Arizona Senate passes bill protecting disabled veterans

STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX A bill that will help protect disabled fathers and mothers from child support and alimony abuses is on the way to the Governor. The Senate today passed HB 2348, which prohibits a court from awarding a veterans service-connected federal disability compensation benefits to another party. The bill is sponsored by Sen. Frank Antenori of Tucson. Judges have been ignoring clear federal law, calculating veterans disability compensation into divorce settlements. This bill will make it clear, in law, that that practice will end, said Sen. Antenori. Veterans disability is intended to financially compensate a military veteran disabled in the line of duty. This compensation is not classified as income by the IRS. Under federal law, disability is non-transferable and cannot be awarded to a third party, said Antenori. Antenori thanked fellow disabled veteran Mark Beres, a retired test pilot with the United States Air Force, for bringing the problem to his attention, and helping him advance the bill.