Bill would expand tax break

| January 27, 2011 8:00 PM

BOISE (AP) - Leaving your house for a mission or military service?

Idaho lawmakers are pushing for a change in the law to let people serving on humanitarian or religious missions, or on military deployments, keep a popular home-owners' tax exemption - even if they rent out their houses while they're gone.

Right now, Idaho residents can exempt about $92,000 of their home's value from their property taxes.

But they have to actually live there.

One young homeowner in Boise who joined the Peace Corps found out the hard way, losing his exemption while he was away.

So he approached state Rep. Lynn Luker, a Republican.

Luker's bill passed the House State Affairs Committee on Wednesday and now heads to a full House vote.

There was some opposition, including from Democratic Rep. John Rusche, who fears changes don't safeguard against potential fraud.