HB4242ham001 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Rep. Brandon W. Phelps

Filed: 3/21/2012

09700HB4242ham001 LRB097 15225 HLH 67719 a

AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 4242

AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 4242 by replacing everything after the enacting clause with the following:

"Section 5. The Property Tax Code is amended by adding Section 15-173 as follows:

(35 ILCS 200/15-173 new)

Sec. 15-173. Natural Disaster Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption.

(a) This Section may be cited as the Natural Disaster Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption.

(b) As used in this Section:

"Base amount" means the base year equalized assessed value of the residence.

"Base year" means the taxable year prior to the taxable year in which the natural disaster occurred.

"Chief county assessment officer" means the County Assessor or Supervisor of Assessments of the county in which the property is located.

"Equalized assessed value" means the assessed value as equalized by the Illinois Department of Revenue.

"Homestead property" has the meaning ascribed to that term in Section 15-175 of this Code.

"Natural disaster" means an occurrence of widespread or severe damage or loss of property resulting from any naturally occurring catastrophic cause including, but not limited to, fire, flood, earthquake, wind, tornado or other storm, or extended period of severe inclement weather. A proclamation of disaster by the President of the United States or Governor of the State of Illinois is not a prerequisite to the classification of an occurrence as a natural disaster under this Section.

(c) An assessment freeze homestead exemption is granted for homestead properties containing a residential structure that has been rebuilt following a natural disaster occurring in taxable year 2012 or any taxable year thereafter. The amount of the exemption is the equalized assessed value of the residence in the taxable year for which application is made minus the base amount. To be eligible for an exemption under this Section: (i) the residential structure must be rebuilt within 2 years after the natural disaster; and (ii) the square footage of the rebuilt residential structure may not exceed the square footage of the original residential structure as it existed immediately prior to the natural disaster by more than 105%. The exemption shall continue until the taxable year in which the property is sold or transferred.

(d) To receive the exemption, the taxpayer shall submit an application to the chief county assessment officer of the county in which the property is located by July 1 of each taxable year. A county may, by ordinance, establish a date for submission of applications that is different than July 1. The applicant shall submit with the application an affidavit stating that, to the best of his or her knowledge, the applicant is eligible for the exemption under this Section. The chief county assessment officer may require additional documentation to be provided by the applicant. The applications shall be clearly marked as applications for the Natural Disaster Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption.

(e) Property is not eligible for an exemption under this Section if that property has been granted an exemption under Section 15-180 for the same taxable year.

(f) Notwithstanding Sections 6 and 8 of the State Mandates Act, no reimbursement by the State is required for the implementation of any mandate created by this Section.

Section 90. The State Mandates Act is amended by adding Section 8.36 as follows:

(30 ILCS 805/8.36 new)

Sec. 8.36. Exempt mandate. Notwithstanding Sections 6 and 8 of this Act, no reimbursement by the State is required for the implementation of any mandate created by this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly.

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