SB3592 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB103 38956 SPS 69093 b

103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB3592

Introduced 2/9/2024, by Sen. Steve Stadelman

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act
35 ILCS 5/201
35 ILCS 5/241 new
35 ILCS 5/242 new
110 ILCS 947/65.125 new

Creates the Strengthening Community Media Act. Provides that a State agency shall direct at least 50% of its total spending on advertising to local news organization publications. Sets forth exceptions and reporting requirements. Provides that a local news organization shall not be sold to an out-of-state company without giving written notice 120 days before the sales occurs to specified individuals and organizations. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that a taxpayer that is an eligible news journalist employer shall be allowed a credit against the Personal Property Tax Replacement Income Tax for each qualified journalist hired by the eligible news journalist employer during the taxable year. Provides that an eligible news journalist employer is entitled to a credit against taxes in an amount equal to 50% of the wages paid for up to 150 qualified journalists. Provides that an eligible small business is entitled to a credit against taxes in an amount equal to the amount paid by the eligible small business to local newspapers or broadcasters for advertising in the State. Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Creates the Journalism Student Scholarship Program. Provides that the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall award scholarships to students who will work at a local news organization in the State for a period of not less than 2 years.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning journalism.

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

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Strengthening Community Media Act.

Section 5. Findings.

(a) Illinois benefits from robust local news services that provide trusted and essential information to the community that limits corruption, encourages citizen participation, helps combat misinformation, and mitigates community and individual alienation.

(b) Local news in Illinois and throughout the country is struggling with newspaper advertising dropping 82% nationally since 2000, contributing to a 57% drop in the number of reporters at newspapers and thousands of closures.

(c) Local news outlets are trusted sources of information for communities throughout Illinois and advertising spending with these outlets carries a substantial benefit for the effective dissemination of important government information to the communities it serves.

(d) Government initiatives to increase spending on local news advertising has been manifestly successful in both supporting local news outlets and improving the information diet of communities in several major cities.

(e) Illinois can and will implement such an initiative while preserving the editorial independence of local news outlets selling advertising space under this Act, and recognizes that any diversion of advertising spending that has the effect or appearance of an attempt to influence the editorial content of a local news organization violates the federal and State guarantees of freedom of the press and freedom of speech.

Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:

"Department" means the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

"Local news organization" means an entity that:

(1) engages professionals to create, edit, produce, and distribute original content concerning matters of public interest, through reporting activities, including conducting interviews, observing current events, or analyzing documents or other information;

(2) has at least one employee employed full-time for 30 hours a week or more dedicated to providing coverage of Illinois or local Illinois community news and living within 50 miles of the coverage area, who gathers, prepares, collects, photographs, writes, edits, reports, or publishes original local or State community news for dissemination to the local or State community;

(3) in the case of print publications, has published at least one print publication per month over the previous 12 months, and either holds a valid United States Postal Service periodical permit or has at least 25% of its content dedicated to local news;

(4) in the case of digital-only entities, has published one piece about the community per week over the previous 12 months and has at least 33% of its digital audience in Illinois, averaged over a 12-month period;

(5) in the case of hybrid entities that that have both print and digital outlets, meets the requirements in either paragraph (3) or (4) of this definition;

(6) has disclosed in its print publication or on its website its beneficial ownership or, in the case of a not-for-profit entity, its board of directors;

(7) in the case of an entity that maintains tax status under Section 501(c)(3) of the federal Internal Revenue Code, has declared the coverage of local or State news as the stated mission in its filings with the Internal Revenue Service; and

(8) has not received more than 50% of its gross receipts for the previous year from political action committees or other entities described in Section 527 of the federal Internal Revenue Code, or from an organization that maintains Section 501(c)(4) or 501(c)(6) status under the federal Internal Revenue Code.

"State agencies" means all officers, boards, commissions, and agencies created by the Illinois Constitution, whether in the executive, legislative, or judicial branch, but other than the circuit court; all officers, departments, boards, commissions, agencies, institutions, authorities, universities, bodies politic and corporate of the State; and administrative units or corporate outgrowths of the State government which are created pursuant to statute, other than units of local government and their officers, school districts and boards of elected commissioners; and all administrative units and corporate outgrowths of the above and as may be created by executive order of the Governor.

Section 15. Advertising with local news organizations.

(a) For the fiscal year following the effective date of this Act, and each fiscal year thereafter, a State agency shall direct at least 50% of its total spending on advertising to local news organization publications, provided that a State agency may seek an exemption from this requirement upon a showing to the Department that the purposes of the advertising are inconsistent with placement in a local news organization. If a State agency seeks an exemption, the Department shall direct the advertising spending to a local news organization if it determined that the objectives of the advertising can be served as effectively or better through the local news organization.

(b) The Department shall maintain a list of eligible local news organizations.

(c) The Department shall determine whether an entity qualifies as a local news organization in accordance with the definition provided in Section 10.

(d) All State agencies are prohibited from discriminating among local news organizations based on editorial content, unless that content is objectively relevant to the target audience and articulated purposes of the advertising.

(e) If an entity is denied eligibility as a local news organization, the Department shall provide, in writing and upon request, an explanation to the entity of the reasons for the denial as described in subsection (c).

Section 20. Reporting requirements.

(a) No later than 3 months after the effective date of this Act, the Department shall publish on its website a report on the implementation of this Act, including information on the criteria used to make determinations under subsection (a) of Section 15.

(b) For the first full fiscal year following the effective date of this Act, and each fiscal year thereafter, the Department shall publish an annual report that includes, but it not limited to:

(1) the operative list of local news organizations at the date of publication;

(2) the advertising spending by each State agency; and

(3) the recipients of the spending, including which entity received which individual advertising contract and the amount of the contract.

Section 25. Notice of sale of a local news organization. A local news organization shall not be sold to an out-of-state company without giving written notice 120 days before the sales occurs to the following:

(1) affected employees and representatives of affected employees;

(2) the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the county government in which the local news organization is located; and

(3) any in-State nonprofit organization in the business of buying local news organizations.

Section 90. The Illinois Income Tax Act is amended by changing Section 201 and by adding Sections 241 and 242 as follows:

(35 ILCS 5/201)

Sec. 201. Tax imposed.

(a) In general. A tax measured by net income is hereby imposed on every individual, corporation, trust and estate for each taxable year ending after July 31, 1969 on the privilege of earning or receiving income in or as a resident of this State. Such tax shall be in addition to all other occupation or privilege taxes imposed by this State or by any municipal corporation or political subdivision thereof.

(b) Rates. The tax imposed by subsection (a) of this Section shall be determined as follows, except as adjusted by subsection (d-1):

(1) In the case of an individual, trust or estate, for taxable years ending prior to July 1, 1989, an amount equal to 2 1/2% of the taxpayer's net income for the taxable year.

(2) In the case of an individual, trust or estate, for taxable years beginning prior to July 1, 1989 and ending after June 30, 1989, an amount equal to the sum of (i) 2 1/2% of the taxpayer's net income for the period prior to July 1, 1989, as calculated under Section 202.3, and (ii) 3% of the taxpayer's net income for the period after June 30, 1989, as calculated under Section 202.3.

(3) In the case of an individual, trust or estate, for taxable years beginning after June 30, 1989, and ending prior to January 1, 2011, an amount equal to 3% of the taxpayer's net income for the taxable year.

(4) In the case of an individual, trust, or estate, for taxable years beginning prior to January 1, 2011, and ending after December 31, 2010, an amount equal to the sum of (i) 3% of the taxpayer's net income for the period prior to January 1, 2011, as calculated under Section 202.5, and (ii) 5% of the taxpayer's net income for the period after December 31, 2010, as calculated under Section 202.5.

(5) In the case of an individual, trust, or estate, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2011, and ending prior to January 1, 2015, an amount equal to 5% of the taxpayer's net income for the taxable year.

(5.1) In the case of an individual, trust, or estate, for taxable years beginning prior to January 1, 2015, and ending after December 31, 2014, an amount equal to the sum of (i) 5% of the taxpayer's net income for the period prior to January 1, 2015, as calculated under Section 202.5, and (ii) 3.75% of the taxpayer's net income for the period after December 31, 2014, as calculated under Section 202.5.

(5.2) In the case of an individual, trust, or estate, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2015, and ending prior to July 1, 2017, an amount equal to 3.75% of the taxpayer's net income for the taxable year.

(5.3) In the case of an individual, trust, or estate, for taxable years beginning prior to July 1, 2017, and ending after June 30, 2017, an amount equal to the sum of (i) 3.75% of the taxpayer's net income for the period prior to July 1, 2017, as calculated under Section 202.5, and (ii) 4.95% of the taxpayer's net income for the period after June 30, 2017, as calculated under Section 202.5.

(5.4) In the case of an individual, trust, or estate, for taxable years beginning on or after July 1, 2017, an amount equal to 4.95% of the taxpayer's net income for the taxable year.

(6) In the case of a corporation, for taxable years ending prior to July 1, 1989, an amount equal to 4% of the taxpayer's net income for the taxable year.

(7) In the case of a corporation, for taxable years beginning prior to July 1, 1989 and ending after June 30, 1989, an amount equal to the sum of (i) 4% of the taxpayer's net income for the period prior to July 1, 1989, as calculated under Section 202.3, and (ii) 4.8% of the taxpayer's net income for the period after June 30, 1989, as calculated under Section 202.3.

(8) In the case of a corporation, for taxable years beginning after June 30, 1989, and ending prior to January 1, 2011, an amount equal to 4.8% of the taxpayer's net income for the taxable year.

(9) In the case of a corporation, for taxable years beginning prior to January 1, 2011, and ending after December 31, 2010, an amount equal to the sum of (i) 4.8% of the taxpayer's net income for the period prior to January 1, 2011, as calculated under Section 202.5, and (ii) 7% of the taxpayer's net income for the period after December 31, 2010, as calculated under Section 202.5.

(10) In the case of a corporation, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2011, and ending prior to January 1, 2015, an amount equal to 7% of the taxpayer's net income for the taxable year.

(11) In the case of a corporation, for taxable years beginning prior to January 1, 2015, and ending after December 31, 2014, an amount equal to the sum of (i) 7% of the taxpayer's net income for the period prior to January 1, 2015, as calculated under Section 202.5, and (ii) 5.25% of the taxpayer's net income for the period after December 31, 2014, as calculated under Section 202.5.

(12) In the case of a corporation, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2015, and ending prior to July 1, 2017, an amount equal to 5.25% of the taxpayer's net income for the taxable year.

(13) In the case of a corporation, for taxable years beginning prior to July 1, 2017, and ending after June 30, 2017, an amount equal to the sum of (i) 5.25% of the taxpayer's net income for the period prior to July 1, 2017, as calculated under Section 202.5, and (ii) 7% of the taxpayer's net income for the period after June 30, 2017, as calculated under Section 202.5.

(14) In the case of a corporation, for taxable years beginning on or after July 1, 2017, an amount equal to 7% of the taxpayer's net income for the taxable year.

The rates under this subsection (b) are subject to the provisions of Section 201.5.

(b-5) Surcharge; sale or exchange of assets, properties, and intangibles of organization gaming licensees. For each of taxable years 2019 through 2027, a surcharge is imposed on all taxpayers on income arising from the sale or exchange of capital assets, depreciable business property, real property used in the trade or business, and Section 197 intangibles (i) of an organization licensee under the Illinois Horse Racing Act of 1975 and (ii) of an organization gaming licensee under the Illinois Gambling Act. The amount of the surcharge is equal to the amount of federal income tax liability for the taxable year attributable to those sales and exchanges. The surcharge imposed shall not apply if:

(1) the organization gaming license, organization license, or racetrack property is transferred as a result of any of the following:

(A) bankruptcy, a receivership, or a debt adjustment initiated by or against the initial licensee or the substantial owners of the initial licensee;

(B) cancellation, revocation, or termination of any such license by the Illinois Gaming Board or the Illinois Racing Board;

(C) a determination by the Illinois Gaming Board that transfer of the license is in the best interests of Illinois gaming;

(D) the death of an owner of the equity interest in a licensee;

(E) the acquisition of a controlling interest in the stock or substantially all of the assets of a publicly traded company;

(F) a transfer by a parent company to a wholly owned subsidiary; or

(G) the transfer or sale to or by one person to another person where both persons were initial owners of the license when the license was issued; or

(2) the controlling interest in the organization gaming license, organization license, or racetrack property is transferred in a transaction to lineal descendants in which no gain or loss is recognized or as a result of a transaction in accordance with Section 351 of the Internal Revenue Code in which no gain or loss is recognized; or

(3) live horse racing was not conducted in 2010 at a racetrack located within 3 miles of the Mississippi River under a license issued pursuant to the Illinois Horse Racing Act of 1975.

The transfer of an organization gaming license, organization license, or racetrack property by a person other than the initial licensee to receive the organization gaming license is not subject to a surcharge. The Department shall adopt rules necessary to implement and administer this subsection.

(c) Personal Property Tax Replacement Income Tax. Beginning on July 1, 1979 and thereafter, in addition to such income tax, there is also hereby imposed the Personal Property Tax Replacement Income Tax measured by net income on every corporation (including Subchapter S corporations), partnership and trust, for each taxable year ending after June 30, 1979. Such taxes are imposed on the privilege of earning or receiving income in or as a resident of this State. The Personal Property Tax Replacement Income Tax shall be in addition to the income tax imposed by subsections (a) and (b) of this Section and in addition to all other occupation or privilege taxes imposed by this State or by any municipal corporation or political subdivision thereof.

(d) Additional Personal Property Tax Replacement Income Tax Rates. The personal property tax replacement income tax imposed by this subsection and subsection (c) of this Section in the case of a corporation, other than a Subchapter S corporation and except as adjusted by subsection (d-1), shall be an additional amount equal to 2.85% of such taxpayer's net income for the taxable year, except that beginning on January 1, 1981, and thereafter, the rate of 2.85% specified in this subsection shall be reduced to 2.5%, and in the case of a partnership, trust or a Subchapter S corporation shall be an additional amount equal to 1.5% of such taxpayer's net income for the taxable year.

(d-1) Rate reduction for certain foreign insurers. In the case of a foreign insurer, as defined by Section 35A-5 of the Illinois Insurance Code, whose state or country of domicile imposes on insurers domiciled in Illinois a retaliatory tax (excluding any insurer whose premiums from reinsurance assumed are 50% or more of its total insurance premiums as determined under paragraph (2) of subsection (b) of Section 304, except that for purposes of this determination premiums from reinsurance do not include premiums from inter-affiliate reinsurance arrangements), beginning with taxable years ending on or after December 31, 1999, the sum of the rates of tax imposed by subsections (b) and (d) shall be reduced (but not increased) to the rate at which the total amount of tax imposed under this Act, net of all credits allowed under this Act, shall equal (i) the total amount of tax that would be imposed on the foreign insurer's net income allocable to Illinois for the taxable year by such foreign insurer's state or country of domicile if that net income were subject to all income taxes and taxes measured by net income imposed by such foreign insurer's state or country of domicile, net of all credits allowed or (ii) a rate of zero if no such tax is imposed on such income by the foreign insurer's state of domicile. For the purposes of this subsection (d-1), an inter-affiliate includes a mutual insurer under common management.

(1) For the purposes of subsection (d-1), in no event shall the sum of the rates of tax imposed by subsections (b) and (d) be reduced below the rate at which the sum of:

(A) the total amount of tax imposed on such foreign insurer under this Act for a taxable year, net of all credits allowed under this Act, plus

(B) the privilege tax imposed by Section 409 of the Illinois Insurance Code, the fire insurance company tax imposed by Section 12 of the Fire Investigation Act, and the fire department taxes imposed under Section 11-10-1 of the Illinois Municipal Code,

equals 1.25% for taxable years ending prior to December 31, 2003, or 1.75% for taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2003, of the net taxable premiums written for the taxable year, as described by subsection (1) of Section 409 of the Illinois Insurance Code. This paragraph will in no event increase the rates imposed under subsections (b) and (d).

(2) Any reduction in the rates of tax imposed by this subsection shall be applied first against the rates imposed by subsection (b) and only after the tax imposed by subsection (a) net of all credits allowed under this Section other than the credit allowed under subsection (i) has been reduced to zero, against the rates imposed by subsection (d).

This subsection (d-1) is exempt from the provisions of Section 250.

(e) Investment credit. A taxpayer shall be allowed a credit against the Personal Property Tax Replacement Income Tax for investment in qualified property.

(1) A taxpayer shall be allowed a credit equal to .5% of the basis of qualified property placed in service during the taxable year, provided such property is placed in service on or after July 1, 1984. There shall be allowed an additional credit equal to .5% of the basis of qualified property placed in service during the taxable year, provided such property is placed in service on or after July 1, 1986, and the taxpayer's base employment within Illinois has increased by 1% or more over the preceding year as determined by the taxpayer's employment records filed with the Illinois Department of Employment Security. Taxpayers who are new to Illinois shall be deemed to have met the 1% growth in base employment for the first year in which they file employment records with the Illinois Department of Employment Security. The provisions added to this Section by Public Act 85-1200 (and restored by Public Act 87-895) shall be construed as declaratory of existing law and not as a new enactment. If, in any year, the increase in base employment within Illinois over the preceding year is less than 1%, the additional credit shall be limited to that percentage times a fraction, the numerator of which is .5% and the denominator of which is 1%, but shall not exceed .5%. The investment credit shall not be allowed to the extent that it would reduce a taxpayer's liability in any tax year below zero, nor may any credit for qualified property be allowed for any year other than the year in which the property was placed in service in Illinois. For tax years ending on or after December 31, 1987, and on or before December 31, 1988, the credit shall be allowed for the tax year in which the property is placed in service, or, if the amount of the credit exceeds the tax liability for that year, whether it exceeds the original liability or the liability as later amended, such excess may be carried forward and applied to the tax liability of the 5 taxable years following the excess credit years if the taxpayer (i) makes investments which cause the creation of a minimum of 2,000 full-time equivalent jobs in Illinois, (ii) is located in an enterprise zone established pursuant to the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act and (iii) is certified by the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs (now Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity) as complying with the requirements specified in clause (i) and (ii) by July 1, 1986. The Department of Commerce and Community Affairs (now Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity) shall notify the Department of Revenue of all such certifications immediately. For tax years ending after December 31, 1988, the credit shall be allowed for the tax year in which the property is placed in service, or, if the amount of the credit exceeds the tax liability for that year, whether it exceeds the original liability or the liability as later amended, such excess may be carried forward and applied to the tax liability of the 5 taxable years following the excess credit years. The credit shall be applied to the earliest year for which there is a liability. If there is credit from more than one tax year that is available to offset a liability, earlier credit shall be applied first.

(2) The term "qualified property" means property which:

(A) is tangible, whether new or used, including buildings and structural components of buildings and signs that are real property, but not including land or improvements to real property that are not a structural component of a building such as landscaping, sewer lines, local access roads, fencing, parking lots, and other appurtenances;

(B) is depreciable pursuant to Section 167 of the Internal Revenue Code, except that "3-year property" as defined in Section 168(c)(2)(A) of that Code is not eligible for the credit provided by this subsection (e);

(C) is acquired by purchase as defined in Section 179(d) of the Internal Revenue Code;

(D) is used in Illinois by a taxpayer who is primarily engaged in manufacturing, or in mining coal or fluorite, or in retailing, or was placed in service on or after July 1, 2006 in a River Edge Redevelopment Zone established pursuant to the River Edge Redevelopment Zone Act; and

(E) has not previously been used in Illinois in such a manner and by such a person as would qualify for the credit provided by this subsection (e) or subsection (f).

(3) For purposes of this subsection (e), "manufacturing" means the material staging and production of tangible personal property by procedures commonly regarded as manufacturing, processing, fabrication, or assembling which changes some existing material into new shapes, new qualities, or new combinations. For purposes of this subsection (e) the term "mining" shall have the same meaning as the term "mining" in Section 613(c) of the Internal Revenue Code. For purposes of this subsection (e), the term "retailing" means the sale of tangible personal property for use or consumption and not for resale, or services rendered in conjunction with the sale of tangible personal property for use or consumption and not for resale. For purposes of this subsection (e), "tangible personal property" has the same meaning as when that term is used in the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act, and, for taxable years ending after December 31, 2008, does not include the generation, transmission, or distribution of electricity.

(4) The basis of qualified property shall be the basis used to compute the depreciation deduction for federal income tax purposes.

(5) If the basis of the property for federal income tax depreciation purposes is increased after it has been placed in service in Illinois by the taxpayer, the amount of such increase shall be deemed property placed in service on the date of such increase in basis.

(6) The term "placed in service" shall have the same meaning as under Section 46 of the Internal Revenue Code.

(7) If during any taxable year, any property ceases to be qualified property in the hands of the taxpayer within 48 months after being placed in service, or the situs of any qualified property is moved outside Illinois within 48 months after being placed in service, the Personal Property Tax Replacement Income Tax for such taxable year shall be increased. Such increase shall be determined by (i) recomputing the investment credit which would have been allowed for the year in which credit for such property was originally allowed by eliminating such property from such computation and, (ii) subtracting such recomputed credit from the amount of credit previously allowed. For the purposes of this paragraph (7), a reduction of the basis of qualified property resulting from a redetermination of the purchase price shall be deemed a disposition of qualified property to the extent of such reduction.

(8) Unless the investment credit is extended by law, the basis of qualified property shall not include costs incurred after December 31, 2018, except for costs incurred pursuant to a binding contract entered into on or before December 31, 2018.

(9) Each taxable year ending before December 31, 2000, a partnership may elect to pass through to its partners the credits to which the partnership is entitled under this subsection (e) for the taxable year. A partner may use the credit allocated to him or her under this paragraph only against the tax imposed in subsections (c) and (d) of this Section. If the partnership makes that election, those credits shall be allocated among the partners in the partnership in accordance with the rules set forth in Section 704(b) of the Internal Revenue Code, and the rules promulgated under that Section, and the allocated amount of the credits shall be allowed to the partners for that taxable year. The partnership shall make this election on its Personal Property Tax Replacement Income Tax return for that taxable year. The election to pass through the credits shall be irrevocable.

For taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2000, a partner that qualifies its partnership for a subtraction under subparagraph (I) of paragraph (2) of subsection (d) of Section 203 or a shareholder that qualifies a Subchapter S corporation for a subtraction under subparagraph (S) of paragraph (2) of subsection (b) of Section 203 shall be allowed a credit under this subsection (e) equal to its share of the credit earned under this subsection (e) during the taxable year by the partnership or Subchapter S corporation, determined in accordance with the determination of income and distributive share of income under Sections 702 and 704 and Subchapter S of the Internal Revenue Code. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 250.

(f) Investment credit; Enterprise Zone; River Edge Redevelopment Zone.

(1) A taxpayer shall be allowed a credit against the tax imposed by subsections (a) and (b) of this Section for investment in qualified property which is placed in service in an Enterprise Zone created pursuant to the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act or, for property placed in service on or after July 1, 2006, a River Edge Redevelopment Zone established pursuant to the River Edge Redevelopment Zone Act. For partners, shareholders of Subchapter S corporations, and owners of limited liability companies, if the liability company is treated as a partnership for purposes of federal and State income taxation, for taxable years ending before December 31, 2023, there shall be allowed a credit under this subsection (f) to be determined in accordance with the determination of income and distributive share of income under Sections 702 and 704 and Subchapter S of the Internal Revenue Code. For taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2023, for partners and shareholders of Subchapter S corporations, the provisions of Section 251 shall apply with respect to the credit under this subsection. The credit shall be .5% of the basis for such property. The credit shall be available only in the taxable year in which the property is placed in service in the Enterprise Zone or River Edge Redevelopment Zone and shall not be allowed to the extent that it would reduce a taxpayer's liability for the tax imposed by subsections (a) and (b) of this Section to below zero. For tax years ending on or after December 31, 1985, the credit shall be allowed for the tax year in which the property is placed in service, or, if the amount of the credit exceeds the tax liability for that year, whether it exceeds the original liability or the liability as later amended, such excess may be carried forward and applied to the tax liability of the 5 taxable years following the excess credit year. The credit shall be applied to the earliest year for which there is a liability. If there is credit from more than one tax year that is available to offset a liability, the credit accruing first in time shall be applied first.

(2) The term qualified property means property which:

(A) is tangible, whether new or used, including buildings and structural components of buildings;

(B) is depreciable pursuant to Section 167 of the Internal Revenue Code, except that "3-year property" as defined in Section 168(c)(2)(A) of that Code is not eligible for the credit provided by this subsection (f);

(C) is acquired by purchase as defined in Section 179(d) of the Internal Revenue Code;

(D) is used in the Enterprise Zone or River Edge Redevelopment Zone by the taxpayer; and

(E) has not been previously used in Illinois in such a manner and by such a person as would qualify for the credit provided by this subsection (f) or subsection (e).

(3) The basis of qualified property shall be the basis used to compute the depreciation deduction for federal income tax purposes.

(4) If the basis of the property for federal income tax depreciation purposes is increased after it has been placed in service in the Enterprise Zone or River Edge Redevelopment Zone by the taxpayer, the amount of such increase shall be deemed property placed in service on the date of such increase in basis.

(5) The term "placed in service" shall have the same meaning as under Section 46 of the Internal Revenue Code.

(6) If during any taxable year, any property ceases to be qualified property in the hands of the taxpayer within 48 months after being placed in service, or the situs of any qualified property is moved outside the Enterprise Zone or River Edge Redevelopment Zone within 48 months after being placed in service, the tax imposed under subsections (a) and (b) of this Section for such taxable year shall be increased. Such increase shall be determined by (i) recomputing the investment credit which would have been allowed for the year in which credit for such property was originally allowed by eliminating such property from such computation, and (ii) subtracting such recomputed credit from the amount of credit previously allowed. For the purposes of this paragraph (6), a reduction of the basis of qualified property resulting from a redetermination of the purchase price shall be deemed a disposition of qualified property to the extent of such reduction.

(7) There shall be allowed an additional credit equal to 0.5% of the basis of qualified property placed in service during the taxable year in a River Edge Redevelopment Zone, provided such property is placed in service on or after July 1, 2006, and the taxpayer's base employment within Illinois has increased by 1% or more over the preceding year as determined by the taxpayer's employment records filed with the Illinois Department of Employment Security. Taxpayers who are new to Illinois shall be deemed to have met the 1% growth in base employment for the first year in which they file employment records with the Illinois Department of Employment Security. If, in any year, the increase in base employment within Illinois over the preceding year is less than 1%, the additional credit shall be limited to that percentage times a fraction, the numerator of which is 0.5% and the denominator of which is 1%, but shall not exceed 0.5%.

(8) For taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2021, there shall be allowed an Enterprise Zone construction jobs credit against the taxes imposed under subsections (a) and (b) of this Section as provided in Section 13 of the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act.

The credit or credits may not reduce the taxpayer's liability to less than zero. If the amount of the credit or credits exceeds the taxpayer's liability, the excess may be carried forward and applied against the taxpayer's liability in succeeding calendar years in the same manner provided under paragraph (4) of Section 211 of this Act. The credit or credits shall be applied to the earliest year for which there is a tax liability. If there are credits from more than one taxable year that are available to offset a liability, the earlier credit shall be applied first.

For partners, shareholders of Subchapter S corporations, and owners of limited liability companies, if the liability company is treated as a partnership for the purposes of federal and State income taxation, for taxable years ending before December 31, 2023, there shall be allowed a credit under this Section to be determined in accordance with the determination of income and distributive share of income under Sections 702 and 704 and Subchapter S of the Internal Revenue Code. For taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2023, for partners and shareholders of Subchapter S corporations, the provisions of Section 251 shall apply with respect to the credit under this subsection.

The total aggregate amount of credits awarded under the Blue Collar Jobs Act (Article 20 of Public Act 101-9) shall not exceed $20,000,000 in any State fiscal year.

This paragraph (8) is exempt from the provisions of Section 250.

(g) (Blank).

(h) Investment credit; High Impact Business.

(1) Subject to subsections (b) and (b-5) of Section 5.5 of the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act, a taxpayer shall be allowed a credit against the tax imposed by subsections (a) and (b) of this Section for investment in qualified property which is placed in service by a Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity designated High Impact Business. The credit shall be .5% of the basis for such property. The credit shall not be available (i) until the minimum investments in qualified property set forth in subdivision (a)(3)(A) of Section 5.5 of the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act have been satisfied or (ii) until the time authorized in subsection (b-5) of the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act for entities designated as High Impact Businesses under subdivisions (a)(3)(B), (a)(3)(C), and (a)(3)(D) of Section 5.5 of the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act, and shall not be allowed to the extent that it would reduce a taxpayer's liability for the tax imposed by subsections (a) and (b) of this Section to below zero. The credit applicable to such investments shall be taken in the taxable year in which such investments have been completed. The credit for additional investments beyond the minimum investment by a designated high impact business authorized under subdivision (a)(3)(A) of Section 5.5 of the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act shall be available only in the taxable year in which the property is placed in service and shall not be allowed to the extent that it would reduce a taxpayer's liability for the tax imposed by subsections (a) and (b) of this Section to below zero. For tax years ending on or after December 31, 1987, the credit shall be allowed for the tax year in which the property is placed in service, or, if the amount of the credit exceeds the tax liability for that year, whether it exceeds the original liability or the liability as later amended, such excess may be carried forward and applied to the tax liability of the 5 taxable years following the excess credit year. The credit shall be applied to the earliest year for which there is a liability. If there is credit from more than one tax year that is available to offset a liability, the credit accruing first in time shall be applied first.

Changes made in this subdivision (h)(1) by Public Act 88-670 restore changes made by Public Act 85-1182 and reflect existing law.

(2) The term qualified property means property which:

(A) is tangible, whether new or used, including buildings and structural components of buildings;

(B) is depreciable pursuant to Section 167 of the Internal Revenue Code, except that "3-year property" as defined in Section 168(c)(2)(A) of that Code is not eligible for the credit provided by this subsection (h);

(C) is acquired by purchase as defined in Section 179(d) of the Internal Revenue Code; and

(D) is not eligible for the Enterprise Zone Investment Credit provided by subsection (f) of this Section.

(3) The basis of qualified property shall be the basis used to compute the depreciation deduction for federal income tax purposes.

(4) If the basis of the property for federal income tax depreciation purposes is increased after it has been placed in service in a federally designated Foreign Trade Zone or Sub-Zone located in Illinois by the taxpayer, the amount of such increase shall be deemed property placed in service on the date of such increase in basis.

(5) The term "placed in service" shall have the same meaning as under Section 46 of the Internal Revenue Code.

(6) If during any taxable year ending on or before December 31, 1996, any property ceases to be qualified property in the hands of the taxpayer within 48 months after being placed in service, or the situs of any qualified property is moved outside Illinois within 48 months after being placed in service, the tax imposed under subsections (a) and (b) of this Section for such taxable year shall be increased. Such increase shall be determined by (i) recomputing the investment credit which would have been allowed for the year in which credit for such property was originally allowed by eliminating such property from such computation, and (ii) subtracting such recomputed credit from the amount of credit previously allowed. For the purposes of this paragraph (6), a reduction of the basis of qualified property resulting from a redetermination of the purchase price shall be deemed a disposition of qualified property to the extent of such reduction.

(7) Beginning with tax years ending after December 31, 1996, if a taxpayer qualifies for the credit under this subsection (h) and thereby is granted a tax abatement and the taxpayer relocates its entire facility in violation of the explicit terms and length of the contract under Section 18-183 of the Property Tax Code, the tax imposed under subsections (a) and (b) of this Section shall be increased for the taxable year in which the taxpayer relocated its facility by an amount equal to the amount of credit received by the taxpayer under this subsection (h).

(h-5) High Impact Business construction jobs credit. For taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2021, there shall also be allowed a High Impact Business construction jobs credit against the tax imposed under subsections (a) and (b) of this Section as provided in subsections (i) and (j) of Section 5.5 of the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act.

The credit or credits may not reduce the taxpayer's liability to less than zero. If the amount of the credit or credits exceeds the taxpayer's liability, the excess may be carried forward and applied against the taxpayer's liability in succeeding calendar years in the manner provided under paragraph (4) of Section 211 of this Act. The credit or credits shall be applied to the earliest year for which there is a tax liability. If there are credits from more than one taxable year that are available to offset a liability, the earlier credit shall be applied first.

For partners, shareholders of Subchapter S corporations, and owners of limited liability companies, for taxable years ending before December 31, 2023, if the liability company is treated as a partnership for the purposes of federal and State income taxation, there shall be allowed a credit under this Section to be determined in accordance with the determination of income and distributive share of income under Sections 702 and 704 and Subchapter S of the Internal Revenue Code. For taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2023, for partners and shareholders of Subchapter S corporations, the provisions of Section 251 shall apply with respect to the credit under this subsection.

The total aggregate amount of credits awarded under the Blue Collar Jobs Act (Article 20 of Public Act 101-9) shall not exceed $20,000,000 in any State fiscal year.

This subsection (h-5) is exempt from the provisions of Section 250.

(i) Credit for Personal Property Tax Replacement Income Tax. For tax years ending prior to December 31, 2003, a credit shall be allowed against the tax imposed by subsections (a) and (b) of this Section for the tax imposed by subsections (c) and (d) of this Section. This credit shall be computed by multiplying the tax imposed by subsections (c) and (d) of this Section by a fraction, the numerator of which is base income allocable to Illinois and the denominator of which is Illinois base income, and further multiplying the product by the tax rate imposed by subsections (a) and (b) of this Section.

Any credit earned on or after December 31, 1986 under this subsection which is unused in the year the credit is computed because it exceeds the tax liability imposed by subsections (a) and (b) for that year (whether it exceeds the original liability or the liability as later amended) may be carried forward and applied to the tax liability imposed by subsections (a) and (b) of the 5 taxable years following the excess credit year, provided that no credit may be carried forward to any year ending on or after December 31, 2003. This credit shall be applied first to the earliest year for which there is a liability. If there is a credit under this subsection from more than one tax year that is available to offset a liability the earliest credit arising under this subsection shall be applied first.

If, during any taxable year ending on or after December 31, 1986, the tax imposed by subsections (c) and (d) of this Section for which a taxpayer has claimed a credit under this subsection (i) is reduced, the amount of credit for such tax shall also be reduced. Such reduction shall be determined by recomputing the credit to take into account the reduced tax imposed by subsections (c) and (d). If any portion of the reduced amount of credit has been carried to a different taxable year, an amended return shall be filed for such taxable year to reduce the amount of credit claimed.

(j) Training expense credit. Beginning with tax years ending on or after December 31, 1986 and prior to December 31, 2003, a taxpayer shall be allowed a credit against the tax imposed by subsections (a) and (b) under this Section for all amounts paid or accrued, on behalf of all persons employed by the taxpayer in Illinois or Illinois residents employed outside of Illinois by a taxpayer, for educational or vocational training in semi-technical or technical fields or semi-skilled or skilled fields, which were deducted from gross income in the computation of taxable income. The credit against the tax imposed by subsections (a) and (b) shall be 1.6% of such training expenses. For partners, shareholders of subchapter S corporations, and owners of limited liability companies, if the liability company is treated as a partnership for purposes of federal and State income taxation, for taxable years ending before December 31, 2023, there shall be allowed a credit under this subsection (j) to be determined in accordance with the determination of income and distributive share of income under Sections 702 and 704 and subchapter S of the Internal Revenue Code. For taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2023, for partners and shareholders of Subchapter S corporations, the provisions of Section 251 shall apply with respect to the credit under this subsection.

Any credit allowed under this subsection which is unused in the year the credit is earned may be carried forward to each of the 5 taxable years following the year for which the credit is first computed until it is used. This credit shall be applied first to the earliest year for which there is a liability. If there is a credit under this subsection from more than one tax year that is available to offset a liability, the earliest credit arising under this subsection shall be applied first. No carryforward credit may be claimed in any tax year ending on or after December 31, 2003.

(k) Research and development credit. For tax years ending after July 1, 1990 and prior to December 31, 2003, and beginning again for tax years ending on or after December 31, 2004, and ending prior to January 1, 2027, a taxpayer shall be allowed a credit against the tax imposed by subsections (a) and (b) of this Section for increasing research activities in this State. The credit allowed against the tax imposed by subsections (a) and (b) shall be equal to 6 1/2% of the qualifying expenditures for increasing research activities in this State. For partners, shareholders of subchapter S corporations, and owners of limited liability companies, if the liability company is treated as a partnership for purposes of federal and State income taxation, for taxable years ending before December 31, 2023, there shall be allowed a credit under this subsection to be determined in accordance with the determination of income and distributive share of income under Sections 702 and 704 and subchapter S of the Internal Revenue Code. For taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2023, for partners and shareholders of Subchapter S corporations, the provisions of Section 251 shall apply with respect to the credit under this subsection.

For purposes of this subsection, "qualifying expenditures" means the qualifying expenditures as defined for the federal credit for increasing research activities which would be allowable under Section 41 of the Internal Revenue Code and which are conducted in this State, "qualifying expenditures for increasing research activities in this State" means the excess of qualifying expenditures for the taxable year in which incurred over qualifying expenditures for the base period, "qualifying expenditures for the base period" means the average of the qualifying expenditures for each year in the base period, and "base period" means the 3 taxable years immediately preceding the taxable year for which the determination is being made.

Any credit in excess of the tax liability for the taxable year may be carried forward. A taxpayer may elect to have the unused credit shown on its final completed return carried over as a credit against the tax liability for the following 5 taxable years or until it has been fully used, whichever occurs first; provided that no credit earned in a tax year ending prior to December 31, 2003 may be carried forward to any year ending on or after December 31, 2003.

If an unused credit is carried forward to a given year from 2 or more earlier years, that credit arising in the earliest year will be applied first against the tax liability for the given year. If a tax liability for the given year still remains, the credit from the next earliest year will then be applied, and so on, until all credits have been used or no tax liability for the given year remains. Any remaining unused credit or credits then will be carried forward to the next following year in which a tax liability is incurred, except that no credit can be carried forward to a year which is more than 5 years after the year in which the expense for which the credit is given was incurred.

No inference shall be drawn from Public Act 91-644 in construing this Section for taxable years beginning before January 1, 1999.

It is the intent of the General Assembly that the research and development credit under this subsection (k) shall apply continuously for all tax years ending on or after December 31, 2004 and ending prior to January 1, 2027, including, but not limited to, the period beginning on January 1, 2016 and ending on July 6, 2017 (the effective date of Public Act 100-22). All actions taken in reliance on the continuation of the credit under this subsection (k) by any taxpayer are hereby validated.

(l) Environmental Remediation Tax Credit.

(i) For tax years ending after December 31, 1997 and on or before December 31, 2001, a taxpayer shall be allowed a credit against the tax imposed by subsections (a) and (b) of this Section for certain amounts paid for unreimbursed eligible remediation costs, as specified in this subsection. For purposes of this Section, "unreimbursed eligible remediation costs" means costs approved by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency ("Agency") under Section 58.14 of the Environmental Protection Act that were paid in performing environmental remediation at a site for which a No Further Remediation Letter was issued by the Agency and recorded under Section 58.10 of the Environmental Protection Act. The credit must be claimed for the taxable year in which Agency approval of the eligible remediation costs is granted. The credit is not available to any taxpayer if the taxpayer or any related party caused or contributed to, in any material respect, a release of regulated substances on, in, or under the site that was identified and addressed by the remedial action pursuant to the Site Remediation Program of the Environmental Protection Act. After the Pollution Control Board rules are adopted pursuant to the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act for the administration and enforcement of Section 58.9 of the Environmental Protection Act, determinations as to credit availability for purposes of this Section shall be made consistent with those rules. For purposes of this Section, "taxpayer" includes a person whose tax attributes the taxpayer has succeeded to under Section 381 of the Internal Revenue Code and "related party" includes the persons disallowed a deduction for losses by paragraphs (b), (c), and (f)(1) of Section 267 of the Internal Revenue Code by virtue of being a related taxpayer, as well as any of its partners. The credit allowed against the tax imposed by subsections (a) and (b) shall be equal to 25% of the unreimbursed eligible remediation costs in excess of $100,000 per site, except that the $100,000 threshold shall not apply to any site contained in an enterprise zone as determined by the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs (now Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity). The total credit allowed shall not exceed $40,000 per year with a maximum total of $150,000 per site. For partners and shareholders of subchapter S corporations, there shall be allowed a credit under this subsection to be determined in accordance with the determination of income and distributive share of income under Sections 702 and 704 and subchapter S of the Internal Revenue Code.

(ii) A credit allowed under this subsection that is unused in the year the credit is earned may be carried forward to each of the 5 taxable years following the year for which the credit is first earned until it is used. The term "unused credit" does not include any amounts of unreimbursed eligible remediation costs in excess of the maximum credit per site authorized under paragraph (i). This credit shall be applied first to the earliest year for which there is a liability. If there is a credit under this subsection from more than one tax year that is available to offset a liability, the earliest credit arising under this subsection shall be applied first. A credit allowed under this subsection may be sold to a buyer as part of a sale of all or part of the remediation site for which the credit was granted. The purchaser of a remediation site and the tax credit shall succeed to the unused credit and remaining carry-forward period of the seller. To perfect the transfer, the assignor shall record the transfer in the chain of title for the site and provide written notice to the Director of the Illinois Department of Revenue of the assignor's intent to sell the remediation site and the amount of the tax credit to be transferred as a portion of the sale. In no event may a credit be transferred to any taxpayer if the taxpayer or a related party would not be eligible under the provisions of subsection (i).

(iii) For purposes of this Section, the term "site" shall have the same meaning as under Section 58.2 of the Environmental Protection Act.

(m) Education expense credit. Beginning with tax years ending after December 31, 1999, a taxpayer who is the custodian of one or more qualifying pupils shall be allowed a credit against the tax imposed by subsections (a) and (b) of this Section for qualified education expenses incurred on behalf of the qualifying pupils. The credit shall be equal to 25% of qualified education expenses, but in no event may the total credit under this subsection claimed by a family that is the custodian of qualifying pupils exceed (i) $500 for tax years ending prior to December 31, 2017, and (ii) $750 for tax years ending on or after December 31, 2017. In no event shall a credit under this subsection reduce the taxpayer's liability under this Act to less than zero. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2017, no taxpayer may claim a credit under this subsection (m) if the taxpayer's adjusted gross income for the taxable year exceeds (i) $500,000, in the case of spouses filing a joint federal tax return or (ii) $250,000, in the case of all other taxpayers. This subsection is exempt from the provisions of Section 250 of this Act.

For purposes of this subsection:

"Qualifying pupils" means individuals who (i) are residents of the State of Illinois, (ii) are under the age of 21 at the close of the school year for which a credit is sought, and (iii) during the school year for which a credit is sought were full-time pupils enrolled in a kindergarten through twelfth grade education program at any school, as defined in this subsection.

"Qualified education expense" means the amount incurred on behalf of a qualifying pupil in excess of $250 for tuition, book fees, and lab fees at the school in which the pupil is enrolled during the regular school year.

"School" means any public or nonpublic elementary or secondary school in Illinois that is in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and attendance at which satisfies the requirements of Section 26-1 of the School Code, except that nothing shall be construed to require a child to attend any particular public or nonpublic school to qualify for the credit under this Section.

"Custodian" means, with respect to qualifying pupils, an Illinois resident who is a parent, the parents, a legal guardian, or the legal guardians of the qualifying pupils.

(n) River Edge Redevelopment Zone site remediation tax credit.

(i) For tax years ending on or after December 31, 2006, a taxpayer shall be allowed a credit against the tax imposed by subsections (a) and (b) of this Section for certain amounts paid for unreimbursed eligible remediation costs, as specified in this subsection. For purposes of this Section, "unreimbursed eligible remediation costs" means costs approved by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency ("Agency") under Section 58.14a of the Environmental Protection Act that were paid in performing environmental remediation at a site within a River Edge Redevelopment Zone for which a No Further Remediation Letter was issued by the Agency and recorded under Section 58.10 of the Environmental Protection Act. The credit must be claimed for the taxable year in which Agency approval of the eligible remediation costs is granted. The credit is not available to any taxpayer if the taxpayer or any related party caused or contributed to, in any material respect, a release of regulated substances on, in, or under the site that was identified and addressed by the remedial action pursuant to the Site Remediation Program of the Environmental Protection Act. Determinations as to credit availability for purposes of this Section shall be made consistent with rules adopted by the Pollution Control Board pursuant to the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act for the administration and enforcement of Section 58.9 of the Environmental Protection Act. For purposes of this Section, "taxpayer" includes a person whose tax attributes the taxpayer has succeeded to under Section 381 of the Internal Revenue Code and "related party" includes the persons disallowed a deduction for losses by paragraphs (b), (c), and (f)(1) of Section 267 of the Internal Revenue Code by virtue of being a related taxpayer, as well as any of its partners. The credit allowed against the tax imposed by subsections (a) and (b) shall be equal to 25% of the unreimbursed eligible remediation costs in excess of $100,000 per site.

(ii) A credit allowed under this subsection that is unused in the year the credit is earned may be carried forward to each of the 5 taxable years following the year for which the credit is first earned until it is used. This credit shall be applied first to the earliest year for which there is a liability. If there is a credit under this subsection from more than one tax year that is available to offset a liability, the earliest credit arising under this subsection shall be applied first. A credit allowed under this subsection may be sold to a buyer as part of a sale of all or part of the remediation site for which the credit was granted. The purchaser of a remediation site and the tax credit shall succeed to the unused credit and remaining carry-forward period of the seller. To perfect the transfer, the assignor shall record the transfer in the chain of title for the site and provide written notice to the Director of the Illinois Department of Revenue of the assignor's intent to sell the remediation site and the amount of the tax credit to be transferred as a portion of the sale. In no event may a credit be transferred to any taxpayer if the taxpayer or a related party would not be eligible under the provisions of subsection (i).

(iii) For purposes of this Section, the term "site" shall have the same meaning as under Section 58.2 of the Environmental Protection Act.

(o) For each of taxable years during the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program, a surcharge is imposed on all taxpayers on income arising from the sale or exchange of capital assets, depreciable business property, real property used in the trade or business, and Section 197 intangibles of an organization registrant under the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act. The amount of the surcharge is equal to the amount of federal income tax liability for the taxable year attributable to those sales and exchanges. The surcharge imposed does not apply if:

(1) the medical cannabis cultivation center registration, medical cannabis dispensary registration, or the property of a registration is transferred as a result of any of the following:

(A) bankruptcy, a receivership, or a debt adjustment initiated by or against the initial registration or the substantial owners of the initial registration;

(B) cancellation, revocation, or termination of any registration by the Illinois Department of Public Health;

(C) a determination by the Illinois Department of Public Health that transfer of the registration is in the best interests of Illinois qualifying patients as defined by the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act;

(D) the death of an owner of the equity interest in a registrant;

(E) the acquisition of a controlling interest in the stock or substantially all of the assets of a publicly traded company;

(F) a transfer by a parent company to a wholly owned subsidiary; or

(G) the transfer or sale to or by one person to another person where both persons were initial owners of the registration when the registration was issued; or

(2) the cannabis cultivation center registration, medical cannabis dispensary registration, or the controlling interest in a registrant's property is transferred in a transaction to lineal descendants in which no gain or loss is recognized or as a result of a transaction in accordance with Section 351 of the Internal Revenue Code in which no gain or loss is recognized.

(p) Pass-through entity tax.

(1) For taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2021 and beginning prior to January 1, 2026, a partnership (other than a publicly traded partnership under Section 7704 of the Internal Revenue Code) or Subchapter S corporation may elect to apply the provisions of this subsection. A separate election shall be made for each taxable year. Such election shall be made at such time, and in such form and manner as prescribed by the Department, and, once made, is irrevocable.

(2) Entity-level tax. A partnership or Subchapter S corporation electing to apply the provisions of this subsection shall be subject to a tax for the privilege of earning or receiving income in this State in an amount equal to 4.95% of the taxpayer's net income for the taxable year.

(3) Net income defined.

(A) In general. For purposes of paragraph (2), the term net income has the same meaning as defined in Section 202 of this Act, except that, for tax years ending on or after December 31, 2023, a deduction shall be allowed in computing base income for distributions to a retired partner to the extent that the partner's distributions are exempt from tax under Section 203(a)(2)(F) of this Act. In addition, the following modifications shall not apply:

(i) the standard exemption allowed under Section 204;

(ii) the deduction for net losses allowed under Section 207;

(iii) in the case of an S corporation, the modification under Section 203(b)(2)(S); and

(iv) in the case of a partnership, the modifications under Section 203(d)(2)(H) and Section 203(d)(2)(I).

(B) Special rule for tiered partnerships. If a taxpayer making the election under paragraph (1) is a partner of another taxpayer making the election under paragraph (1), net income shall be computed as provided in subparagraph (A), except that the taxpayer shall subtract its distributive share of the net income of the electing partnership (including its distributive share of the net income of the electing partnership derived as a distributive share from electing partnerships in which it is a partner).

(4) Credit for entity level tax. Each partner or shareholder of a taxpayer making the election under this Section shall be allowed a credit against the tax imposed under subsections (a) and (b) of Section 201 of this Act for the taxable year of the partnership or Subchapter S corporation for which an election is in effect ending within or with the taxable year of the partner or shareholder in an amount equal to 4.95% times the partner or shareholder's distributive share of the net income of the electing partnership or Subchapter S corporation, but not to exceed the partner's or shareholder's share of the tax imposed under paragraph (1) which is actually paid by the partnership or Subchapter S corporation. If the taxpayer is a partnership or Subchapter S corporation that is itself a partner of a partnership making the election under paragraph (1), the credit under this paragraph shall be allowed to the taxpayer's partners or shareholders (or if the partner is a partnership or Subchapter S corporation then its partners or shareholders) in accordance with the determination of income and distributive share of income under Sections 702 and 704 and Subchapter S of the Internal Revenue Code. If the amount of the credit allowed under this paragraph exceeds the partner's or shareholder's liability for tax imposed under subsections (a) and (b) of Section 201 of this Act for the taxable year, such excess shall be treated as an overpayment for purposes of Section 909 of this Act.

(5) Nonresidents. A nonresident individual who is a partner or shareholder of a partnership or Subchapter S corporation for a taxable year for which an election is in effect under paragraph (1) shall not be required to file an income tax return under this Act for such taxable year if the only source of net income of the individual (or the individual and the individual's spouse in the case of a joint return) is from an entity making the election under paragraph (1) and the credit allowed to the partner or shareholder under paragraph (4) equals or exceeds the individual's liability for the tax imposed under subsections (a) and (b) of Section 201 of this Act for the taxable year.

(6) Liability for tax. Except as provided in this paragraph, a partnership or Subchapter S making the election under paragraph (1) is liable for the entity-level tax imposed under paragraph (2). If the electing partnership or corporation fails to pay the full amount of tax deemed assessed under paragraph (2), the partners or shareholders shall be liable to pay the tax assessed (including penalties and interest). Each partner or shareholder shall be liable for the unpaid assessment based on the ratio of the partner's or shareholder's share of the net income of the partnership over the total net income of the partnership. If the partnership or Subchapter S corporation fails to pay the tax assessed (including penalties and interest) and thereafter an amount of such tax is paid by the partners or shareholders, such amount shall not be collected from the partnership or corporation.

(7) Foreign tax. For purposes of the credit allowed under Section 601(b)(3) of this Act, tax paid by a partnership or Subchapter S corporation to another state which, as determined by the Department, is substantially similar to the tax imposed under this subsection, shall be considered tax paid by the partner or shareholder to the extent that the partner's or shareholder's share of the income of the partnership or Subchapter S corporation allocated and apportioned to such other state bears to the total income of the partnership or Subchapter S corporation allocated or apportioned to such other state.

(8) Suspension of withholding. The provisions of Section 709.5 of this Act shall not apply to a partnership or Subchapter S corporation for the taxable year for which an election under paragraph (1) is in effect.

(9) Requirement to pay estimated tax. For each taxable year for which an election under paragraph (1) is in effect, a partnership or Subchapter S corporation is required to pay estimated tax for such taxable year under Sections 803 and 804 of this Act if the amount payable as estimated tax can reasonably be expected to exceed $500.

(10) The provisions of this subsection shall apply only with respect to taxable years for which the limitation on individual deductions applies under Section 164(b)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code.

(q) Local news organization exemption. A taxpayer that is an eligible news journalist employer shall be allowed a credit against the Personal Property Tax Replacement Income Tax for each qualified journalist hired by the eligible news journalist employer during the taxable year.

For purposes of this subsection:

"Eligible news journalist employer" has the meaning ascribed to the term "local news organization" in the Strengthening Community Media Act.

"Qualified journalist" means a person:

(1) employed for an average of at least 30 hours per week during a taxable year by an eligible news journalist employer; and

(2) responsible for gathering, developing, preparing, directing the recording of, producing, collecting, photographing, recording, writing, editing, reporting, designing, presenting, distributing, or publishing original news or information that concerns local, regional, national, or international matters of public interest.

(Source: P.A. 102-558, eff. 8-20-21; 102-658, eff. 8-27-21; 103-9, eff. 6-7-23; 103-396, eff. 1-1-24; revised 12-12-23.)

(35 ILCS 5/241 new)

Sec. 241. Local journalism employment support tax credit.

(a) As used in this Section:

"Eligible news journalist employer" has the meaning ascribed to the term "local news organization" in the Strengthening Community Media Act.

"Qualified journalist" means a person:

(1) employed for an average of at least 30 hours per week during a taxable year by an eligible news journalist employer; and

(2) responsible for gathering, developing, preparing, directing the recording of, producing, collecting, photographing, recording, writing, editing, reporting, designing, presenting, distributing, or publishing original news or information that concerns local, regional, national, or international matters of public interest.

(b) For the taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2025, an eligible news journalist employer is entitled to a credit against the tax imposed by subsections (a) and (b) of Section 201 of this Act in an amount equal to 50% of the wages paid for up to 150 qualified journalists, but not to exceed a total credit amount of $25,000 per qualifying journalist in a single taxable year.

(c) If the amount of the credit exceeds the income tax liability for the applicable tax year, then the excess credit shall be refunded to the taxpayer. The amount of a refund shall not be included in the taxpayer's income or resources for the purposes of determining eligibility or benefit level in any means-tested benefit program administered by a governmental entity unless required by federal law.

(35 ILCS 5/242 new)

Sec. 242. Small business income tax credit for local journalism advertising.

(a) As used in this Section:

"Advertising" means providing consideration for the publication, dissemination, solicitation, or circulation or visual, oral, or written communication to directly or indirectly induce any person to purchase a good or service.

"Disqualified organization" means any organization:

(1) described in Section 502(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and exempt from taxation under Section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code;

(2) described in Section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code; or

(3) owned or controlled by one or more organizations described in Section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code.

"Eligible local news journalist employer" means any employer that:

(1) is an eligible local newspaper; or

(2) is a qualifying broadcast station; and

(3) employs local news journalists.

"Eligible small business" means a business with fewer than 50 employees.

"Local newspaper" means a print or digital publication that:

(1) primarily serves the needs of the State or a regional or local community in the State;

(2) primarily has content derived from primary sources relating to news and current events; and

(3) employs at least one journalist who resides in this State and who regularly gathers, collects, photographs, records, writes, or reports news or information that concerns local events or other matters of local public interest.

"Local broadcast station" means a broadcast entity licensed by the Federal Communications Commission that:

(1) primarily serves the needs of the State or a regional or local community within the State with news, weather, and emergency information;

(2) primarily has content derived from primary sources relating to news and current events;

(3) employs at least one journalist who resides in Illinois and who regularly gathers, collects, photographs, records, writes, or reports news or information that concerns local events of other matters or local public interest.

(b) For the taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2025, an eligible small business is entitled to a credit against the tax imposed by subsections (a) and (b) of Section 201 of this Act in an amount equal to the amount paid by the eligible small business to local newspapers or broadcasters for advertising in this State, but not to exceed a total credit amount of $2,500.

Section 95. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act is amended by adding Section 65.125 as follows:

(110 ILCS 947/65.125 new)

Sec. 65.125. Journalism Student Scholarship Program.

(a) As used in this Section:

"Local news organization" has the meaning ascribed to that term in the Strengthening Community Media Act.

"Qualified institution of higher learning" means a public university or a public community college under the Public Community College Act.

(b) In order to encourage academically talented Illinois students to pursue careers in journalism, especially in underserved areas of the State, and to provide those students with financial assistance to significantly increase the likelihood that they will complete their full academic commitment and elect to remain in Illinois to pursue a career in journalism, subject to appropriation, the Commission shall implement and administer the Journalism Student Scholarship Program. The Commission shall annually award scholarships to persons preparing to work in Illinois, with preference given to those preparing to work in underserved areas. These scholarships shall be awarded to individuals who make application to the Commission and agree to sign an agreement under which the recipient pledges that, within the 2-year period following the termination of the academic program for which the recipient was awarded a scholarship, the recipient shall:

(1) begin working in journalism in this State for a period of not less than 2 years;

(2) fulfill this obligation at local news organization; and

(3) upon request of the Commission, provide the Commission with evidence that he or she is fulfilling or has fulfilled the terms of the teaching agreement provided for in this subsection.

(c) For purposes of this Section, a qualified student shall be a student who meets the following qualifications:

(1) is a resident of this State and a citizen or eligible noncitizen of the United States;

(2) is a high school graduate or a person who has received an Illinois High School Diploma;

(3) is enrolled or accepted, on at least a half-time basis, at a qualified institution of higher learning; and

(4) is pursuing a postsecondary course of study leading to a career in journalism or similar field.

(d) Each scholarship shall be utilized by its holder for the payment of tuition and non-revenue bond fees at any qualified institution of higher learning.

(e) The Commission shall administer the Program and shall make all necessary and proper rules not inconsistent with this Section for its effective implementation.