HB6132 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB099 19372 HLH 43764 b

99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2015 and 2016
HB6132

Introduced 2/11/2016, by Rep. Frances Ann Hurley

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

35 ILCS 200/15-178 new
30 ILCS 805/8.40 new

Amends the Property Tax Code. Creates a homestead exemption for property that is owned and occupied by a qualified police officer or firefighter as his or her principal residence. Provides that the exemption shall be in the amount of $5,000. Provides that the term "qualified police officer or firefighter" means a sworn full-time employee of a municipality, county, or fire protection district who performs law enforcement, firefighting, or paramedic duties as part of his or her employment and who resides within the municipality, county, or fire protection district where he or she is employed. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

HOUSING AFFORDABILITY IMPACT NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT

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 adding Section 15-178 as follows:

(35 ILCS 200/15-178 new)

Sec. 15-178. Public safety homestead exemption.

(a) Beginning with taxable year 2016, a homestead exemption is granted for property that is owned and occupied by a qualified police officer or firefighter as his or her principal residence. The exemption shall be in the amount of $5,000 and shall be deducted from the property's value as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue. The qualified police officer or firefighter must be an owner of record of the property or have a legal or equitable interest therein as evidenced by a written instrument, except for a leasehold interest, other than a leasehold interest of land on which a single family residence is located, which is occupied as a residence by a qualified police officer or firefighter who has an ownership interest therein, legal, equitable or as a lessee, and on which he or she is liable for the payment of property taxes.

(b) For land improved with an apartment building owned and operated as a cooperative, the maximum reduction from the value of the property, as equalized by the Department, must be multiplied by the number of apartments or units occupied by a qualified police officer or firefighter who is liable, by contract with the owner or owners of record, for paying property taxes on the property and is an owner of record of a legal or equitable interest in the cooperative apartment building, other than a leasehold interest. In a cooperative where a homestead exemption has been granted, the cooperative association or the management firm of the cooperative or facility shall credit the savings resulting from that exemption only to the apportioned tax liability of the owner or resident who qualified for the exemption. Any person who willfully refuses to so credit the savings is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.

(c) 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.

(d) For the purposes of this Section, "qualified police officer or firefighter" means a sworn full-time employee of a municipality, county, or fire protection district who performs law enforcement, firefighting, or paramedic duties as part of his or her employment and who resides within the municipality, county, or fire protection district where he or she is employed.

(d) The exemption under this Section is in addition to any other homestead exemption provided in this Article 15. 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 8.40 as follows:

(30 ILCS 805/8.40 new)

Sec. 8.40. 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 99th General Assembly.

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