(a) In the case of an individual serving in the armed forces of the United States, or serving in support of such armed forces, in an area designated by the President of the United States by Executive Order as a “combat zone” for purposes of § 112 of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. § 112), at any time during the period designated by the President by Executive Order as the period of combatant activities in such zone for purposes of such section, or hospitalized as a result of injury received while serving in such an area during such time, the period of service in such area, plus the period of continuous qualified hospitalization attributable to such injury, and the next 195 days thereafter, shall be disregarded in determining under this title (other than Chapters 30, 51 and 52), in respect of any tax liability (including any interest, penalty, additional amount, or addition to the tax) of such individual:

(1) Whether any of the following acts was performed within the time prescribed therefor:

a. Filing any return of income or estate (except income tax withheld at source);

b. Payment of any income or estate (except income tax withheld at source) or any installment thereof or any other liability to this State in respect thereof;

c. Filing a protest with the Director under § 523 of this title, filing a petition with the Tax Appeal Board under § 544 of this title or filing an appeal of a decision rendered by the Tax Appeal Board under § 331 of this title;

d. Allowance of a credit or refund of any tax;

e. Filing a claim for credit or refund of any tax;

f. Assessment of any tax;

g. Giving or making any notice or demand for the payment of any tax, or with respect to any liability to this State in respect of any tax;

h. Collection of the amount of any liability in respect of any tax;

i. Bringing suit or commencing any action, including the filing of any certificate or warrant, by this State or any officer on its behalf, in respect of any liability in respect of any tax; and

j. Any other act required or permitted under this title (other than Chapters 30, 51 and 52) specified in regulations prescribed under this section by the Director;

(2) The amount of any credit or refund (including interest).

(b) (1) Except to the extent provided in paragraph (a)(2) of this section shall not apply for purposes of determining the amount of interest on any overpayment of tax.

(2) If an individual is entitled to the benefits of subsection (a) of this section with respect to any return and such return is timely filed (determined after the application of subsection (a) of this section), interest shall be allowed on any overpayment commencing with the forty-sixth day after the due date for the return (determined after the application of subsection (a) of this section).

(c) The provisions of this section shall apply to the spouse of any individual entitled to the benefits of subsection (a) of this section. Except in the case of the combat zone designated for purposes of the Vietnam conflict, the preceding sentence shall not cause this section to apply to any spouse for any taxable year beginning more than 2 years after the date designated under § 112 of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. § 112) as the date of termination of combatant activities in a combat zone.

(d) The period of service in the area referred to in subsection (a) of this section shall include the period during which an individual entitled to benefits under said subsection (a) of this section is in a missing status, within the meaning of § 6013(f)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. § 6013(f)(3)).

(e) (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, any action or proceeding authorized by § 560, § 561 or § 1221 [repealed] of this title (regardless of the taxable period for which the tax arose), as well as any other action or proceeding authorized by law in connection therewith, may be taken, begun or prosecuted. In any other case in which the Director determines that collection of the amount of any assessment would be jeopardized by delay, the provisions of subsection (a) of this section shall not operate to stay collection of such amount as authorized by law. There shall be excluded from any amount assessed or collected pursuant to this paragraph the amount of interest, penalty, additional amount and addition to the tax, if any, in respect of the period disregarded under subsection (a) of this section. In any case to which this paragraph relates, if the Director is required to give any notice to or make any demand upon any person, such requirement shall be deemed to be satisfied if the notice or demand is prepared and signed, in any case in which the address of such person last known to the Director is in any area for which United States post offices under instructions of the Postmaster General of the United States are not, by reason of combatant activities, accepting mail for delivery at the time the notice or demand is signed. In such case the notice or demand shall be deemed to have been given or made upon the date it is signed.

(2) The assessment or collection of any tax or of any liability to this State in respect of any tax, or any action or proceeding by or on behalf of this State in connection therewith, may be made, taken, begun or prosecuted in accordance with law, without regard to the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, unless prior to such assessment, collection, action or proceeding it is ascertained that the person concerned is entitled to the benefits of subsection (a) of this section.

(f) (1) Any individual who performed Desert Shield services (and the spouse of such individual) shall be entitled to the benefits of this section in the same manner as if such services were referred to in subsection (a) of this section.

(2) For purposes of this subsection, the term “Desert Shield services” means any services in the armed forces of the United States or in support of such armed forces if:

a. Such services are performed in the area designated by the President pursuant to this subparagraph as the “Persian Gulf Desert Shield Area”; and

b. Such services are performed during the period beginning on August 2, 1990, and ending on the date on which any portion of the area referred to in subparagraph a is designated by the President as a combat zone pursuant to § 112 of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. § 112).

(g) For purposes of subsection (a) of this section, the term “qualified hospitalization” means:

(1) Any hospitalization outside the United States; and

(2) Any hospitalization inside the United States, except that not more than 5 years of hospitalization may be taken into account under this paragraph.

Paragraph (2) of this subsection shall not apply for purposes of applying this section with respect to the spouse of any individual entitled to the benefits of subsection (a) of this section.

68 Del. Laws, c. 187, § 1; 71 Del. Laws, c. 353, § 13; 71 Del. Laws, c. 385, § 6.