the financial incentives are lined up to keep it broken,” he told STAT.

One problem in assessing whether arthritis drugs actually cause cardiovascular issues is that RA itself is a risk factor for heart disease.  That is where longer-term and larger post-marketing safety studies can help, suggests the STAT report.

In one of the studies required by the FDA, Atemra was compared with another arthritis drug, Enbrel (etanercept). Enbrel has a label that strongly cautions about use by patients with cardiovascular disease, heart failure in particular. The study revealed that rates of stroke and heart failure were approximately 1.5 times higher in patients treated with Atemra. The difference was not statistically significant, but experts agreed it was still reason for concern.

When an FDA advisory panel recommended the approval of tocilizumab in 2008, consumer representative Diane Aronson was against it. “As a ‘no’ voter, I felt there wasn’t enough data; it was too short-term,” Aronson said. “There were some red flags.” Others on the advisory panel supported the drug because they “really believe that the long-term studies will be acted upon” and the warning label adjusted if needed, she said. “That’s why they voted ‘yes.’” According to the STAT article, that has not happened yet.

In 2016, tocilizumab generated global sales of $1.7 billion, making it Roche’s fifth highest-grossing drug.

Legal Help Regarding Arthritis Medications’ Side Effects

If you or someone you know has been injured by Atemra or other arthritis medications, you may be eligible for valuable compensation. The personal injury attorneys at Parker Waichman LLP offer free, no-obligation case evaluations. We urge you to contact us at 1-800-YOURLAWYER (1-800-968-7529).

from Parker Waichman http://www.yourlawyer.com/blog/arthritis-drugs-potentially-deadly-side-effects/

from WordPress https://parkerwaichman.wordpress.com/2017/06/08/arthritis-drugs-potentially-deadly-side-effects/

[parkerwaichmanlaw]

Arthritis Drugs’ Potentially Deadly Side Effects

When Actemra was approved and made available to the public in 2010, patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were eager to try the new medication that promised to offer some relief without the negative side effects of competing drugs. The drugs that had been available were associated with heart attacks, heart failure, or life-threatening lung complications. However, according to a STAT report, hundreds of patients who were treated with Actemra have died or were harmed, from just such problems.

Adverse Events Analysis

Approximately 1.5 million Americans suffer from RA, a disabling autoimmune disease. Over 500,000 reports of adverse events were analyzed during treatment with RA drugs. Evidence was found that the risks of heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, and other conditions were as high or higher for patients treated with Actemra than for patients treated with some competing drugs. Most of those medications have warning on their labels. Actemra does not.

Actemra (tocilizumab) helps to reduce pain and swelling and belongs to a class of drugs known as Interleukin-6 (IL-6). It works by blocking IL-6, a substance made by the body that causes inflammation, according to WebMD. The drug is injected once every one to two weeks or infused into the body through an IV (intravenously) each month.

STAT’s investigation suggests that the risks might be greater than patients are led to believe. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has received reports on 1,128 people who died after taking tocilizumab. The agency has reviewed the drug’s safety a number of times since it was approved, but does not have the tools to determine if the drug was the primary cause of those deaths.

The FDA is responsible for monitoring the safety of prescription drugs, but does not verify the adverse-event reports that it receives. These documents do not prove that Actemra was the cause of the reported deaths, but they can be revealing, STAT reports.

National law firm Parker Waichman LLP has extensive experience and success representing clients in pharmaceutical litigation. Attorneys at the firm are available to answer questions for any individuals seeking information for a potential lawsuit.

Deaths Possibly Caused by Actemra

Through the Freedom of Information Act, information was obtained when a doctor reported that no factor other than Actemra could have explained a 73-year-old man’s fatal brain bleed two days after receiving the drug intravenously. Another example was a 62-year-old German woman’s heart attack in 2014. “The company assessed fatal myocardial infarction as related to (Actemra).” The company was Roche, whose subsidiary, Genentech markets Actemra in the U.S.

Neither Roche nor the FDA has done anything to change the labelling for Actemra to alert patients and physicians of potentials risks that turned up in the reports, as well as in post-marketing clinical studies.

Experts who reviewed the Actemra safety data at STAT’s request said the FDA should consider warnings immediately for heart failure and pancreatitis. In its acute form, pancreatitis can kill up to 50 percent of patients. Evidence that Acemra might increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and interstitial lung disease is not as convincing, but deserves further investigation.

Failure to Warn

Experts said, the failure to warn the public, highlights the FDA’s inability to sufficiently scrutinize the safety of drugs after they have been approved, and to act promptly when potential danger signs emerge.

“We’ve done a very good job of making it easier to approve drugs, often based on very preliminary evidence. But we haven’t ramped up the standards of post-marketing surveillance to make sure that what’s been out there for several years is safe and effective,” said Dr. Vinay Prasad, an oncologist and medical ethicist at the Oregon Health and Science University. “The system is broken, and all the financial incentives are lined up to keep it broken,” he told STAT.

One problem in assessing whether arthritis drugs actually cause cardiovascular issues is that RA itself is a risk factor for heart disease.  That is where longer-term and larger post-marketing safety studies can help, suggests the STAT report.

In one of the studies required by the FDA, Atemra was compared with another arthritis drug, Enbrel (etanercept). Enbrel has a label that strongly cautions about use by patients with cardiovascular disease, heart failure in particular. The study revealed that rates of stroke and heart failure were approximately 1.5 times higher in patients treated with Atemra. The difference was not statistically significant, but experts agreed it was still reason for concern.

When an FDA advisory panel recommended the approval of tocilizumab in 2008, consumer representative Diane Aronson was against it. “As a ‘no’ voter, I felt there wasn’t enough data; it was too short-term,” Aronson said. “There were some red flags.” Others on the advisory panel supported the drug because they “really believe that the long-term studies will be acted upon” and the warning label adjusted if needed, she said. “That’s why they voted ‘yes.’” According to the STAT article, that has not happened yet.

In 2016, tocilizumab generated global sales of $1.7 billion, making it Roche’s fifth highest-grossing drug.

Legal Help Regarding Arthritis Medications’ Side Effects

If you or someone you know has been injured by Atemra or other arthritis medications, you may be eligible for valuable compensation. The personal injury attorneys at Parker Waichman LLP offer free, no-obligation case evaluations. We urge you to contact us at 1-800-YOURLAWYER (1-800-968-7529).

from Parker Waichman http://www.yourlawyer.com/blog/arthritis-drugs-potentially-deadly-side-effects/

[cassandradodds]

Florida Property Tax Exemption Amendment for First Responders

Florida Property Tax Exemption Amendment for First Responders

Every year, thousands of rescue workers are injured in the line of duty. They risk their lives to save others. They often get hurt in the process, sometimes with fatal consequences. But Florida introduced an amendment on the November 8, 2016 ballot where residents voted on whether the state would draft legislation that “would create a new property tax exemption for first responders who are permanently disabled as a result of an injury in the line of duty,” according to The Palm Beach Post.

First Responders’ Amendment

The Florida Tax Exemptions for Disabled First Responders Amendment is also known as Amendment 3. It was on the November 8, 2016 ballot in Florida as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment and was approved.

First responders include law enforcement officers, correctional officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, or paramedics. “In the line of duty” means arising out of and in the actual performance of duty required by employment as a first responder.

This amendment allows disabled first responders who may be eligible to receive a full or partial homestead property tax exemption. Florida had already provided a property tax exemption for surviving spouses of first responders who have died in the line of duty.

Attorneys at the national law firm Parker Waichman LLP are actively reviewing issues involving first responders, including those affected by the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center disaster. The firm offers free, no-obligation case evaluations. on behalf of individuals who are seeking legal information.

This amendment proposed providing a property tax break in addition to the $50,000 homestead exemption received by all residents who own a primary residence in Florida. The amendment will let the Legislature decide whether to grant a complete or partial property tax break to first responders who were totally and permanently disabled in the line of duty. The exemption will only apply to homesteaded property, according to The Palm Beach Post.

Palm Beach Property Appraiser Gary Nikolits said, “he did not know exactly how many Palm Beach County residents might qualify for the property tax break or what impact it might have on the county’s tax base.”

Other States with Tax Exemption for First Responders

Florida is not the only state that considered relief for first responders. Virginians had a similar ballot proposal. The proposed Constitutional Amendment proposed “providing a property tax exemption for primary residences of surviving families of any law enforcement officer, firefighter, search and rescue personnel or emergency medical services personnel killed in the line of duty, so long as the surviving spouse does not remarry. The state would not be responsible for managing the exemption, however.” The discretion to grant these exemptions would be given to local jurisdictions, according to Bloomberg BNA.

Other states and local jurisdictions have similar tax break programs. A tax credit for disabled workers and spouses of fallen law enforcement officers and rescue workers is offered in Montgomery and Baltimore Counties in Maryland.

The credit is “100 percent of the county real property tax on the dwelling of a surviving spouse (who has not remarried),” according to the Montgomery County Department of Finance. Certain counties in New York also offer an exemption of the assessed value for volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers’ primary residences.

FL Property Tax Exemption Amendment for First Responders

Connecticut’s version of the tax break is an “optional relief” for firefighters and emergency personnel. The Connecticut General Assembly’s property tax statutes grant municipalities the authority to give first responders property tax relief in two ways: either “an abatement of up to $1,000 in property taxes due for any fiscal year, or an exemption applicable to the assessed value of real or personal property up to $1 million divided by the mill rate, in effect at the time of assessment.”

Voters in Florida still had to consider that the state legislature had to write the bill and determine the amount of the property tax exemption for disabled first responders, with the additional question of how the revenue given up through the tax break will be covered. The new exemption will effectively shift the burden to the rest of the taxpayers to provide revenue for local government needs. This would be the price to pay for shifting the burden of daily emergencies to rescue workers and first responders, reports Bloomberg BNA.

Legal Advice and Information Concerning First Responders

Parker Waichman LLP has had years of experience representing first responders. If you or anyone you know is seeking help and legal information, we urge you to contact us at 1-800-YOURLAWYER (1-800-968-7529).

from Parker Waichman http://www.yourlawyer.com/blog/florida-property-tax-exemption-amendment-for-first-responders/

from WordPress https://parkerwaichman.wordpress.com/2017/02/27/florida-property-tax-exemption-amendment-for-first-responders/

[parkerwaichmanlaw]

Florida Property Tax Exemption Amendment for First Responders

Florida Property Tax Exemption Amendment for First Responders

Every year, thousands of rescue workers are injured in the line of duty. They risk their lives to save others. They often get hurt in the process, sometimes with fatal consequences. But Florida introduced an amendment on the November 8, 2016 ballot where residents voted on whether the state would draft legislation that “would create a new property tax exemption for first responders who are permanently disabled as a result of an injury in the line of duty,” according to The Palm Beach Post.

First Responders’ Amendment

The Florida Tax Exemptions for Disabled First Responders Amendment is also known as Amendment 3. It was on the November 8, 2016 ballot in Florida as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment and was approved.

First responders include law enforcement officers, correctional officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, or paramedics. “In the line of duty” means arising out of and in the actual performance of duty required by employment as a first responder.

This amendment allows disabled first responders who may be eligible to receive a full or partial homestead property tax exemption. Florida had already provided a property tax exemption for surviving spouses of first responders who have died in the line of duty.

Attorneys at the national law firm Parker Waichman LLP are actively reviewing issues involving first responders, including those affected by the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center disaster. The firm offers free, no-obligation case evaluations. on behalf of individuals who are seeking legal information.

This amendment proposed providing a property tax break in addition to the $50,000 homestead exemption received by all residents who own a primary residence in Florida. The amendment will let the Legislature decide whether to grant a complete or partial property tax break to first responders who were totally and permanently disabled in the line of duty. The exemption will only apply to homesteaded property, according to The Palm Beach Post.

Palm Beach Property Appraiser Gary Nikolits said, “he did not know exactly how many Palm Beach County residents might qualify for the property tax break or what impact it might have on the county’s tax base.”

Other States with Tax Exemption for First Responders

Florida is not the only state that considered relief for first responders. Virginians had a similar ballot proposal. The proposed Constitutional Amendment proposed “providing a property tax exemption for primary residences of surviving families of any law enforcement officer, firefighter, search and rescue personnel or emergency medical services personnel killed in the line of duty, so long as the surviving spouse does not remarry. The state would not be responsible for managing the exemption, however.” The discretion to grant these exemptions would be given to local jurisdictions, according to Bloomberg BNA.

Other states and local jurisdictions have similar tax break programs. A tax credit for disabled workers and spouses of fallen law enforcement officers and rescue workers is offered in Montgomery and Baltimore Counties in Maryland.

The credit is “100 percent of the county real property tax on the dwelling of a surviving spouse (who has not remarried),” according to the Montgomery County Department of Finance. Certain counties in New York also offer an exemption of the assessed value for volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers’ primary residences.

FL Property Tax Exemption Amendment for First Responders

Connecticut’s version of the tax break is an “optional relief” for firefighters and emergency personnel. The Connecticut General Assembly’s property tax statutes grant municipalities the authority to give first responders property tax relief in two ways: either “an abatement of up to $1,000 in property taxes due for any fiscal year, or an exemption applicable to the assessed value of real or personal property up to $1 million divided by the mill rate, in effect at the time of assessment.”

Voters in Florida still had to consider that the state legislature had to write the bill and determine the amount of the property tax exemption for disabled first responders, with the additional question of how the revenue given up through the tax break will be covered. The new exemption will effectively shift the burden to the rest of the taxpayers to provide revenue for local government needs. This would be the price to pay for shifting the burden of daily emergencies to rescue workers and first responders, reports Bloomberg BNA.

Legal Advice and Information Concerning First Responders

Parker Waichman LLP has had years of experience representing first responders. If you or anyone you know is seeking help and legal information, we urge you to contact us at 1-800-YOURLAWYER (1-800-968-7529).

from Parker Waichman http://www.yourlawyer.com/blog/florida-property-tax-exemption-amendment-for-first-responders/