President Signs Military Spouses Residency Relief Act
President Obama today signed into law the Military Spouses Residency Relief Act. This Act amends the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to guarantee the equity of spouses of military personnel with regard to matters of residency, and for other purposes. Among other things, the Act provides that when a service member leaves his or her home state relative to military orders, the service member’s spouse may retain residency in his or her home state for voting and tax purposes, after relocating from that state to accompany the service member.
When the military orders service members to move, spouses who move with them often have to pay taxes in a new State or locality and lose the right to vote in the place considered to be home. This legislation will alleviate these and other burdens on our military families. This legislation is an important means of maintaining the morale and readiness of our Armed Forces and significantly enhances the ability of our military to effectively recruit and retain these highly valued service personnel.
It’s about time those who serve alongside us without a uniform are recognized.
