20 ILCS 655/13

(20 ILCS 655/13)

Sec. 13. Enterprise Zone construction jobs credit.

(a) Beginning on January 1, 2021, a business entity in a certified Enterprise Zone that makes a capital investment of at least $10,000,000 in an Enterprise Zone construction jobs project may receive an Enterprise Zone construction jobs credit against the tax imposed under subsections (a) and (b) of Section 201 of the Illinois Income Tax Act in an amount equal to 50% of the amount of the incremental income tax attributable to Enterprise Zone construction jobs credit employees employed in the course of completing an Enterprise Zone construction jobs project. However, the Enterprise Zone construction jobs credit may equal 75% of the amount of the incremental income tax attributable to Enterprise Zone construction jobs credit employees if the project is located in an underserved area.

(b) A business entity seeking a credit under this Section must submit an application to the Department and must receive approval from the designating municipality or county and the Department for the Enterprise Zone construction jobs credit project. The application must describe the nature and benefit of the project to the certified Enterprise Zone and its potential contributors. 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.

Within 45 days after receipt of an application, the Department shall give notice to the applicant as to whether the application has been approved or disapproved. If the Department disapproves the application, it shall specify the reasons for this decision and allow 60 days for the applicant to amend and resubmit its application. The Department shall provide assistance upon request to applicants. Resubmitted applications shall receive the Department's approval or disapproval within 30 days after the application is resubmitted. Those resubmitted applications satisfying initial Department objectives shall be approved unless reasonable circumstances warrant disapproval.

On an annual basis, the designated zone organization shall furnish a statement to the Department on the programmatic and financial status of any approved project and an audited financial statement of the project.

The Department shall certify to the Department of Revenue the identity of taxpayers who are eligible for the credits and the amount of credits that are claimed pursuant to subparagraph (8) of subsection (f) of Section 201 the Illinois Income Tax Act.

The Enterprise Zone construction jobs credit project must be undertaken by the business entity in the course of completing a project that complies with the criteria contained in Section 4 of this Act and is undertaken in a certified Enterprise Zone. The Department shall adopt any necessary rules for the implementation of this subsection (b).

(c) (Blank).

(d) Annually, until construction is completed, a company seeking Enterprise Zone construction job credits shall submit a report that, at a minimum, describes the projected project scope, timeline, and anticipated budget. Once the project has commenced, the annual report shall include actual data for the prior year as well as projections for each additional year through completion of the project. The Department shall issue detailed reporting guidelines prescribing the requirements of construction-related reports.

In order to receive credit for construction expenses, the company must provide the Department with evidence that a certified third-party executed an Agreed-Upon Procedure (AUP) verifying the construction expenses or accept the standard construction wage expense estimated by the Department.

Upon review of the final project scope, timeline, budget, and AUP, the Department shall issue a tax credit certificate reflecting a percentage of the total construction job wages paid throughout the completion of the project.

Upon 7 business days' notice, the taxpayer shall make available to any State agency and to federal, State, or local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors for inspection and copying at a location within this State during reasonable hours, the report under this subsection (d).

(e) As used in this Section:

"Enterprise Zone construction jobs credit" means an amount equal to 50% (or 75% if the project is located in an underserved area) of the incremental income tax attributable to Enterprise Zone construction jobs credit employees.

"Enterprise Zone construction jobs credit employee" means a laborer or worker who is employed by a contractor or subcontractor in the actual construction work on the site of an Enterprise Zone construction jobs credit project.

"Enterprise Zone construction jobs credit project" means building a structure or building or making improvements of any kind to real property commissioned and paid for by a business that has applied and been approved for an Enterprise Zone construction jobs credit pursuant to this Section. "Enterprise Zone construction jobs credit project" does not include the routine operation, routine repair, or routine maintenance of existing structures, buildings, or real property.

"Incremental income tax" means the total amount withheld during the taxable year from the compensation of Enterprise Zone construction jobs credit employees.

"Underserved area" means a geographic area that meets one or more of the following conditions:

(1) the area has a poverty rate of at least 20% according to the latest American Community Survey;

(2) 35% or more of the families with children in the area are living below 130% of the poverty line, according to the latest American Community Survey;

(3) at least 20% of the households in the area receive assistance under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); or

(4) the area has an average unemployment rate, as determined by the Illinois Department of Employment Security, that is more than 120% of the national unemployment average, as determined by the U.S. Department of Labor, for a period of at least 2 consecutive calendar years preceding the date of the application.

(Source: P.A. 102-108, eff. 1-1-22; 102-558, eff. 8-20-21; 103-595, eff. 6-26-24.)