Public Act 096-1298
 
SB3666 EnrolledLRB096 18564 HLH 35081 b


  
    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 
Section 15-169 as follows:
 
    (35 ILCS 200/15-169)

    Sec. 15-169. Disabled veterans standard homestead 
exemption.
    (a) Beginning with taxable year 2007, an annual homestead 
exemption, limited to the amounts set forth in subsection (b),  
is granted for property that is used as a qualified residence 
by a disabled veteran.
    (b) The amount of the exemption under this Section is as 
follows:
        (1) for veterans with a service-connected disability 
    of at least 75%, as certified by the United States 
    Department of Veterans Affairs, the annual  exemption is 
    $5,000; and
        (2) for veterans with a service-connected disability 
    of at least 50%, but less than 75%, as certified by the 
    United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the annual  
    exemption is $2,500.
    (b-5)  If a homestead exemption is granted under this 
Section and the person awarded the exemption subsequently 
becomes a resident of a facility licensed under the Nursing 
Home Care Act or a facility operated by the United States 
Department of Veterans Affairs, then the exemption shall 
continue (i) so long as the residence continues to be occupied 
by the qualifying person's spouse or (ii) if the residence 
remains unoccupied but is still owned by the person who 
qualified for the homestead exemption. 
    (c) The tax exemption under this Section carries over to 
the benefit of the veteran's
surviving spouse as long as the 
spouse holds the legal or
beneficial title to the homestead, 
permanently resides
thereon, and does not remarry. If the 
surviving spouse sells
the property, an exemption not to exceed 
the amount granted
from the most recent ad valorem tax roll may 
be transferred to
his or her new residence as long as it is 
used as his or her
primary residence and he or she does not 
remarry.
    (d) The exemption under this Section applies for taxable 
year 2007 and thereafter. A taxpayer who claims an exemption 
under Section 15-165 or 15-168 may not claim an exemption under 
this Section.
    (e) Application must be made during the application period

in effect for the county of his or her residence. The assessor

or chief county assessment officer may determine the

eligibility of residential property to receive the homestead

exemption provided by this Section by application, visual

inspection, questionnaire, or other reasonable methods. The

determination must be made in accordance with guidelines

established by the Department.
    (f) For the purposes of this Section:
    "Qualified residence" means real
property, but less any 
portion of that property that is used for
commercial purposes, 
with an equalized assessed value of less than $250,000 that is 
the disabled veteran's primary residence. Property rented for 
more than 6 months is
presumed to be used for commercial 
purposes.
    "Veteran" means an Illinois resident who has served as a

member of the United States Armed Forces on active duty or

State active duty, a member of the Illinois National Guard, or

a member of the United States Reserve Forces and who has 
received an honorable discharge.

(Source: P.A. 95-644, eff. 10-12-07.)