State of Illinois
92nd General Assembly
Legislation

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92_SB1785

 
                                               LRB9213666SMdv

 1        AN ACT concerning homestead exemptions.

 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 15-165 and by adding Section 15-164 as follows:

 6        (35 ILCS 200/15-164 new)
 7        Sec. 15-164. Homestead exemption; veterans and  surviving
 8    spouses.
 9        (a)  Any  real estate that is owned and used by a veteran
10    as homestead property,  as  defined  in  Section  15-175,  is
11    exempt  from  taxation  if  (i)  the  veteran  was  honorably
12    discharged  with  a  service-connected  total  and  permanent
13    disability  and a letter from the United States Government or
14    United  States  Department  of  Veterans   Affairs   or   its
15    predecessor  has  been  issued certifying that the veteran is
16    totally and permanently disabled and (ii) the  veteran  is  a
17    permanent resident of this State on January 1 of the tax year
18    for which the exemption is being claimed.
19        If a totally and permanently disabled veteran predeceases
20    his  or her spouse and if, upon the death of the veteran, the
21    spouse holds the legal or beneficial title to  the  homestead
22    property  and permanently resides thereon, the exemption from
23    taxation carries over to the benefit of the veteran's  spouse
24    until such time as the spouse remarries or sells or otherwise
25    disposes  of the property.  If the spouse sells the property,
26    an exemption not to exceed the exemption amount granted  from
27    the  most recent equalized assessed value of the property may
28    be transferred to the spouse's new residence, as long  as  it
29    is used as the spouse's primary residence and the spouse does
30    not remarry.
31        The  filing  of  a  copy  of  a letter that was issued as
 
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 1    required  under  this  subsection  with  the   chief   county
 2    assessment officer of the county in which property is located
 3    is  prima  facie  evidence  that the veteran or the surviving
 4    spouse is entitled to the exemption under this subsection.
 5        (b)  Any real estate that is owned and used as  homestead
 6    property  by the surviving spouse of a veteran is exempt from
 7    taxation if  (i)  the  veteran  died  from  service-connected
 8    causes  while on active duty as a member of the United States
 9    Armed Forces and a letter from the United  States  Government
10    or  United  States  Department  of  Veterans  Affairs  or its
11    predecessor has been issued certifying that the veteran  died
12    from  service-connected causes while on active duty, (ii) the
13    veteran was a permanent resident of this State on  January  1
14    of the year in which the veteran died, (iii) the property was
15    the  homestead of the veteran and his or her surviving spouse
16    at the time of the veteran's death, and (iv) the  spouse  has
17    not remarried.
18        The  tax  exemption that applies under this subsection to
19    the surviving spouse carries  over  to  the  benefit  of  the
20    veteran's  surviving  spouse  as long as the spouse holds the
21    legal  or  beneficial  title  to  the   homestead   property,
22    permanently  resides  thereon,  and does not remarry.  If the
23    surviving spouse sells the  property,  an  exemption  not  to
24    exceed  the  exemption  amount  granted  from the most recent
25    equalized assessed value of the property may  be  transferred
26    to  the  spouse's  new residence as long as it is used as the
27    spouse's primary residence and the spouse does not remarry.
28        The filing of a copy of  a  letter  that  was  issued  as
29    required   under   this  subsection  with  the  chief  county
30    assessment officer of the county in  which  the  property  is
31    located  is prima facie evidence that the surviving spouse is
32    entitled to an exemption under this subsection.
33        (c)  A person who is  allowed  an  exemption  under  this
34    Section  is not allowed an exemption under Section 15-165 for
 
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 1    the same taxable year.

 2        (35 ILCS 200/15-165)
 3        Sec.  15-165.   Disabled  veterans.  Property  up  to  an
 4    assessed value of $58,000, owned and used  exclusively  by  a
 5    disabled veteran, or the spouse or unmarried surviving spouse
 6    of  the  veteran,  as  a  home,  is  exempt. As used in  this
 7    Section, a disabled veteran means a person who has served  in
 8    the Armed Forces of the United States and whose disability is
 9    of  such  a nature that the Federal Government has authorized
10    payment for purchase or  construction  of  Specially  Adapted
11    Housing  as  set  forth  in the United States Code, Title 38,
12    Chapter 21, Section 2101.
13        The exemption applies to housing where Federal funds have
14    been used to purchase or  construct  special  adaptations  to
15    suit the veteran's disability.
16        The  exemption  also applies to housing that is specially
17    adapted to  suit  the  veteran's  disability,  and  purchased
18    entirely  or in part by the proceeds of a sale, casualty loss
19    reimbursement, or other transfer of  a  home  for  which  the
20    Federal  Government  had  previously  authorized  payment for
21    purchase or construction as Specially Adapted Housing.
22        However, the entire proceeds of the sale,  casualty  loss
23    reimbursement,  or  other  transfer  of that housing shall be
24    applied to the acquisition of  subsequent  specially  adapted
25    housing  to  the  extent that the proceeds equal the purchase
26    price of the subsequently acquired housing.
27        For  purposes  of  this  Section,  "unmarried   surviving
28    spouse" means the surviving spouse of the veteran at any time
29    after  the  death  of the veteran during which such surviving
30    spouse is not married.
31        This exemption must be reestablished on an  annual  basis
32    by  certification  from  the Illinois Department of Veterans'
33    Affairs to the Department, which shall forward a copy of  the
 
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 1    certification to local assessing officials.
 2        A  person  who is allowed an exemption under this Section
 3    is not allowed an exemption under Section 15-164 for the same
 4    taxable year.
 5    (Source: P.A. 91-401, eff. 1-1-00.)

 6        Section 90.  The State Mandates Act is amended by  adding
 7    Section 8.26 as follows:

 8        (30 ILCS 805/8.26 new)
 9        Sec.  8.26.  Exempt  mandate.  Notwithstanding Sections 6
10    and 8 of this Act, no reimbursement by the State is  required
11    for  the  implementation  of  any  mandate  created  by  this
12    amendatory Act of the 92nd General Assembly.

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

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