State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
Legislation

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91_HB1560

 
                                               LRB9103755PTpk

 1        AN ACT to amend the Property Tax Code by changing Section
 2    15-172.

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

 5        Section  5.  The Property Tax Code is amended by changing
 6    Section 15-172 as follows:

 7        (35 ILCS 200/15-172)
 8        Sec. 15-172. Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze  Homestead
 9    Exemption.
10        (a)  This  Section  may  be  cited as the Senior Citizens
11    Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption.
12        (b)  As used in this Section:
13        "Applicant"  means  an  individual  who  has   filed   an
14    application under this Section.
15        "Base  amount"  means  the  base  year equalized assessed
16    value of  the  residence  plus  the  first  year's  equalized
17    assessed  value of any added improvements which increased the
18    assessed value of the residence after the base year.
19        "Base year" means the taxable year prior to  the  taxable
20    year  for which the applicant first qualifies and applies for
21    the exemption provided that in the  prior  taxable  year  the
22    property  was  improved  with  a permanent structure that was
23    occupied as a residence by the applicant who was  liable  for
24    paying real property taxes on the property and who was either
25    (i)  an  owner  of  record  of  the  property or had legal or
26    equitable interest in the property as evidenced by a  written
27    instrument  or  (ii)  had  a legal or equitable interest as a
28    lessee in the parcel  of  property  that  was  single  family
29    residence.
30        "Chief   County  Assessment  Officer"  means  the  County
31    Assessor or Supervisor of Assessments of the county in  which
 
                            -2-                LRB9103755PTpk
 1    the property is located.
 2        "Equalized  assessed  value"  means the assessed value as
 3    equalized by the Illinois Department of Revenue.
 4        "Household"  means  the  applicant,  the  spouse  of  the
 5    applicant,  and  all  persons  using  the  residence  of  the
 6    applicant as their principal place of residence.
 7        "Household income"  means  the  combined  income  of  the
 8    members  of  a  household for the calendar year preceding the
 9    taxable year.
10        "Income" has the same meaning as provided in Section 3.07
11    of the Senior Citizens  and  Disabled  Persons  Property  Tax
12    Relief and Pharmaceutical Assistance Act.
13        "Internal  Revenue  Code of 1986" means the United States
14    Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or any successor  law  or  laws
15    relating  to  federal  income  taxes  in  effect for the year
16    preceding the taxable year.
17        "Life care facility  that  qualifies  as  a  cooperative"
18    means  a  facility  as  defined in Section 2 of the Life Care
19    Facilities Act.
20        "Residence"  means  the  principal  dwelling  place   and
21    appurtenant  structures used for residential purposes in this
22    State occupied  on  January  1  of  the  taxable  year  by  a
23    household  and  so much of the surrounding land, constituting
24    the parcel upon which the dwelling place is situated,  as  is
25    used for residential purposes. If the Chief County Assessment
26    Officer  has  established  a specific legal description for a
27    portion of property constituting  the  residence,  then  that
28    portion  of  property  shall  be deemed the residence for the
29    purposes of this Section.
30        "Taxable year" means the calendar year  during  which  ad
31    valorem  property  taxes  payable in the next succeeding year
32    are levied.
33        (c)  Beginning in taxable year 1994,  a  senior  citizens
34    assessment  freeze  homestead  exemption  is granted for real
 
                            -3-                LRB9103755PTpk
 1    property that is improved with a permanent structure that  is
 2    occupied  as  a  residence  by  an  applicant  who (i) before
 3    taxable year 2000 is 65 years of  age  or  older  during  the
 4    taxable year or beginning in taxable year 2000 and thereafter
 5    is 62 years of age or older during the taxable year, (ii) has
 6    a  household  income  of  $35,000 or less before taxable year
 7    2000 or $37,000 or less beginning in taxable  year  2000  and
 8    thereafter, subject to adjustment, (iii) is liable for paying
 9    real  property taxes on the property, and (iv) is an owner of
10    record of the property or has a legal or  equitable  interest
11    in  the  property  as evidenced by a written instrument. This
12    homestead exemption shall also apply to a leasehold  interest
13    in  a  parcel of property improved with a permanent structure
14    that is a single family  residence  that  is  occupied  as  a
15    residence  by a person who (i) before taxable year 2000 is 65
16    years of age or older during the taxable year or beginning in
17    taxable year 2000 and thereafter is 62 years of age or  older
18    during  the  taxable  year,  (ii)  has  a household income of
19    $35,000 or less before taxable year 2000 or $37,000  or  less
20    beginning  in  taxable  year  2000 and thereafter, subject to
21    adjustment, (iii) has a legal or equitable ownership interest
22    in the property as lessee, and (iv) is liable for the payment
23    of real property taxes on that property. Beginning in taxable
24    year  2001,  the  amount  of  the  household  income  of  the
25    applicant shall be subject to annual adjustments equal to the
26    percentage of increase in the previous calendar year  in  the
27    Consumer  Price  Index  for All Urban Consumers for all items
28    published by the federal Department of Labor or its successor
29    agency.  If this index ceases to be published, the Department
30    of Revenue shall use a comparable substitute index.
31        The amount of  this  exemption  shall  be  the  equalized
32    assessed value of the residence in the taxable year for which
33    application is made minus the base amount.
34        When  the applicant is a surviving spouse of an applicant
 
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 1    for a  prior  year  for  the  same  residence  for  which  an
 2    exemption  under this Section has been granted, the base year
 3    and base amount for that residence are the same  as  for  the
 4    applicant for the prior year.
 5        Each  year at the time the assessment books are certified
 6    to the County Clerk, the Board of Review or Board of  Appeals
 7    shall  give to the County Clerk a list of the assessed values
 8    of improvements on each parcel qualifying for this  exemption
 9    that  were added after the base year for this parcel and that
10    increased the assessed value of the property.
11        In the case of land improved with an  apartment  building
12    owned  and  operated as a cooperative or a building that is a
13    life care facility  that  qualifies  as  a  cooperative,  the
14    maximum  reduction  from  the equalized assessed value of the
15    property is limited to the sum of the  reductions  calculated
16    for each unit occupied as a residence by a person or persons
17    (i)  65  years of age or older before taxable year 2000 or 62
18    years of age or older beginning  in  taxable  year  2000  and
19    thereafter,  (ii)  with a household income of $35,000 or less
20    before taxable year 2000 or  $37,000  or  less  beginning  in
21    taxable  year  2000  and  thereafter,  subject to adjustment,
22    (iii) who is liable, by contract with the owner or owners  of
23    record,  for  paying real property taxes on the property, and
24    (iv) who is an owner  of  record  of  a  legal  or  equitable
25    interest  in the cooperative apartment building, other than a
26    leasehold interest.  Beginning  in  taxable  year  2001,  the
27    amount  of  the  household  income  of the applicant shall be
28    subject to annual adjustments  equal  to  the  percentage  of
29    increase  in the previous calendar year in the Consumer Price
30    Index for All Urban Consumers for all items published by  the
31    federal Department of Labor or its successor agency.  If this
32    index ceases to be published, the Department of Revenue shall
33    use  a  comparable  substitute  index.   In the instance of a
34    cooperative where a  homestead  exemption  has  been  granted
 
                            -5-                LRB9103755PTpk
 1    under  this  Section,  the  cooperative  association  or  its
 2    management  firm shall credit the savings resulting from that
 3    exemption only to the apportioned tax liability of the  owner
 4    who  qualified  for  the exemption.  Any person who willfully
 5    refuses to credit that savings to an owner who qualifies  for
 6    the exemption is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.
 7        When  a  homestead  exemption has been granted under this
 8    Section and  an  applicant  then  becomes  a  resident  of  a
 9    facility  licensed  under  the  Nursing  Home  Care  Act, the
10    exemption shall be granted in subsequent years so long as the
11    residence (i) continues  to  be  occupied  by  the  qualified
12    applicant's  spouse or (ii) if remaining unoccupied, is still
13    owned by the qualified applicant for the homestead exemption.
14        Beginning January 1, 1997, when an  individual  dies  who
15    would have qualified for an exemption under this Section, and
16    the  surviving spouse does not independently qualify for this
17    exemption because of age, the exemption  under  this  Section
18    shall be granted to the surviving spouse for the taxable year
19    preceding  and  the taxable year of the death, provided that,
20    except  for  age,  the  surviving  spouse  meets  all   other
21    qualifications  for  the granting of this exemption for those
22    years.
23        When married persons maintain  separate  residences,  the
24    exemption provided for in this Section may be claimed by only
25    one of such persons and for only one residence.
26        For  taxable year 1994 only, in counties having less than
27    3,000,000 inhabitants, to receive  the  exemption,  a  person
28    shall submit an application by February 15, 1995 to the Chief
29    County Assessment Officer of the county in which the property
30    is   located.    In   counties   having   3,000,000  or  more
31    inhabitants, for taxable year 1994 and all subsequent taxable
32    years, to receive the  exemption,  a  person  may  submit  an
33    application  to  the  Chief  County Assessment Officer of the
34    county in which the property is located during such period as
 
                            -6-                LRB9103755PTpk
 1    may be specified by the Chief County Assessment Officer.  The
 2    Chief County Assessment Officer in counties of  3,000,000  or
 3    more   inhabitants   shall   annually   give  notice  of  the
 4    application period by mail or by  publication.   In  counties
 5    having   less  than  3,000,000  inhabitants,  beginning  with
 6    taxable year 1995 and thereafter, to receive the exemption, a
 7    person shall submit an application by July 1 of each  taxable
 8    year  to the Chief County Assessment Officer of the county in
 9    which the property is located.  A county may,  by  ordinance,
10    establish  a  date  for  submission  of  applications that is
11    different than July 1. The applicant shall  submit  with  the
12    application  an  affidavit of the applicant's total household
13    income, age, marital status (and  if  married  the  name  and
14    address  of  the applicant's spouse, if known), and principal
15    dwelling place of members of the household on  January  1  of
16    the  taxable year. The Department shall establish, by rule, a
17    method for verifying the  accuracy  of  affidavits  filed  by
18    applicants  under  this  Section.  The  applications shall be
19    clearly  marked  as  applications  for  the  Senior  Citizens
20    Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption.
21        Notwithstanding any other provision to the  contrary,  in
22    counties  having  fewer  than  3,000,000  inhabitants,  if an
23    applicant fails to file  the  application  required  by  this
24    Section in a timely manner and this failure to file is due to
25    a  mental  or physical condition sufficiently severe so as to
26    render the applicant incapable of filing the application in a
27    timely manner, the Chief County Assessment Officer may extend
28    the filing deadline  for  a  period  of  30  days  after  the
29    applicant regains the capability to file the application, but
30    in  no  case  may  the  filing  deadline be extended beyond 3
31    months of the original filing deadline.  In order to  receive
32    the extension provided in this paragraph, the applicant shall
33    provide  the  Chief  County  Assessment Officer with a signed
34    statement from the applicant's physician stating  the  nature
 
                            -7-                LRB9103755PTpk
 1    and  extent  of  the  condition,  that,  in  the  physician's
 2    opinion,  the  condition  was  so severe that it rendered the
 3    applicant incapable of filing the  application  in  a  timely
 4    manner,  and  the  date  on  which the applicant regained the
 5    capability to file the application.
 6        Beginning January  1,  1998,  notwithstanding  any  other
 7    provision  to  the  contrary,  in  counties having fewer than
 8    3,000,000 inhabitants, if an  applicant  fails  to  file  the
 9    application  required  by this Section in a timely manner and
10    this failure to file is due to a mental or physical condition
11    sufficiently severe so as to render the  applicant  incapable
12    of  filing  the  application  in  a  timely manner, the Chief
13    County Assessment Officer may extend the filing deadline  for
14    a  period  of  3  months.   In order to receive the extension
15    provided in this paragraph, the applicant shall  provide  the
16    Chief  County Assessment Officer with a signed statement from
17    the applicant's physician stating the nature  and  extent  of
18    the  condition,  and  that,  in  the physician's opinion, the
19    condition was  so  severe  that  it  rendered  the  applicant
20    incapable of filing the application in a timely manner.
21        In counties having less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, if an
22    applicant  was  denied  an exemption in taxable year 1994 and
23    the denial occurred due  to  an  error  on  the  part  of  an
24    assessment  official,  or  his or her agent or employee, then
25    beginning in taxable year 1997 the applicant's base year, for
26    purposes of determining the amount of the exemption, shall be
27    1993 rather than 1994. In addition, in taxable year 1997, the
28    applicant's exemption shall also include an amount  equal  to
29    (i)  the  amount  of any exemption denied to the applicant in
30    taxable year 1995 as a result  of  using  1994,  rather  than
31    1993,  as  the  base  year,  (ii) the amount of any exemption
32    denied to the applicant in taxable year 1996 as a  result  of
33    using 1994, rather than 1993, as the base year, and (iii) the
34    amount  of  the exemption erroneously denied for taxable year
 
                            -8-                LRB9103755PTpk
 1    1994.
 2        For purposes of this Section, a person who will be (i) 65
 3    years of age during the current taxable year  before  taxable
 4    year  2000 or (ii) 62 years of age during the current taxable
 5    year beginning in taxable year 2000 and thereafter  shall  be
 6    eligible  to  apply  for  the homestead exemption during that
 7    taxable  year.   Application  shall  be   made   during   the
 8    application  period  in  effect  for the county of his or her
 9    residence.
10        The Chief County Assessment  Officer  may  determine  the
11    eligibility  of  a  life  care  facility  that qualifies as a
12    cooperative to receive the benefits provided by this  Section
13    by  use  of  an  affidavit,  application,  visual inspection,
14    questionnaire, or other reasonable method in order to  insure
15    that  the  tax  savings  resulting  from  the  exemption  are
16    credited  by  the  management  firm  to  the  apportioned tax
17    liability of each  qualifying  resident.   The  Chief  County
18    Assessment  Officer  may  request  reasonable  proof that the
19    management firm has so credited that exemption.
20        Except as  provided  in  this  Section,  all  information
21    received  by  the  chief  county  assessment  officer  or the
22    Department from applications filed  under  this  Section,  or
23    from any investigation conducted under the provisions of this
24    Section,  shall be confidential, except for official purposes
25    or pursuant to official  procedures  for  collection  of  any
26    State  or  local  tax or enforcement of any civil or criminal
27    penalty or sanction imposed by this Act or by any statute  or
28    ordinance  imposing  a  State  or  local  tax. Any person who
29    divulges any  such  information  in  any  manner,  except  in
30    accordance with a proper judicial order, is guilty of a Class
31    A misdemeanor.
32        Nothing  contained  in  this  Section  shall  prevent the
33    Director or chief county assessment officer  from  publishing
34    or  making  available  reasonable  statistics  concerning the
 
                            -9-                LRB9103755PTpk
 1    operation of the exemption contained in this Section in which
 2    the contents of claims are grouped into aggregates in such  a
 3    way  that information contained in any individual claim shall
 4    not be disclosed.
 5        (d)  Each Chief County Assessment Officer shall  annually
 6    publish  a  notice  of availability of the exemption provided
 7    under this Section.  The notice shall be published  at  least
 8    60  days  but no more than 75 days prior to the date on which
 9    the  application  must  be  submitted  to  the  Chief  County
10    Assessment Officer of the county in  which  the  property  is
11    located.   The  notice shall appear in a newspaper of general
12    circulation in the county.
13    (Source:  P.A.  89-62,  eff.  1-1-96;  89-426,  eff.  6-1-96;
14    89-557,  eff.  1-1-97;  89-581,  eff.  1-1-97;  89-626,  eff.
15    8-9-96; 90-14, eff. 7-1-97;  90-204,  eff.  7-25-97;  90-523,
16    eff.  11-13-97;  90-524,  eff.  1-1-98;  90-531, eff. 1-1-98;
17    90-655, eff. 7-30-98.)

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