103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 HB3544 Introduced , by Rep. Amy L. Grant SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 5 ILCS 100/5-45.35 new35 ILCS 5/240 new Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit for custodians of qualifying pupils for eligible education expenses related to online learning, including computers, printers, internet access, textbooks, tutors, and educational facilitators. Provides for an additional credit if the custodian is also an eligible teacher. Creates an income tax credit for employers of custodians of qualifying pupils for eligible expenditures paid by the employer on behalf of the custodian. Provides that the credit is exempt from the Act's automatic sunset provision. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to provide for emergency rulemaking. Effective immediately. LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b A BILL FOR 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 HB3544 Introduced , by Rep. Amy L. Grant SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 5 ILCS 100/5-45.35 new35 ILCS 5/240 new 5 ILCS 100/5-45.35 new 35 ILCS 5/240 new Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit for custodians of qualifying pupils for eligible education expenses related to online learning, including computers, printers, internet access, textbooks, tutors, and educational facilitators. Provides for an additional credit if the custodian is also an eligible teacher. Creates an income tax credit for employers of custodians of qualifying pupils for eligible expenditures paid by the employer on behalf of the custodian. Provides that the credit is exempt from the Act's automatic sunset provision. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to provide for emergency rulemaking. Effective immediately. LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b A BILL FOR 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 HB3544 Introduced , by Rep. Amy L. Grant SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 5 ILCS 100/5-45.35 new35 ILCS 5/240 new 5 ILCS 100/5-45.35 new 35 ILCS 5/240 new 5 ILCS 100/5-45.35 new 35 ILCS 5/240 new Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit for custodians of qualifying pupils for eligible education expenses related to online learning, including computers, printers, internet access, textbooks, tutors, and educational facilitators. Provides for an additional credit if the custodian is also an eligible teacher. Creates an income tax credit for employers of custodians of qualifying pupils for eligible expenditures paid by the employer on behalf of the custodian. Provides that the credit is exempt from the Act's automatic sunset provision. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to provide for emergency rulemaking. Effective immediately. LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b A BILL FOR HB3544LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b HB3544 LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b HB3544 LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b 1 AN ACT concerning revenue. 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 3 represented in the General Assembly: 4 Section 3. The Illinois Administrative Procedure Act is 5 amended by adding Section 5-45.35 as follows: 6 (5 ILCS 100/5-45.35 new) 7 Sec. 5-45.35. Emergency rulemaking. To provide for the 8 expeditious and timely implementation of Section 232 of the 9 Illinois Income Tax Act, emergency rules implementing that 10 Section may be adopted in accordance with Section 5-45 by the 11 Department of Revenue. The adoption of emergency rules 12 authorized by Section 5-45 and this Section is deemed to be 13 necessary for the public interest, safety, and welfare. 14 This Section is repealed on January 1, 2028. 15 Section 5. The Illinois Income Tax Act is amended by 16 adding Section 240 as follows: 17 (35 ILCS 5/240 new) 18 Sec. 240. Remote learning education expense credit. 19 (a) The COVID-19 pandemic has created challenges for 20 students and their families in the areas of child care, school 21 attendance, school access, and the like. 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 HB3544 Introduced , by Rep. Amy L. Grant SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 5 ILCS 100/5-45.35 new35 ILCS 5/240 new 5 ILCS 100/5-45.35 new 35 ILCS 5/240 new 5 ILCS 100/5-45.35 new 35 ILCS 5/240 new Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit for custodians of qualifying pupils for eligible education expenses related to online learning, including computers, printers, internet access, textbooks, tutors, and educational facilitators. Provides for an additional credit if the custodian is also an eligible teacher. Creates an income tax credit for employers of custodians of qualifying pupils for eligible expenditures paid by the employer on behalf of the custodian. Provides that the credit is exempt from the Act's automatic sunset provision. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to provide for emergency rulemaking. Effective immediately. LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b A BILL FOR 5 ILCS 100/5-45.35 new 35 ILCS 5/240 new LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b HB3544 LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b HB3544- 2 -LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b HB3544 - 2 - LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b HB3544 - 2 - LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b 1 This Section is intended to (i) assist students and 2 families who are unable follow their normal school routine as 3 a consequence of orders of the Department of Public Health 4 relating to COVID-19, (ii) additionally support classroom 5 instructors so that they can maximize time and opportunities 6 for in-person instruction, and (iii) incentivize employers to 7 accommodate working parents. 8 Because the nature and types of hardships experienced by 9 school districts, parents, and students are wide and varied, 10 the most efficient way to deliver relief that can be tailored 11 to the particular individuals' needs is through an income tax 12 credit. 13 The General Assembly finds that it will be costly and 14 burdensome to the State of Illinois if parents must choose to 15 become unemployed due to a lack of accommodation based on the 16 inability of students to attend school in person. 17 (b) As used in this Section, the following words shall 18 have the following meanings unless the context clearly 19 requires otherwise, and shall be construed expansively in 20 favor of the taxpayer for expenditures made in good faith 21 wherever possible: 22 "Custodian" means, with respect to qualifying pupils, an 23 Illinois resident who is a parent, the parents, a legal 24 guardian, or the legal guardians of the qualifying pupils. 25 "COVID-19" means the illness caused by the coronavirus 26 SARS-CoV-2. HB3544 - 2 - LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b HB3544- 3 -LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b HB3544 - 3 - LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b HB3544 - 3 - LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b 1 "Educational activities" means any aspect of a qualifying 2 pupil's education, including, but not limited to classroom 3 instruction, remote learning and blended remote learning 4 instruction, special education support, and tutoring and 5 mentoring. 6 "Eligible expenditure" means costs by a custodian of a 7 qualifying pupil or an employer associated with: 8 (1) the purchase of materials to support online 9 learning, including but not limited to, a personal 10 computer with internet access; a router or hotspot; 11 monthly expenses for internet access; a printer and 12 supportive accessories (print cartridge, toner); textbooks 13 and other supplies needed for education, up to a maximum 14 of $500 for the taxable year; and the costs of educational 15 activities; 16 (2) securing, for a qualifying pupil who is under the 17 age of 15, child care, independent tutoring, an 18 educational facilitator (whether individually or as part 19 of a learning pod, provided that the facilitator fee is 20 distributed pro rata per student), homeschool instruction, 21 alternative classroom instruction, or specialized services 22 relating to learning or behavioral issues identified in an 23 Individualized Education Program and the like, up to a 24 maximum of $5,000 per taxable year per household or per 25 child, whichever is less; and 26 (3) compliance with a mandatory 2-week quarantine HB3544 - 3 - LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b HB3544- 4 -LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b HB3544 - 4 - LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b HB3544 - 4 - LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b 1 period associated with COVID-19, whether imposed by an 2 employer, the State of Illinois, or a county health 3 department, including the costs of testing, clinical 4 support, and vaccination (if available), up to $3,000 per 5 year. 6 "Eligible expenditure adjustment" means the eligible 7 expenditure reduced by 25%. The eligible expenditure 8 adjustment shall apply for any parent or household that had an 9 adjusted gross income for the taxable year of over $150,000 10 for an individual and $300,000 for spouses filing a joint 11 return. 12 "Eligible teacher" means an individual licensed under 13 Article 21B of the School Code who is teaching at the school 14 grade level of kindergarten through grade 12 and is also the 15 custodian of a qualifying pupil under the age of 14 who cannot 16 attend school anywhere within the custodian's school district 17 for in-person instruction on a regular school day. 18 "Qualifying pupil" means an individual who (i) is a 19 resident of the State of Illinois, (ii) is under the age of 21 20 at the close of the school year for which a credit is sought, 21 and (iii) during the school year for which a credit is sought, 22 was a full-time pupil enrolled in a kindergarten through grade 23 12 education program at any school, as defined in this 24 Section. 25 "Regular school day" means the calendar days Monday 26 through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., which occur on the day HB3544 - 4 - LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b HB3544- 5 -LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b HB3544 - 5 - LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b HB3544 - 5 - LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b 1 after Labor Day but before Memorial Day, but not any official 2 government holidays within that time period. 3 "School" means any public or nonpublic elementary or 4 secondary school in Illinois that is in compliance with Title 5 VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and attendance at which 6 satisfies the requirements of Section 26-1 of the School Code, 7 except that nothing shall be construed to require a child to 8 attend any particular public or nonpublic school to qualify 9 for the credit under this Section. 10 (c) For taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 11 2023, a taxpayer who is a custodian of a qualifying pupil is 12 eligible to receive a nonrefundable credit against the taxes 13 imposed by subsections (a) and (b) of Section 201 in an amount 14 equal to 100% of the eligible expenditures (as adjusted by the 15 eligible expenditure adjustment, if applicable), subject to 16 the maximum allowable credits under this Section. Eligible 17 teachers are eligible for an additional $75 credit per week, 18 not to exceed $2,000 per year, if the eligible teacher's 19 qualifying pupil cannot attend in-person instruction because 20 of orders involving the Department of Public Health, a county 21 health department, or the State Board of Education relating to 22 COVID-19. 23 The credit under this Section shall not apply to 24 expenditures incurred after orders preventing in-person 25 instruction for the qualifying pupil are lifted. No taxpayer 26 shall be entitled to claim a tax credit under this Section for HB3544 - 5 - LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b HB3544- 6 -LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b HB3544 - 6 - LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b HB3544 - 6 - LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b 1 the same eligible expenditures claimed by another taxpayer. If 2 2 or more custodians claim tax credits for the same qualified 3 pupil, the total of which exceeds the amounts in this 4 subsection, then the total amount of the credit allowed shall 5 be allocated in amounts proportionate to teach eligible 6 taxpayer's share of the total amount of the eligible 7 expenditures for the eligible qualifying pupil. 8 The employer of a custodian of a qualifying pupil is also 9 entitled to a credit against the taxes imposed by subsections 10 (a) and (b) of Section 201 in an amount equal to 100% of the 11 eligible expenditures paid by the employer on behalf of the 12 custodian of the qualifying pupil, but not to exceed a maximum 13 in each taxable year of $2,000 for each employee on whose 14 behalf an expenditure is made, plus 50% of the maximum 15 unemployment insurance payment that the employer would 16 otherwise pay to the State under the Unemployment Insurance 17 Act for that employee. 18 (d) The Department of Revenue and the State Board of 19 Education shall jointly adopt rules, including emergency 20 rules, for the implementation of this Section. 21 (e) The Department of Revenue shall annually, no later 22 than November 1, file a report with the Governor and the 23 General Assembly and publish on the Department of Revenue's 24 website the total amount of tax credits claimed under this 25 Section and the total number of taxpayers who received the 26 credit for the preceding fiscal year. HB3544 - 6 - LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b HB3544- 7 -LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b HB3544 - 7 - LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b HB3544 - 7 - LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b 1 (f) This Section is exempt from the provisions of Section 2 250. 3 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 4 becoming law. HB3544 - 7 - LRB103 29743 HLH 56149 b