[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 48 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 48

 To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a credit against 
              income tax for the purchase of hearing aids.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 5, 2017

 Mr. Heller (for himself, Ms. Klobuchar, and Mr. Leahy) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                                Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a credit against 
              income tax for the purchase of hearing aids.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Hearing Aid Assistance Tax Credit 
Act''.

SEC. 2. CREDIT FOR HEARING AIDS.

    (a) In General.--Subpart A of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to nonrefundable 
personal credits) is amended by inserting after section 25D the 
following new section:

``SEC. 25E. CREDIT FOR HEARING AIDS.

    ``(a) Allowance of Credit.--In the case of an individual, there 
shall be allowed as a credit against the tax imposed by this chapter an 
amount equal to the amount paid during the taxable year, not 
compensated by insurance or otherwise, by the taxpayer for the purchase 
of any qualified hearing aid.
    ``(b) Maximum Amount.--The amount allowed as a credit under 
subsection (a) shall not exceed $500 per qualified hearing aid.
    ``(c) Qualified Hearing Aid.--For purposes of this section, the 
term `qualified hearing aid' means a hearing aid--
            ``(1) which is described in sections 874.3300 and 874.3305 
        of title 21, Code of Federal Regulations, and is authorized 
        under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act for commercial 
        distribution, and
            ``(2) which is intended for use--
                    ``(A) by the taxpayer, or
                    ``(B) by an individual with respect to whom the 
                taxpayer, for the taxable year, is allowed a deduction 
                under section 151(c) (relating to deduction for 
                personal exemptions for dependents).
    ``(d) Election Once Every 5 Years.--This section shall apply with 
respect to any individual for any taxable year only if there is an 
election in effect with respect to such individual (at such time and in 
such manner as the Secretary may by regulations prescribe) to have this 
section apply for such taxable year. An election to have this section 
apply with respect to any individual may not be made for any taxable 
year if such an election is in effect with respect to such individual 
for any of the 4 taxable years preceding such taxable year.
    ``(e) Denial of Double Benefit.--No credit shall be allowed under 
subsection (a) for any expense for which a deduction or credit is 
allowed under any other provision of this chapter.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for subpart A of 
part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986 is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 25D the 
following new item:

``Sec. 25E. Credit for hearing aids.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017.
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