Thread by @nonsequiteuse

OK so this #HB3998 proposed legislation to give a property tax break to "qualifying" married couples is hilariously bad. So, deeply offensive.

Ready for this? A thread on trying to use the tax code to promote a religious agenda. 1/?

#txlege

It applies to 3 kinds of kids: (A) a natural child of both spouses of a qualifying married couple (QMC) born after the date on which the QMC married; (B) an adopted child of both spouses of a QMC adopted after the date on which the QMC married; or
2/

(C) adopted child of one spouse of a QMC adopted after the date on which the QMC married if the child is the natural or adopted child of the other spouse and that other spouse was a widow or widower before the date on which the QMC married.

3/

And you're right to be wondering about who, exactly, is a Qualified Married Couple.

Drumroll if you've guessed it already...

(2) "Qualifying married couple" means a man and a woman who are legally married to each other, neither of whom have ever been divorced.

4/

So, legally married gay couples? No tax credit for you! That it does not YET contain anti-trans language is an oversight I'm sure will be corrected. Bigots gonna bigot, after all.

Back to the bill.

5/

d) A QMC is entitled to...the credit (c) regardless of whether:
(1) the qualifying children reside in the same residence homestead in which both spouses of the qualifying married couple reside; or
(2) one or more of the qualifying children dies.

6/

So you don't have to actually have the kids living under your roof to get the tax credit.

Send'em to grandma and get the tax credit!

7/

Also - worth making explicit - this is a break on property taxes. So you only get it if you own your home & pay property tax.

Otherwise QMCs who rent don't get it.

8/

Married high school sweethearts living with mom & dad in mom & dad's house don't get it. But since I don't see an age limit on the kids, I guess mom & dad could get it at least for their child at home. But not for the spouse & grandkids.

9/

I cannot imagine a world in which this passes, or even gets a hearing in committee. But I also could not imagine a world with President Trump and without Roe v. Wade, so my odds on this may not be the ones to go with here.

10/

Will be fun to see what happens. And by fun, I mean possibly infuriating if it does get any traction, give how truly heinous it is.

You can look it up on capitol.state.tx.us - HB 2889 will get you the full text (underlined portion is what author is proposing).

11/11

Extras for experts - forgot to point out that "(A) a natural child of both spouses of a qualifying married couple (QMC) born after the date on which the QMC married" - Mr. Holy Roller doesn't specify whether kid was conceived "in wedlock," just born into it. #Gross