Illinois 2025-2026 Regular Session

Illinois Senate Bill SB1977 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1977 Introduced 2/6/2025, by Sen. Robert Peters SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 35 ILCS 200/15-163 new35 ILCS 200/15-17235 ILCS 200/21-385320 ILCS 30/2 from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 452320 ILCS 30/3 from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 453 Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, on and after July 1, 2026, any bill to amend an existing homestead exemption or to create a new homestead exemption shall include the submission of an impact statement prepared by the sponsor of the bill. Provides that the maximum income limitation for the Low-Income Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption shall be $85,000 for taxable year 2025 and shall be subject to a cost-of-living adjustment in subsequent years. Provides that, for any tax certificates held by a county, the county clerk may create and administer a payment plan during the redemption period. Amends the Senior Citizens Real Estate Tax Deferral Act. Makes changes concerning the maximum household income. Effective immediately. LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1977 Introduced 2/6/2025, by Sen. Robert Peters SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 35 ILCS 200/15-163 new35 ILCS 200/15-17235 ILCS 200/21-385320 ILCS 30/2 from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 452320 ILCS 30/3 from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 453 35 ILCS 200/15-163 new 35 ILCS 200/15-172 35 ILCS 200/21-385 320 ILCS 30/2 from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 452 320 ILCS 30/3 from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 453 Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, on and after July 1, 2026, any bill to amend an existing homestead exemption or to create a new homestead exemption shall include the submission of an impact statement prepared by the sponsor of the bill. Provides that the maximum income limitation for the Low-Income Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption shall be $85,000 for taxable year 2025 and shall be subject to a cost-of-living adjustment in subsequent years. Provides that, for any tax certificates held by a county, the county clerk may create and administer a payment plan during the redemption period. Amends the Senior Citizens Real Estate Tax Deferral Act. Makes changes concerning the maximum household income. Effective immediately. LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b A BILL FOR
2	2	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1977 Introduced 2/6/2025, by Sen. Robert Peters SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
3	3	35 ILCS 200/15-163 new35 ILCS 200/15-17235 ILCS 200/21-385320 ILCS 30/2 from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 452320 ILCS 30/3 from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 453 35 ILCS 200/15-163 new 35 ILCS 200/15-172 35 ILCS 200/21-385 320 ILCS 30/2 from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 452 320 ILCS 30/3 from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 453
4	4	35 ILCS 200/15-163 new
5	5	35 ILCS 200/15-172
6	6	35 ILCS 200/21-385
7	7	320 ILCS 30/2 from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 452
8	8	320 ILCS 30/3 from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 453
9	9	Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, on and after July 1, 2026, any bill to amend an existing homestead exemption or to create a new homestead exemption shall include the submission of an impact statement prepared by the sponsor of the bill. Provides that the maximum income limitation for the Low-Income Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption shall be $85,000 for taxable year 2025 and shall be subject to a cost-of-living adjustment in subsequent years. Provides that, for any tax certificates held by a county, the county clerk may create and administer a payment plan during the redemption period. Amends the Senior Citizens Real Estate Tax Deferral Act. Makes changes concerning the maximum household income. Effective immediately.
10	10	LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
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12	12	A BILL FOR
13	13	SB1977LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b SB1977 LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
14	14	SB1977 LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
15	15	1 AN ACT concerning revenue.
16	16	2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
17	17	3 represented in the General Assembly:
18	18	4 Section 5. The Property Tax Code is amended by changing
19	19	5 Sections 15-172 and 21-385 and by adding Section 15-163 as
20	20	6 follows:
21	21	7 (35 ILCS 200/15-163 new)
22	22	8 Sec. 15-163. Homestead exemption impact statement.
23	23	9 (a) On and after July 1, 2026, any bill to amend an
24	24	10 existing homestead exemption or to create a new homestead
25	25	11 exemption shall include the submission of an impact statement
26	26	12 prepared by the sponsor of the bill, to accompany the bill,
27	27	13 that identifies the following:
28	28	14 (1) the policy purpose, goal, and demographics of who
29	29	15 may be impacted by proposal;
30	30	16 (2) the effect of the homestead exemption on taxing
31	31	17 districts, including a description of how the homestead
32	32	18 exemption could have varying effects across communities,
33	33	19 counties, and townships; and
34	34	20 (3) optional funding sources that could be considered
35	35	21 by taxing districts to replace any identified additional
36	36	22 burdens placed on taxpayers through the adoption of
37	37	23 additional exemptions.
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41	41	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1977 Introduced 2/6/2025, by Sen. Robert Peters SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
42	42	35 ILCS 200/15-163 new35 ILCS 200/15-17235 ILCS 200/21-385320 ILCS 30/2 from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 452320 ILCS 30/3 from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 453 35 ILCS 200/15-163 new 35 ILCS 200/15-172 35 ILCS 200/21-385 320 ILCS 30/2 from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 452 320 ILCS 30/3 from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 453
43	43	35 ILCS 200/15-163 new
44	44	35 ILCS 200/15-172
45	45	35 ILCS 200/21-385
46	46	320 ILCS 30/2 from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 452
47	47	320 ILCS 30/3 from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 453
48	48	Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, on and after July 1, 2026, any bill to amend an existing homestead exemption or to create a new homestead exemption shall include the submission of an impact statement prepared by the sponsor of the bill. Provides that the maximum income limitation for the Low-Income Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption shall be $85,000 for taxable year 2025 and shall be subject to a cost-of-living adjustment in subsequent years. Provides that, for any tax certificates held by a county, the county clerk may create and administer a payment plan during the redemption period. Amends the Senior Citizens Real Estate Tax Deferral Act. Makes changes concerning the maximum household income. Effective immediately.
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50	50	LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
51	51	A BILL FOR
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57	57	35 ILCS 200/15-163 new
58	58	35 ILCS 200/15-172
59	59	35 ILCS 200/21-385
60	60	320 ILCS 30/2 from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 452
61	61	320 ILCS 30/3 from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 453
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80	80	1 (b) The impact statement must be provided before the first
81	81	2 legislative vote on a bill to create new or amend homestead
82	82	3 exemptions.
83	83	4 (c) As used in this Section:
84	84	5 "Homestead" means the land and buildings thereon,
85	85	6 including a condominium or a dwelling unit in a multi-dwelling
86	86	7 building that is owned and operated as a cooperative, occupied
87	87	8 by the taxpayer as the taxpayer's principal residence, or
88	88	9 which is temporarily unoccupied by the taxpayer because the
89	89	10 taxpayer is temporarily residing, for not more than one year,
90	90	11 in a licensed facility as defined in Section 1-113 of the
91	91	12 Nursing Home Care Act.
92	92	13 "Homestead exemption" means a property tax exemption that
93	93	14 decreases all or a portion of the equalized assessed value of
94	94	15 homestead property for a designated group of taxpayers. The
95	95	16 term "homestead exemption" is limited to an exemption that is
96	96	17 granted for the purpose of residential property tax relief and
97	97	18 that has one or more of the following goals: (i) lowering the
98	98	19 tax burden on targeted and identified groups; (ii) promoting
99	99	20 progressivity into property tax system; (iii) sheltering
100	100	21 groups at risk by lowering tax burden; or (iv) supporting
101	101	22 rehabilitation and maintenance of existing housing.
102	102	23 (35 ILCS 200/15-172)
103	103	24 Sec. 15-172. Low-Income Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze
104	104	25 Homestead Exemption.
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115	115	1 (a) This Section may be cited as the Low-Income Senior
116	116	2 Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption.
117	117	3 (b) As used in this Section:
118	118	4 "Applicant" means an individual who has filed an
119	119	5 application under this Section.
120	120	6 "Base amount" means the base year equalized assessed value
121	121	7 of the residence plus the first year's equalized assessed
122	122	8 value of any added improvements which increased the assessed
123	123	9 value of the residence after the base year.
124	124	10 "Base year" means the taxable year prior to the taxable
125	125	11 year for which the applicant first qualifies and applies for
126	126	12 the exemption provided that in the prior taxable year the
127	127	13 property was improved with a permanent structure that was
128	128	14 occupied as a residence by the applicant who was liable for
129	129	15 paying real property taxes on the property and who was either
130	130	16 (i) an owner of record of the property or had legal or
131	131	17 equitable interest in the property as evidenced by a written
132	132	18 instrument or (ii) had a legal or equitable interest as a
133	133	19 lessee in the parcel of property that was single family
134	134	20 residence. If in any subsequent taxable year for which the
135	135	21 applicant applies and qualifies for the exemption the
136	136	22 equalized assessed value of the residence is less than the
137	137	23 equalized assessed value in the existing base year (provided
138	138	24 that such equalized assessed value is not based on an assessed
139	139	25 value that results from a temporary irregularity in the
140	140	26 property that reduces the assessed value for one or more
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151	151	1 taxable years), then that subsequent taxable year shall become
152	152	2 the base year until a new base year is established under the
153	153	3 terms of this paragraph. For taxable year 1999 only, the Chief
154	154	4 County Assessment Officer shall review (i) all taxable years
155	155	5 for which the applicant applied and qualified for the
156	156	6 exemption and (ii) the existing base year. The assessment
157	157	7 officer shall select as the new base year the year with the
158	158	8 lowest equalized assessed value. An equalized assessed value
159	159	9 that is based on an assessed value that results from a
160	160	10 temporary irregularity in the property that reduces the
161	161	11 assessed value for one or more taxable years shall not be
162	162	12 considered the lowest equalized assessed value. The selected
163	163	13 year shall be the base year for taxable year 1999 and
164	164	14 thereafter until a new base year is established under the
165	165	15 terms of this paragraph.
166	166	16 "Chief County Assessment Officer" means the County
167	167	17 Assessor or Supervisor of Assessments of the county in which
168	168	18 the property is located.
169	169	19 "Consumer Price Index" means the index published by the
170	170	20 Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department of
171	171	21 Labor that measures the average change in prices of goods and
172	172	22 services purchased by all urban consumers, United States city
173	173	23 average, all items, 1982-84 = 100.
174	174	24 "Equalized assessed value" means the assessed value as
175	175	25 equalized by the Illinois Department of Revenue.
176	176	26 "Household" means the applicant, the spouse of the
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187	187	1 applicant, and all persons using the residence of the
188	188	2 applicant as their principal place of residence.
189	189	3 "Household income" means the combined income of the
190	190	4 members of a household for the calendar year preceding the
191	191	5 taxable year.
192	192	6 "Income" has the same meaning as provided in Section 3.07
193	193	7 of the Senior Citizens and Persons with Disabilities Property
194	194	8 Tax Relief Act, except that, beginning in assessment year
195	195	9 2001, "income" does not include veteran's benefits.
196	196	10 "Internal Revenue Code of 1986" means the United States
197	197	11 Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or any successor law or laws
198	198	12 relating to federal income taxes in effect for the year
199	199	13 preceding the taxable year.
200	200	14 "Life care facility that qualifies as a cooperative" means
201	201	15 a facility as defined in Section 2 of the Life Care Facilities
202	202	16 Act.
203	203	17 "Maximum income limitation" means:
204	204	18 (1) $35,000 prior to taxable year 1999;
205	205	19 (2) $40,000 in taxable years 1999 through 2003;
206	206	20 (3) $45,000 in taxable years 2004 through 2005;
207	207	21 (4) $50,000 in taxable years 2006 and 2007;
208	208	22 (5) $55,000 in taxable years 2008 through 2016;
209	209	23 (6) for taxable year 2017, (i) $65,000 for qualified
210	210	24 property located in a county with 3,000,000 or more
211	211	25 inhabitants and (ii) $55,000 for qualified property
212	212	26 located in a county with fewer than 3,000,000 inhabitants;
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223	223	1 and
224	224	2 (7) for taxable years 2018 through 2024 and
225	225	3 thereafter, $65,000 for all qualified property; .
226	226	4 (8) for taxable year 2025, $85,000 for all qualified
227	227	5 property; and
228	228	6 (9) for taxable years 2026 and thereafter, the maximum
229	229	7 income limitation for the immediately preceding taxable
230	230	8 year, multiplied by one plus the lesser of (i) the
231	231	9 percentage increase, if any, in the Consumer Price Index
232	232	10 for All Urban Consumers for the 12 months ending in March
233	233	11 of the immediately preceding calendar year or (ii) 3%; the
234	234	12 maximum income limitation under this item (9) shall be
235	235	13 rounded to the nearest dollar.
236	236	14 By June 1, 2026, and by June 1 of each year thereafter, the
237	237	15 Department of Revenue shall determine the maximum income
238	238	16 limitation for the applicable taxable year and shall post that
239	239	17 amount on its website.
240	240	18 As an alternative income valuation, a homeowner who is
241	241	19 enrolled in any of the following programs may be presumed to
242	242	20 have household income that does not exceed the maximum income
243	243	21 limitation for that tax year as required by this Section: Aid
244	244	22 to the Aged, Blind or Disabled (AABD) Program or the
245	245	23 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), both of
246	246	24 which are administered by the Department of Human Services;
247	247	25 the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which
248	248	26 is administered by the Department of Commerce and Economic
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259	259	1 Opportunity; The Benefit Access program, which is administered
260	260	2 by the Department on Aging; and the Senior Citizens Real
261	261	3 Estate Tax Deferral Program.
262	262	4 A chief county assessment officer may indicate that he or
263	263	5 she has verified an applicant's income eligibility for this
264	264	6 exemption but may not report which program or programs, if
265	265	7 any, enroll the applicant. Release of personal information
266	266	8 submitted pursuant to this Section shall be deemed an
267	267	9 unwarranted invasion of personal privacy under the Freedom of
268	268	10 Information Act.
269	269	11 "Residence" means the principal dwelling place and
270	270	12 appurtenant structures used for residential purposes in this
271	271	13 State occupied on January 1 of the taxable year by a household
272	272	14 and so much of the surrounding land, constituting the parcel
273	273	15 upon which the dwelling place is situated, as is used for
274	274	16 residential purposes. If the Chief County Assessment Officer
275	275	17 has established a specific legal description for a portion of
276	276	18 property constituting the residence, then that portion of
277	277	19 property shall be deemed the residence for the purposes of
278	278	20 this Section.
279	279	21 "Taxable year" means the calendar year during which ad
280	280	22 valorem property taxes payable in the next succeeding year are
281	281	23 levied.
282	282	24 (c) Beginning in taxable year 1994, a low-income senior
283	283	25 citizens assessment freeze homestead exemption is granted for
284	284	26 real property that is improved with a permanent structure that
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295	295	1 is occupied as a residence by an applicant who (i) is 65 years
296	296	2 of age or older during the taxable year, (ii) has a household
297	297	3 income that does not exceed the maximum income limitation,
298	298	4 (iii) is liable for paying real property taxes on the
299	299	5 property, and (iv) is an owner of record of the property or has
300	300	6 a legal or equitable interest in the property as evidenced by a
301	301	7 written instrument. This homestead exemption shall also apply
302	302	8 to a leasehold interest in a parcel of property improved with a
303	303	9 permanent structure that is a single family residence that is
304	304	10 occupied as a residence by a person who (i) is 65 years of age
305	305	11 or older during the taxable year, (ii) has a household income
306	306	12 that does not exceed the maximum income limitation, (iii) has
307	307	13 a legal or equitable ownership interest in the property as
308	308	14 lessee, and (iv) is liable for the payment of real property
309	309	15 taxes on that property.
310	310	16 In counties of 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, the amount
311	311	17 of the exemption for all taxable years is the equalized
312	312	18 assessed value of the residence in the taxable year for which
313	313	19 application is made minus the base amount. In all other
314	314	20 counties, the amount of the exemption is as follows: (i)
315	315	21 through taxable year 2005 and for taxable year 2007 and
316	316	22 thereafter, the amount of this exemption shall be the
317	317	23 equalized assessed value of the residence in the taxable year
318	318	24 for which application is made minus the base amount; and (ii)
319	319	25 for taxable year 2006, the amount of the exemption is as
320	320	26 follows:
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331	331	1 (1) For an applicant who has a household income of
332	332	2 $45,000 or less, the amount of the exemption is the
333	333	3 equalized assessed value of the residence in the taxable
334	334	4 year for which application is made minus the base amount.
335	335	5 (2) For an applicant who has a household income
336	336	6 exceeding $45,000 but not exceeding $46,250, the amount of
337	337	7 the exemption is (i) the equalized assessed value of the
338	338	8 residence in the taxable year for which application is
339	339	9 made minus the base amount (ii) multiplied by 0.8.
340	340	10 (3) For an applicant who has a household income
341	341	11 exceeding $46,250 but not exceeding $47,500, the amount of
342	342	12 the exemption is (i) the equalized assessed value of the
343	343	13 residence in the taxable year for which application is
344	344	14 made minus the base amount (ii) multiplied by 0.6.
345	345	15 (4) For an applicant who has a household income
346	346	16 exceeding $47,500 but not exceeding $48,750, the amount of
347	347	17 the exemption is (i) the equalized assessed value of the
348	348	18 residence in the taxable year for which application is
349	349	19 made minus the base amount (ii) multiplied by 0.4.
350	350	20 (5) For an applicant who has a household income
351	351	21 exceeding $48,750 but not exceeding $50,000, the amount of
352	352	22 the exemption is (i) the equalized assessed value of the
353	353	23 residence in the taxable year for which application is
354	354	24 made minus the base amount (ii) multiplied by 0.2.
355	355	25 When the applicant is a surviving spouse of an applicant
356	356	26 for a prior year for the same residence for which an exemption
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367	367	1 under this Section has been granted, the base year and base
368	368	2 amount for that residence are the same as for the applicant for
369	369	3 the prior year.
370	370	4 Each year at the time the assessment books are certified
371	371	5 to the County Clerk, the Board of Review or Board of Appeals
372	372	6 shall give to the County Clerk a list of the assessed values of
373	373	7 improvements on each parcel qualifying for this exemption that
374	374	8 were added after the base year for this parcel and that
375	375	9 increased the assessed value of the property.
376	376	10 In the case of land improved with an apartment building
377	377	11 owned and operated as a cooperative or a building that is a
378	378	12 life care facility that qualifies as a cooperative, the
379	379	13 maximum reduction from the equalized assessed value of the
380	380	14 property is limited to the sum of the reductions calculated
381	381	15 for each unit occupied as a residence by a person or persons
382	382	16 (i) 65 years of age or older, (ii) with a household income that
383	383	17 does not exceed the maximum income limitation, (iii) who is
384	384	18 liable, by contract with the owner or owners of record, for
385	385	19 paying real property taxes on the property, and (iv) who is an
386	386	20 owner of record of a legal or equitable interest in the
387	387	21 cooperative apartment building, other than a leasehold
388	388	22 interest. In the instance of a cooperative where a homestead
389	389	23 exemption has been granted under this Section, the cooperative
390	390	24 association or its management firm shall credit the savings
391	391	25 resulting from that exemption only to the apportioned tax
392	392	26 liability of the owner who qualified for the exemption. Any
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403	403	1 person who willfully refuses to credit that savings to an
404	404	2 owner who qualifies for the exemption is guilty of a Class B
405	405	3 misdemeanor.
406	406	4 When a homestead exemption has been granted under this
407	407	5 Section and an applicant then becomes a resident of a facility
408	408	6 licensed under the Assisted Living and Shared Housing Act, the
409	409	7 Nursing Home Care Act, the Specialized Mental Health
410	410	8 Rehabilitation Act of 2013, the ID/DD Community Care Act, or
411	411	9 the MC/DD Act, the exemption shall be granted in subsequent
412	412	10 years so long as the residence (i) continues to be occupied by
413	413	11 the qualified applicant's spouse or (ii) if remaining
414	414	12 unoccupied, is still owned by the qualified applicant for the
415	415	13 homestead exemption.
416	416	14 Beginning January 1, 1997, when an individual dies who
417	417	15 would have qualified for an exemption under this Section, and
418	418	16 the surviving spouse does not independently qualify for this
419	419	17 exemption because of age, the exemption under this Section
420	420	18 shall be granted to the surviving spouse for the taxable year
421	421	19 preceding and the taxable year of the death, provided that,
422	422	20 except for age, the surviving spouse meets all other
423	423	21 qualifications for the granting of this exemption for those
424	424	22 years.
425	425	23 When married persons maintain separate residences, the
426	426	24 exemption provided for in this Section may be claimed by only
427	427	25 one of such persons and for only one residence.
428	428	26 For taxable year 1994 only, in counties having less than
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439	439	1 3,000,000 inhabitants, to receive the exemption, a person
440	440	2 shall submit an application by February 15, 1995 to the Chief
441	441	3 County Assessment Officer of the county in which the property
442	442	4 is located. In counties having 3,000,000 or more inhabitants,
443	443	5 for taxable year 1994 and all subsequent taxable years, to
444	444	6 receive the exemption, a person may submit an application to
445	445	7 the Chief County Assessment Officer of the county in which the
446	446	8 property is located during such period as may be specified by
447	447	9 the Chief County Assessment Officer. The Chief County
448	448	10 Assessment Officer in counties of 3,000,000 or more
449	449	11 inhabitants shall annually give notice of the application
450	450	12 period by mail or by publication. In counties having less than
451	451	13 3,000,000 inhabitants, beginning with taxable year 1995 and
452	452	14 thereafter, to receive the exemption, a person shall submit an
453	453	15 application by July 1 of each taxable year to the Chief County
454	454	16 Assessment Officer of the county in which the property is
455	455	17 located. A county may, by ordinance, establish a date for
456	456	18 submission of applications that is different than July 1. The
457	457	19 applicant shall submit with the application an affidavit of
458	458	20 the applicant's total household income, age, marital status
459	459	21 (and if married the name and address of the applicant's
460	460	22 spouse, if known), and principal dwelling place of members of
461	461	23 the household on January 1 of the taxable year. The Department
462	462	24 shall establish, by rule, a method for verifying the accuracy
463	463	25 of affidavits filed by applicants under this Section, and the
464	464	26 Chief County Assessment Officer may conduct audits of any
465	465
466	466
467	467
468	468
469	469
470	470	SB1977 - 12 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
471	471
472	472
473	473	SB1977- 13 -LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b SB1977 - 13 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
474	474	SB1977 - 13 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
475	475	1 taxpayer claiming an exemption under this Section to verify
476	476	2 that the taxpayer is eligible to receive the exemption. Each
477	477	3 application shall contain or be verified by a written
478	478	4 declaration that it is made under the penalties of perjury. A
479	479	5 taxpayer's signing a fraudulent application under this Act is
480	480	6 perjury, as defined in Section 32-2 of the Criminal Code of
481	481	7 2012. The applications shall be clearly marked as applications
482	482	8 for the Low-Income Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead
483	483	9 Exemption and must contain a notice that any taxpayer who
484	484	10 receives the exemption is subject to an audit by the Chief
485	485	11 County Assessment Officer.
486	486	12 Notwithstanding any other provision to the contrary, in
487	487	13 counties having fewer than 3,000,000 inhabitants, if an
488	488	14 applicant fails to file the application required by this
489	489	15 Section in a timely manner and this failure to file is due to a
490	490	16 mental or physical condition sufficiently severe so as to
491	491	17 render the applicant incapable of filing the application in a
492	492	18 timely manner, the Chief County Assessment Officer may extend
493	493	19 the filing deadline for a period of 30 days after the applicant
494	494	20 regains the capability to file the application, but in no case
495	495	21 may the filing deadline be extended beyond 3 months of the
496	496	22 original filing deadline. In order to receive the extension
497	497	23 provided in this paragraph, the applicant shall provide the
498	498	24 Chief County Assessment Officer with a signed statement from
499	499	25 the applicant's physician, advanced practice registered nurse,
500	500	26 or physician assistant stating the nature and extent of the
501	501
502	502
503	503
504	504
505	505
506	506	SB1977 - 13 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
507	507
508	508
509	509	SB1977- 14 -LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b SB1977 - 14 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
510	510	SB1977 - 14 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
511	511	1 condition, that, in the physician's, advanced practice
512	512	2 registered nurse's, or physician assistant's opinion, the
513	513	3 condition was so severe that it rendered the applicant
514	514	4 incapable of filing the application in a timely manner, and
515	515	5 the date on which the applicant regained the capability to
516	516	6 file the application.
517	517	7 Beginning January 1, 1998, notwithstanding any other
518	518	8 provision to the contrary, in counties having fewer than
519	519	9 3,000,000 inhabitants, if an applicant fails to file the
520	520	10 application required by this Section in a timely manner and
521	521	11 this failure to file is due to a mental or physical condition
522	522	12 sufficiently severe so as to render the applicant incapable of
523	523	13 filing the application in a timely manner, the Chief County
524	524	14 Assessment Officer may extend the filing deadline for a period
525	525	15 of 3 months. In order to receive the extension provided in this
526	526	16 paragraph, the applicant shall provide the Chief County
527	527	17 Assessment Officer with a signed statement from the
528	528	18 applicant's physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or
529	529	19 physician assistant stating the nature and extent of the
530	530	20 condition, and that, in the physician's, advanced practice
531	531	21 registered nurse's, or physician assistant's opinion, the
532	532	22 condition was so severe that it rendered the applicant
533	533	23 incapable of filing the application in a timely manner.
534	534	24 In counties having less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, if an
535	535	25 applicant was denied an exemption in taxable year 1994 and the
536	536	26 denial occurred due to an error on the part of an assessment
537	537
538	538
539	539
540	540
541	541
542	542	SB1977 - 14 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
543	543
544	544
545	545	SB1977- 15 -LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b SB1977 - 15 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
546	546	SB1977 - 15 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
547	547	1 official, or his or her agent or employee, then beginning in
548	548	2 taxable year 1997 the applicant's base year, for purposes of
549	549	3 determining the amount of the exemption, shall be 1993 rather
550	550	4 than 1994. In addition, in taxable year 1997, the applicant's
551	551	5 exemption shall also include an amount equal to (i) the amount
552	552	6 of any exemption denied to the applicant in taxable year 1995
553	553	7 as a result of using 1994, rather than 1993, as the base year,
554	554	8 (ii) the amount of any exemption denied to the applicant in
555	555	9 taxable year 1996 as a result of using 1994, rather than 1993,
556	556	10 as the base year, and (iii) the amount of the exemption
557	557	11 erroneously denied for taxable year 1994.
558	558	12 For purposes of this Section, a person who will be 65 years
559	559	13 of age during the current taxable year shall be eligible to
560	560	14 apply for the homestead exemption during that taxable year.
561	561	15 Application shall be made during the application period in
562	562	16 effect for the county of his or her residence.
563	563	17 The Chief County Assessment Officer may determine the
564	564	18 eligibility of a life care facility that qualifies as a
565	565	19 cooperative to receive the benefits provided by this Section
566	566	20 by use of an affidavit, application, visual inspection,
567	567	21 questionnaire, or other reasonable method in order to insure
568	568	22 that the tax savings resulting from the exemption are credited
569	569	23 by the management firm to the apportioned tax liability of
570	570	24 each qualifying resident. The Chief County Assessment Officer
571	571	25 may request reasonable proof that the management firm has so
572	572	26 credited that exemption.
573	573
574	574
575	575
576	576
577	577
578	578	SB1977 - 15 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
579	579
580	580
581	581	SB1977- 16 -LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b SB1977 - 16 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
582	582	SB1977 - 16 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
583	583	1 Except as provided in this Section, all information
584	584	2 received by the chief county assessment officer or the
585	585	3 Department from applications filed under this Section, or from
586	586	4 any investigation conducted under the provisions of this
587	587	5 Section, shall be confidential, except for official purposes
588	588	6 or pursuant to official procedures for collection of any State
589	589	7 or local tax or enforcement of any civil or criminal penalty or
590	590	8 sanction imposed by this Act or by any statute or ordinance
591	591	9 imposing a State or local tax. Any person who divulges any such
592	592	10 information in any manner, except in accordance with a proper
593	593	11 judicial order, is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
594	594	12 Nothing contained in this Section shall prevent the
595	595	13 Director or chief county assessment officer from publishing or
596	596	14 making available reasonable statistics concerning the
597	597	15 operation of the exemption contained in this Section in which
598	598	16 the contents of claims are grouped into aggregates in such a
599	599	17 way that information contained in any individual claim shall
600	600	18 not be disclosed.
601	601	19 Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for taxable
602	602	20 year 2017 and thereafter, in counties of 3,000,000 or more
603	603	21 inhabitants, the amount of the exemption shall be the greater
604	604	22 of (i) the amount of the exemption otherwise calculated under
605	605	23 this Section or (ii) $2,000.
606	606	24 (c-5) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, each
607	607	25 chief county assessment officer may approve this exemption for
608	608	26 the 2020 taxable year, without application, for any property
609	609
610	610
611	611
612	612
613	613
614	614	SB1977 - 16 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
615	615
616	616
617	617	SB1977- 17 -LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b SB1977 - 17 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
618	618	SB1977 - 17 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
619	619	1 that was approved for this exemption for the 2019 taxable
620	620	2 year, provided that:
621	621	3 (1) the county board has declared a local disaster as
622	622	4 provided in the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act
623	623	5 related to the COVID-19 public health emergency;
624	624	6 (2) the owner of record of the property as of January
625	625	7 1, 2020 is the same as the owner of record of the property
626	626	8 as of January 1, 2019;
627	627	9 (3) the exemption for the 2019 taxable year has not
628	628	10 been determined to be an erroneous exemption as defined by
629	629	11 this Code; and
630	630	12 (4) the applicant for the 2019 taxable year has not
631	631	13 asked for the exemption to be removed for the 2019 or 2020
632	632	14 taxable years.
633	633	15 Nothing in this subsection shall preclude or impair the
634	634	16 authority of a chief county assessment officer to conduct
635	635	17 audits of any taxpayer claiming an exemption under this
636	636	18 Section to verify that the taxpayer is eligible to receive the
637	637	19 exemption as provided elsewhere in this Section.
638	638	20 (c-10) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, each
639	639	21 chief county assessment officer may approve this exemption for
640	640	22 the 2021 taxable year, without application, for any property
641	641	23 that was approved for this exemption for the 2020 taxable
642	642	24 year, if:
643	643	25 (1) the county board has declared a local disaster as
644	644	26 provided in the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act
645	645
646	646
647	647
648	648
649	649
650	650	SB1977 - 17 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
651	651
652	652
653	653	SB1977- 18 -LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b SB1977 - 18 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
654	654	SB1977 - 18 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
655	655	1 related to the COVID-19 public health emergency;
656	656	2 (2) the owner of record of the property as of January
657	657	3 1, 2021 is the same as the owner of record of the property
658	658	4 as of January 1, 2020;
659	659	5 (3) the exemption for the 2020 taxable year has not
660	660	6 been determined to be an erroneous exemption as defined by
661	661	7 this Code; and
662	662	8 (4) the taxpayer for the 2020 taxable year has not
663	663	9 asked for the exemption to be removed for the 2020 or 2021
664	664	10 taxable years.
665	665	11 Nothing in this subsection shall preclude or impair the
666	666	12 authority of a chief county assessment officer to conduct
667	667	13 audits of any taxpayer claiming an exemption under this
668	668	14 Section to verify that the taxpayer is eligible to receive the
669	669	15 exemption as provided elsewhere in this Section.
670	670	16 (d) Each Chief County Assessment Officer shall annually
671	671	17 publish a notice of availability of the exemption provided
672	672	18 under this Section. The notice shall be published at least 60
673	673	19 days but no more than 75 days prior to the date on which the
674	674	20 application must be submitted to the Chief County Assessment
675	675	21 Officer of the county in which the property is located. The
676	676	22 notice shall appear in a newspaper of general circulation in
677	677	23 the county.
678	678	24 Notwithstanding Sections 6 and 8 of the State Mandates
679	679	25 Act, no reimbursement by the State is required for the
680	680	26 implementation of any mandate created by this Section.
681	681
682	682
683	683
684	684
685	685
686	686	SB1977 - 18 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
687	687
688	688
689	689	SB1977- 19 -LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b SB1977 - 19 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
690	690	SB1977 - 19 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
691	691	1 (Source: P.A. 101-635, eff. 6-5-20; 102-136, eff. 7-23-21;
692	692	2 102-895, eff. 5-23-22.)
693	693	3 (35 ILCS 200/21-385)
694	694	4 Sec. 21-385. Extension of period of redemption.
695	695	5 (a) For any tax certificates held by a county pursuant to
696	696	6 Section 21-90, the redemption period for each tax certificate
697	697	7 shall be extended by operation of law until the date
698	698	8 established by the county as the redemption deadline in a
699	699	9 petition for tax deed filed under Section 22-30. The
700	700	10 redemption deadline established in the petition shall be
701	701	11 identified in the notices provided under Sections 22-10
702	702	12 through 22-25 of this Code. After a redemption deadline is
703	703	13 established in the petition for tax deed, the county may
704	704	14 further extend the redemption deadline by filing with the
705	705	15 county clerk of the county in which the property is located a
706	706	16 written notice to that effect describing the property,
707	707	17 identifying the certificate number, and specifying the
708	708	18 extended period of redemption. Notwithstanding any expiration
709	709	19 of a prior redemption period, all tax certificates forfeited
710	710	20 to the county and held pursuant to Section 21-90 shall remain
711	711	21 enforceable by the county or its assignee, and redemption
712	712	22 shall be extended by operation of law until the date
713	713	23 established by the county as the redemption deadline in a
714	714	24 petition for tax deed filed under Section 22-30.
715	715	25 (b) Within 60 days of the date of assignment, assignees of
716	716
717	717
718	718
719	719
720	720
721	721	SB1977 - 19 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
722	722
723	723
724	724	SB1977- 20 -LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b SB1977 - 20 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
725	725	SB1977 - 20 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
726	726	1 forfeited certificates under Section 21-90 or Section 21-145
727	727	2 of this Code must file with the county clerk of the county in
728	728	3 which the property is located a written notice describing the
729	729	4 property, stating the date of the assignment, identifying the
730	730	5 certificate number and specifying a deadline for redemption
731	731	6 that is not later than 3 years from the date of assignment.
732	732	7 Upon receiving the notice, the county clerk shall stamp the
733	733	8 date of receipt upon the notice. If the notice is submitted as
734	734	9 an electronic record, the county clerk shall acknowledge
735	735	10 receipt of the record and shall provide confirmation in the
736	736	11 same manner to the certificate holder. The confirmation from
737	737	12 the county clerk shall include the date of receipt and shall
738	738	13 serve as proof that the notice was filed with the county clerk.
739	739	14 In no event shall a county clerk permit an assignee of
740	740	15 forfeited certificates under Section 21-90 or Section 21-145
741	741	16 of this Code to extend the period of redemption beyond 3 years
742	742	17 from the date of assignment. If the redemption period expires
743	743	18 and no petition for tax deed has been filed under Section
744	744	19 22-30, the assigned tax certificate shall be forfeited to and
745	745	20 held by the county pursuant to Section 21-90.
746	746	21 (c) Except for the county as trustee pursuant to Section
747	747	22 21-90, the purchaser or his or her assignee of property sold
748	748	23 for nonpayment of general taxes or special assessments may
749	749	24 extend the period of redemption at any time before the
750	750	25 expiration of the original period of redemption, or thereafter
751	751	26 prior to the expiration of any extended period of redemption,
752	752
753	753
754	754
755	755
756	756
757	757	SB1977 - 20 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
758	758
759	759
760	760	SB1977- 21 -LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b SB1977 - 21 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
761	761	SB1977 - 21 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
762	762	1 but only for a period that will expire not later than 3 years
763	763	2 from the date of sale, by filing with the county clerk of the
764	764	3 county in which the property is located a written notice to
765	765	4 that effect describing the property, stating the date of the
766	766	5 sale and specifying the extended period of redemption. Upon
767	767	6 receiving the notice, the county clerk shall stamp the date of
768	768	7 receipt upon the notice. If the notice is submitted as an
769	769	8 electronic record, the county clerk shall acknowledge receipt
770	770	9 of the record and shall provide confirmation in the same
771	771	10 manner to the certificate holder. The confirmation from the
772	772	11 county clerk shall include the date of receipt and shall serve
773	773	12 as proof that the notice was filed with the county clerk. The
774	774	13 county clerk shall not be required to extend the period of
775	775	14 redemption unless the purchaser or his or her assignee obtains
776	776	15 this acknowledgement of delivery. If prior to the expiration
777	777	16 of the period of redemption or extended period of redemption a
778	778	17 petition for tax deed has been filed under Section 22-30, upon
779	779	18 application of the petitioner, the court shall allow the
780	780	19 purchaser or his or her assignee to extend the period of
781	781	20 redemption after expiration of the original period or any
782	782	21 extended period of redemption, provided that any extension
783	783	22 allowed will expire not later than 3 years from the date of
784	784	23 sale. If the period of redemption is extended, the purchaser
785	785	24 or his or her assignee must give the notices provided for in
786	786	25 Section 22-10 at the specified times prior to the expiration
787	787	26 of the extended period of redemption by causing a sheriff (or
788	788
789	789
790	790
791	791
792	792
793	793	SB1977 - 21 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
794	794
795	795
796	796	SB1977- 22 -LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b SB1977 - 22 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
797	797	SB1977 - 22 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
798	798	1 if he or she is disqualified, a coroner) of the county in which
799	799	2 the property, or any part thereof, is located to serve the
800	800	3 notices as provided in Sections 22-15 and 22-20. The notices
801	801	4 may also be served as provided in Sections 22-15 and 22-20 by a
802	802	5 special process server appointed by the court under Section
803	803	6 22-15 and as provided in Sections 22-15 and 22-20.
804	804	7 The changes made to this Section by this amendatory Act of
805	805	8 the 103rd General Assembly apply to matters concerning tax
806	806	9 certificates issued on or after January 1, 2024.
807	807	10 (d) For any tax certificates held by a county, the county
808	808	11 clerk may create and administer a payment plan during the
809	809	12 redemption period. Under the payment plan, the county clerk
810	810	13 may waive interest penalties when payments are made in
811	811	14 accordance with the parameters set forth in the payment plan.
812	812	15 (Source: P.A. 103-555, eff. 1-1-24.)
813	813	16 Section 10. The Senior Citizens Real Estate Tax Deferral
814	814	17 Act is amended by changing Sections 2 and 3 as follows:
815	815	18 (320 ILCS 30/2) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 452)
816	816	19 Sec. 2. Definitions. As used in this Act:
817	817	20 (a) "Qualified Taxpayer" means an individual (i) who will
818	818	21 be 65 years of age or older by June 1 of the year for which a
819	819	22 tax deferral is claimed; (ii) who certifies that they have
820	820	23 owned and occupied as their residence such property or other
821	821	24 qualifying property in the State for at least the last 3 years,
822	822
823	823
824	824
825	825
826	826
827	827	SB1977 - 22 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
828	828
829	829
830	830	SB1977- 23 -LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b SB1977 - 23 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
831	831	SB1977 - 23 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
832	832	1 except for any periods during which the taxpayer may have
833	833	2 temporarily resided in a nursing or sheltered care home; and
834	834	3 (iii) whose household income for the year is no greater than
835	835	4 the maximum household income. : (i) $40,000 through tax year
836	836	5 2005; (ii) $50,000 for tax years 2006 through 2011; (iii)
837	837	6 $55,000 for tax years 2012 through 2021; (iv) $65,000 for tax
838	838	7 years 2022 through 2025; and (v) $55,000 for tax year 2026 and
839	839	8 thereafter.
840	840	9 (b) "Tax deferred property" means the property upon which
841	841	10 real estate taxes are deferred under this Act.
842	842	11 (c) "Homestead" means the land and buildings thereon,
843	843	12 including a condominium or a dwelling unit in a multidwelling
844	844	13 building that is owned and operated as a cooperative, occupied
845	845	14 by the taxpayer as his residence or which are temporarily
846	846	15 unoccupied by the taxpayer because such taxpayer is
847	847	16 temporarily residing, for not more than 1 year, in a licensed
848	848	17 facility as defined in Section 1-113 of the Nursing Home Care
849	849	18 Act.
850	850	19 (d) "Real estate taxes" or "taxes" means the taxes on real
851	851	20 property for which the taxpayer would be liable under the
852	852	21 Property Tax Code, including special service area taxes, and
853	853	22 special assessments on benefited real property for which the
854	854	23 taxpayer would be liable to a unit of local government.
855	855	24 (e) "Department" means the Department of Revenue.
856	856	25 (f) "Qualifying property" means a homestead which (a) the
857	857	26 taxpayer or the taxpayer and his spouse own in fee simple or
858	858
859	859
860	860
861	861
862	862
863	863	SB1977 - 23 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
864	864
865	865
866	866	SB1977- 24 -LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b SB1977 - 24 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
867	867	SB1977 - 24 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
868	868	1 are purchasing in fee simple under a recorded instrument of
869	869	2 sale, (b) is not income-producing property, (c) is not subject
870	870	3 to a lien for unpaid real estate taxes when a claim under this
871	871	4 Act is filed, and (d) is not held in trust, other than an
872	872	5 Illinois land trust with the taxpayer identified as the sole
873	873	6 beneficiary, if the taxpayer is filing for the program for the
874	874	7 first time effective as of the January 1, 2011 assessment year
875	875	8 or tax year 2012 and thereafter.
876	876	9 (g) "Equity interest" means the current assessed valuation
877	877	10 of the qualified property times the fraction necessary to
878	878	11 convert that figure to full market value minus any outstanding
879	879	12 debts or liens on that property. In the case of qualifying
880	880	13 property not having a separate assessed valuation, the
881	881	14 appraised value as determined by a qualified real estate
882	882	15 appraiser shall be used instead of the current assessed
883	883	16 valuation.
884	884	17 (h) "Household income" has the meaning ascribed to that
885	885	18 term in the Senior Citizens and Persons with Disabilities
886	886	19 Property Tax Relief Act.
887	887	20 (i) "Collector" means the county collector or, if the
888	888	21 taxes to be deferred are special assessments, an official
889	889	22 designated by a unit of local government to collect special
890	890	23 assessments.
891	891	24 (j) "Maximum household income" means:
892	892	25 (1) $40,000 through tax year 2005;
893	893	26 (2) $50,000 for tax years 2006 through 2011;
894	894
895	895
896	896
897	897
898	898
899	899	SB1977 - 24 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
900	900
901	901
902	902	SB1977- 25 -LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b SB1977 - 25 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
903	903	SB1977 - 25 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
904	904	1 (3) $55,000 for tax years 2012 through 2021;
905	905	2 (4) $65,000 for tax years 2022 through 2024;
906	906	3 (5) $95,000 for tax year 2025; and
907	907	4 (6) for tax year 2026 and thereafter, the maximum
908	908	5 household income for the immediately preceding taxable
909	909	6 year, multiplied by one plus the lesser of (i) the
910	910	7 percentage increase, if any, in the Consumer Price Index
911	911	8 for All Urban Consumers for the 12 months ending in March
912	912	9 of the immediately preceding calendar year or (ii) 3%; the
913	913	10 maximum income limitation under this item (6) shall be
914	914	11 rounded to the nearest dollar.
915	915	12 By June 1, 2026, and by June 1 of each year thereafter, the
916	916	13 Department of Revenue shall determine the maximum household
917	917	14 income for the applicable taxable year and shall post that
918	918	15 amount on its website.
919	919	16 (k) "Consumer Price Index" means the index published by
920	920	17 the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department
921	921	18 of Labor that measures the average change in prices of goods
922	922	19 and services purchased by all urban consumers, United States
923	923	20 city average, all items, 1982-84 = 100.
924	924	21 (Source: P.A. 102-644, eff. 8-27-21.)
925	925	22 (320 ILCS 30/3) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 453)
926	926	23 Sec. 3. A taxpayer may, on or before March 1 of each year,
927	927	24 apply to the county collector of the county where his
928	928	25 qualifying property is located, or to the official designated
929	929
930	930
931	931
932	932
933	933
934	934	SB1977 - 25 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
935	935
936	936
937	937	SB1977- 26 -LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b SB1977 - 26 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
938	938	SB1977 - 26 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
939	939	1 by a unit of local government to collect special assessments
940	940	2 on the qualifying property, as the case may be, for a deferral
941	941	3 of all or a part of real estate taxes payable during that year
942	942	4 for the preceding year in the case of real estate taxes other
943	943	5 than special assessments, or for a deferral of any
944	944	6 installments payable during that year in the case of special
945	945	7 assessments, on all or part of his qualifying property. The
946	946	8 application shall be on a form prescribed by the Department
947	947	9 and furnished by the collector, (a) showing that the applicant
948	948	10 will be 65 years of age or older by June 1 of the year for
949	949	11 which a tax deferral is claimed, (b) describing the property
950	950	12 and verifying that the property is qualifying property as
951	951	13 defined in Section 2, (c) certifying that the taxpayer has
952	952	14 owned and occupied as his residence such property or other
953	953	15 qualifying property in the State for at least the last 3 years
954	954	16 except for any periods during which the taxpayer may have
955	955	17 temporarily resided in a nursing or sheltered care home, and
956	956	18 (d) specifying whether the deferral is for all or a part of the
957	957	19 taxes, and, if for a part, the amount of deferral applied for.
958	958	20 As to qualifying property not having a separate assessed
959	959	21 valuation, the taxpayer shall also file with the county
960	960	22 collector a written appraisal of the property prepared by a
961	961	23 qualified real estate appraiser together with a certificate
962	962	24 signed by the appraiser stating that he has personally
963	963	25 examined the property and setting forth the value of the land
964	964	26 and the value of the buildings thereon occupied by the
965	965
966	966
967	967
968	968
969	969
970	970	SB1977 - 26 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
971	971
972	972
973	973	SB1977- 27 -LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b SB1977 - 27 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
974	974	SB1977 - 27 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
975	975	1 taxpayer as his residence. The county collector may use
976	976	2 eligibility for the Low-Income Senior Citizens Assessment
977	977	3 Freeze Homestead Exemption under Section 15-172 of the
978	978	4 Property Tax Code as qualification for items (a) and (c).
979	979	5 The collector shall grant the tax deferral provided such
980	980	6 deferral does not exceed funds available in the Senior
981	981	7 Citizens Real Estate Deferred Tax Revolving Fund and provided
982	982	8 that the owner or owners of such real property have entered
983	983	9 into a tax deferral and recovery agreement with the collector
984	984	10 on behalf of the county or other unit of local government,
985	985	11 which agreement expressly states:
986	986	12 (1) That the total amount of taxes deferred under this
987	987	13 Act, plus interest, for the year for which a tax deferral is
988	988	14 claimed as well as for those previous years for which taxes are
989	989	15 not delinquent and for which such deferral has been claimed
990	990	16 may not exceed 80% of the taxpayer's equity interest in the
991	991	17 property for which taxes are to be deferred and that, if the
992	992	18 total deferred taxes plus interest equals 80% of the
993	993	19 taxpayer's equity interest in the property, the taxpayer shall
994	994	20 thereafter pay the annual interest due on such deferred taxes
995	995	21 plus interest so that total deferred taxes plus interest will
996	996	22 not exceed such 80% of the taxpayer's equity interest in the
997	997	23 property. Effective as of the January 1, 2011 assessment year
998	998	24 or tax year 2012 and through the 2021 tax year, and beginning
999	999	25 again with the 2026 tax year, the total amount of any such
1000	1000	26 deferral shall not exceed $5,000 per taxpayer in each tax
1001	1001
1002	1002
1003	1003
1004	1004
1005	1005
1006	1006	SB1977 - 27 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
1007	1007
1008	1008
1009	1009	SB1977- 28 -LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b SB1977 - 28 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
1010	1010	SB1977 - 28 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
1011	1011	1 year. For the 2022 tax year and every tax year after through
1012	1012	2 the 2025 tax year, the total amount of any such deferral shall
1013	1013	3 not exceed $7,500 per taxpayer in each tax year.
1014	1014	4 (2) That any real estate taxes deferred under this Act and
1015	1015	5 any interest accrued thereon are a lien on the real estate and
1016	1016	6 improvements thereon until paid. If the taxes deferred are for
1017	1017	7 a tax year prior to 2023, then interest shall accrue at the
1018	1018	8 rate of 6% per year. If the taxes deferred are for the 2023 tax
1019	1019	9 year or any tax year thereafter, then interest shall accrue at
1020	1020	10 the rate of 3% per year. No sale or transfer of such real
1021	1021	11 property may be legally closed and recorded until the taxes
1022	1022	12 which would otherwise have been due on the property, plus
1023	1023	13 accrued interest, have been paid unless the collector
1024	1024	14 certifies in writing that an arrangement for prompt payment of
1025	1025	15 the amount due has been made with his office. The same shall
1026	1026	16 apply if the property is to be made the subject of a contract
1027	1027	17 of sale.
1028	1028	18 (3) That upon the death of the taxpayer claiming the
1029	1029	19 deferral the heirs-at-law, assignees or legatees shall have
1030	1030	20 first priority to the real property upon which taxes have been
1031	1031	21 deferred by paying in full the total taxes which would
1032	1032	22 otherwise have been due, plus interest. However, if such
1033	1033	23 heir-at-law, assignee, or legatee is a surviving spouse, the
1034	1034	24 tax deferred status of the property shall be continued during
1035	1035	25 the life of that surviving spouse if the spouse is 55 years of
1036	1036	26 age or older within 6 months of the date of death of the
1037	1037
1038	1038
1039	1039
1040	1040
1041	1041
1042	1042	SB1977 - 28 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
1043	1043
1044	1044
1045	1045	SB1977- 29 -LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b SB1977 - 29 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
1046	1046	SB1977 - 29 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
1047	1047	1 taxpayer and enters into a tax deferral and recovery agreement
1048	1048	2 before the time when deferred taxes become due under this
1049	1049	3 Section. Any additional taxes deferred, plus interest, on the
1050	1050	4 real property under a tax deferral and recovery agreement
1051	1051	5 signed by a surviving spouse shall be added to the taxes and
1052	1052	6 interest which would otherwise have been due, and the payment
1053	1053	7 of which has been postponed during the life of such surviving
1054	1054	8 spouse, in determining the 80% equity requirement provided by
1055	1055	9 this Section.
1056	1056	10 (4) That if the taxes due, plus interest, are not paid by
1057	1057	11 the heir-at-law, assignee or legatee or if payment is not
1058	1058	12 postponed during the life of a surviving spouse, the deferred
1059	1059	13 taxes and interest shall be recovered from the estate of the
1060	1060	14 taxpayer within one year of the date of his death. In addition,
1061	1061	15 deferred real estate taxes and any interest accrued thereon
1062	1062	16 are due within 90 days after any tax deferred property ceases
1063	1063	17 to be qualifying property as defined in Section 2.
1064	1064	18 If payment is not made when required by this Section,
1065	1065	19 foreclosure proceedings may be instituted under the Property
1066	1066	20 Tax Code.
1067	1067	21 (5) That any joint owner has given written prior approval
1068	1068	22 for such agreement, which written approval shall be made a
1069	1069	23 part of such agreement.
1070	1070	24 (6) That a guardian for a person under legal disability
1071	1071	25 appointed for a taxpayer who otherwise qualifies under this
1072	1072	26 Act may act for the taxpayer in complying with this Act.
1073	1073
1074	1074
1075	1075
1076	1076
1077	1077
1078	1078	SB1977 - 29 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
1079	1079
1080	1080
1081	1081	SB1977- 30 -LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b SB1977 - 30 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
1082	1082	SB1977 - 30 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b
1083	1083	1 (7) That a taxpayer or his agent has provided to the
1084	1084	2 satisfaction of the collector, sufficient evidence that the
1085	1085	3 qualifying property on which the taxes are to be deferred is
1086	1086	4 insured against fire or casualty loss for at least the total
1087	1087	5 amount of taxes which have been deferred.
1088	1088	6 If the taxes to be deferred are special assessments, the
1089	1089	7 unit of local government making the assessments shall forward
1090	1090	8 a copy of the agreement entered into pursuant to this Section
1091	1091	9 and the bills for such assessments to the county collector of
1092	1092	10 the county in which the qualifying property is located.
1093	1093	11 (Source: P.A. 102-644, eff. 8-27-21; 102-895, eff. 5-23-22.)
1094	1094
1095	1095
1096	1096
1097	1097
1098	1098
1099	1099	SB1977 - 30 - LRB104 10823 HLH 20904 b