State Senator Donnie Chesteen (R-Geneva) has pre-filed a bill for the 2020 legislative session that would allow Alabamians in the armed forces who are serving outside the state the ability to claim an income tax deduction on their Alabama state tax bill.

According to Chesteen’s legislation, out of state service members are currently unable to deduct military pay and allowances for the income tax return they file to the State of Alabama.

The bill would also require military members to annually communicate their current place of residence to the Alabama Department of Revenue.

The Alabama Department of Revenue’s website currently reads, “Military personnel who list Alabama as their home of record are required to pay Alabama income tax regardless of where they are assigned or the length of time spent in Alabama. Alabama income tax law does not exempt active-duty military.”

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article attributed the bill to State Sen. Chris Elliot (R-Daphne). Elliot’s name was mistakenly listed on the pre-filed bill by the legislature’s online filing system.

Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: [email protected] or on Twitter @HenryThornton95.