Relates to providing a credit against tax for the purchase of low vision devices

BILL NUMBER:S1830

Title of bill

An act to amend the tax law, in relation to providing a credit against tax for the purchase of low vision devices

Purpose

This bill will provide an income tax credit for the purchase of a low vision device.

Summary of provisions

Section 1 amends Section 606 of the Tax Law by adding a new subsection (ccc), which establishes the Low Vision Device Tax Credit. The subsection provides that a taxpayer shall be allowed an income tax credit for the purchase of a qualified low vision device. The tax credit shall be equal to the amount paid by the taxpayer for the qualified low vision device. The subsection further provides the definition of a qualified low vision device as a device used for magnifying, enhancing, or otherwise augmenting a visual image. The taxpayer must apply for the low vision device tax credit and shall not apply to any expense for which a tax credit is allowed under any other provision of this chapter. Lastly, the subsection specifies that the low vision device tax credit shall not exceed a taxpayer's tax for the taxable year. However, the excess credit allowed may be carried over to the following year or years.

Section 2 provides the effective date.

Justification

A decrease in one's vision can be caused by a number of medical conditions including, but not limited to: cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy. These conditions can reduce a person's vision to the point of requiring a low vision device, also known as a reading machine, to read almost anything. This includes, but is not limited to, the person's medication, legal documentation, mail, and any other document that has a regular font size.

Medicare does not provide coverage for low vision devices. It has been Medicare's policy not to provide coverage for certain things that it believes are routine. This includes items which have one or more lenses that are used to aid vision, such as eyeglasses or a low vision device. This bill helps individuals whose insurance does not cover the cost of low vision devices by providing a tax credit equal to the amount paid for the low vision device.

Legislative history

2013-2014: S.5375-A

Fiscal implications

Minimal

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to taxable years beginning on and after the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.