A local lawmaker is hoping to eliminate the death tax during this year’s legislative session.

District 10 State Senator Jake Chapman of Adel filed such a bill last week.

“There is no reason we should be taxing the dead and their estate.  That inheritance could really have an impact on particularly farms where an individual inherits a farm and now they have to pay a cash tax on the valuation of the farm, so what my bill does it just completely strikes out the gas tax out of the Iowa code.”

Senator Chapman says he has received positive feedback thus far and is hopeful the bill will advance.

“I have gotten a tremendous, tremendous amount of support for ending the death tax in Iowa. I was very happy to introduce that legislation.  I’m hoping we’ll at least be able to get a subcommittee hearing on it and at least discuss the merits of it.”

He says right now with the death tax, there are a lot of loopholes and exemptions, so he feels it would be better to just get rid of it completely.