State Sen. Betty Little says legislation she sponsored that would prevent someone with a physical disability from losing the Enhanced STAR property tax exemption due to the death of their spouse passed the Senate Tuesday.

Little, who represents the 45th senate District, which includes the St. Lawrence County towns of Piercefield, Colton, Hopkinton, Clare, Parishville and Lawrence, and the entire counties of Franklin, Clinton, Essex, Warren and Washington, says the measure passed the State Senate Aging Committee with unanimous support.

The Enhanced STAR benefit provides important savings for many homeowners age 65 years and older. Currently, a surviving spouse age 62 or older is eligible to continue receiving the Enhanced STAR benefit. “My legislation would remove the age restriction for a surviving spouse who has a serious physical disability, helping ensure these people can afford to remain in their homes,” Little said.

To qualify as physically disabled, an individual would need to submit to the local assessor a certified statement from a New York State licensed physician licensed verifying that the individual has a permanent physical impairment which substantially limits one or more of such individual's major life activities.

The legislation was referred to the Senate Finance Committee.