A bill authored by state Sen. John Yudichak (D-Luzerne/Carbon/Monroe) that would extend tax filing deadlines for members of the military, their spouses and civilians supporting military operations in a combat zone unanimously cleared the Senate Finance Committee Wednesday.

"The brave men and women of our world-class armed forces put their lives on the line every day to protect our freedoms - and the last thing they should have to worry about in a combat zone is being penalized for missing a tax deadline," Yudichak said. "This bill has broad bipartisan support and I am hopeful that it will move swiftly through the legislative process."Yudichak's bill, Senate Bill 160, would extend the deadline for the filing of any tax return or the payment of any tax without penalty for residents of Pennsylvania that are serving in the armed forces in a combat zone or who have been ordered to active duty prior to the legal deadline for filing a tax return or paying a tax.Under the bill, the deadline would be extended for 180 days following the date of the resident's return to the United States.