Illinois 2025-2026 Regular Session

Illinois House Bill HB2424 Latest Draft

Bill / Introduced Version Filed 02/03/2025

                            104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
 State of Illinois
 2025 and 2026 HB2424 Introduced , by Rep. Rita Mayfield SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 35 ILCS 200/15-175 Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, for the purpose of eligibility for the general homestead exemption, "homestead property" also includes property that is used by a person as his or her principal dwelling place and on which the person is liable for the payment of property taxes under a lease-to-purchase or a lease-option contract. LRB104 09450 JRC 19510 b   A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
 State of Illinois
 2025 and 2026 HB2424 Introduced , by Rep. Rita Mayfield SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:  35 ILCS 200/15-175 35 ILCS 200/15-175  Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, for the purpose of eligibility for the general homestead exemption, "homestead property" also includes property that is used by a person as his or her principal dwelling place and on which the person is liable for the payment of property taxes under a lease-to-purchase or a lease-option contract.  LRB104 09450 JRC 19510 b     LRB104 09450 JRC 19510 b   A BILL FOR
104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
 State of Illinois
 2025 and 2026 HB2424 Introduced , by Rep. Rita Mayfield SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
35 ILCS 200/15-175 35 ILCS 200/15-175
35 ILCS 200/15-175
Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, for the purpose of eligibility for the general homestead exemption, "homestead property" also includes property that is used by a person as his or her principal dwelling place and on which the person is liable for the payment of property taxes under a lease-to-purchase or a lease-option contract.
LRB104 09450 JRC 19510 b     LRB104 09450 JRC 19510 b
    LRB104 09450 JRC 19510 b
A BILL FOR
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  HB2424  LRB104 09450 JRC 19510 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 5. The Property Tax Code is amended by changing
5  Section 15-175 as follows:
6  (35 ILCS 200/15-175)
7  Sec. 15-175. General homestead exemption.
8  (a) Except as provided in Sections 15-176 and 15-177,
9  homestead property is entitled to an annual homestead
10  exemption limited, except as described here with relation to
11  cooperatives or life care facilities, to a reduction in the
12  equalized assessed value of homestead property equal to the
13  increase in equalized assessed value for the current
14  assessment year above the equalized assessed value of the
15  property for 1977, up to the maximum reduction set forth
16  below. If however, the 1977 equalized assessed value upon
17  which taxes were paid is subsequently determined by local
18  assessing officials, the Property Tax Appeal Board, or a court
19  to have been excessive, the equalized assessed value which
20  should have been placed on the property for 1977 shall be used
21  to determine the amount of the exemption.
22  (b) Except as provided in Section 15-176, the maximum
23  reduction before taxable year 2004 shall be $4,500 in counties

 

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
 State of Illinois
 2025 and 2026 HB2424 Introduced , by Rep. Rita Mayfield SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
35 ILCS 200/15-175 35 ILCS 200/15-175
35 ILCS 200/15-175
Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, for the purpose of eligibility for the general homestead exemption, "homestead property" also includes property that is used by a person as his or her principal dwelling place and on which the person is liable for the payment of property taxes under a lease-to-purchase or a lease-option contract.
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    LRB104 09450 JRC 19510 b
A BILL FOR

 

 

35 ILCS 200/15-175



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1  with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants and $3,500 in all other
2  counties. Except as provided in Sections 15-176 and 15-177,
3  for taxable years 2004 through 2007, the maximum reduction
4  shall be $5,000, for taxable year 2008, the maximum reduction
5  is $5,500, and, for taxable years 2009 through 2011, the
6  maximum reduction is $6,000 in all counties. For taxable years
7  2012 through 2016, the maximum reduction is $7,000 in counties
8  with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants and $6,000 in all other
9  counties. For taxable years 2017 through 2022, the maximum
10  reduction is $10,000 in counties with 3,000,000 or more
11  inhabitants and $6,000 in all other counties. For taxable
12  years 2023 and thereafter, the maximum reduction is $10,000 in
13  counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, $8,000 in
14  counties that are contiguous to a county of 3,000,000 or more
15  inhabitants, and $6,000 in all other counties. If a county has
16  elected to subject itself to the provisions of Section 15-176
17  as provided in subsection (k) of that Section, then, for the
18  first taxable year only after the provisions of Section 15-176
19  no longer apply, for owners who, for the taxable year, have not
20  been granted a senior citizens assessment freeze homestead
21  exemption under Section 15-172 or a long-time occupant
22  homestead exemption under Section 15-177, there shall be an
23  additional exemption of $5,000 for owners with a household
24  income of $30,000 or less.
25  (c) In counties with fewer than 3,000,000 inhabitants, if,
26  based on the most recent assessment, the equalized assessed

 

 

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1  value of the homestead property for the current assessment
2  year is greater than the equalized assessed value of the
3  property for 1977, the owner of the property shall
4  automatically receive the exemption granted under this Section
5  in an amount equal to the increase over the 1977 assessment up
6  to the maximum reduction set forth in this Section.
7  (d) If in any assessment year beginning with the 2000
8  assessment year, homestead property has a pro-rata valuation
9  under Section 9-180 resulting in an increase in the assessed
10  valuation, a reduction in equalized assessed valuation equal
11  to the increase in equalized assessed value of the property
12  for the year of the pro-rata valuation above the equalized
13  assessed value of the property for 1977 shall be applied to the
14  property on a proportionate basis for the period the property
15  qualified as homestead property during the assessment year.
16  The maximum proportionate homestead exemption shall not exceed
17  the maximum homestead exemption allowed in the county under
18  this Section divided by 365 and multiplied by the number of
19  days the property qualified as homestead property.
20  (d-1) In counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants,
21  where the chief county assessment officer provides a notice of
22  discovery, if a property is not occupied by its owner as a
23  principal residence as of January 1 of the current tax year,
24  then the property owner shall notify the chief county
25  assessment officer of that fact on a form prescribed by the
26  chief county assessment officer. That notice must be received

 

 

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1  by the chief county assessment officer on or before March 1 of
2  the collection year. If mailed, the form shall be sent by
3  certified mail, return receipt requested. If the form is
4  provided in person, the chief county assessment officer shall
5  provide a date stamped copy of the notice. Failure to provide
6  timely notice pursuant to this subsection (d-1) shall result
7  in the exemption being treated as an erroneous exemption. Upon
8  timely receipt of the notice for the current tax year, no
9  exemption shall be applied to the property for the current tax
10  year. If the exemption is not removed upon timely receipt of
11  the notice by the chief assessment officer, then the error is
12  considered granted as a result of a clerical error or omission
13  on the part of the chief county assessment officer as
14  described in subsection (h) of Section 9-275, and the property
15  owner shall not be liable for the payment of interest and
16  penalties due to the erroneous exemption for the current tax
17  year for which the notice was filed after the date that notice
18  was timely received pursuant to this subsection. Notice
19  provided under this subsection shall not constitute a defense
20  or amnesty for prior year erroneous exemptions.
21  For the purposes of this subsection (d-1):
22  "Collection year" means the year in which the first and
23  second installment of the current tax year is billed.
24  "Current tax year" means the year prior to the collection
25  year.
26  (e) The chief county assessment officer may, when

 

 

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1  considering whether to grant a leasehold exemption under this
2  Section, require the following conditions to be met:
3  (1) that a notarized application for the exemption,
4  signed by both the owner and the lessee of the property,
5  must be submitted each year during the application period
6  in effect for the county in which the property is located;
7  (2) that a copy of the lease must be filed with the
8  chief county assessment officer by the owner of the
9  property at the time the notarized application is
10  submitted;
11  (3) that the lease must expressly state that the
12  lessee is liable for the payment of property taxes; and
13  (4) that the lease must include the following language
14  in substantially the following form:
15  "Lessee shall be liable for the payment of real
16  estate taxes with respect to the residence in
17  accordance with the terms and conditions of Section
18  15-175 of the Property Tax Code (35 ILCS 200/15-175).
19  The permanent real estate index number for the
20  premises is (insert number), and, according to the
21  most recent property tax bill, the current amount of
22  real estate taxes associated with the premises is
23  (insert amount) per year. The parties agree that the
24  monthly rent set forth above shall be increased or
25  decreased pro rata (effective January 1 of each
26  calendar year) to reflect any increase or decrease in

 

 

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1  real estate taxes. Lessee shall be deemed to be
2  satisfying Lessee's liability for the above mentioned
3  real estate taxes with the monthly rent payments as
4  set forth above (or increased or decreased as set
5  forth herein).".
6  In addition, if there is a change in lessee, or if the
7  lessee vacates the property, then the chief county assessment
8  officer may require the owner of the property to notify the
9  chief county assessment officer of that change.
10  This subsection (e) does not apply to leasehold interests
11  in property owned by a municipality.
12  (f) "Homestead property" under this Section includes
13  residential property that is occupied by its owner or owners
14  as his or their principal dwelling place, or that is a
15  leasehold interest on which a single family residence is
16  situated, which is occupied as a residence by a person who has
17  an ownership interest therein, legal or equitable or as a
18  lessee, and on which the person is liable for the payment of
19  property taxes. For taxable year 2026 and each taxable year
20  thereafter, "homestead property" also includes property that
21  is used by a person as his or her principal dwelling place and
22  on which the person is liable for the payment of property taxes
23  under a lease-to-purchase or a lease-option contract. For land
24  improved with an apartment building owned and operated as a
25  cooperative, the maximum reduction from the equalized assessed
26  value shall be limited to the increase in the value above the

 

 

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1  equalized assessed value of the property for 1977, up to the
2  maximum reduction set forth above, multiplied by the number of
3  apartments or units occupied by a person or persons who is
4  liable, by contract with the owner or owners of record, for
5  paying property taxes on the property and is an owner of record
6  of a legal or equitable interest in the cooperative apartment
7  building, other than a leasehold interest. For land improved
8  with a life care facility, the maximum reduction from the
9  value of the property, as equalized by the Department, shall
10  be multiplied by the number of apartments or units occupied by
11  a person or persons, irrespective of any legal, equitable, or
12  leasehold interest in the facility, who are liable, under a
13  life care contract with the owner or owners of record of the
14  facility, for paying property taxes on the property. For
15  purposes of this Section, the term "life care facility" has
16  the meaning stated in Section 15-170.
17  "Household", as used in this Section, means the owner, the
18  spouse of the owner, and all persons using the residence of the
19  owner as their principal place of residence.
20  "Household income", as used in this Section, means the
21  combined income of the members of a household for the calendar
22  year preceding the taxable year.
23  "Income", as used in this Section, has the same meaning as
24  provided in Section 3.07 of the Senior Citizens and Persons
25  with Disabilities Property Tax Relief Act, except that
26  "income" does not include veteran's benefits.

 

 

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1  (g) In a cooperative or life care facility where a
2  homestead exemption has been granted, the cooperative
3  association or the management of the cooperative or life care
4  facility shall credit the savings resulting from that
5  exemption only to the apportioned tax liability of the owner
6  or resident who qualified for the exemption. Any person who
7  willfully refuses to so credit the savings shall be guilty of a
8  Class B misdemeanor.
9  (h) Where married persons maintain and reside in separate
10  residences qualifying as homestead property, each residence
11  shall receive 50% of the total reduction in equalized assessed
12  valuation provided by this Section.
13  (i) In all counties, the assessor or chief county
14  assessment officer may determine the eligibility of
15  residential property to receive the homestead exemption and
16  the amount of the exemption by application, visual inspection,
17  questionnaire or other reasonable methods. The determination
18  shall be made in accordance with guidelines established by the
19  Department, provided that the taxpayer applying for an
20  additional general exemption under this Section shall submit
21  to the chief county assessment officer an application with an
22  affidavit of the applicant's total household income, age,
23  marital status (and, if married, the name and address of the
24  applicant's spouse, if known), and principal dwelling place of
25  members of the household on January 1 of the taxable year. The
26  Department shall issue guidelines establishing a method for

 

 

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1  verifying the accuracy of the affidavits filed by applicants
2  under this paragraph. The applications shall be clearly marked
3  as applications for the Additional General Homestead
4  Exemption.
5  (i-5) This subsection (i-5) applies to counties with
6  3,000,000 or more inhabitants. In the event of a sale of
7  homestead property, the homestead exemption shall remain in
8  effect for the remainder of the assessment year of the sale.
9  Upon receipt of a transfer declaration transmitted by the
10  recorder pursuant to Section 31-30 of the Real Estate Transfer
11  Tax Law for property receiving an exemption under this
12  Section, the assessor shall mail a notice and forms to the new
13  owner of the property providing information pertaining to the
14  rules and applicable filing periods for applying or reapplying
15  for homestead exemptions under this Code for which the
16  property may be eligible. If the new owner fails to apply or
17  reapply for a homestead exemption during the applicable filing
18  period or the property no longer qualifies for an existing
19  homestead exemption, the assessor shall cancel such exemption
20  for any ensuing assessment year.
21  (j) In counties with fewer than 3,000,000 inhabitants, in
22  the event of a sale of homestead property the homestead
23  exemption shall remain in effect for the remainder of the
24  assessment year of the sale. The assessor or chief county
25  assessment officer may require the new owner of the property
26  to apply for the homestead exemption for the following

 

 

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