Sec. 7b.

(1) Real estate used and owned as a homestead by a soldier or sailor who was discharged under honorable conditions with a service connected disability, and who has a certificate from the United States veterans' administration, or its successors, certifying the soldier or sailor is receiving or has received pecuniary assistance due to disability for specially adapted housing, shall be exempt from taxation. To obtain the exemption an affidavit, accompanied by the certificate, showing the facts required by this section and a description of the property shall be filed with the supervisor or other assessing officer. The affidavit and accompanying certificate shall be filed during the period beginning with the tax day for each year and ending at the time of the final adjournment of the local board of review. The affidavit and accompanying certificate when filed shall be open to inspection. The county treasurer is hereby authorized, pursuant to section 55, to cancel the taxes for any year in which a soldier or sailor has acquired title to real estate exempt under this section. Upon the granting of the exemption as allowed in this section, each local taxing unit shall bear the loss of their portion of the taxes upon which the exemption has been claimed and allowed.

(2) If a soldier or sailor entitled to the exemption permitted by this section dies, the exemption shall continue in favor of the unremarried surviving spouse of the soldier or sailor. The spouse shall comply with the requirements of subsection (1) and shall indicate on the affidavit that he or she is the surviving spouse of a soldier or sailor entitled to exemption by this section. The exemption shall continue as long as the surviving spouse remains unremarried.