Home Rule Petition to Authorize Real Estate Tax Abatement for Ava Roy Passes Legislature

(BOSTON 8/17/2023) — State Representative Hannah Kane (R-Shrewsbury) and Senator Michael Moore (D-Millbury) are happy to announce that the Legislature has authorized Shrewsbury to grant a real estate tax abatement for Ava Roy, daughter of firefighter Christopher Roy.

House Bill 3906, An Act authorizing the town of Shrewsbury to grant abatement of real estate taxes for the daughter of fallen firefighter Christopher Roy, authorizes the town of Shrewsbury to grant real estate tax abatement for the domicile of Ava Roy as long as it is owned and occupied by her guardian, trustee, conservator, adoptive parent, or other fiduciary. Ava Roy’s father, Christopher Roy, was a Worcester firefighter who was killed in the line of duty in 2018. Ava is under the guardianship of her grandparents and lives with them in Shrewsbury. Tax assessors are allowed to exempt real estate taxes for the surviving minor children of police or firefighters who are killed in the line of duty if the minor child owns and occupies the property, and a trust set up for Ava holds percentage ownership of the property. However, Ava is a minor child, and as such is unable to own the property nor serve as trustee. As a result, the Shrewsbury Board of Assessors was unable to grant tax relief until the passage of this bill.

“I am pleased that Shrewsbury will now be able to exempt the real estate taxes for the home in which Ava Roy lives with her grandparents,” Representative Hannah Kane (R-Shrewsbury) said. “This measure satisfies the intent of the original state law allowing for a property tax exemption to the children of fallen firefighters.  I am grateful to the Assessor’s office in the town of Shrewsbury for bringing to my attention the need for special legislation to provide this benefit in Shrewsbury. Senator Moore and I are happy to have filed and helped expedite this legislation after the passage of the home rule petition at Shrewsbury Town Meeting this past May.”

“With the passage of this legislation, Ava Roy will receive the state support that she deserves after the tragic death of her father, Christopher Roy,” said Senator Michael O. Moore (D-Millbury). The Commonwealth must give back to those whose family members lose their lives as a result of serving their communities, and I’m proud to have worked with Representative Kane to uphold Christopher Roy’s memory.”

House Bill 3906 is a home rule petition filed at the request of Shrewsbury after it was unanimously passed at Shrewsbury’s May 2023 Annual Town Meeting. It was passed by the House and Senate on August 17, 2023. Governor Healey is expected to sign the bill in the coming days.

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