State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

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[ Introduced ][ Enrolled ][ House Amendment 001 ]

90_HB0381eng

      35 ILCS 200/15-172
          Amends the Property Tax Code.   Provides  that  beginning
      January  1,  1998,  if  an  applicant for the Senior Citizens
      Assessment Freeze  Homestead  Exemption  fails  to  file  the
      application  in  a  timely manner and the failure to file was
      due to a mental or physical condition sufficiently severe  so
      as   to   render   the  applicant  incapable  of  filing  the
      application in a timely manner, the Chief  County  Assessment
      Officer  may  extend  the  filing  deadline for a period of 3
      months. Requires the applicant to provide  the  Chief  County
      Assessment   Officer   with   a  signed  statement  from  the
      applicant's physician stating the nature and  extent  of  the
      condition,   and   that,  in  the  physician's  opinion,  the
      condition was  so  severe  that  it  rendered  the  applicant
      incapable  of  filing  the  application  in  a timely manner.
      Amends the  State  Mandates  Act  to  require  implementation
      without reimbursement.  Effective January 1, 1998.
                                                     LRB9001438KRks
HB0381 Engrossed                               LRB9001438KRks
 1        AN ACT in relation to taxes, amending named Acts.
 2        Be  it  enacted  by  the People of the State of Illinois,
 3    represented in the General Assembly:
 4        Section 5.  The Property Tax Code is amended by  changing
 5    Section 15-172 as follows:
 6        (35 ILCS 200/15-172)
 7        Sec.  15-172. Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead
 8    Exemption.
 9        (a)  This Section may be cited  as  the  Senior  Citizens
10    Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption.
11        (b)  As used in this Section:
12        "Applicant"   means   an  individual  who  has  filed  an
13    application under this Section.
14        "Base amount" means  the  base  year  equalized  assessed
15    value  of  the  residence  plus  the  first  year's equalized
16    assessed value of any added improvements which increased  the
17    assessed value of the residence after the base year.
18        "Base  year"  means the taxable year prior to the taxable
19    year for which the applicant first qualifies and applies  for
20    the  exemption  provided  that  in the prior taxable year the
21    property was improved with a  permanent  structure  that  was
22    occupied  as  a residence by the applicant who was liable for
23    paying real property taxes on the property and who was either
24    (i) an owner of record  of  the  property  or  had  legal  or
25    equitable  interest in the property as evidenced by a written
26    instrument or (ii) had a legal or  equitable  interest  as  a
27    lessee  in  the  parcel  of  property  that was single family
28    residence.
29        "Chief  County  Assessment  Officer"  means  the   County
30    Assessor  or Supervisor of Assessments of the county in which
31    the property is located.
HB0381 Engrossed            -2-                LRB9001438KRks
 1        "Equalized assessed value" means the  assessed  value  as
 2    equalized by the Illinois Department of Revenue.
 3        "Household"  means  the  applicant,  the  spouse  of  the
 4    applicant,  and  all  persons  using  the  residence  of  the
 5    applicant as their principal place of residence.
 6        "Household  income"  means  the  combined  income  of the
 7    members of a household for the calendar  year  preceding  the
 8    taxable year.
 9        "Income" has the same meaning as provided in Section 3.07
10    of  the  Senior  Citizens  and  Disabled Persons Property Tax
11    Relief and Pharmaceutical Assistance Act.
12        "Internal Revenue Code of 1986" means the  United  States
13    Internal  Revenue  Code  of 1986 or any successor law or laws
14    relating to federal income  taxes  in  effect  for  the  year
15    preceding the taxable year.
16        "Life  care  facility  that  qualifies  as a cooperative"
17    means a facility as defined in Section 2  of  the  Life  Care
18    Facilities Act.
19        "Residence"   means  the  principal  dwelling  place  and
20    appurtenant structures used for residential purposes in  this
21    State  occupied  on  January  1  of  the  taxable  year  by a
22    household and so much of the surrounding  land,  constituting
23    the  parcel  upon which the dwelling place is situated, as is
24    used for residential purposes. If the Chief County Assessment
25    Officer has established a specific legal  description  for  a
26    portion  of  property  constituting  the residence, then that
27    portion of property shall be deemed  the  residence  for  the
28    purposes of this Section.
29        "Taxable  year"  means  the calendar year during which ad
30    valorem property taxes payable in the  next  succeeding  year
31    are levied.
32        (c)  Beginning  in  taxable  year 1994, a senior citizens
33    assessment freeze homestead exemption  is  granted  for  real
34    property  that is improved with a permanent structure that is
HB0381 Engrossed            -3-                LRB9001438KRks
 1    occupied as a residence by an applicant who (i) is  65  years
 2    of age or older during the taxable year, (ii) has a household
 3    income  of  $35,000  or less, (iii) is liable for paying real
 4    property taxes on the property,  and  (iv)  is  an  owner  of
 5    record  of  the property or has a legal or equitable interest
 6    in the property as evidenced by a  written  instrument.  This
 7    homestead  exemption shall also apply to a leasehold interest
 8    in a parcel of property improved with a  permanent  structure
 9    that  is  a  single  family  residence  that is occupied as a
10    residence by a person who (i) is 65 years  of  age  or  older
11    during  the  taxable  year,  (ii)  has  a household income of
12    $35,000 or less, (iii) has a  legal  or  equitable  ownership
13    interest  in  the  property as lessee, and (iv) is liable for
14    the payment of real property taxes on that property.
15        The amount of  this  exemption  shall  be  the  equalized
16    assessed value of the residence in the taxable year for which
17    application is made minus the base amount.
18        When  the applicant is a surviving spouse of an applicant
19    for a  prior  year  for  the  same  residence  for  which  an
20    exemption  under this Section has been granted, the base year
21    and base amount for that residence are the same  as  for  the
22    applicant for the prior year.
23        Each  year at the time the assessment books are certified
24    to the County Clerk, the Board of Review or Board of  Appeals
25    shall  give to the County Clerk a list of the assessed values
26    of improvements on each parcel qualifying for this  exemption
27    that  were added after the base year for this parcel and that
28    increased the assessed value of the property.
29        In the case of land improved with an  apartment  building
30    owned  and  operated as a cooperative or a building that is a
31    life care facility  that  qualifies  as  a  cooperative,  the
32    maximum  reduction  from  the equalized assessed value of the
33    property is limited to the sum of the  reductions  calculated
34    for  each unit occupied as a residence by a person or persons
HB0381 Engrossed            -4-                LRB9001438KRks
 1    65 years of age or older with a household income  of  $35,000
 2    or  less  who is liable, by contract with the owner or owners
 3    of record, for paying real property taxes on the property and
 4    who is an owner of record of a legal or equitable interest in
 5    the cooperative apartment building, other  than  a  leasehold
 6    interest.  In the instance of a cooperative where a homestead
 7    exemption  has  been  granted   under   this   Section,   the
 8    cooperative  association  or its management firm shall credit
 9    the  savings  resulting  from  that  exemption  only  to  the
10    apportioned tax liability of the owner who qualified for  the
11    exemption.   Any  person who willfully refuses to credit that
12    savings to an owner who qualifies for the exemption is guilty
13    of a Class B misdemeanor.
14        When a homestead exemption has been  granted  under  this
15    Section  and  an  applicant  then  becomes  a  resident  of a
16    facility licensed  under  the  Nursing  Home  Care  Act,  the
17    exemption shall be granted in subsequent years so long as the
18    residence  (i)  continues  to  be  occupied  by the qualified
19    applicant's spouse or (ii) if remaining unoccupied, is  still
20    owned by the qualified applicant for the homestead exemption.
21        Beginning  January  1,  1997, when an individual dies who
22    would have qualified for an exemption under this Section, and
23    the surviving spouse does not independently qualify for  this
24    exemption  because  of  age, the exemption under this Section
25    shall be granted to the surviving spouse for the taxable year
26    preceding and the taxable year of the death,  provided  that,
27    except   for  age,  the  surviving  spouse  meets  all  other
28    qualifications for the granting of this exemption  for  those
29    years.
30        When  married  persons  maintain separate residences, the
31    exemption provided for in this Section may be claimed by only
32    one of such persons and for only one residence.
33        For taxable year 1994 only, in counties having less  than
34    3,000,000  inhabitants,  to  receive  the exemption, a person
HB0381 Engrossed            -5-                LRB9001438KRks
 1    shall submit an application by February 15, 1995 to the Chief
 2    County Assessment Officer of the county in which the property
 3    is  located.   In   counties   having   3,000,000   or   more
 4    inhabitants, for taxable year 1994 and all subsequent taxable
 5    years,  to  receive  the  exemption,  a  person may submit an
 6    application to the Chief County  Assessment  Officer  of  the
 7    county in which the property is located during such period as
 8    may be specified by the Chief County Assessment Officer.  The
 9    Chief  County  Assessment Officer in counties of 3,000,000 or
10    more  inhabitants  shall  annually   give   notice   of   the
11    application  period  by  mail or by publication.  In counties
12    having  less  than  3,000,000  inhabitants,  beginning   with
13    taxable year 1995 and thereafter, to receive the exemption, a
14    person  shall submit an application by July 1 of each taxable
15    year to the Chief County Assessment Officer of the county  in
16    which  the  property is located.  A county may, by ordinance,
17    establish a date  for  submission  of  applications  that  is
18    earlier than July 1, but in no event shall a county establish
19    a date for submission of applications that is later than July
20    1.   The  applicant  shall  submit  with  the  application an
21    affidavit of the applicant's  total  household  income,  age,
22    marital  status  (and  if married the name and address of the
23    applicant's spouse, if known), and principal  dwelling  place
24    of members of the household on January 1 of the taxable year.
25    The  Department  shall  establish,  by  rule,  a  method  for
26    verifying  the  accuracy  of  affidavits  filed by applicants
27    under this Section. The applications shall be clearly  marked
28    as  applications  for  the  Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze
29    Homestead Exemption.
30        Beginning January  1,  1998,  notwithstanding  any  other
31    provision  to  the  contrary,  in  counties having fewer than
32    3,000,000 inhabitants, if an  applicant  fails  to  file  the
33    application  required  by this Section in a timely manner and
34    this failure to file is due to a mental or physical condition
HB0381 Engrossed            -6-                LRB9001438KRks
 1    sufficiently severe so as to render the  applicant  incapable
 2    of  filing  the  application  in  a  timely manner, the Chief
 3    County Assessment Officer may extend the filing deadline  for
 4    a  period  of  3  months.   In order to receive the extension
 5    provided in this paragraph, the applicant shall  provide  the
 6    Chief  County Assessment Officer with a signed statement from
 7    the applicant's physician stating the nature  and  extent  of
 8    the  condition,  and  that,  in  the physician's opinion, the
 9    condition was  so  severe  that  it  rendered  the  applicant
10    incapable of filing the application in a timely manner.
11        In counties having less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, if an
12    applicant  was  denied  an exemption in taxable year 1994 and
13    the denial occurred due  to  an  error  on  the  part  of  an
14    assessment  official,  or  his or her agent or employee, then
15    beginning in taxable year 1997 the applicant's base year, for
16    purposes of determining the amount of the exemption, shall be
17    1993 rather than 1994. In addition, in taxable year 1997, the
18    applicant's exemption shall also include an amount  equal  to
19    (i)  the  amount  of any exemption denied to the applicant in
20    taxable year 1995 as a result  of  using  1994,  rather  than
21    1993,  as  the  base  year,  (ii) the amount of any exemption
22    denied to the applicant in taxable year 1996 as a  result  of
23    using 1994, rather than 1993, as the base year, and (iii) the
24    amount  of  the exemption erroneously denied for taxable year
25    1994.
26        For purposes of this Section, a person  who  will  be  65
27    years  of  age  during  the  current  taxable  year  shall be
28    eligible to apply for the  homestead  exemption  during  that
29    taxable   year.    Application   shall  be  made  during  the
30    application period in effect for the county  of  his  or  her
31    residence.
32        The  Chief  County  Assessment  Officer may determine the
33    eligibility of a life  care  facility  that  qualifies  as  a
34    cooperative  to receive the benefits provided by this Section
HB0381 Engrossed            -7-                LRB9001438KRks
 1    by use  of  an  affidavit,  application,  visual  inspection,
 2    questionnaire,  or other reasonable method in order to insure
 3    that  the  tax  savings  resulting  from  the  exemption  are
 4    credited by  the  management  firm  to  the  apportioned  tax
 5    liability  of  each  qualifying  resident.   The Chief County
 6    Assessment Officer may  request  reasonable  proof  that  the
 7    management firm has so credited that exemption.
 8        Except  as  provided  in  this  Section,  all information
 9    received by  the  chief  county  assessment  officer  or  the
10    Department  from  applications  filed  under this Section, or
11    from any investigation conducted under the provisions of this
12    Section, shall be confidential, except for official  purposes
13    or  pursuant  to  official  procedures  for collection of any
14    State or local tax or enforcement of any  civil  or  criminal
15    penalty  or sanction imposed by this Act or by any statute or
16    ordinance imposing a State  or  local  tax.  Any  person  who
17    divulges  any  such  information  in  any  manner,  except in
18    accordance with a proper judicial order, is guilty of a Class
19    A misdemeanor.
20        Nothing contained  in  this  Section  shall  prevent  the
21    Director  or  chief county assessment officer from publishing
22    or making  available  reasonable  statistics  concerning  the
23    operation of the exemption contained in this Section in which
24    the  contents of claims are grouped into aggregates in such a
25    way that information contained in any individual claim  shall
26    not be disclosed.
27    (Source:  P.A.  88-669,  eff. 11-29-94; 88-682, eff. 1-13-95;
28    89-62, eff. 1-1-96; 89-426, eff. 6-1-96; 89-557, eff. 1-1-97;
29    89-581, eff. 1-1-97; 89-626, eff. 8-9-96; revised 9-3-96.)
30        Section 90.  The State Mandates Act is amended by  adding
31    Section 8.21 as follows:
32        (30 ILCS 805/8.21 new)
HB0381 Engrossed            -8-                LRB9001438KRks
 1        Sec.  8.21.  Exempt  mandate.  Notwithstanding Sections 6
 2    and 8 of this Act, no reimbursement by the State is  required
 3    for  the  implementation  of  any  mandate  created  by  this
 4    amendatory Act of 1997.
 5        Section  99.   Effective  date.   This  Act  takes effect
 6    January 1, 1998.

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