HB5786 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB101 21388 HLH 72018 b

101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB5786

Introduced , by Rep. Jonathan "Yoni" Pizer

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

35 ILCS 200/20-210
35 ILCS 200/21-15
35 ILCS 200/21-25
35 ILCS 200/21-150

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, for taxable year 2020 (payable in 2021), in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, current taxes shall be payable in 4 equal installments, due on March 1, June 1, September 1, and December 1. Effective immediately.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

HOUSING AFFORDABILITY IMPACT NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning revenue.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Property Tax Code is amended by changing Sections 20-210, 21-15, 21-25, and 21-150 as follows:

(35 ILCS 200/20-210)

Sec. 20-210. Taxes payable in installments; payment under specification. Except as otherwise provided in Section 21-30, in counties with fewer than 3,000,000 inhabitants, current taxes shall be payable in 2 equal installments. For taxable year 2020 (payable in 2021), in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, current taxes shall be payable in 4 equal installments, due on March 1, June 1, September 1, and December 1. The collector, when requested by the party paying the taxes, shall receive and receipt for the taxes in installments. The collector shall receive taxes on part of any property charged with taxes when a particular specification of the part is furnished. If the tax on the remainder of the property remains unpaid, the collector shall enter that specification in his or her return, so that the part on which the tax remains unpaid may be clearly known. The tax may be paid on an undivided share of property. In that case, the collector shall designate on his or her record upon whose undivided share the tax has been paid.

(Source: P.A. 95-948, eff. 1-1-09.)

(35 ILCS 200/21-15)

Sec. 21-15. Delinquencies General tax due dates; default by mortgage lender. Except as otherwise provided in this Section or Section 21-40, all property upon which any the first installment of taxes remains unpaid on the later of (i) June 1 or (ii) the day after the date specified on the real estate tax bill as the first installment due date for that installment annually shall be deemed delinquent and shall bear interest after that date at the rate of 1 1/2% per month or portion thereof. Except as otherwise provided in this Section or Section 21-40, all property upon which the second installment of taxes remains due and unpaid on the later of (i) September 1 or (ii) the day after the date specified on the real estate tax bill as the second installment due date, annually, shall be deemed delinquent and shall bear interest after that date at the same interest rate. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if a taxpayer owes an arrearage of taxes due to an administrative error, and if the county collector sends a separate bill for that arrearage as provided in Section 14-41, then any part of the arrearage of taxes that remains unpaid on the day after the due date specified on that tax bill shall be deemed delinquent and shall bear interest after that date at the rate of 1 1/2% per month or portion thereof. All interest collected shall be paid into the general fund of the county. Payment received by mail and postmarked on or before the required due date is not delinquent.

Property not subject to the interest charge in Section 9-260 or Section 9-265 shall also not be subject to the interest charge imposed by this Section until such time as the owner of the property receives actual notice of and is billed for the principal amount of back taxes due and owing.

If an Illinois resident who is a member of the Illinois National Guard or a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States and who has an ownership interest in property taxed under this Act is called to active duty for deployment outside the continental United States and is on active duty on the due date of any installment of taxes due under this Act, he or she shall not be deemed delinquent in the payment of the installment and no interest shall accrue or be charged as a penalty on the installment until 180 days after that member returns from active duty. To be deemed not delinquent in the payment of an installment of taxes and any interest on that installment, the reservist or guardsperson must make a reasonable effort to notify the county clerk and the county collector of his or her activation to active duty and must notify the county clerk and the county collector within 180 days after his or her deactivation and provide verification of the date of his or her deactivation. An installment of property taxes on the property of any reservist or guardsperson who fails to provide timely notice and verification of deactivation to the county clerk is subject to interest and penalties as delinquent taxes under this Code from the date of deactivation.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, when any unpaid taxes become delinquent under this Section through the fault of the mortgage lender, (i) the interest assessed under this Section for delinquent taxes shall be charged against the mortgage lender and not the mortgagor and (ii) the mortgage lender shall pay the taxes, redeem the property and take all necessary steps to remove any liens accruing against the property because of the delinquency. In the event that more than one entity meets the definition of mortgage lender with respect to any mortgage, the interest shall be assessed against the mortgage lender responsible for servicing the mortgage. Unpaid taxes shall be deemed delinquent through the fault of the mortgage lender only if: (a) the mortgage lender has received all payments due the mortgage lender for the property being taxed under the written terms of the mortgage or promissory note secured by the mortgage, (b) the mortgage lender holds funds in escrow to pay the taxes, and (c) the funds are sufficient to pay the taxes after deducting all amounts reasonably anticipated to become due for all hazard insurance premiums and mortgage insurance premiums and any other assessments to be paid from the escrow under the terms of the mortgage. For purposes of this Section, an amount is reasonably anticipated to become due if it is payable within 12 months from the time of determining the sufficiency of funds held in escrow. Unpaid taxes shall not be deemed delinquent through the fault of the mortgage lender if the mortgage lender was directed in writing by the mortgagor not to pay the property taxes, or if the failure to pay the taxes when due resulted from inadequate or inaccurate parcel information provided by the mortgagor, a title or abstract company, or by the agency or unit of government assessing the tax.

(Source: P.A. 97-944, eff. 8-10-12; 98-286, eff. 1-1-14.)

(35 ILCS 200/21-25)

Sec. 21-25. Due dates; accelerated billing in counties of 3,000,000 or more. Except as hereinafter provided and as provided in Section 21-40, in counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants in which the accelerated method of billing and paying taxes provided for in Section 21-30 is in effect, the estimated first installment of unpaid taxes shall be deemed delinquent and shall bear interest after March 1 at the rate of 1 1/2% per month or portion thereof until paid or forfeited. For tax year 2010, the estimated first installment of unpaid taxes shall be deemed delinquent and shall bear interest after April 1 at the rate of 1.5% per month or portion thereof until paid or forfeited. For all tax years, the second installment of unpaid taxes shall be deemed delinquent and shall bear interest after August 1 annually at the same interest rate until paid or forfeited. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if a taxpayer owes an arrearage of taxes due to an administrative error, and if the county collector sends a separate bill for that arrearage as provided in Section 14-41, then any part of the arrearage of taxes that remains unpaid on the day after the due date specified on that tax bill shall be deemed delinquent and shall bear interest after that date at the rate of 1 1/2% per month or portion thereof.

If the county board elects by ordinance adopted prior to July 1 of a levy year to provide for taxes to be paid in 4 installments, each installment for that levy year and each subsequent year shall be deemed delinquent and shall begin to bear interest 30 days after the date specified by the ordinance for mailing bills, at the rate of 1 1/2% per month or portion thereof, until paid or forfeited.

Payment received by mail and postmarked on or before the required due date is not delinquent.

Taxes levied on homestead property in which a member of the National Guard or reserves of the armed forces of the United States who was called to active duty on or after August 1, 1990, and who has an ownership interest, shall not be deemed delinquent and no interest shall accrue or be charged as a penalty on such taxes due and payable in 1991 or 1992 until one year after that member returns to civilian status.

If an Illinois resident who is a member of the Illinois National Guard or a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States and who has an ownership interest in property taxed under this Act is called to active duty for deployment outside the continental United States and is on active duty on the due date of any installment of taxes due under this Act, he or she shall not be deemed delinquent in the payment of the installment and no interest shall accrue or be charged as a penalty on the installment until 180 days after that member returns to civilian status. To be deemed not delinquent in the payment of an installment of taxes and any interest on that installment, the reservist or guardsperson must make a reasonable effort to notify the county clerk and the county collector of his or her activation to active duty and must notify the county clerk and the county collector within 180 days after his or her deactivation and provide verification of the date of his or her deactivation. An installment of property taxes on the property of any reservist or guardsperson who fails to provide timely notice and verification of deactivation to the county clerk is subject to interest and penalties as delinquent taxes under this Code from the date of deactivation.

This Section is repealed on January 1, 2021.

(Source: P.A. 98-286, eff. 1-1-14.)

(35 ILCS 200/21-150)

Sec. 21-150. Time of applying for judgment. Except as otherwise provided in this Section or by ordinance or resolution enacted under subsection (c) of Section 21-40, in any county with fewer than 3,000,000 inhabitants, all applications for judgment and order of sale for taxes and special assessments on delinquent properties shall be made within 90 days after the final second installment due date. In Cook County, all applications for judgment and order of sale for taxes and special assessments on delinquent properties shall be made (i) by July 1, 2011 for tax year 2009, (ii) by July 1, 2012 for tax year 2010, (iii) by July 1, 2013 for tax year 2011, (iv) by July 1, 2014 for tax year 2012, (v) by July 1, 2015 for tax year 2013, (vi) by May 1, 2016 for tax year 2014, (vii) by March 1, 2017 for tax year 2015, and (viii) by April 1 of the next calendar year after the final second installment due date for tax year 2016 and each tax year thereafter. In those counties which have adopted an ordinance under Section 21-40, the application for judgment and order of sale for delinquent taxes shall be made in December. In the 10 years next following the completion of a general reassessment of property in any county with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, made under an order of the Department, applications for judgment and order of sale shall be made as soon as may be and on the day specified in the advertisement required by Section 21-110 and 21-115. If for any cause the court is not held on the day specified, the cause shall stand continued, and it shall be unnecessary to re-advertise the list or notice.

Within 30 days after the day specified for the application for judgment the court shall hear and determine the matter. If judgment is rendered, the sale shall begin on the date within 5 business days specified in the notice as provided in Section 21-115. If the collector is prevented from advertising and obtaining judgment within the time periods specified by this Section, the collector may obtain judgment at any time thereafter; but if the failure arises by the county collector's not complying with any of the requirements of this Code, he or she shall be held on his or her official bond for the full amount of all taxes and special assessments charged against him or her. Any failure on the part of the county collector shall not be allowed as a valid objection to the collection of any tax or assessment, or to entry of a judgment against any delinquent properties included in the application of the county collector.

(Source: P.A. 100-243, eff. 8-22-17.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.