State of Illinois
92nd General Assembly
Legislation

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92_HB0087

 
                                               LRB9200873SMdv

 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  Illinois  Income  Tax Act is amended by
 5    changing Section 917 as follows:

 6        (35 ILCS 5/917) (from Ch. 120, par. 9-917)
 7        Sec. 917.  Confidentiality and information sharing.
 8        (a)  Confidentiality. Except as provided in this Section,
 9    all information received by the Department from returns filed
10    under this Act, or from any investigation conducted under the
11    provisions of this Act, shall  be  confidential,  except  for
12    official  purposes within the Department, pursuant to Section
13    2.5 of the Tax Collection Suit Act, or pursuant  to  official
14    procedures  for collection of any State tax or pursuant to an
15    investigation or audit  by  the  Illinois  State  Scholarship
16    Commission  of a delinquent student loan or monetary award or
17    enforcement of any civil  or  criminal  penalty  or  sanction
18    imposed  by  this  Act or by another statute imposing a State
19    tax, and any person who divulges any such information in  any
20    manner, except for such purposes and pursuant to order of the
21    Director or in accordance with a proper judicial order, shall
22    be  guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.  However, the provisions
23    of this paragraph are not applicable to information furnished
24    to a licensed attorney representing  the  taxpayer  where  an
25    appeal or a protest has been filed on behalf of the taxpayer.
26        (b)  Public  information.  Nothing  contained in this Act
27    shall  prevent  the  Director  from  publishing   or   making
28    available  to  the  public the names and addresses of persons
29    filing returns under this Act, or from publishing  or  making
30    available  reasonable  statistics concerning the operation of
31    the tax wherein the contents  of  returns  are  grouped  into
 
                            -2-                LRB9200873SMdv
 1    aggregates  in  such  a way that the information contained in
 2    any individual return shall not be disclosed.
 3        (c)  Governmental  agencies.  The   Director   may   make
 4    available  to  the  Secretary  of  the Treasury of the United
 5    States or his delegate, or the proper officer or his delegate
 6    of any other state imposing a tax upon or measured by income,
 7    for exclusively official purposes,  information  received  by
 8    the  Department  in  the administration of this Act, but such
 9    permission shall be granted only if the United States or such
10    other state, as  the  case  may  be,  grants  the  Department
11    substantially  similar privileges.  The Director may exchange
12    information with the Illinois Department of  Public  Aid  and
13    the  Department of Human Services (acting as successor to the
14    Department of  Public  Aid  under  the  Department  of  Human
15    Services  Act)  for  the  purpose  of  verifying  sources and
16    amounts of income and for other purposes  directly  connected
17    with  the  administration of this Act and the Illinois Public
18    Aid Code. The Director  may  exchange  information  with  the
19    Director  of  the  Department  of Employment Security for the
20    purpose of verifying sources and amounts of  income  and  for
21    other  purposes directly connected with the administration of
22    this  Act  and  Acts  administered  by  the   Department   of
23    Employment  Security.  The Director may make available to the
24    Illinois   Industrial   Commission   information    regarding
25    employers for the purpose of verifying the insurance coverage
26    required  under  the  Workers'  Compensation Act and Workers'
27    Occupational Diseases Act.
28        The Director may make  available  to  any  State  agency,
29    including  the Illinois Supreme Court, which licenses persons
30    to engage  in  any  occupation,  information  that  a  person
31    licensed by such agency has failed to file returns under this
32    Act  or  pay  the tax, penalty and interest shown therein, or
33    has failed to pay any final assessment  of  tax,  penalty  or
34    interest  due  under  this  Act.  The  Director may also make
 
                            -3-                LRB9200873SMdv
 1    available to  the  Secretary  of  State  information  that  a
 2    corporation   which   has   been   issued  a  certificate  of
 3    incorporation by the Secretary of State has  failed  to  file
 4    returns  under  this Act or pay the tax, penalty and interest
 5    shown therein, or has failed to pay any final  assessment  of
 6    tax, penalty or interest due under this Act. An assessment is
 7    final  when  all  proceedings  in  court  for  review of such
 8    assessment have terminated or the time for the taking thereof
 9    has expired without such proceedings being  instituted.   For
10    taxable  years  ending  on  or  after  December 31, 1987, the
11    Director may make available  to  the  Director  or  principal
12    officer   of   any  Department  of  the  State  of  Illinois,
13    information that a person employed  by  such  Department  has
14    failed to file returns under this Act or pay the tax, penalty
15    and  interest shown therein.  For purposes of this paragraph,
16    the word "Department" shall have the same meaning as provided
17    in Section 3 of the State Employees Group  Insurance  Act  of
18    1971.
19        (d)  The   Director   shall  make  available  for  public
20    inspection in  the  Department's  principal  office  and  for
21    publication,  at  cost, administrative decisions issued on or
22    after January  1,  1995.  These  decisions  are  to  be  made
23    available   in  a  manner  so  that  the  following  taxpayer
24    information is not disclosed:
25             (1)  The  names,   addresses,   and   identification
26        numbers of the taxpayer, related entities, and employees.
27             (2)  At  the  sole discretion of the Director, trade
28        secrets or other confidential information  identified  as
29        such by the taxpayer, no later than 30 days after receipt
30        of  an  administrative  decision,  by  such  means as the
31        Department shall provide by rule.
32        The Director shall determine the  appropriate  extent  of
33    the  deletions  allowed  in  paragraph  (2). In the event the
34    taxpayer does not submit deletions, the Director  shall  make
 
                            -4-                LRB9200873SMdv
 1    only the deletions specified in paragraph (1).
 2        The  Director  shall make available for public inspection
 3    and publication an administrative decision  within  180  days
 4    after  the  issuance of the administrative decision. The term
 5    "administrative decision" has the same meaning as defined  in
 6    Section  3-101 of Article III of the Code of Civil Procedure.
 7    Costs collected under this Section shall be paid into the Tax
 8    Compliance and Administration Fund.
 9        (e)  Nothing contained in  this  Act  shall  prevent  the
10    Director from divulging information to any person pursuant to
11    a  request  or  authorization  made  by  the  taxpayer, by an
12    authorized representative of the taxpayer, or, in the case of
13    information related to a joint return, by the  spouse  filing
14    the joint return with the taxpayer.
15    (Source: P.A. 89-507, eff. 7-1-97; 90-491, eff. 1-1-98.)

16        Section 10.  The Retailers' Occupation Tax Act is amended
17    by changing Section 11 as follows:

18        (35 ILCS 120/11) (from Ch. 120, par. 450)
19        Sec. 11.  All information received by the Department from
20    returns  filed  under  this  Act,  or  from any investigation
21    conducted under this Act, shall be confidential,  except  for
22    official  purposes  or  pursuant  to  Section  2.5 of the Tax
23    Collection Suit Act, and any person  who  divulges  any  such
24    information in any manner, except in accordance with a proper
25    judicial  order  or  as  otherwise  provided by law, shall be
26    guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.
27        Nothing in this Act prevents the Director of Revenue from
28    publishing or making available to the public  the  names  and
29    addresses  of  persons  filing  returns  under  this  Act, or
30    reasonable statistics concerning the operation of the tax  by
31    grouping  the  contents  of returns so the information in any
32    individual return is not disclosed.
 
                            -5-                LRB9200873SMdv
 1        Nothing in this Act prevents the Director of Revenue from
 2    divulging to the United States Government or  the  government
 3    of  any  other  state,  or any village that does not levy any
 4    real property taxes for village operations and that  receives
 5    more  than  60%  of  its general corporate revenue from taxes
 6    under the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act,  the  Service
 7    Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act, or
 8    any  officer  or  agency  thereof,  for  exclusively official
 9    purposes,  information  received   by   the   Department   in
10    administering this Act, provided that such other governmental
11    agency  agrees  to  divulge  requested tax information to the
12    Department.
13        The Department's furnishing of information derived from a
14    taxpayer's return or from an  investigation  conducted  under
15    this  Act  to  the  surety on a taxpayer's bond that has been
16    furnished to the Department under this Act, either to provide
17    notice to such surety of its potential  liability  under  the
18    bond  or,  in  order  to  support the Department's demand for
19    payment from such surety  under  the  bond,  is  an  official
20    purpose within the meaning of this Section.
21        The  furnishing  upon  request of information obtained by
22    the  Department  from  returns  filed  under  this   Act   or
23    investigations  conducted  under  this  Act  to  the Illinois
24    Liquor Control Commission for official use is deemed to be an
25    official purpose within the meaning of this Section.
26        Notice to a surety of potential liability  shall  not  be
27    given  unless  the taxpayer has first been notified, not less
28    than 10 days prior thereto, of the Department's intent to  so
29    notify the surety.
30        The  furnishing  upon  request of the Auditor General, or
31    his authorized agents, for official use, of returns filed and
32    information related thereto under this Act is deemed to be an
33    official purpose within the meaning of this Section.
34        Where an appeal or a protest has been filed on behalf  of
 
                            -6-                LRB9200873SMdv
 1    a  taxpayer,  the furnishing upon request of the attorney for
 2    the taxpayer of returns filed by the taxpayer and information
 3    related thereto under this Act is deemed to  be  an  official
 4    purpose within the meaning of this Section.
 5        The  furnishing  of  financial information to a home rule
 6    unit that has imposed a tax similar to that imposed  by  this
 7    Act  pursuant to its home rule powers, or to any village that
 8    does not levy any real property taxes for village  operations
 9    and  that  receives  more  than  60% of its general corporate
10    revenue from taxes under the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax
11    Act, the Service  Occupation  Tax  Act,  and  the  Retailers'
12    Occupation  Tax  Act,  upon  request  of  the Chief Executive
13    thereof, is an official purpose within the  meaning  of  this
14    Section,    provided  the home rule unit or village that does
15    not levy any real property taxes for village  operations  and
16    that  receives more than 60% of its general corporate revenue
17    from taxes under the Use Tax Act, the Service  Use  Tax  Act,
18    the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation
19    Tax  Act  agrees  in  writing  to  the  requirements  of this
20    Section.
21        For a village that does not levy any real property  taxes
22    for village operations and that receives more than 60% of its
23    general  corporate  revenue from taxes under the Use Tax Act,
24    Service  Use  Tax  Act,  Service  Occupation  Tax  Act,   and
25    Retailers'  Occupation  Tax  Act,  the  officers  eligible to
26    receive information from the Department of Revenue under this
27    Section are the  village  manager  and  the  chief  financial
28    officer of the village.
29        Information   so   provided   shall  be  subject  to  all
30    confidentiality provisions  of  this  Section.   The  written
31    agreement  shall  provide  for  reciprocity,  limitations  on
32    access,    disclosure,    and   procedures   for   requesting
33    information.
34        The Director may make  available  to  any  State  agency,
 
                            -7-                LRB9200873SMdv
 1    including  the Illinois Supreme Court, which licenses persons
 2    to engage  in  any  occupation,  information  that  a  person
 3    licensed by such agency has failed to file returns under this
 4    Act  or  pay  the tax, penalty and interest shown therein, or
 5    has failed to pay any final assessment  of  tax,  penalty  or
 6    interest  due  under  this  Act.  The  Director may also make
 7    available to  the  Secretary  of  State  information  that  a
 8    limited  liability  company,  which  has  filed  articles  of
 9    organization  with  the  Secretary  of  State, or corporation
10    which has been issued a certificate of incorporation  by  the
11    Secretary  of State has failed to file returns under this Act
12    or pay the tax, penalty and interest shown  therein,  or  has
13    failed  to  pay  any  final  assessment  of  tax,  penalty or
14    interest due under this Act. An assessment is final when  all
15    proceedings  in  court  for  review  of  such assessment have
16    terminated or the time for the  taking  thereof  has  expired
17    without such proceedings being instituted.
18        The  Director  shall make available for public inspection
19    in the Department's principal office and for publication,  at
20    cost,  administrative decisions issued on or after January 1,
21    1995. These decisions are to be made available in a manner so
22    that the following taxpayer information is not disclosed:
23             (1)  The  names,   addresses,   and   identification
24        numbers of the taxpayer, related entities, and employees.
25             (2)  At  the  sole discretion of the Director, trade
26        secrets or other confidential information  identified  as
27        such by the taxpayer, no later than 30 days after receipt
28        of  an  administrative  decision,  by  such  means as the
29        Department shall provide by rule.
30        The Director shall determine the  appropriate  extent  of
31    the  deletions  allowed  in  paragraph  (2). In the event the
32    taxpayer does not submit deletions, the Director  shall  make
33    only the deletions specified in paragraph (1).
34        The  Director  shall make available for public inspection
 
                            -8-                LRB9200873SMdv
 1    and publication an administrative decision  within  180  days
 2    after  the  issuance of the administrative decision. The term
 3    "administrative decision" has the same meaning as defined  in
 4    Section  3-101 of Article III of the Code of Civil Procedure.
 5    Costs collected under this Section shall be paid into the Tax
 6    Compliance and Administration Fund.
 7        Nothing contained in this Act shall prevent the  Director
 8    from  divulging  information  to  any  person  pursuant  to a
 9    request or authorization  made  by  the  taxpayer  or  by  an
10    authorized representative of the taxpayer.
11    (Source: P.A. 89-89, eff. 6-30-95; 90-491, eff. 1-1-98.)

12        Section 15.  The Cigarette Tax Act is amended by changing
13    Section 10b as follows:

14        (35 ILCS 130/10b) (from Ch. 120, par. 453.10b)
15        Sec.  10b.   All  information  received by the Department
16    from returns filed under this Act, or from any  investigation
17    conducted  under  this Act, shall be confidential, except for
18    official purposes or pursuant  to  Section  2.5  of  the  Tax
19    Collection  Suit  Act,  and  any person who divulges any such
20    information in any manner, except in accordance with a proper
21    judicial order or as otherwise  provided  by  law,  shall  be
22    guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
23        Nothing in this Act prevents the Director of Revenue from
24    publishing  or  making  available to the public the names and
25    addresses of  persons  filing  returns  under  this  Act,  or
26    reasonable  statistics concerning the operation of the tax by
27    grouping the contents of returns so that the  information  in
28    any individual return is not disclosed.
29        Nothing in this Act prevents the Director of Revenue from
30    divulging  to  the United States Government or the government
31    of any other state, or any officer  or  agency  thereof,  for
32    exclusively  official  purposes,  information received by the
 
                            -9-                LRB9200873SMdv
 1    Department in administering  this  Act,  provided  that  such
 2    other  governmental  agency  agrees  to divulge requested tax
 3    information to the Department.
 4        The furnishing upon request of the  Auditor  General,  or
 5    his authorized agents, for official use, of returns filed and
 6    information related thereto under this Act is deemed to be an
 7    official purpose within the meaning of this Section.
 8        The  furnishing  of  financial information to a home rule
 9    unit with a  population  in  excess  of  2,000,000  that  has
10    imposed  a  tax similar to that imposed by this Act under its
11    home rule powers, upon request of the Chief Executive of  the
12    home  rule unit, is an official purpose within the meaning of
13    this Section, provided the home rule unit agrees  in  writing
14    to  the requirements of this Section. Information so provided
15    is subject to all confidentiality provisions of this Section.
16    The  written  agreement  shall   provide   for   reciprocity,
17    limitations   on   access,  disclosure,  and  procedures  for
18    requesting information.
19        The Director may make  available  to  any  State  agency,
20    including  the Illinois Supreme Court, which licenses persons
21    to engage  in  any  occupation,  information  that  a  person
22    licensed by such agency has failed to file returns under this
23    Act  or  pay  the tax, penalty and interest shown therein, or
24    has failed to pay any final assessment  of  tax,  penalty  or
25    interest due under this Act.  An assessment is final when all
26    proceedings  in  court  for  review  of  such assessment have
27    terminated or the time for the  taking  thereof  has  expired
28    without such proceedings being instituted.
29        The  Director  shall make available for public inspection
30    in the Department's principal office and for publication,  at
31    cost,  administrative decisions issued on or after January 1,
32    1995. These decisions are to be made available in a manner so
33    that the following taxpayer information is not disclosed:
34             (1)  The  names,   addresses,   and   identification
 
                            -10-               LRB9200873SMdv
 1        numbers of the taxpayer, related entities, and employees.
 2             (2)  At  the  sole discretion of the Director, trade
 3        secrets or other confidential information  identified  as
 4        such by the taxpayer, no later than 30 days after receipt
 5        of  an  administrative  decision,  by  such  means as the
 6        Department shall provide by rule.
 7        The Director shall determine the  appropriate  extent  of
 8    the  deletions  allowed  in  paragraph  (2). In the event the
 9    taxpayer does not submit deletions, the Director  shall  make
10    only the deletions specified in paragraph (1).
11        The  Director  shall make available for public inspection
12    and publication an administrative decision  within  180  days
13    after  the  issuance of the administrative decision. The term
14    "administrative decision" has the same meaning as defined  in
15    Section  3-101 of Article III of the Code of Civil Procedure.
16    Costs collected under this Section shall be paid into the Tax
17    Compliance and Administration Fund.
18        Nothing contained in this Act shall prevent the  Director
19    from  divulging  information  to  any  person  pursuant  to a
20    request or authorization  made  by  the  taxpayer  or  by  an
21    authorized representative of the taxpayer.
22    (Source: P.A. 90-491, eff. 1-1-98.)

23        Section  20.   The  Cigarette  Use  Tax Act is amended by
24    changing Section 20 as follows:

25        (35 ILCS 135/20) (from Ch. 120, par. 453.50)
26        Sec. 20.   All information  received  by  the  Department
27    from  returns filed under this Act, or from any investigation
28    conducted under this Act, shall be confidential,  except  for
29    official  purposes  or  pursuant  to  Section  2.5 of the Tax
30    Collection Suit Act, and any person  who  divulges  any  such
31    information in any manner, except in accordance with a proper
32    judicial  order  or  as  otherwise  provided by law, shall be
 
                            -11-               LRB9200873SMdv
 1    guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
 2        Nothing in this Act prevents the Director of Revenue from
 3    publishing or making available to the public  the  names  and
 4    addresses  of  persons  filing  returns  under  this  Act, or
 5    reasonable statistics concerning the operation of the tax  by
 6    grouping  the  contents of returns so that the information in
 7    any individual return is not disclosed.
 8        Nothing in this Act prevents the Director of Revenue from
 9    divulging to the United States Government or  the  government
10    of  any  other  state,  or any officer or agency thereof, for
11    exclusively official purposes, information  received  by  the
12    Department  in  administering  this  Act,  provided that such
13    other governmental agency agrees  to  divulge  requested  tax
14    information to the Department.
15        The  furnishing  upon  request of the Auditor General, or
16    his authorized agents, for official use, of returns filed and
17    information related thereto under this Act is deemed to be an
18    official purpose within the meaning of this Section.
19        The furnishing of financial information to  a  home  rule
20    unit  with  a  population  in  excess  of  2,000,000 that has
21    imposed a tax similar to that imposed by this Act  under  its
22    home  rule powers, upon request of the Chief Executive of the
23    home rule unit, is an official purpose within the meaning  of
24    this  Section,  provided the home rule unit agrees in writing
25    to the requirements of this Section. Information so  provided
26    is subject to all confidentiality provisions of this Section.
27    The   written   agreement   shall  provide  for  reciprocity,
28    limitations  on  access,  disclosure,  and   procedures   for
29    requesting information.
30        The  Director  may  make  available  to any State agency,
31    including the Illinois Supreme Court, which licenses  persons
32    to  engage  in  any  occupation,  information  that  a person
33    licensed by such agency has failed to file returns under this
34    Act or pay the tax, penalty and interest  shown  therein,  or
 
                            -12-               LRB9200873SMdv
 1    has  failed  to  pay  any final assessment of tax, penalty or
 2    interest due under this Act.  An assessment is final when all
 3    proceedings in court  for  review  of  such  assessment  have
 4    terminated  or  the  time  for the taking thereof has expired
 5    without such proceedings being instituted.
 6        The Director shall make available for  public  inspection
 7    in  the Department's principal office and for publication, at
 8    cost, administrative decisions issued on or after January  1,
 9    1995. These decisions are to be made available in a manner so
10    that the following taxpayer information is not disclosed:
11             (1)  The   names,   addresses,   and  identification
12        numbers of the taxpayer, related entities, and employees.
13             (2)  At the sole discretion of the  Director,  trade
14        secrets  or  other confidential information identified as
15        such by the taxpayer, no later than 30 days after receipt
16        of an administrative  decision,  by  such  means  as  the
17        Department shall provide by rule.
18        The  Director  shall  determine the appropriate extent of
19    the deletions allowed in paragraph  (2).  In  the  event  the
20    taxpayer  does  not submit deletions, the Director shall make
21    only the deletions specified in paragraph (1).
22        The Director shall make available for  public  inspection
23    and  publication  an  administrative decision within 180 days
24    after the issuance of the administrative decision.  The  term
25    "administrative  decision" has the same meaning as defined in
26    Section 3-101 of Article III of the Code of Civil  Procedure.
27    Costs collected under this Section shall be paid into the Tax
28    Compliance and Administration Fund.
29        Nothing  contained in this Act shall prevent the Director
30    from divulging  information  to  any  person  pursuant  to  a
31    request  or  authorization  made  by  the  taxpayer  or by an
32    authorized representative of the taxpayer.
33    (Source: P.A. 90-491, eff. 1-1-98.)
 
                            -13-               LRB9200873SMdv
 1        Section 25.  The Property Tax Code is amended by changing
 2    Section 15-172 as follows:

 3        (35 ILCS 200/15-172)
 4        Sec. 15-172. Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze  Homestead
 5    Exemption.
 6        (a)  This  Section  may  be  cited as the Senior Citizens
 7    Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption.
 8        (b)  As used in this Section:
 9        "Applicant"  means  an  individual  who  has   filed   an
10    application under this Section.
11        "Base  amount"  means  the  base  year equalized assessed
12    value of  the  residence  plus  the  first  year's  equalized
13    assessed  value of any added improvements which increased the
14    assessed value of the residence after the base year.
15        "Base year" means the taxable year prior to  the  taxable
16    year  for which the applicant first qualifies and applies for
17    the exemption provided that in the  prior  taxable  year  the
18    property  was  improved  with  a permanent structure that was
19    occupied as a residence by the applicant who was  liable  for
20    paying real property taxes on the property and who was either
21    (i)  an  owner  of  record  of  the  property or had legal or
22    equitable interest in the property as evidenced by a  written
23    instrument  or  (ii)  had  a legal or equitable interest as a
24    lessee in the parcel  of  property  that  was  single  family
25    residence.  If  in  any subsequent taxable year for which the
26    applicant  applies  and  qualifies  for  the  exemption   the
27    equalized  assessed  value  of the residence is less than the
28    equalized assessed value in the existing base year  (provided
29    that  such  equalized  assessed  value  is  not  based  on an
30    assessed value that results from a temporary irregularity  in
31    the  property that reduces the assessed value for one or more
32    taxable years),  then  that  subsequent  taxable  year  shall
33    become  the  base  year  until a new base year is established
 
                            -14-               LRB9200873SMdv
 1    under the terms of this paragraph.   For  taxable  year  1999
 2    only,  the  Chief  County Assessment Officer shall review (i)
 3    all  taxable  years  for  which  the  applicant  applied  and
 4    qualified for the exemption and (ii) the existing base year.
 5    The assessment officer shall select as the new base year  the
 6    year  with  the lowest equalized assessed value. An equalized
 7    assessed value that  is  based  on  an  assessed  value  that
 8    results  from  a  temporary irregularity in the property that
 9    reduces the assessed value for  one  or  more  taxable  years
10    shall  not be considered the lowest equalized assessed value.
11    The selected year shall be the base  year  for  taxable  year
12    1999  and  thereafter  until  a  new base year is established
13    under the terms of this paragraph.
14        "Chief  County  Assessment  Officer"  means  the   County
15    Assessor  or Supervisor of Assessments of the county in which
16    the property is located.
17        "Equalized assessed value" means the  assessed  value  as
18    equalized by the Illinois Department of Revenue.
19        "Household"  means  the  applicant,  the  spouse  of  the
20    applicant,  and  all  persons  using  the  residence  of  the
21    applicant as their principal place of residence.
22        "Household  income"  means  the  combined  income  of the
23    members of a household for the calendar  year  preceding  the
24    taxable year.
25        "Income" has the same meaning as provided in Section 3.07
26    of  the  Senior  Citizens  and  Disabled Persons Property Tax
27    Relief  and  Pharmaceutical  Assistance  Act,  except   that,
28    beginning  in assessment year 2001, "income" does not include
29    veteran's benefits.
30        "Internal Revenue Code of 1986" means the  United  States
31    Internal  Revenue  Code  of 1986 or any successor law or laws
32    relating to federal income  taxes  in  effect  for  the  year
33    preceding the taxable year.
34        "Life  care  facility  that  qualifies  as a cooperative"
 
                            -15-               LRB9200873SMdv
 1    means a facility as defined in Section 2  of  the  Life  Care
 2    Facilities Act.
 3        "Residence"   means  the  principal  dwelling  place  and
 4    appurtenant structures used for residential purposes in  this
 5    State  occupied  on  January  1  of  the  taxable  year  by a
 6    household and so much of the surrounding  land,  constituting
 7    the  parcel  upon which the dwelling place is situated, as is
 8    used for residential purposes. If the Chief County Assessment
 9    Officer has established a specific legal  description  for  a
10    portion  of  property  constituting  the residence, then that
11    portion of property shall be deemed  the  residence  for  the
12    purposes of this Section.
13        "Taxable  year"  means  the calendar year during which ad
14    valorem property taxes payable in the  next  succeeding  year
15    are levied.
16        (c)  Beginning  in  taxable  year 1994, a senior citizens
17    assessment freeze homestead exemption  is  granted  for  real
18    property  that is improved with a permanent structure that is
19    occupied as a residence by an applicant who (i) is  65  years
20    of age or older during the taxable year, (ii) has a household
21    income  of  $35,000  or  less  prior  to taxable year 1999 or
22    $40,000 or less in taxable year 1999 and thereafter, (iii) is
23    liable for paying real property taxes on  the  property,  and
24    (iv)  is an owner of record of the property or has a legal or
25    equitable interest in the property as evidenced by a  written
26    instrument.  This  homestead  exemption shall also apply to a
27    leasehold interest in a parcel of property  improved  with  a
28    permanent structure that is a single family residence that is
29    occupied  as  a  residence by a person who (i) is 65 years of
30    age or older during the taxable year, (ii)  has  a  household
31    income  of  $35,000  or  less  prior  to taxable year 1999 or
32    $40,000 or less in taxable year 1999  and  thereafter,  (iii)
33    has  a  legal or equitable ownership interest in the property
34    as lessee, and  (iv)  is  liable  for  the  payment  of  real
 
                            -16-               LRB9200873SMdv
 1    property taxes on that property.
 2        The  amount  of  this  exemption  shall  be the equalized
 3    assessed value of the residence in the taxable year for which
 4    application is made minus the base amount.
 5        When the applicant is a surviving spouse of an  applicant
 6    for  a  prior  year  for  the  same  residence  for  which an
 7    exemption under this Section has been granted, the base  year
 8    and  base  amount  for that residence are the same as for the
 9    applicant for the prior year.
10        Each year at the time the assessment books are  certified
11    to  the County Clerk, the Board of Review or Board of Appeals
12    shall give to the County Clerk a list of the assessed  values
13    of  improvements on each parcel qualifying for this exemption
14    that were added after the base year for this parcel and  that
15    increased the assessed value of the property.
16        In  the  case of land improved with an apartment building
17    owned and operated as a cooperative or a building that  is  a
18    life  care  facility  that  qualifies  as  a cooperative, the
19    maximum reduction from the equalized assessed  value  of  the
20    property  is  limited to the sum of the reductions calculated
21    for each unit occupied as a residence by a person or  persons
22    65  years  of age or older with a household income of $35,000
23    or less prior to taxable year 1999  or  $40,000  or  less  in
24    taxable  year  1999 and thereafter who is liable, by contract
25    with the owner or owners of record, for paying real  property
26    taxes  on  the  property  and  who is an owner of record of a
27    legal or equitable  interest  in  the  cooperative  apartment
28    building, other than a leasehold interest. In the instance of
29    a  cooperative  where  a homestead exemption has been granted
30    under  this  Section,  the  cooperative  association  or  its
31    management firm shall credit the savings resulting from  that
32    exemption  only to the apportioned tax liability of the owner
33    who qualified for the exemption.  Any  person  who  willfully
34    refuses  to credit that savings to an owner who qualifies for
 
                            -17-               LRB9200873SMdv
 1    the exemption is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.
 2        When a homestead exemption has been  granted  under  this
 3    Section  and  an  applicant  then  becomes  a  resident  of a
 4    facility licensed  under  the  Nursing  Home  Care  Act,  the
 5    exemption shall be granted in subsequent years so long as the
 6    residence  (i)  continues  to  be  occupied  by the qualified
 7    applicant's spouse or (ii) if remaining unoccupied, is  still
 8    owned by the qualified applicant for the homestead exemption.
 9        Beginning  January  1,  1997, when an individual dies who
10    would have qualified for an exemption under this Section, and
11    the surviving spouse does not independently qualify for  this
12    exemption  because  of  age, the exemption under this Section
13    shall be granted to the surviving spouse for the taxable year
14    preceding and the taxable year of the death,  provided  that,
15    except   for  age,  the  surviving  spouse  meets  all  other
16    qualifications for the granting of this exemption  for  those
17    years.
18        When  married  persons  maintain separate residences, the
19    exemption provided for in this Section may be claimed by only
20    one of such persons and for only one residence.
21        For taxable year 1994 only, in counties having less  than
22    3,000,000  inhabitants,  to  receive  the exemption, a person
23    shall submit an application by February 15, 1995 to the Chief
24    County Assessment Officer of the county in which the property
25    is  located.   In   counties   having   3,000,000   or   more
26    inhabitants, for taxable year 1994 and all subsequent taxable
27    years,  to  receive  the  exemption,  a  person may submit an
28    application to the Chief County  Assessment  Officer  of  the
29    county in which the property is located during such period as
30    may be specified by the Chief County Assessment Officer.  The
31    Chief  County  Assessment Officer in counties of 3,000,000 or
32    more  inhabitants  shall  annually   give   notice   of   the
33    application  period  by  mail or by publication.  In counties
34    having  less  than  3,000,000  inhabitants,  beginning   with
 
                            -18-               LRB9200873SMdv
 1    taxable year 1995 and thereafter, to receive the exemption, a
 2    person  shall submit an application by July 1 of each taxable
 3    year to the Chief County Assessment Officer of the county  in
 4    which  the  property is located.  A county may, by ordinance,
 5    establish a date  for  submission  of  applications  that  is
 6    different  than  July  1. The applicant shall submit with the
 7    application an affidavit of the applicant's  total  household
 8    income,  age,  marital  status  (and  if married the name and
 9    address of the applicant's spouse, if known),  and  principal
10    dwelling  place  of  members of the household on January 1 of
11    the taxable year. The Department shall establish, by rule,  a
12    method  for  verifying  the  accuracy  of affidavits filed by
13    applicants under this  Section.  The  applications  shall  be
14    clearly  marked  as  applications  for  the  Senior  Citizens
15    Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption.
16        Notwithstanding  any  other provision to the contrary, in
17    counties having  fewer  than  3,000,000  inhabitants,  if  an
18    applicant  fails  to  file  the  application required by this
19    Section in a timely manner and this failure to file is due to
20    a mental or physical condition sufficiently severe so  as  to
21    render the applicant incapable of filing the application in a
22    timely manner, the Chief County Assessment Officer may extend
23    the  filing  deadline  for  a  period  of  30  days after the
24    applicant regains the capability to file the application, but
25    in no case may the  filing  deadline  be  extended  beyond  3
26    months  of the original filing deadline.  In order to receive
27    the extension provided in this paragraph, the applicant shall
28    provide the Chief County Assessment  Officer  with  a  signed
29    statement  from  the applicant's physician stating the nature
30    and  extent  of  the  condition,  that,  in  the  physician's
31    opinion, the condition was so severe  that  it  rendered  the
32    applicant  incapable  of  filing  the application in a timely
33    manner, and the date on  which  the  applicant  regained  the
34    capability to file the application.
 
                            -19-               LRB9200873SMdv
 1        Beginning  January  1,  1998,  notwithstanding  any other
 2    provision to the contrary,  in  counties  having  fewer  than
 3    3,000,000  inhabitants,  if  an  applicant  fails to file the
 4    application required by this Section in a timely  manner  and
 5    this failure to file is due to a mental or physical condition
 6    sufficiently  severe  so as to render the applicant incapable
 7    of filing the application  in  a  timely  manner,  the  Chief
 8    County  Assessment Officer may extend the filing deadline for
 9    a period of 3 months.  In  order  to  receive  the  extension
10    provided  in  this paragraph, the applicant shall provide the
11    Chief County Assessment Officer with a signed statement  from
12    the  applicant's  physician  stating the nature and extent of
13    the condition, and that,  in  the  physician's  opinion,  the
14    condition  was  so  severe  that  it  rendered  the applicant
15    incapable of filing the application in a timely manner.
16        In counties having less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, if an
17    applicant was denied an exemption in taxable  year  1994  and
18    the  denial  occurred  due  to  an  error  on  the part of an
19    assessment official, or his or her agent  or  employee,  then
20    beginning in taxable year 1997 the applicant's base year, for
21    purposes of determining the amount of the exemption, shall be
22    1993 rather than 1994. In addition, in taxable year 1997, the
23    applicant's  exemption  shall also include an amount equal to
24    (i) the amount of any exemption denied to  the  applicant  in
25    taxable  year  1995  as  a  result of using 1994, rather than
26    1993, as the base year, (ii)  the  amount  of  any  exemption
27    denied  to  the applicant in taxable year 1996 as a result of
28    using 1994, rather than 1993, as the base year, and (iii) the
29    amount of the exemption erroneously denied for  taxable  year
30    1994.
31        For  purposes  of  this  Section, a person who will be 65
32    years of  age  during  the  current  taxable  year  shall  be
33    eligible  to  apply  for  the homestead exemption during that
34    taxable  year.   Application  shall  be   made   during   the
 
                            -20-               LRB9200873SMdv
 1    application  period  in  effect  for the county of his or her
 2    residence.
 3        The Chief County Assessment  Officer  may  determine  the
 4    eligibility  of  a  life  care  facility  that qualifies as a
 5    cooperative to receive the benefits provided by this  Section
 6    by  use  of  an  affidavit,  application,  visual inspection,
 7    questionnaire, or other reasonable method in order to  insure
 8    that  the  tax  savings  resulting  from  the  exemption  are
 9    credited  by  the  management  firm  to  the  apportioned tax
10    liability of each  qualifying  resident.   The  Chief  County
11    Assessment  Officer  may  request  reasonable  proof that the
12    management firm has so credited that exemption.
13        Except as  provided  in  this  Section,  all  information
14    received  by  the  chief  county  assessment  officer  or the
15    Department from applications filed  under  this  Section,  or
16    from any investigation conducted under the provisions of this
17    Section,  shall be confidential, except for official purposes
18    or pursuant to Section 2.5 of the  Tax  Collection  Suit  Act
19    pursuant  to  official procedures for collection of any State
20    or local tax or enforcement of any civil or criminal  penalty
21    or  sanction  imposed  by  this  Act  or  by  any  statute or
22    ordinance imposing a State  or  local  tax.  Any  person  who
23    divulges  any  such  information  in  any  manner,  except in
24    accordance with a proper judicial order, is guilty of a Class
25    A misdemeanor.
26        Nothing contained  in  this  Section  shall  prevent  the
27    Director  or  chief county assessment officer from publishing
28    or making  available  reasonable  statistics  concerning  the
29    operation of the exemption contained in this Section in which
30    the  contents of claims are grouped into aggregates in such a
31    way that information contained in any individual claim  shall
32    not be disclosed.
33        (d)  Each  Chief County Assessment Officer shall annually
34    publish a notice of availability of  the  exemption  provided
 
                            -21-               LRB9200873SMdv
 1    under  this  Section.  The notice shall be published at least
 2    60 days but no more than 75 days prior to the date  on  which
 3    the  application  must  be  submitted  to  the  Chief  County
 4    Assessment  Officer  of  the  county in which the property is
 5    located.  The notice shall appear in a newspaper  of  general
 6    circulation in the county.
 7    (Source:  P.A.  90-14,  eff.  7-1-97;  90-204,  eff. 7-25-97;
 8    90-523, eff. 11-13-97;  90-524,  eff.  1-1-98;  90-531,  eff.
 9    1-1-98;  90-655,  eff.  7-30-98;  91-45, eff. 6-30-99; 91-56,
10    eff. 6-30-99; 91-819, eff. 6-13-00.)

11        Section 30.  The Illinois Estate and  Generation-Skipping
12    Transfer Tax Act is amended by changing Section 6 as follows:

13        (35 ILCS 405/6) (from Ch. 120, par. 405A-6)
14        Sec. 6.  Returns and payments.
15        (a)  Due  Dates.  The Illinois transfer tax shall be paid
16    and the Illinois transfer tax return shall be  filed  on  the
17    due  date  or  dates, respectively, including extensions, for
18    paying the  related  federal  transfer  tax  and  filing  the
19    related federal return.
20        (b)  Installment  payments  and  deferral.   In the event
21    that any portion of the federal transfer tax is  deferred  or
22    to  be  paid  in  installments  under  the  provisions of the
23    Internal Revenue Code, the portion of the  Illinois  transfer
24    tax  which  is subject to deferral or payable in installments
25    shall be determined by multiplying the Illinois transfer  tax
26    by  a  fraction, the numerator of which is the gross value of
27    the assets included in the transferred property having a  tax
28    situs  in  this  State and which give rise to the deferred or
29    installment payment under  the Internal Revenue Code, and the
30    denominator of  which  is  the  gross  value  of  all  assets
31    included  in  the  transferred property having a tax situs in
32    this State.  Deferred payments and installment payments, with
 
                            -22-               LRB9200873SMdv
 1    interest, shall be paid at the same  time  and  in  the  same
 2    manner  as  payments of the federal transfer tax are required
 3    to be made under the  applicable  Sections  of  the  Internal
 4    Revenue  Code,  provided  that the rate of interest on unpaid
 5    amounts of Illinois transfer tax shall  be  determined  under
 6    this  Act.   Acceleration of payment under this Section shall
 7    occur under the same circumstances and in the same manner  as
 8    provided in the Internal Revenue Code.
 9        (c)  Who  shall  file and pay.  The Illinois transfer tax
10    return (including any supplemental or amended  return)  shall
11    be  filed,  and  the  Illinois  transfer  tax  (including any
12    additional tax that may become due) shall be paid by the same
13    person or persons, respectively, who are required to pay  the
14    related  federal  transfer  tax  and file the related federal
15    return.
16        (d)  Where  to  file  return.   The   executed   Illinois
17    transfer tax return shall be filed with the Attorney General.
18    In addition, a copy of the Illinois transfer tax return shall
19    be  filed  with  the  county  treasurer  to whom the Illinois
20    transfer tax is paid, determined under subsection (e) of this
21    Section.
22        (e)  Where to pay tax.  The Illinois transfer  tax  shall
23    be  paid  to the treasurer of the county determined under the
24    following rules:
25             (1)  Illinois Estate Tax.  The Illinois  estate  tax
26        shall be paid to the treasurer of the county in which the
27        decedent  was  a  resident  on the date of the decedent's
28        death or, if the decedent was  not  a  resident  of  this
29        State  on  the  date  of  death,  the county in which the
30        greater part, by gross value, of the transferred property
31        with a tax situs in this State is located.
32             (2)  Illinois Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax.  The
33        Illinois  generation-skipping  transfer   tax   involving
34        transferred property from or in a resident trust shall be
 
                            -23-               LRB9200873SMdv
 1        paid  to the county treasurer for the county in which the
 2        grantor resided at the time the trust became  irrevocable
 3        (in  the  case  of an inter vivos trust) or the county in
 4        which the decedent resided at death (in  the  case  of  a
 5        trust  created by the will of a decedent). In the case of
 6        an Illinois generation-skipping  transfer  tax  involving
 7        transferred property from or in a non-resident trust, the
 8        Illinois  generation-skipping  transfer tax shall be paid
 9        to the county treasurer  for  the  county  in  which  the
10        greater part, by gross value, of the transferred property
11        with a tax situs in this State is located.
12        (f)  Forms;  confidentiality.   The Illinois transfer tax
13    return shall be in  all  respects  in  the  manner  and  form
14    prescribed  by  the  regulations of the Attorney General.  At
15    the same time the Illinois transfer tax return is filed,  the
16    person  required  to  file  shall also file with the Attorney
17    General a copy of the related federal return.   The  Illinois
18    transfer  tax return and the copy of the federal return filed
19    with the Attorney General or any county  treasurer  shall  be
20    confidential, and the Attorney General, each county treasurer
21    and  all of their assistants or employees are prohibited from
22    divulging in any manner any of the contents of those returns,
23    except only in a proceeding instituted under  the  provisions
24    of  this Act or pursuant to Section 2.5 of the Tax Collection
25    Suit Act.
26        (g)  County Treasurer shall accept  payment.   No  county
27    treasurer  shall  refuse  to accept payment of any amount due
28    under this Act on the grounds that the county  treasurer  has
29    not  yet received a copy of the appropriate Illinois transfer
30    tax return.
31    (Source: P.A. 86-737.)

32        Section 35.  The Messages Tax Act is amended by  changing
33    Section 11 as follows:
 
                            -24-               LRB9200873SMdv
 1        (35 ILCS 610/11) (from Ch. 120, par. 467.11)
 2        Sec.  11. All information received by the Department from
 3    returns filed under this  Act,  or  from  any  investigations
 4    conducted  under  this Act, shall be confidential, except for
 5    official purposes or pursuant  to  Section  2.5  of  the  Tax
 6    Collection  Suit  Act,  and  any person who divulges any such
 7    information in any manner, except in accordance with a proper
 8    judicial order or as otherwise  provided  by  law,  shall  be
 9    guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.
10        Provided,  that  nothing  contained  in  this  Act  shall
11    prevent  the  Director from publishing or making available to
12    the public  the  names  and  addresses  of  taxpayers  filing
13    returns   under  this  Act,  or  from  publishing  or  making
14    available reasonable statistics concerning the  operation  of
15    the  tax  wherein  the  contents  of returns are grouped into
16    aggregates in such a way that the  information  contained  in
17    any individual return shall not be disclosed.
18        And  provided,  that  nothing contained in this Act shall
19    prevent the Director from  making  available  to  the  United
20    States  Government  or  any  officer  or  agency thereof, for
21    exclusively official purposes, information  received  by  the
22    Department in the administration of this Act.
23        The  furnishing  upon  request of the Auditor General, or
24    his authorized agents, for official use, of returns filed and
25    information related thereto under this Act is deemed to be an
26    official purpose within the meaning of this Section.
27        The Director may make  available  to  any  State  agency,
28    including  the Illinois Supreme Court, which licenses persons
29    to engage  in  any  occupation,  information  that  a  person
30    licensed by such agency has failed to file returns under this
31    Act  or  pay  the tax, penalty and interest shown therein, or
32    has failed to pay any final assessment  of  tax,  penalty  or
33    interest due under this Act.  An assessment is final when all
34    proceedings  in  court  for  review  of  such assessment have
 
                            -25-               LRB9200873SMdv
 1    terminated or the time for the  taking  thereof  has  expired
 2    without such proceedings being instituted.
 3        The  Director  shall make available for public inspection
 4    in the Department's principal office and for publication,  at
 5    cost,  administrative decisions issued on or after January 1,
 6    1995. These decisions are to be made available in a manner so
 7    that the following taxpayer information is not disclosed:
 8             (1)  The  names,   addresses,   and   identification
 9        numbers of the taxpayer, related entities, and employees.
10             (2)  At  the  sole discretion of the Director, trade
11        secrets or other confidential information  identified  as
12        such by the taxpayer, no later than 30 days after receipt
13        of  an  administrative  decision,  by  such  means as the
14        Department shall provide by rule.
15        The Director shall determine the  appropriate  extent  of
16    the  deletions  allowed  in  paragraph  (2). In the event the
17    taxpayer does not submit deletions, the Director  shall  make
18    only the deletions specified in paragraph (1).
19        The  Director  shall make available for public inspection
20    and publication an administrative decision  within  180  days
21    after  the  issuance of the administrative decision. The term
22    "administrative decision" has the same meaning as defined  in
23    Section  3-101 of Article III of the Code of Civil Procedure.
24    Costs collected under this Section shall be paid into the Tax
25    Compliance and Administration Fund.
26        Nothing contained in this Act shall prevent the  Director
27    from  divulging  information  to  any  person  pursuant  to a
28    request or authorization  made  by  the  taxpayer  or  by  an
29    authorized representative of the taxpayer.
30    (Source: P.A. 90-491, eff. 1-1-98.)

31        Section  40.   The  Gas  Revenue  Tax  Act  is amended by
32    changing Section 11 as follows:
 
                            -26-               LRB9200873SMdv
 1        (35 ILCS 615/11) (from Ch. 120, par. 467.26)
 2        Sec. 11. All information received by the Department  from
 3    returns  filed  under  this  Act,  or from any investigations
 4    conducted under this Act, shall be confidential,  except  for
 5    official  purposes  or  pursuant  to  Section  2.5 of the Tax
 6    Collection Suit Act, and any person  who  divulges  any  such
 7    information in any manner, except in accordance with a proper
 8    judicial  order  or  as  otherwise  provided by law, shall be
 9    guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.
10        Provided,  that  nothing  contained  in  this  Act  shall
11    prevent the Director from publishing or making  available  to
12    the  public  the  names  and  addresses  of  taxpayers filing
13    returns  under  this  Act,  or  from  publishing  or   making
14    available  reasonable  statistics concerning the operation of
15    the tax wherein the contents  of  returns  are  grouped  into
16    aggregates  in  such  a way that the information contained in
17    any individual return shall not be disclosed.
18        And provided, that nothing contained in  this  Act  shall
19    prevent  the  Director  from  making  available to the United
20    States Government or  any  officer  or  agency  thereof,  for
21    exclusively  official  purposes,  information received by the
22    Department in the administration of this Act.
23        The furnishing upon request of the  Auditor  General,  or
24    his authorized agents, for official use, of returns filed and
25    information related thereto under this Act is deemed to be an
26    official purpose within the meaning of this Section.
27        The  Director  may  make  available  to any State agency,
28    including the Illinois Supreme Court, which licenses  persons
29    to  engage  in  any  occupation,  information  that  a person
30    licensed by such agency has failed to file returns under this
31    Act or pay the tax, penalty and interest  shown  therein,  or
32    has  failed  to  pay  any final assessment of tax, penalty or
33    interest due under this Act.  An assessment is final when all
34    proceedings in court  for  review  of  such  assessment  have
 
                            -27-               LRB9200873SMdv
 1    terminated  or  the  time  for the taking thereof has expired
 2    without such proceedings being instituted.
 3        The Director shall make available for  public  inspection
 4    in  the Department's principal office and for publication, at
 5    cost, administrative decisions issued on or after January  1,
 6    1995. These decisions are to be made available in a manner so
 7    that the following taxpayer information is not disclosed:
 8             (1)  The   names,   addresses,   and  identification
 9        numbers of the taxpayer, related entities, and employees.
10             (2)  At the sole discretion of the  Director,  trade
11        secrets  or  other confidential information identified as
12        such by the taxpayer, no later than 30 days after receipt
13        of an administrative  decision,  by  such  means  as  the
14        Department shall provide by rule.
15        The  Director  shall  determine the appropriate extent of
16    the deletions allowed in paragraph  (2).  In  the  event  the
17    taxpayer  does  not submit deletions, the Director shall make
18    only the deletions specified in paragraph (1).
19        The Director shall make available for  public  inspection
20    and  publication  an  administrative decision within 180 days
21    after the issuance of the administrative decision.  The  term
22    "administrative  decision" has the same meaning as defined in
23    Section 3-101 of Article III of the Code of Civil  Procedure.
24    Costs collected under this Section shall be paid into the Tax
25    Compliance and Administration Fund.
26        Nothing  contained in this Act shall prevent the Director
27    from divulging  information  to  any  person  pursuant  to  a
28    request  or  authorization  made  by  the  taxpayer  or by an
29    authorized representative of the taxpayer.
30    (Source: P.A. 90-491, eff. 1-1-98.)

31        Section 45.  The Public Utilities Revenue Act is  amended
32    by changing Section 11 as follows:
 
                            -28-               LRB9200873SMdv
 1        (35 ILCS 620/11) (from Ch. 120, par. 478)
 2        Sec.  11. All information received by the Department from
 3    returns filed under this  Act,  or  from  any  investigations
 4    conducted  under  this Act, shall be confidential, except for
 5    official purposes or pursuant  to  Section  2.5  of  the  Tax
 6    Collection  Suit  Act,  and  any person who divulges any such
 7    information in any manner, except in accordance with a proper
 8    judicial order or as otherwise  provided  by  law,  shall  be
 9    guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.
10        Provided,  that  nothing  contained  in  this  Act  shall
11    prevent  the  Director from publishing or making available to
12    the public  the  names  and  addresses  of  taxpayers  filing
13    returns   under  this  Act,  or  from  publishing  or  making
14    available reasonable statistics concerning the  operation  of
15    the  tax  wherein  the  contents  of returns are grouped into
16    aggregates in such a way that the  information  contained  in
17    any individual return shall not be disclosed.
18        And  provided,  that  nothing contained in this Act shall
19    prevent the Director from  making  available  to  the  United
20    States  Government  or  any  officer  or  agency thereof, for
21    exclusively official purposes, information  received  by  the
22    Department in the administration of this Act.
23        The  furnishing  upon  request of the Auditor General, or
24    his authorized agents, for official use, of returns filed and
25    information related thereto under this Act is deemed to be an
26    official purpose within the meaning of this Section.
27        The Director may make  available  to  any  State  agency,
28    including  the Illinois Supreme Court, which licenses persons
29    to engage  in  any  occupation,  information  that  a  person
30    licensed by such agency has failed to file returns under this
31    Act  or  pay  the tax, penalty and interest shown therein, or
32    has failed to pay any final assessment  of  tax,  penalty  or
33    interest due under this Act.  An assessment is final when all
34    proceedings  in  court  for  review  of  such assessment have
 
                            -29-               LRB9200873SMdv
 1    terminated or the time for the  taking  thereof  has  expired
 2    without such proceedings being instituted.
 3        The  Director  shall make available for public inspection
 4    in the Department's principal office and for publication,  at
 5    cost,  administrative decisions issued on or after January 1,
 6    1995. These decisions are to be made available in a manner so
 7    that the following taxpayer information is not disclosed:
 8             (1)  The  names,   addresses,   and   identification
 9        numbers of the taxpayer, related entities, and employees.
10             (2)  At  the  sole discretion of the Director, trade
11        secrets or other confidential information  identified  as
12        such by the taxpayer, no later than 30 days after receipt
13        of  an  administrative  decision,  by  such  means as the
14        Department shall provide by rule.
15        The Director shall determine the  appropriate  extent  of
16    the  deletions  allowed  in  paragraph  (2). In the event the
17    taxpayer does not submit deletions, the Director  shall  make
18    only the deletions specified in paragraph (1).
19        The  Director  shall make available for public inspection
20    and publication an administrative decision  within  180  days
21    after  the  issuance of the administrative decision. The term
22    "administrative decision" has the same meaning as defined  in
23    Section  3-101 of Article III of the Code of Civil Procedure.
24    Costs collected under this Section shall be paid into the Tax
25    Compliance and Administration Fund.
26        Nothing contained in this Act shall prevent the  Director
27    from  divulging  information  to  any  person  pursuant  to a
28    request or authorization  made  by  the  taxpayer  or  by  an
29    authorized representative of the taxpayer.
30    (Source: P.A. 90-491, eff. 1-1-98.)

31        Section  50.   The Water Company Invested Capital Tax Act
32    is amended by changing Section 11 as follows:
 
                            -30-               LRB9200873SMdv
 1        (35 ILCS 625/11) (from Ch. 120, par. 1421)
 2        Sec. 11.  All information received by the Department from
 3    returns filed under this  Act,  or  from  any  investigations
 4    conducted  under  this Act, shall be confidential, except for
 5    official purposes or pursuant  to  Section  2.5  of  the  Tax
 6    Collection  Suit  Act,  and  any person who divulges any such
 7    information in any manner, except in accordance with a proper
 8    judicial order or as otherwise  provided  by  law,  shall  be
 9    guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.
10        Nothing  contained in this Act shall prevent the Director
11    from publishing or making available to the public  the  names
12    and  addresses of taxpayers filing returns under this Act, or
13    from publishing or  making  available  reasonable  statistics
14    concerning  the  operation of the tax wherein the contents of
15    returns are grouped into aggregates in such a  way  that  the
16    information  contained  in any individual return shall not be
17    disclosed.
18        Nothing contained in this Act shall prevent the  Director
19    from  making available to the United States Government or any
20    officer or agency thereof, for exclusively official purposes,
21    information received by the Department in the  administration
22    of this Act.
23        The  furnishing  upon  request of the Auditor General, or
24    his authorized agents, for official use, of returns filed and
25    information related thereto under this Act is deemed to be an
26    official purpose within the meaning of this Section.
27        The Director may make  available  to  any  State  agency,
28    including  the Illinois Supreme Court, which licenses persons
29    to engage  in  any  occupation,  information  that  a  person
30    licensed by such agency has failed to file returns under this
31    Act  or  pay  the tax, penalty and interest shown therein, or
32    has failed to pay any final assessment  of  tax,  penalty  or
33    interest due under this Act.  An assessment is final when all
34    proceedings  in  court  for  review  of  such assessment have
 
                            -31-               LRB9200873SMdv
 1    terminated or the time for the  taking  thereof  has  expired
 2    without such proceedings being instituted.
 3        Nothing  contained in this Act shall prevent the Director
 4    from divulging  information  to  any  person  pursuant  to  a
 5    request  or  authorization  made  by  the  taxpayer  or by an
 6    authorized representative of the taxpayer.
 7    (Source: P.A. 90-491, eff. 1-1-98.)

 8        Section 55.  The Telecommunications  Excise  Tax  Act  is
 9    amended by changing Section 15 as follows:

10        (35 ILCS 630/15) (from Ch. 120, par. 2015)
11        Sec.   15.  Confidential  information.   All  information
12    received by the Department  from  returns  filed  under  this
13    Article,  or  from  any  investigations  conducted under this
14    Article, shall be confidential, except for official  purposes
15    or  pursuant  to  Section 2.5 of the Tax Collection Suit Act,
16    and any person who  divulges  any  such  information  in  any
17    manner,  except in accordance with a proper judicial order or
18    as otherwise provided by law, shall be guilty of  a  Class  B
19    misdemeanor.
20        Provided,  that  nothing  contained in this Article shall
21    prevent the Director from publishing or making  available  to
22    the  public the names and addresses of retailers or taxpayers
23    filing returns under this  Article,  or  from  publishing  or
24    making   available   reasonable   statistics  concerning  the
25    operation of the tax wherein  the  contents  of  returns  are
26    grouped  into  aggregates  in such a way that the information
27    contained in any individual return shall not be disclosed.
28        And provided, that  nothing  contained  in  this  Article
29    shall  prevent  the  Director  from  making  available to the
30    United States Government  or  the  government  of  any  other
31    state,  or  any  officer  or  agency thereof, for exclusively
32    official purposes, information received by the Department  in
 
                            -32-               LRB9200873SMdv
 1    the   administration   of   this   Article,   if  such  other
 2    governmental  agency  agrees   to   divulge   requested   tax
 3    information to the Department.
 4        The  furnishing  upon  request of the Auditor General, or
 5    his authorized agents, for official use, of returns filed and
 6    information related thereto under this Article is  deemed  to
 7    be an official purpose within the meaning of this Section.
 8        The  Director  shall make available for public inspection
 9    in the Department's principal office and for publication,  at
10    cost,  administrative decisions issued on or after January 1,
11    1995. These decisions are to be made available in a manner so
12    that the following taxpayer information is not disclosed:
13             (1)  The  names,   addresses,   and   identification
14        numbers of the taxpayer, related entities, and employees.
15             (2)  At  the  sole discretion of the Director, trade
16        secrets or other confidential information  identified  as
17        such by the taxpayer, no later than 30 days after receipt
18        of  an  administrative  decision,  by  such  means as the
19        Department shall provide by rule.
20        The Director shall determine the  appropriate  extent  of
21    the  deletions  allowed  in  paragraph  (2). In the event the
22    taxpayer does not submit deletions, the Director  shall  make
23    only the deletions specified in paragraph (1).
24        The  Director  shall make available for public inspection
25    and publication an administrative decision  within  180  days
26    after  the  issuance of the administrative decision. The term
27    "administrative decision" has the same meaning as defined  in
28    Section  3-101 of Article III of the Code of Civil Procedure.
29    Costs collected under this Section shall be paid into the Tax
30    Compliance and Administration Fund.
31        Nothing contained in this Act shall prevent the  Director
32    from  divulging  information  to  any  person  pursuant  to a
33    request or authorization  made  by  the  taxpayer  or  by  an
34    authorized representative of the taxpayer.
 
                            -33-               LRB9200873SMdv
 1    (Source: P.A. 90-491, eff. 1-1-98.)

 2        Section    57.     The    Telecommunications    Municipal
 3    Infrastructure  Maintenance  Fee  Act  is amended by changing
 4    Section 27.25 as follows:

 5        (35 ILCS 635/27.25)
 6        Sec. 27.25.  Confidential  information;  exceptions.  All
 7    information  received  by  the  Department from returns filed
 8    under this Act, or from any  investigations  conducted  under
 9    this Act, shall be confidential, except for official purposes
10    or pursuant to Sectin 2.5 of the Tax Collection Suit Act, and
11    any  person  who divulges any such information in any manner,
12    except in accordance with  a  proper  judicial  order  or  as
13    otherwise  provided  by  law,  shall  be  guilty of a Class B
14    misdemeanor.
15        Provided,  that  nothing  contained  in  this  Act  shall
16    prevent the Director from publishing or making  available  to
17    the  public  the  names  and  addresses of telecommunications
18    retailers filing returns under this Act, or  from  publishing
19    or  making  available  reasonable  statistics  concerning the
20    operation of the fees wherein the  contents  of  returns  are
21    grouped  into  aggregates  in such a way that the information
22    contained in any individual return shall not be disclosed.
23        And provided, that nothing contained in  this  Act  shall
24    prevent  the  Director  from  making  available to the United
25    States Government or  any  officer  or  agency  thereof,  for
26    exclusively  official  purposes,  information received by the
27    Department in the administration of this Act.
28        The furnishing upon request of the  Auditor  General,  or
29    his  or  her  authorized agents, for official use, of returns
30    filed and information  related  thereto  under  this  Act  is
31    deemed  to  be an official purpose within the meaning of this
32    Section.
 
                            -34-               LRB9200873SMdv
 1        The Director may make  available  to  any  State  agency,
 2    including  the Illinois Supreme Court, which licenses persons
 3    to engage  in  any  occupation,  information  that  a  person
 4    licensed by such agency has failed to file returns under this
 5    Act  or pay the fees, penalty, and interest shown therein, or
 6    has failed to pay any final assessment of fees,  penalty,  or
 7    interest  due under this Act. An assessment is final when all
 8    proceedings in court  for  review  of  such  assessment  have
 9    terminated  or  the  time  for the taking thereof has expired
10    without such proceedings being instituted.
11        The Director shall make available for  public  inspection
12    in  the Department's principal office and for publication, at
13    cost, administrative decisions issued on or after January  1,
14    1998.   These  decisions are to be made available in a manner
15    so that the following taxpayer information is not disclosed:
16             (1)  The  names,   addresses,   and   identification
17        numbers of the taxpayer, related entities, and employees.
18             (2)  At  the  sole discretion of the Director, trade
19        secrets or other confidential information  identified  as
20        such by the taxpayer, no later than 30 days after receipt
21        of  an  administrative  decision,  by  such  means as the
22        Department shall provide by rule.
23        The Director shall determine the  appropriate  extent  of
24    the  deletions  allowed  in  paragraph (2).  In the event the
25    taxpayer does not submit deletions, the Director  shall  make
26    only the deletions specified in paragraph (1).
27        The  Director  shall make available for public inspection
28    and publication an administrative decision  within  180  days
29    after  the issuance of the administrative decision.  The term
30    "administrative decision" has the same meaning as defined  in
31    Section  3-101 of Article III of the Code of Civil Procedure.
32    Costs collected under this Section shall be paid into the Tax
33    Compliance and Administration Fund.
34    (Source: P.A. 90-562, eff. 12-16-97.)
 
                            -35-               LRB9200873SMdv
 1        Section 60.  The Tax Collection Suit Act  is  amended  by
 2    adding Section 2.5 as follows:

 3        (35 ILCS 705/2.5 new)
 4        Sec.  2.5.  Collection  efforts  of  the  Department.  In
 5    addition to any methods to collect delinquent taxes that  are
 6    authorized by the Illinois Income Tax Act, the Department may
 7    contract  with  private  collection entities, make public any
 8    personal information gathered by the Department, or implement
 9    other  methods  of  collection  deemed   necessary   by   the
10    Department.
11        Before   personal   information   is   made  public,  the
12    Department  shall  give  a  30-day  written  notice  to   the
13    delinquent   party.    If   the  delinquent  party  pays  the
14    delinquency or makes arrangements with the Department to  pay
15    the  delinquency, then the Department shall keep the personal
16    information confidential.

17        Section  99.  Effective  date.   This  Act  takes  effect
18    January 1, 2002.

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