HB1878 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 09697 HLH 19763 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB1878

Introduced 1/29/2025, by Rep. Travis Weaver

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

55 ILCS 5/5-1031	from Ch. 34, par. 5-1031
55 ILCS 5/5-1031.1

Amends the Counties Code. Provides that county recorders and registrars of title are required to accept payment of real estate transfer taxes by credit card. Provides that all service charges or fees associated with the processing or accepting of such a credit card payment shall be paid by the taxpayer.

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 Counties Code is amended by changing Sections 5-1031 and 5-1031.1 as follows:

(55 ILCS 5/5-1031) (from Ch. 34, par. 5-1031)

Sec. 5-1031. County real estate transfer tax.

(a) The county board of a county may impose a tax upon the privilege of transferring title to real estate, as represented by the deed that is filed for recordation, and upon the privilege of transferring a beneficial interest in a land trust holding legal title to real estate located in such county as represented by the trust document that is filed for recordation, at the rate of 25 cents for each $500 of value or fraction thereof stated in the declaration required by Section 31-25 of the Property Tax Code. If, however, the real estate is transferred subject to a mortgage, the amount of the mortgage remaining outstanding at the time of transfer shall not be included in the basis of computing the tax.

A tax imposed pursuant to this Section shall be collected by the recorder or registrar of titles of the county prior to recording the deed or trust document or registering the title subject to the tax. All deeds or trust documents exempted in Section 31-45 of the Property Tax Code shall also be exempt from any tax imposed pursuant to this Section. A tax imposed pursuant to this Section shall be in addition to all other occupation and privilege taxes imposed by the State of Illinois or any municipal corporation or political subdivision thereof.

(b) The county board may impose a tax at the same rate on the transfer of a beneficial interest, as defined in Section 31-5 of the Property Tax Code. If, however, the transferring document states that the real estate or beneficial interest is transferred subject to a mortgage, then the amount of the mortgage remaining outstanding at the time of transfer shall not be included in the basis of computing the tax.

The tax must be paid at the time of recordation or, if a document is not recorded, at the time of presentation of the transfer declaration to the recorder, as provided in Section 31-25 of the Property Tax Code. All deeds or documents relating to the transfer of a beneficial interest exempted in Sections 31-45 or 31-46 of the Property Tax Code are also exempt from any tax imposed under this Section. A tax imposed under this Section is in addition to all other occupation and privilege taxes imposed by the State of Illinois or any municipal corporation or political subdivision thereof.

(c) Beginning June 1, 2005, a tax imposed under this Section is due if the transfer is made by one or more related transactions or involves one or more persons or entities, regardless of whether a document is recorded.

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, each county recorder or registrar of titles is required to accept payment of the tax imposed under this Section by credit card; however, all service charges or fees associated with the processing or accepting of such a credit card payment shall be paid by the taxpayer.

(Source: P.A. 93-1099, eff. 6-1-05.)

(55 ILCS 5/5-1031.1)

Sec. 5-1031.1. Home rule real estate transfer taxes.

(a) After the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly and subject to this Section, a home rule county may impose or increase a tax or other fee on the privilege of transferring title to real estate, on the privilege of transferring a beneficial interest in real property, and on the privilege of transferring a controlling interest in a real estate entity, as the terms "beneficial interest", "controlling interest", and "real estate entity" are defined in Article 31 of the Property Tax Code. Such a tax or other fee shall hereafter be referred to as a real estate transfer tax.

(b) Before adopting a resolution to submit the question of imposing or increasing a real estate transfer tax to referendum, the corporate authorities shall give public notice of and hold a public hearing on the intent to submit the question to referendum. This hearing may be part of a regularly scheduled meeting of the corporate authorities. The notice shall be published not more than 30 nor less than 10 days prior to the hearing in a newspaper of general circulation within the county. The notice shall be published in the following form:

Notice of Proposed (Increased) Real Estate Transfer Tax for (commonly known name of county).

A public hearing on a resolution to submit to referendum the question of a proposed (increased) real estate transfer tax for (legal name of the county) in an amount of (rate) to be paid by the buyer (seller) of the real estate transferred will be held on (date) at (time) at (location). The current rate of real estate transfer tax imposed by (name of county) is (rate).

Any person desiring to appear at the public hearing and present testimony to the taxing district may do so.

(c) A notice that includes any information not specified and required by this Section is an invalid notice. All hearings shall be open to the public. At the public hearing, the corporate authorities of the county shall explain the reasons for the proposed or increased real estate transfer tax and shall permit persons desiring to be heard an opportunity to present testimony within reasonable time limits determined by the corporate authorities. A copy of the proposed ordinance shall be made available to the general public for inspection before the public hearing.

(d) No home rule county shall impose a new real estate transfer tax after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1996 without prior approval by referendum. No home rule county shall impose an increase of the rate of a current real estate transfer tax without prior approval by referendum. A home rule county may impose a new real estate transfer tax or may increase an existing real estate transfer tax with prior referendum approval. The referendum shall be conducted as provided in subsection (e). An existing ordinance or resolution imposing a real estate transfer tax may be amended without approval by referendum if the amendment does not increase the rate of the tax or add transactions on which the tax is imposed.

(e) The home rule county shall, by resolution, provide for submission of the proposition to the voters. The home rule county shall certify the resolution and the proposition to the proper election officials in accordance with the general election law. If the proposition is to impose a new real estate transfer tax, it shall be in substantially the following form: "Shall (name of county) impose a real estate transfer tax at a rate of (rate) to be paid by the buyer (seller) of the real estate transferred, with the revenue of the proposed transfer tax to be used for (purpose)?". If the proposition is to increase an existing real estate transfer tax, it shall be in the following form: "Shall (name of county) impose a real estate transfer tax increase of (percent increase) to establish a new real estate transfer tax rate of (rate) to be paid by the buyer (seller) of the real estate transferred? The current rate of the real estate transfer tax is (rate), and the revenue is used for (purpose). The revenue from the increase is to be used for (purpose).".

If a majority of the electors voting on the proposition vote in favor of it, the county may impose or increase the real estate transfer tax.

(f) Nothing in this amendatory Act of 1996 shall limit the purposes for which real estate transfer tax revenues may be collected or expended.

(g) A home rule county may not impose real estate transfer taxes other than as authorized by this Section. This Section is a denial and limitation of home rule powers and functions under subsection (g) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution.

(h) Notwithstanding subsection (g) of this Section, any real estate transfer taxes adopted by a county at any time prior to January 17, 1997 (the effective date of Public Act 89-701) and any amendments to any existing real estate transfer tax ordinance adopted after that date, in accordance with the law in effect at the time of the adoption of the amendments, are not preempted by this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly.

(i) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, each county recorder or registrar of titles is required to accept payment of the tax imposed under this Section by credit card; however, all service charges or fees associated with the processing or accepting of such a credit card payment shall be paid by the taxpayer.

(Source: P.A. 93-657, eff. 6-1-04.)