SB0318eng 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB0318 Engrossed LRB099 02944 JLK 22952 b

AN ACT concerning government.

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

Section 5. The Property Tax Code is amended by changing Sections 18-185, 18-190, 18-205, 18-213, and 18-214 and by adding Section 18-242 as follows:

(35 ILCS 200/18-185)

Sec. 18-185. Short title; definitions. This Division 5 may be cited as the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law. As used in this Division 5:

"Consumer Price Index" means the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers for all items published by the United States Department of Labor.

"Extension limitation", except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, means (a) the lesser of 5% or the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index during the 12-month calendar year preceding the levy year or (b) the rate of increase approved by voters under Section 18-205. For the 2016 levy year only, "extension limitation" means (i) for each taxing district having the majority of its 2015 equalized assessed value outside of Cook County, 0% or the rate of increase approved by the voters under Section 18-205 and (ii) for each taxing district having the majority of its 2015 equalized assessed value within Cook County, (a) the lesser of 5% or the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index during the 12-month calendar year preceding the levy year or (b) the rate of increase approved by voters under Section 18-205. For the 2017 levy year only, "extension limitation" means 0% or the rate of increase approved by the voters under Section 18-205. For the 2018 levy year only, "extension limitation" means (i) for each taxing district having the majority of its 2015 equalized assessed value within Cook County, 0% or the rate of increase approved by the voters under Section 18-205 and (ii) for each taxing district having the majority of its 2015 equalized assessed value outside of Cook County, (a) the lesser of 5% or the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index during the 12-month calendar year preceding the levy year or (b) the rate of increase approved by voters under Section 18-205.

"Affected county" means a county of 3,000,000 or more inhabitants or a county contiguous to a county of 3,000,000 or more inhabitants.

"Taxing district" has the same meaning provided in Section 1-150, except as otherwise provided in this Section. For the 1991 through 1994 levy years only, "taxing district" includes only each non-home rule taxing district having the majority of its 1990 equalized assessed value within any county or counties contiguous to a county with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants. Beginning with the 1995 levy year and through the 2015 levy year, and beginning again with the 2019 levy year, "taxing district" includes only each non-home rule taxing district subject to this Law before the 1995 levy year and each non-home rule taxing district not subject to this Law before the 1995 levy year having the majority of its 1994 equalized assessed value in an affected county or counties. Beginning with the levy year in which this Law becomes applicable to a taxing district as provided in Section 18-213, "taxing district" also includes those taxing districts made subject to this Law as provided in Section 18-213. For the 2016 levy year, "taxing district" includes only: (1) each taxing district that (A) has the majority of its 2015 equalized assessed value within Cook County and (B) was subject to this Law in the 2015 levy year, and (2) each taxing district, as defined in Section 1-150, that has the majority of its 2015 equalized assessed value outside of Cook County, including home rule units having the majority of their 2015 equalized assessed value outside of Cook County. For the 2017 levy year, "taxing district" has the same meaning provided in Section 1-150, and includes home rule units. For the 2018 levy year, "taxing district" includes only: (1) each taxing district subject to this Law during the 2015 levy year, (2) each home rule and non-home rule taxing district that has the majority of its 2015 equalized assessed value within Cook County, and (3) those taxing districts made subject to this Law as provided in Section 18-213.

"Aggregate extension" for taxing districts to which this Law applied before the 1995 levy year means the annual corporate extension for the taxing district and those special purpose extensions that are made annually for the taxing district, excluding special purpose extensions: (a) made for the taxing district to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds that were approved by referendum; (b) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds issued before October 1, 1991; (c) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on bonds issued to refund or continue to refund those bonds issued before October 1, 1991; (d) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on bonds issued to refund or continue to refund bonds issued after October 1, 1991 that were approved by referendum; (e) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on revenue bonds issued before October 1, 1991 for payment of which a property tax levy or the full faith and credit of the unit of local government is pledged; however, a tax for the payment of interest or principal on those bonds shall be made only after the governing body of the unit of local government finds that all other sources for payment are insufficient to make those payments; (f) made for payments under a building commission lease when the lease payments are for the retirement of bonds issued by the commission before October 1, 1991, to pay for the building project; (g) made for payments due under installment contracts entered into before October 1, 1991; (h) made for payments of principal and interest on bonds issued under the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Act to finance construction projects initiated before October 1, 1991; (i) made for payments of principal and interest on limited bonds, as defined in Section 3 of the Local Government Debt Reform Act, in an amount not to exceed the debt service extension base less the amount in items (b), (c), (e), and (h) of this definition for non-referendum obligations, except obligations initially issued pursuant to referendum; (j) made for payments of principal and interest on bonds issued under Section 15 of the Local Government Debt Reform Act; (k) made by a school district that participates in the Special Education District of Lake County, created by special education joint agreement under Section 10-22.31 of the School Code, for payment of the school district's share of the amounts required to be contributed by the Special Education District of Lake County to the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund under Article 7 of the Illinois Pension Code; the amount of any extension under this item (k) shall be certified by the school district to the county clerk; (l) made to fund expenses of providing joint recreational programs for the handicapped under Section 5-8 of the Park District Code or Section 11-95-14 of the Illinois Municipal Code; (m) made for temporary relocation loan repayment purposes pursuant to Sections 2-3.77 and 17-2.2d of the School Code; (n) made for payment of principal and interest on any bonds issued under the authority of Section 17-2.2d of the School Code; (o) made for contributions to a firefighter's pension fund created under Article 4 of the Illinois Pension Code, to the extent of the amount certified under item (5) of Section 4-134 of the Illinois Pension Code; and (p) made for road purposes in the first year after a township assumes the rights, powers, duties, assets, property, liabilities, obligations, and responsibilities of a road district abolished under the provisions of Section 6-133 of the Illinois Highway Code; and (q) for the 2016 and 2017 levy years, made for public safety purposes.

"Aggregate extension" for the taxing districts to which this Law did not apply before the 1995 levy year (except taxing districts subject to this Law in accordance with Section 18-213 or this amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly) means the annual corporate extension for the taxing district and those special purpose extensions that are made annually for the taxing district, excluding special purpose extensions: (a) made for the taxing district to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds that were approved by referendum; (b) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds issued before March 1, 1995; (c) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on bonds issued to refund or continue to refund those bonds issued before March 1, 1995; (d) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on bonds issued to refund or continue to refund bonds issued after March 1, 1995 that were approved by referendum; (e) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on revenue bonds issued before March 1, 1995 for payment of which a property tax levy or the full faith and credit of the unit of local government is pledged; however, a tax for the payment of interest or principal on those bonds shall be made only after the governing body of the unit of local government finds that all other sources for payment are insufficient to make those payments; (f) made for payments under a building commission lease when the lease payments are for the retirement of bonds issued by the commission before March 1, 1995 to pay for the building project; (g) made for payments due under installment contracts entered into before March 1, 1995; (h) made for payments of principal and interest on bonds issued under the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Act to finance construction projects initiated before October 1, 1991; (h-4) made for stormwater management purposes by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago under Section 12 of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Act; (i) made for payments of principal and interest on limited bonds, as defined in Section 3 of the Local Government Debt Reform Act, in an amount not to exceed the debt service extension base less the amount in items (b), (c), and (e) of this definition for non-referendum obligations, except obligations initially issued pursuant to referendum and bonds described in subsection (h) of this definition; (j) made for payments of principal and interest on bonds issued under Section 15 of the Local Government Debt Reform Act; (k) made for payments of principal and interest on bonds authorized by Public Act 88-503 and issued under Section 20a of the Chicago Park District Act for aquarium or museum projects; (l) made for payments of principal and interest on bonds authorized by Public Act 87-1191 or 93-601 and (i) issued pursuant to Section 21.2 of the Cook County Forest Preserve District Act, (ii) issued under Section 42 of the Cook County Forest Preserve District Act for zoological park projects, or (iii) issued under Section 44.1 of the Cook County Forest Preserve District Act for botanical gardens projects; (m) made pursuant to Section 34-53.5 of the School Code, whether levied annually or not; (n) made to fund expenses of providing joint recreational programs for the handicapped under Section 5-8 of the Park District Code or Section 11-95-14 of the Illinois Municipal Code; (o) made by the Chicago Park District for recreational programs for the handicapped under subsection (c) of Section 7.06 of the Chicago Park District Act; (p) made for contributions to a firefighter's pension fund created under Article 4 of the Illinois Pension Code, to the extent of the amount certified under item (5) of Section 4-134 of the Illinois Pension Code; and (q) made by Ford Heights School District 169 under Section 17-9.02 of the School Code; and (r) for the 2017 and 2018 levy years, made for public safety purposes.

"Aggregate extension" for all taxing districts to which this Law applies in accordance with Section 18-213, except for those taxing districts subject to paragraph (2) of subsection (e) of Section 18-213, means the annual corporate extension for the taxing district and those special purpose extensions that are made annually for the taxing district, excluding special purpose extensions: (a) made for the taxing district to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds that were approved by referendum; (b) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds issued before the date on which the referendum making this Law applicable to the taxing district is held; (c) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on bonds issued to refund or continue to refund those bonds issued before the date on which the referendum making this Law applicable to the taxing district is held; (d) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on bonds issued to refund or continue to refund bonds issued after the date on which the referendum making this Law applicable to the taxing district is held if the bonds were approved by referendum after the date on which the referendum making this Law applicable to the taxing district is held; (e) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on revenue bonds issued before the date on which the referendum making this Law applicable to the taxing district is held for payment of which a property tax levy or the full faith and credit of the unit of local government is pledged; however, a tax for the payment of interest or principal on those bonds shall be made only after the governing body of the unit of local government finds that all other sources for payment are insufficient to make those payments; (f) made for payments under a building commission lease when the lease payments are for the retirement of bonds issued by the commission before the date on which the referendum making this Law applicable to the taxing district is held to pay for the building project; (g) made for payments due under installment contracts entered into before the date on which the referendum making this Law applicable to the taxing district is held; (h) made for payments of principal and interest on limited bonds, as defined in Section 3 of the Local Government Debt Reform Act, in an amount not to exceed the debt service extension base less the amount in items (b), (c), and (e) of this definition for non-referendum obligations, except obligations initially issued pursuant to referendum; (i) made for payments of principal and interest on bonds issued under Section 15 of the Local Government Debt Reform Act; (j) made for a qualified airport authority to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds issued for the purpose of paying obligations due under, or financing airport facilities required to be acquired, constructed, installed or equipped pursuant to, contracts entered into before March 1, 1996 (but not including any amendments to such a contract taking effect on or after that date); (k) made to fund expenses of providing joint recreational programs for the handicapped under Section 5-8 of the Park District Code or Section 11-95-14 of the Illinois Municipal Code; (l) made for contributions to a firefighter's pension fund created under Article 4 of the Illinois Pension Code, to the extent of the amount certified under item (5) of Section 4-134 of the Illinois Pension Code; and (m) made for the taxing district to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds issued pursuant to Section 19-3.10 of the School Code; and (n) for the 2016 and 2017 levy years, made for public safety purposes.

"Aggregate extension" for all taxing districts to which this Law applies in accordance with paragraph (2) of subsection (e) of Section 18-213 means the annual corporate extension for the taxing district and those special purpose extensions that are made annually for the taxing district, excluding special purpose extensions: (a) made for the taxing district to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds that were approved by referendum; (b) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds issued before the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997; (c) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on bonds issued to refund or continue to refund those bonds issued before the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997; (d) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on bonds issued to refund or continue to refund bonds issued after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997 if the bonds were approved by referendum after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997; (e) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on revenue bonds issued before the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997 for payment of which a property tax levy or the full faith and credit of the unit of local government is pledged; however, a tax for the payment of interest or principal on those bonds shall be made only after the governing body of the unit of local government finds that all other sources for payment are insufficient to make those payments; (f) made for payments under a building commission lease when the lease payments are for the retirement of bonds issued by the commission before the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997 to pay for the building project; (g) made for payments due under installment contracts entered into before the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997; (h) made for payments of principal and interest on limited bonds, as defined in Section 3 of the Local Government Debt Reform Act, in an amount not to exceed the debt service extension base less the amount in items (b), (c), and (e) of this definition for non-referendum obligations, except obligations initially issued pursuant to referendum; (i) made for payments of principal and interest on bonds issued under Section 15 of the Local Government Debt Reform Act; (j) made for a qualified airport authority to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds issued for the purpose of paying obligations due under, or financing airport facilities required to be acquired, constructed, installed or equipped pursuant to, contracts entered into before March 1, 1996 (but not including any amendments to such a contract taking effect on or after that date); (k) made to fund expenses of providing joint recreational programs for the handicapped under Section 5-8 of the Park District Code or Section 11-95-14 of the Illinois Municipal Code; and (l) made for contributions to a firefighter's pension fund created under Article 4 of the Illinois Pension Code, to the extent of the amount certified under item (5) of Section 4-134 of the Illinois Pension Code; and (n) for the 2016 and 2017 levy years, made for public safety purposes.

"Aggregate extension", for all taxing districts to which this Law did not apply before the 2016 levy year (other than taxing districts having a majority of their 2015 equalized assessed value within Cook County) for levy years 2016 and 2017, and for taxing districts having a majority of their 2015 equalized assessed value within Cook County for levy years 2017 and 2018, means the annual corporate extension for the taxing district and those special purpose extensions that are made annually for the taxing district, excluding special purpose extensions: (a) made for the taxing district to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds that were approved by referendum; (b) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds issued before March 1, 2016; (c) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on bonds issued to refund or continue to refund those bonds issued before March 1, 2016; (d) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on bonds issued to refund or continue to refund bonds issued after February 28, 2016 that were approved by referendum; (e) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on revenue bonds issued before March 1, 2016 for payment of which a property tax levy or the full faith and credit of the unit of local government is pledged; however, a tax for the payment of interest or principal on those bonds shall be made only after the governing body of the unit of local government finds that all other sources for payment are insufficient to make those payments; (f) made for payments under a building commission lease when the lease payments are for the retirement of bonds issued by the commission before March 1, 2016 to pay for the building project; (g) made for payments due under installment contracts entered into before March 1, 2016; (h) made for payments of principal and interest on limited bonds, as defined in Section 3 of the Local Government Debt Reform Act, in an amount not to exceed the debt service extension base less the amount in items (b), (c), and (e) of this definition for non-referendum obligations, except obligations initially issued pursuant to referendum; (i) made for payments of principal and interest on bonds issued under Section 15 of the Local Government Debt Reform Act; (j) made to fund expenses of providing joint recreational programs for the handicapped under Section 5-8 of the Park District Code or Section 11-95-14 of the Illinois Municipal Code; (k) made for temporary relocation loan repayment purposes pursuant to Sections 2-3.77 and 17-2.2d of the School Code; (l) made for payment of principal and interest on any bonds issued under the authority of Section 17-2.2d of the School Code; (m) made for contributions to a firefighter's pension fund created under Article 4 of the Illinois Pension Code, to the extent of the amount certified under item (5) of Section 4-134 of the Illinois Pension Code; and (n) made for public safety purposes.

"Made for public safety purposes", includes, but is not limited to, special purpose extensions made under any of the following Sections: Section 3-125 or 4-118 of the Illinois Pension Code; Section 11-1-3, 11-1-5.1, 11-7-1, or 11-7-3 of the Illinois Municipal Code; Section 30-160, 30-165, 200-10, or 200-12 of the Township Code; Section 13, 14, 22, 23, or 24 of the Fire Protection District Act; Section 5-9 of the Park District Code; or Section 11 of the Rescue Squad Districts Act.

"Debt service extension base" means an amount equal to that portion of the extension for a taxing district for the 1994 levy year, or for those taxing districts subject to this Law in accordance with Section 18-213, except for those subject to paragraph (2) of subsection (e) of Section 18-213, for the levy year in which the referendum making this Law applicable to the taxing district is held, or for those taxing districts subject to this Law in accordance with paragraph (2) of subsection (e) of Section 18-213 for the 1996 levy year, or for those taxing districts that become subject to this Law as a result of this amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly for the levy year in which the taxing district first becomes subject to this Law, constituting an extension for payment of principal and interest on bonds issued by the taxing district without referendum, but not including excluded non-referendum bonds. For park districts (i) that were first subject to this Law in 1991 or 1995 and (ii) whose extension for the 1994 levy year for the payment of principal and interest on bonds issued by the park district without referendum (but not including excluded non-referendum bonds) was less than 51% of the amount for the 1991 levy year constituting an extension for payment of principal and interest on bonds issued by the park district without referendum (but not including excluded non-referendum bonds), "debt service extension base" means an amount equal to that portion of the extension for the 1991 levy year constituting an extension for payment of principal and interest on bonds issued by the park district without referendum (but not including excluded non-referendum bonds). A debt service extension base established or increased at any time pursuant to any provision of this Law, except Section 18-212, shall be increased each year commencing with the later of (i) the 2009 levy year or (ii) the first levy year in which this Law becomes applicable to the taxing district, by the lesser of 5% or the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index during the 12-month calendar year preceding the levy year. The debt service extension base may be established or increased as provided under Section 18-212. "Excluded non-referendum bonds" means (i) bonds authorized by Public Act 88-503 and issued under Section 20a of the Chicago Park District Act for aquarium and museum projects; (ii) bonds issued under Section 15 of the Local Government Debt Reform Act; or (iii) refunding obligations issued to refund or to continue to refund obligations initially issued pursuant to referendum.

"Special purpose extensions" include, but are not limited to, extensions for levies made on an annual basis for unemployment and workers' compensation, self-insurance, contributions to pension plans, and extensions made pursuant to Section 6-601 of the Illinois Highway Code for a road district's permanent road fund whether levied annually or not. The extension for a special service area is not included in the aggregate extension.

"Aggregate extension base" means the taxing district's last preceding aggregate extension as adjusted under Sections 18-135, 18-215, and 18-230. An adjustment under Section 18-135 shall be made for the 2007 levy year and all subsequent levy years whenever one or more counties within which a taxing district is located (i) used estimated valuations or rates when extending taxes in the taxing district for the last preceding levy year that resulted in the over or under extension of taxes, or (ii) increased or decreased the tax extension for the last preceding levy year as required by Section 18-135(c). Whenever an adjustment is required under Section 18-135, the aggregate extension base of the taxing district shall be equal to the amount that the aggregate extension of the taxing district would have been for the last preceding levy year if either or both (i) actual, rather than estimated, valuations or rates had been used to calculate the extension of taxes for the last levy year, or (ii) the tax extension for the last preceding levy year had not been adjusted as required by subsection (c) of Section 18-135.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for levy year 2012, the aggregate extension base for West Northfield School District No. 31 in Cook County shall be $12,654,592.

"Levy year" has the same meaning as "year" under Section 1-155.

"New property" means (i) the assessed value, after final board of review or board of appeals action, of new improvements or additions to existing improvements on any parcel of real property that increase the assessed value of that real property during the levy year multiplied by the equalization factor issued by the Department under Section 17-30, (ii) the assessed value, after final board of review or board of appeals action, of real property not exempt from real estate taxation, which real property was exempt from real estate taxation for any portion of the immediately preceding levy year, multiplied by the equalization factor issued by the Department under Section 17-30, including the assessed value, upon final stabilization of occupancy after new construction is complete, of any real property located within the boundaries of an otherwise or previously exempt military reservation that is intended for residential use and owned by or leased to a private corporation or other entity, (iii) in counties that classify in accordance with Section 4 of Article IX of the Illinois Constitution, an incentive property's additional assessed value resulting from a scheduled increase in the level of assessment as applied to the first year final board of review market value, and (iv) any increase in assessed value due to oil or gas production from an oil or gas well required to be permitted under the Hydraulic Fracturing Regulatory Act that was not produced in or accounted for during the previous levy year. In addition, the county clerk in a county containing a population of 3,000,000 or more shall include in the 1997 recovered tax increment value for any school district, any recovered tax increment value that was applicable to the 1995 tax year calculations.

"Qualified airport authority" means an airport authority organized under the Airport Authorities Act and located in a county bordering on the State of Wisconsin and having a population in excess of 200,000 and not greater than 500,000.

"Recovered tax increment value" means, except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, the amount of the current year's equalized assessed value, in the first year after a municipality terminates the designation of an area as a redevelopment project area previously established under the Tax Increment Allocation Development Act in the Illinois Municipal Code, previously established under the Industrial Jobs Recovery Law in the Illinois Municipal Code, previously established under the Economic Development Project Area Tax Increment Act of 1995, or previously established under the Economic Development Area Tax Increment Allocation Act, of each taxable lot, block, tract, or parcel of real property in the redevelopment project area over and above the initial equalized assessed value of each property in the redevelopment project area. For the taxes which are extended for the 1997 levy year, the recovered tax increment value for a non-home rule taxing district that first became subject to this Law for the 1995 levy year because a majority of its 1994 equalized assessed value was in an affected county or counties shall be increased if a municipality terminated the designation of an area in 1993 as a redevelopment project area previously established under the Tax Increment Allocation Development Act in the Illinois Municipal Code, previously established under the Industrial Jobs Recovery Law in the Illinois Municipal Code, or previously established under the Economic Development Area Tax Increment Allocation Act, by an amount equal to the 1994 equalized assessed value of each taxable lot, block, tract, or parcel of real property in the redevelopment project area over and above the initial equalized assessed value of each property in the redevelopment project area. In the first year after a municipality removes a taxable lot, block, tract, or parcel of real property from a redevelopment project area established under the Tax Increment Allocation Development Act in the Illinois Municipal Code, the Industrial Jobs Recovery Law in the Illinois Municipal Code, or the Economic Development Area Tax Increment Allocation Act, "recovered tax increment value" means the amount of the current year's equalized assessed value of each taxable lot, block, tract, or parcel of real property removed from the redevelopment project area over and above the initial equalized assessed value of that real property before removal from the redevelopment project area.

Except as otherwise provided in this Section, "limiting rate" means a fraction the numerator of which is the last preceding aggregate extension base times an amount equal to one plus the extension limitation defined in this Section and the denominator of which is the current year's equalized assessed value of all real property in the territory under the jurisdiction of the taxing district during the prior levy year. For those taxing districts that reduced their aggregate extension for the last preceding levy year, the highest aggregate extension in any of the last 3 preceding levy years shall be used for the purpose of computing the limiting rate. The denominator shall not include new property or the recovered tax increment value. If a new rate, a rate decrease, or a limiting rate increase has been approved at an election held after March 21, 2006, then (i) the otherwise applicable limiting rate shall be increased by the amount of the new rate or shall be reduced by the amount of the rate decrease, as the case may be, or (ii) in the case of a limiting rate increase, the limiting rate shall be equal to the rate set forth in the proposition approved by the voters for each of the years specified in the proposition, after which the limiting rate of the taxing district shall be calculated as otherwise provided. In the case of a taxing district that obtained referendum approval for an increased limiting rate on March 20, 2012, the limiting rate for tax year 2012 shall be the rate that generates the approximate total amount of taxes extendable for that tax year, as set forth in the proposition approved by the voters; this rate shall be the final rate applied by the county clerk for the aggregate of all capped funds of the district for tax year 2012.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for taxing districts that were subject to this Law during the 2015 levy year, for the 2016 and 2017 levy years, the county clerk shall calculate a separate limiting rate for the aggregate of all special purpose extensions made by the taxing district for public safety purposes, recognizing an extension limitation of (a) the lesser of 5% or the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index during the 12-month calendar year preceding the levy year or (b) the rate of increase approved by voters under Section 18-205.

(Source: P.A. 97-611, eff. 1-1-12; 97-1154, eff. 1-25-13; 98-6, eff. 3-29-13; 98-23, eff. 6-17-13.)

(35 ILCS 200/18-205)

Sec. 18-205. Referendum to increase the extension limitation.

(a) A taxing district is limited to an extension limitation as defined in Section 18-185 of 5% or the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index during the 12-month calendar year preceding the levy year, whichever is less. A taxing district may increase its extension limitation for one or more levy years if that taxing district holds a referendum before the levy date for the first levy year at which a majority of voters voting on the issue approves adoption of a higher extension limitation. Referenda shall be conducted at a regularly scheduled election in accordance with the Election Code.

(b) The question shall be presented in substantially the following manner for all elections held after March 21, 2006:

Shall the extension limitation under the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law for (insert the legal name, number, if any, and county or counties of the taxing district and geographic or other common name by which a school or community college district is known and referred to), Illinois, be increased from (applicable extension limitation set forth in Section 18-185) the lesser of 5% or the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index over the prior levy year to (insert the percentage of the proposed increase)% per year for (insert each levy year for which the increased extension limitation will apply)?

(c) The votes must be recorded as "Yes" or "No".

If a majority of voters voting on the issue approves the adoption of the increase, the increase shall be applicable for each levy year specified.

The ballot for any question submitted pursuant to this Section shall have printed thereon, but not as a part of the question submitted, only the following supplemental information (which shall be supplied to the election authority by the taxing district) in substantially the following form:

(1) For the (insert the first levy year for which the increased extension limitation will be applicable) levy year the approximate amount of the additional tax extendable against property containing a single family residence and having a fair market value at the time of the referendum of $100,000 is estimated to be $....

(2) Based upon an average annual percentage increase (or decrease) in the market value of such property of ...% (insert percentage equal to the average annual percentage increase or decrease for the prior 3 levy years, at the time the submission of the question is initiated by the taxing district, in the amount of (A) the equalized assessed value of the taxable property in the taxing district less (B) the new property included in the equalized assessed value), the approximate amount of the additional tax extendable against such property for the ... levy year is estimated to be $... and for the ... levy year is estimated to be $....

Paragraph (2) shall be included only if the increased extension limitation will be applicable for more than one year and shall list each levy year for which the increased extension limitation will be applicable. The additional tax shown for each levy year shall be the approximate dollar amount of the increase over the amount of the most recently completed extension at the time the submission of the question is initiated by the taxing district. The approximate amount of the additional tax extendable shown in paragraphs (1) and (2) shall be calculated by multiplying $100,000 (the fair market value of the property without regard to any property tax exemptions) by (i) the percentage level of assessment prescribed for that property by statute, or by ordinance of the county board in counties that classify property for purposes of taxation in accordance with Section 4 of Article IX of the Illinois Constitution; (ii) the most recent final equalization factor certified to the county clerk by the Department of Revenue at the time the taxing district initiates the submission of the proposition to the electors; (iii) the last known aggregate extension base of the taxing district at the time the submission of the question is initiated by the taxing district; and (iv) the difference between the percentage increase proposed in the question and the otherwise applicable extension limitation under Section 18-185 lesser of 5% or the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for the prior levy year (or an estimate of the percentage increase for the prior levy year if the increase is unavailable at the time the submission of the question is initiated by the taxing district); and dividing the result by the last known equalized assessed value of the taxing district at the time the submission of the question is initiated by the taxing district. This amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly is intended to clarify the existing requirements of this Section, and shall not be construed to validate any prior non-compliant referendum language. Any notice required to be published in connection with the submission of the question shall also contain this supplemental information and shall not contain any other supplemental information. Any error, miscalculation, or inaccuracy in computing any amount set forth on the ballot or in the notice that is not deliberate shall not invalidate or affect the validity of any proposition approved. Notice of the referendum shall be published and posted as otherwise required by law, and the submission of the question shall be initiated as provided by law.

(Source: P.A. 97-1087, eff. 8-24-12.)

(35 ILCS 200/18-213)

Sec. 18-213. Referenda on applicability of the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law.

(a) The provisions of this Section do not apply to a taxing district subject to this Law because a majority of its 1990 equalized assessed value is in a county or counties contiguous to a county of 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, or because a majority of its 1994 equalized assessed value is in an affected county and the taxing district was not subject to this Law before the 1995 levy year.

(b) The county board of a county that is not subject to this Law may, by ordinance or resolution, submit to the voters of the county the question of whether to make all non-home rule taxing districts that have all or a portion of their equalized assessed valuation situated in the county subject to this Law in the manner set forth in this Section.

For purposes of this Section only:

"Taxing district" has the same meaning provided in Section 1-150.

"Equalized assessed valuation" means the equalized assessed valuation for a taxing district for the immediately preceding levy year.

(c) The ordinance or resolution shall request the submission of the proposition at any election, except a consolidated primary election, for the purpose of voting for or against making the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law applicable to all non-home rule taxing districts that have all or a portion of their equalized assessed valuation situated in the county.

The question shall be placed on a separate ballot and shall be in substantially the following form:

Shall the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (35 ILCS 200/18-185 through 18-245), which limits annual property tax extension increases, apply to non-home rule taxing districts with all or a portion of their equalized assessed valuation located in (name of county)?

Votes on the question shall be recorded as "yes" or "no".

(d) The county clerk shall order the proposition submitted to the electors of the county at the election specified in the ordinance or resolution. If part of the county is under the jurisdiction of a board or boards of election commissioners, the county clerk shall submit a certified copy of the ordinance or resolution to each board of election commissioners, which shall order the proposition submitted to the electors of the taxing district within its jurisdiction at the election specified in the ordinance or resolution.

(e) (1) With respect to taxing districts having all of their equalized assessed valuation located in the county, if a majority of the votes cast on the proposition are in favor of the proposition, then this Law becomes applicable to the taxing district beginning on January 1 of the year following the date of the referendum.

(2) With respect to taxing districts that meet all the following conditions this Law shall become applicable to the taxing district beginning on January 1, 1997. The districts to which this paragraph (2) is applicable

(A) do not have all of their equalized assessed valuation located in a single county,

(B) have equalized assessed valuation in an affected county,

(C) meet the condition that each county, other than an affected county, in which any of the equalized assessed valuation of the taxing district is located has held a referendum under this Section at any election, except a consolidated primary election, held prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997, and

(D) have a majority of the district's equalized assessed valuation located in one or more counties in each of which the voters have approved a referendum under this Section prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997. For purposes of this Section, in determining whether a majority of the equalized assessed valuation of the taxing district is located in one or more counties in which the voters have approved a referendum under this Section, the equalized assessed valuation of the taxing district in any affected county shall be included with the equalized assessed value of the taxing district in counties in which the voters have approved the referendum.

(3) With respect to taxing districts that do not have all of their equalized assessed valuation located in a single county and to which paragraph (2) of subsection (e) is not applicable, if each county other than an affected county in which any of the equalized assessed valuation of the taxing district is located has held a referendum under this Section at any election, except a consolidated primary election, held in any year and if a majority of the equalized assessed valuation of the taxing district is located in one or more counties that have each approved a referendum under this Section, then this Law shall become applicable to the taxing district on January 1 of the year following the year in which the last referendum in a county in which the taxing district has any equalized assessed valuation is held. For the purposes of this Law, the last referendum shall be deemed to be the referendum making this Law applicable to the taxing district. For purposes of this Section, in determining whether a majority of the equalized assessed valuation of the taxing district is located in one or more counties that have approved a referendum under this Section, the equalized assessed valuation of the taxing district in any affected county shall be included with the equalized assessed value of the taxing district in counties that have approved the referendum.

(f) Immediately after a referendum is held under this Section, the county clerk of the county holding the referendum shall give notice of the referendum having been held and its results to all taxing districts that have all or a portion of their equalized assessed valuation located in the county, the county clerk of any other county in which any of the equalized assessed valuation of any taxing district is located, and the Department of Revenue. After the last referendum affecting a multi-county taxing district is held, the Department of Revenue shall determine whether the taxing district is subject to this Law and, if so, shall notify the taxing district and the county clerks of all of the counties in which a portion of the equalized assessed valuation of the taxing district is located that, beginning the following January 1, the taxing district is subject to this Law. For each taxing district subject to paragraph (2) of subsection (e) of this Section, the Department of Revenue shall notify the taxing district and the county clerks of all of the counties in which a portion of the equalized assessed valuation of the taxing district is located that, beginning January 1, 1997, the taxing district is subject to this Law.

(g) Referenda held under this Section shall be conducted in accordance with the Election Code.

(h) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no referenda may be held under this Section with respect to levy years 2016 and 2017.

(Source: P.A. 89-510, eff. 7-11-96; 89-718, eff. 3-7-97.)

(35 ILCS 200/18-214)

Sec. 18-214. Referenda on removal of the applicability of the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law to non-home rule taxing districts.

(a) The provisions of this Section do not apply to a taxing district that is subject to this Law because a majority of its 1990 equalized assessed value is in a county or counties contiguous to a county of 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, or because a majority of its 1994 equalized assessed value is in an affected county and the taxing district was not subject to this Law before the 1995 levy year.

(b) For purposes of this Section only:

"Taxing district" means any non-home rule taxing district that became subject to this Law under Section 18-213 of this Law.

"Equalized assessed valuation" means the equalized assessed valuation for a taxing district for the immediately preceding levy year.

(c) The county board of a county that became subject to this Law by a referendum approved by the voters of the county under Section 18-213 may, by ordinance or resolution, in the manner set forth in this Section, submit to the voters of the county the question of whether this Law applies to all non-home rule taxing districts that have all or a portion of their equalized assessed valuation situated in the county in the manner set forth in this Section.

(d) The ordinance or resolution shall request the submission of the proposition at any election, except a consolidated primary election, for the purpose of voting for or against the continued application of the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law to all non-home rule taxing districts that have all or a portion of their equalized assessed valuation situated in the county.

The question shall be placed on a separate ballot and shall be in substantially the following form:

Shall the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (35 ILCS 200/18-185 through 35 ILCS 200/18-245), which limits annual property tax extension increases, apply to non-home rule taxing districts with all or a portion of their equalized assessed valuation located in (name of county)?

Votes on the question shall be recorded as "yes" or "no".

(e) The county clerk shall order the proposition submitted to the electors of the county at the election specified in the ordinance or resolution. If part of the county is under the jurisdiction of a board or boards of election commissioners, the county clerk shall submit a certified copy of the ordinance or resolution to each board of election commissioners, which shall order the proposition submitted to the electors of the taxing district within its jurisdiction at the election specified in the ordinance or resolution.

(f) With respect to taxing districts having all of their equalized assessed valuation located in one county, if a majority of the votes cast on the proposition are against the proposition, then this Law shall not apply to the taxing district beginning on January 1 of the year following the date of the referendum.

(g) With respect to taxing districts that do not have all of their equalized assessed valuation located in a single county, if both of the following conditions are met, then this Law shall no longer apply to the taxing district beginning on January 1 of the year following the date of the referendum.

(1) Each county in which the district has any equalized assessed valuation must either, (i) have held a referendum under this Section, (ii) be an affected county, or (iii) have held a referendum under Section 18-213 at which the voters rejected the proposition at the most recent election at which the question was on the ballot in the county.

(2) The majority of the equalized assessed valuation of the taxing district, other than any equalized assessed valuation in an affected county, is in one or more counties in which the voters rejected the proposition. For purposes of this Section, in determining whether a majority of the equalized assessed valuation of the taxing district is located in one or more counties in which the voters have rejected the proposition under this Section, the equalized assessed valuation of any taxing district in a county which has held a referendum under Section 18-213 at which the voters rejected that proposition, at the most recent election at which the question was on the ballot in the county, will be included with the equalized assessed value of the taxing district in counties in which the voters have rejected the referendum held under this Section.

(h) Immediately after a referendum is held under this Section, the county clerk of the county holding the referendum shall give notice of the referendum having been held and its results to all taxing districts that have all or a portion of their equalized assessed valuation located in the county, the county clerk of any other county in which any of the equalized assessed valuation of any such taxing district is located, and the Department of Revenue. After the last referendum affecting a multi-county taxing district is held, the Department of Revenue shall determine whether the taxing district is no longer subject to this Law and, if the taxing district is no longer subject to this Law, the Department of Revenue shall notify the taxing district and the county clerks of all of the counties in which a portion of the equalized assessed valuation of the taxing district is located that, beginning on January 1 of the year following the date of the last referendum, the taxing district is no longer subject to this Law.

(i) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no referenda may be held under this Section with respect to levy years 2016 and 2017.

(Source: P.A. 89-718, eff. 3-7-97.)

(35 ILCS 200/18-242 new)

Sec. 18-242. Home rule. This Division 5 is a limitation, under subsection (g) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution, on the power of home rule units to tax.

Section 10. The Illinois Pension Code is amended by adding Section 16-158.5 and by changing Sections 17-127 and 17-129 as follows:

(40 ILCS 5/16-158.5 new)

Sec. 16-158.5. Obligations of State; funding guarantee.

(a) Beginning July 1, 2015, the State shall be obligated to contribute to the System in each State fiscal year an amount not less than the sum of (i) the State's normal cost for the year and (ii) the portion of the unfunded accrued liability assigned to that year by law. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if the State fails to pay an amount required under this subsection, it shall be the obligation of the Board to seek payment of the required amount in compliance with the provisions of this Section and, if the amount remains unpaid, to bring a mandamus action in the Supreme Court of Illinois to compel the State to make the required payment.

If the System submits a voucher for contributions required under Section 16-158 and the State fails to pay that voucher within 90 days of its receipt, the Board shall submit a written request to the Comptroller seeking payment. A copy of the request shall be filed with the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of State shall provide a copy to the Governor and General Assembly. No earlier than the 16th day after the System files the request with the Comptroller and Secretary of State, if the amount remains unpaid the Board shall commence a mandamus action in the Supreme Court of Illinois to compel the Comptroller to satisfy the voucher.

This subsection (a) constitutes an express waiver of the State's sovereign immunity solely to the extent that it permits the Board to commence a mandamus action in the Supreme Court of Illinois to compel the Comptroller to pay a voucher for the contributions required under Section 16-158.

(b) Any payments and transfers required to be made by the State pursuant to subsection (a) are expressly subordinate to the payment of the principal, interest, and premium, if any, on any bonded debt obligation of the State or any other State-created entity, either currently outstanding or to be issued, for which the source of repayment or security thereon is derived directly or indirectly from tax revenues collected by the State or any other State-created entity. Payments on such bonded obligations include any statutory fund transfers or other prefunding mechanisms or formulas set forth, now or hereafter, in State law or bond indentures, into debt service funds or accounts of the State related to such bond obligations, consistent with the payment schedules associated with such obligations.

(40 ILCS 5/17-127) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 17-127)

Sec. 17-127. Financing; revenues for the Fund.

(a) The revenues for the Fund shall consist of: (1) amounts paid into the Fund by contributors thereto and from employer contributions and State appropriations in accordance with this Article; (2) amounts contributed to the Fund by an Employer; (3) amounts contributed to the Fund pursuant to any law now in force or hereafter to be enacted; (4) contributions from any other source; and (5) the earnings on investments.

(b) The General Assembly finds that for many years the State has contributed to the Fund an annual amount that is between 20% and 30% of the amount of the annual State contribution to the Article 16 retirement system, and the General Assembly declares that it is its goal and intention to continue this level of contribution to the Fund in the future.

(c) Beginning in State fiscal year 1999, the State shall include in its annual contribution to the Fund an additional amount equal to 0.544% of the Fund's total teacher payroll; except that this additional contribution need not be made in a fiscal year if the Board has certified in the previous fiscal year that the Fund is at least 90% funded, based on actuarial determinations. These additional State contributions are intended to offset a portion of the cost to the Fund of the increases in retirement benefits resulting from this amendatory Act of 1998.

(d) In addition to any other contribution required under this Article, including the contribution required under subsection (c), the State shall contribute to the Fund the following amounts:

(1) For State fiscal year 2016, the State shall contribute $197,000,000.

(2) Beginning in State fiscal year 2017, the State shall contribute for each fiscal year an amount to be determined by the Fund, equal to the employer normal cost for that fiscal year, plus the amount allowed pursuant to paragraph (3) of Section 17-142.1, to defray health insurance costs.

(e) The Board shall determine the amount of State contributions required for each fiscal year on the basis of the actuarial tables and other assumptions adopted by the Board and the recommendations of the actuary. On or before November 1 of each year, beginning November 1, 2015, the Board shall submit to the State Actuary, the Governor, and the General Assembly a proposed certification of the amount of the required State contribution to the Fund for the next fiscal year, along with all of the actuarial assumptions, calculations, and data upon which that proposed certification is based.

On or before January 1 of each year, beginning January 1, 2016, the State Actuary shall issue a preliminary report concerning the proposed certification and identifying, if necessary, recommended changes in actuarial assumptions that the Board must consider before finalizing its certification of the required State contributions.

(f) On or before January 15, 2016 and each January 15 thereafter, the Board shall certify to the Governor and the General Assembly the amount of the required State contribution for the next fiscal year. The certification shall include a copy of the actuarial recommendations upon which it is based and shall specifically identify the Fund's projected employer normal cost for that fiscal year. The Board's certification must note any deviations from the State Actuary's recommended changes, the reason or reasons for not following the State Actuary's recommended changes, and the fiscal impact of not following the State Actuary's recommended changes on the required State contribution.

For the purposes of this Article, including issuing vouchers, and for the purposes of subsection (h) of Section 1.1 of the State Pension Funds Continuing Appropriation Act, the State contribution specified for State fiscal year 2016 shall be deemed to have been certified, by operation of law and without official action by the Board or the State Actuary, in the amount provided in subsection (d) of this Section.

(g) Beginning in State fiscal year 2016, on the 15th day of each month, or as soon thereafter as may be practicable, the Board shall submit vouchers for payment of State contributions to the Fund, in a total monthly amount of one-twelfth of the required annual State contribution under subsection (d). These vouchers shall be paid by the State Comptroller and Treasurer by warrants drawn on the funds appropriated to the Fund for that fiscal year. If in any month the amount remaining unexpended from all other State appropriations to the Fund for the applicable fiscal year is less than the amount lawfully vouchered under this subsection, the difference shall be paid from the Common School Fund under the continuing appropriation authority provided in Section 1.1 of the State Pension Funds Continuing Appropriation Act.

(Source: P.A. 90-548, eff. 12-4-97; 90-566, eff. 1-2-98; 90-582, eff. 5-27-98; 90-655, eff. 7-30-98.)

(40 ILCS 5/17-129) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 17-129)

Sec. 17-129. Employer contributions; deficiency in Fund.

(a) If in any fiscal year of the Board of Education ending prior to 1997 the total amounts paid to the Fund from the Board of Education (other than under this subsection, and other than amounts used for making or "picking up" contributions on behalf of teachers) and from the State do not equal the total contributions made by or on behalf of the teachers for such year, or if the total income of the Fund in any such fiscal year of the Board of Education from all sources is less than the total such expenditures by the Fund for such year, the Board of Education shall, in the next succeeding year, in addition to any other payment to the Fund set apart and appropriate from moneys from its tax levy for educational purposes, a sum sufficient to remove such deficiency or deficiencies, and promptly pay such sum into the Fund in order to restore any of the reserves of the Fund that may have been so temporarily applied. Any amounts received by the Fund after December 4, 1997 from State appropriations, including under Section 17-127, shall be a credit against and shall fully satisfy any obligation that may have arisen, or be claimed to have arisen, under this subsection (a) as a result of any deficiency or deficiencies in the fiscal year of the Board of Education ending in calendar year 1997.

(b) (i) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section, and notwithstanding any prior certification by the Board under subsection (c) for fiscal year 2011, the Board of Education's total required contribution to the Fund for fiscal year 2011 under this Section is $187,000,000.

(ii) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section, the Board of Education's total required contribution to the Fund for fiscal year 2012 under this Section is $192,000,000.

(iii) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section, the Board of Education's total required contribution to the Fund for fiscal year 2013 under this Section is $196,000,000.

(iv) For fiscal years 2014 and 2015 through 2059, the minimum contribution to the Fund to be made by the Board of Education in each fiscal year shall be an amount determined by the Fund to be sufficient to bring the total assets of the Fund up to 90% of the total actuarial liabilities of the Fund by the end of fiscal year 2059. In making these determinations, the required Board of Education contribution shall be calculated each year as a level percentage of the applicable employee payrolls over the years remaining to and including fiscal year 2059 and shall be determined under the projected unit credit actuarial cost method.

(v) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section, the Board of Education's total required contribution to the Fund for fiscal year 2016 under this Section is $207,000,000. Notwithstanding item (x) of this subsection, the Board of Education's total required contribution under this item (v) shall not be reduced by the amount of any State contribution to the Fund.

(vi) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section, the Board of Education's total required contribution to the Fund for fiscal year 2017 under this Section is $211,000,000. Notwithstanding item (x) of this subsection, the Board of Education's total required contribution under this item (vi) shall not be reduced by the amount of any State contribution to the Fund.

(vii) For fiscal years 2018 through 2063, the minimum contribution to the Fund to be made by the Board of Education in each fiscal year shall be an amount determined by the Fund to be sufficient to bring the total assets of the Fund up to 90% of the total actuarial liabilities of the Fund by the end of fiscal year 2063. In making this determination, the required Board of Education contribution shall be calculated each year as a level percentage of the applicable employee payrolls over the years remaining to and including fiscal year 2063 and shall be determined under the projected unit credit actuarial cost method.

(viii) (v) Beginning in fiscal year 2064 2060, the minimum Board of Education contribution for each fiscal year shall be the amount needed to maintain the total assets of the Fund at 90% of the total actuarial liabilities of the Fund.

(ix) (vi) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection (b), for any fiscal year, the contribution to the Fund from the Board of Education shall not be required to be in excess of the amount calculated as needed to maintain the assets (or cause the assets to be) at the 90% level by the end of the fiscal year.

(x) (vii) Any contribution by the State to or for the benefit of the Fund, including, without limitation, as referred to under Section 17-127, together with the proceeds of the tax levied by the Board of Education under the changes made to Section 34-53 of the School Code by this amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly, shall be a credit against any contribution required to be made by the Board of Education under this subsection (b), except for the contributions required to be made by the Board of Education under items (v) and (vi).

(c) The Board shall determine the amount of Board of Education contributions required for each fiscal year on the basis of the actuarial tables and other assumptions adopted by the Board and the recommendations of the actuary, in order to meet the minimum contribution requirements of subsections (a) and (b). Annually, on or before February 28, the Board shall certify to the Board of Education the amount of the required Board of Education contribution for the coming fiscal year. The certification shall include a copy of the actuarial recommendations upon which it is based.

(Source: P.A. 96-889, eff. 4-14-10.)

Section 15. The State Pension Funds Continuing Appropriation Act is amended by changing Section 1.1 as follows:

(40 ILCS 15/1.1)

Sec. 1.1. Appropriations to certain retirement systems.

(a) There is hereby appropriated from the General Revenue Fund to the General Assembly Retirement System, on a continuing monthly basis, the amount, if any, by which the total available amount of all other appropriations to that retirement system for the payment of State contributions is less than the total amount of the vouchers for required State contributions lawfully submitted by the retirement system for that month under Section 2-134 of the Illinois Pension Code.

(b) There is hereby appropriated from the General Revenue Fund to the State Universities Retirement System, on a continuing monthly basis, the amount, if any, by which the total available amount of all other appropriations to that retirement system for the payment of State contributions, including any deficiency in the required contributions of the optional retirement program established under Section 15-158.2 of the Illinois Pension Code, is less than the total amount of the vouchers for required State contributions lawfully submitted by the retirement system for that month under Section 15-165 of the Illinois Pension Code.

(c) There is hereby appropriated from the Common School Fund to the Teachers' Retirement System of the State of Illinois, on a continuing monthly basis, the amount, if any, by which the total available amount of all other appropriations to that retirement system for the payment of State contributions is less than the total amount of the vouchers for required State contributions lawfully submitted by the retirement system for that month under Section 16-158 of the Illinois Pension Code.

(d) There is hereby appropriated from the General Revenue Fund to the Judges Retirement System of Illinois, on a continuing monthly basis, the amount, if any, by which the total available amount of all other appropriations to that retirement system for the payment of State contributions is less than the total amount of the vouchers for required State contributions lawfully submitted by the retirement system for that month under Section 18-140 of the Illinois Pension Code.

(e) The continuing appropriations provided by subsections (a), (b), (c), and (d) of this Section shall first be available in State fiscal year 1996. The continuing appropriations provided by subsection (h) of this Section shall first be available as provided in that subsection (h).

(f) For State fiscal year 2010 only, the continuing appropriations provided by this Section are equal to the amount certified by each System on or before December 31, 2008, less (i) the gross proceeds of the bonds sold in fiscal year 2010 under the authorization contained in subsection (a) of Section 7.2 of the General Obligation Bond Act and (ii) any amounts received from the State Pensions Fund.

(g) For State fiscal year 2011 only, the continuing appropriations provided by this Section are equal to the amount certified by each System on or before April 1, 2011, less (i) the gross proceeds of the bonds sold in fiscal year 2011 under the authorization contained in subsection (a) of Section 7.2 of the General Obligation Bond Act and (ii) any amounts received from the State Pensions Fund.

(h) There is hereby appropriated from the Common School Fund to the Public School Teachers' Pension and Retirement Fund of Chicago, on a continuing monthly basis, the amount, if any, by which the total available amount of all other State appropriations to that Retirement Fund for the payment of State contributions under subsection (d) of Section 17-127 of the Illinois Pension Code is less than the total amount of the vouchers for required State contributions lawfully submitted by the Retirement Fund for that month under that Section 17-127.

(Source: P.A. 96-43, eff. 7-15-09; 96-1497, eff. 1-14-11; 96-1511, eff. 1-27-11.)

Section 20. The School Code is amended by adding Sections 1D-5 and 18-21 and by changing Sections 1C-1, 1C-2, 1C-4, 18-8.05, and 34-53 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/1C-1)

Sec. 1C-1. Purpose. The purpose of this Article is to permit greater flexibility and efficiency in the distribution and use of certain State funds available to local education agencies for the improvement of the quality of educational services pursuant to locally established priorities.

Through May 31, 2017, this This Article does not apply to school districts having a population in excess of 500,000 inhabitants.

(Source: P.A. 88-555, eff. 7-27-94; 89-15, eff. 5-30-95; 89-397, eff. 8-20-95; 89-626, eff. 8-9-96.)

(105 ILCS 5/1C-2)

Sec. 1C-2. Block grants.

(a) For fiscal year 1999, and each fiscal year thereafter through May 31, 2017, the State Board of Education shall award to school districts block grants as described in subsection (c). The State Board of Education may adopt rules and regulations necessary to implement this Section. In accordance with Section 2-3.32, all state block grants are subject to an audit. Therefore, block grant receipts and block grant expenditures shall be recorded to the appropriate fund code.

(b) (Blank).

(c) An Early Childhood Education Block Grant shall be created by combining the following programs: Preschool Education, Parental Training and Prevention Initiative. These funds shall be distributed to school districts and other entities on a competitive basis, except that the State Board of Education shall award to a school district having a population exceeding 500,000 inhabitants 37% of the funds in each fiscal year after May 31, 2017. Not less than 14% of this grant shall be used to fund programs for children ages 0-3, which percentage shall increase to at least 20% by Fiscal Year 2016. However, if, in a given fiscal year, the amount appropriated for the Early Childhood Education Block Grant is insufficient to increase the percentage of the grant to fund programs for children ages 0-3 without reducing the amount of the grant for existing providers of preschool education programs, then the percentage of the grant to fund programs for children ages 0-3 may be held steady instead of increased.

(Source: P.A. 98-645, eff. 7-1-14.)

(105 ILCS 5/1C-4)

Sec. 1C-4. Reports. The State Superintendent of Education, in cooperation with the school districts participating under this Article, shall, through May 31, 2017, annually report to the leadership of the General Assembly on the progress made in implementing this Article. By February 1, 1997, the State Board of Education shall submit to the Governor and General Assembly a comprehensive plan for Illinois school districts, including the school district that has been organized under Article 34 and is under the jurisdiction of the Chicago Board of Education, to establish and implement a block grant funding system for educational programs that are currently funded through single-program grants. Before submitting its plan to establish and implement a block grant funding system to the Governor and General Assembly as required by this Section, the State Board of Education shall give appropriate notice of and hold statewide public hearings on the subject of funding educational programs through block grants. The plan shall be designed to relieve school districts of the administrative burdens that impede efficiency and accompany single-program funding.

A school district that receives an Early Childhood Education Block Grant shall report to the State Board of Education on its use of the block grant in such form and detail as the State Board of Education may specify. In addition, the report must include the following description for the district, which must also be reported to the General Assembly: block grant allocation and expenditures by program; population and service levels by program; and administrative expenditures by program. The State Board of Education shall ensure that the reporting requirements for a district organized under Article 34 of this Code are the same as for all other school districts in this State.

(Source: P.A. 97-238, eff. 8-2-11.)

(105 ILCS 5/1D-5 new)

Sec. 1D-5. Repealer. This Article is repealed on June 1, 2017.

(105 ILCS 5/18-8.05)

Sec. 18-8.05. Basis for apportionment of general State financial aid and supplemental general State aid to the common schools for the 1998-1999 and subsequent school years.

(A) General Provisions.

(1) The provisions of this Section apply to the 1998-1999 and subsequent school years. The system of general State financial aid provided for in this Section is designed to assure that, through a combination of State financial aid and required local resources, the financial support provided each pupil in Average Daily Attendance equals or exceeds a prescribed per pupil Foundation Level. This formula approach imputes a level of per pupil Available Local Resources and provides for the basis to calculate a per pupil level of general State financial aid that, when added to Available Local Resources, equals or exceeds the Foundation Level. The amount of per pupil general State financial aid for school districts, in general, varies in inverse relation to Available Local Resources. Per pupil amounts are based upon each school district's Average Daily Attendance as that term is defined in this Section.

(2) In addition to general State financial aid, school districts with specified levels or concentrations of pupils from low income households are eligible to receive supplemental general State financial aid grants as provided pursuant to subsection (H). The supplemental State aid grants provided for school districts under subsection (H) shall be appropriated for distribution to school districts as part of the same line item in which the general State financial aid of school districts is appropriated under this Section.

(3) To receive financial assistance under this Section, school districts are required to file claims with the State Board of Education, subject to the following requirements:

(a) Any school district which fails for any given school year to maintain school as required by law, or to maintain a recognized school is not eligible to file for such school year any claim upon the Common School Fund. In case of nonrecognition of one or more attendance centers in a school district otherwise operating recognized schools, the claim of the district shall be reduced in the proportion which the Average Daily Attendance in the attendance center or centers bear to the Average Daily Attendance in the school district. A "recognized school" means any public school which meets the standards as established for recognition by the State Board of Education. A school district or attendance center not having recognition status at the end of a school term is entitled to receive State aid payments due upon a legal claim which was filed while it was recognized.

(b) School district claims filed under this Section are subject to Sections 18-9 and 18-12, except as otherwise provided in this Section.

(c) If a school district operates a full year school under Section 10-19.1, the general State aid to the school district shall be determined by the State Board of Education in accordance with this Section as near as may be applicable.

(d) (Blank).

(4) Except as provided in subsections (H) and (L), the board of any district receiving any of the grants provided for in this Section may apply those funds to any fund so received for which that board is authorized to make expenditures by law.

School districts are not required to exert a minimum Operating Tax Rate in order to qualify for assistance under this Section.

(5) As used in this Section the following terms, when capitalized, shall have the meaning ascribed herein:

(a) "Average Daily Attendance": A count of pupil attendance in school, averaged as provided for in subsection (C) and utilized in deriving per pupil financial support levels.

(b) "Available Local Resources": A computation of local financial support, calculated on the basis of Average Daily Attendance and derived as provided pursuant to subsection (D).

(c) "Corporate Personal Property Replacement Taxes": Funds paid to local school districts pursuant to "An Act in relation to the abolition of ad valorem personal property tax and the replacement of revenues lost thereby, and amending and repealing certain Acts and parts of Acts in connection therewith", certified August 14, 1979, as amended (Public Act 81-1st S.S.-1).

(d) "Foundation Level": A prescribed level of per pupil financial support as provided for in subsection (B).

(e) "Operating Tax Rate": All school district property taxes extended for all purposes, except Bond and Interest, Summer School, Rent, Capital Improvement, and Vocational Education Building purposes.

(B) Foundation Level.

(1) The Foundation Level is a figure established by the State representing the minimum level of per pupil financial support that should be available to provide for the basic education of each pupil in Average Daily Attendance. As set forth in this Section, each school district is assumed to exert a sufficient local taxing effort such that, in combination with the aggregate of general State financial aid provided the district, an aggregate of State and local resources are available to meet the basic education needs of pupils in the district.

(2) For the 1998-1999 school year, the Foundation Level of support is $4,225. For the 1999-2000 school year, the Foundation Level of support is $4,325. For the 2000-2001 school year, the Foundation Level of support is $4,425. For the 2001-2002 school year and 2002-2003 school year, the Foundation Level of support is $4,560. For the 2003-2004 school year, the Foundation Level of support is $4,810. For the 2004-2005 school year, the Foundation Level of support is $4,964. For the 2005-2006 school year, the Foundation Level of support is $5,164. For the 2006-2007 school year, the Foundation Level of support is $5,334. For the 2007-2008 school year, the Foundation Level of support is $5,734. For the 2008-2009 school year, the Foundation Level of support is $5,959.

(3) For the 2009-2010 school year and each school year thereafter, the Foundation Level of support is $6,119 or such greater amount as may be established by law by the General Assembly.

(C) Average Daily Attendance.

(1) For purposes of calculating general State aid pursuant to subsection (E), an Average Daily Attendance figure shall be utilized. The Average Daily Attendance figure for formula calculation purposes shall be the monthly average of the actual number of pupils in attendance of each school district, as further averaged for the best 3 months of pupil attendance for each school district. In compiling the figures for the number of pupils in attendance, school districts and the State Board of Education shall, for purposes of general State aid funding, conform attendance figures to the requirements of subsection (F).

(2) The Average Daily Attendance figures utilized in subsection (E) shall be the requisite attendance data for the school year immediately preceding the school year for which general State aid is being calculated or the average of the attendance data for the 3 preceding school years, whichever is greater. The Average Daily Attendance figures utilized in subsection (H) shall be the requisite attendance data for the school year immediately preceding the school year for which general State aid is being calculated.

(D) Available Local Resources.

(1) For purposes of calculating general State aid pursuant to subsection (E), a representation of Available Local Resources per pupil, as that term is defined and determined in this subsection, shall be utilized. Available Local Resources per pupil shall include a calculated dollar amount representing local school district revenues from local property taxes and from Corporate Personal Property Replacement Taxes, expressed on the basis of pupils in Average Daily Attendance. Calculation of Available Local Resources shall exclude any tax amnesty funds received as a result of Public Act 93-26.

(2) In determining a school district's revenue from local property taxes, the State Board of Education shall utilize the equalized assessed valuation of all taxable property of each school district as of September 30 of the previous year. The equalized assessed valuation utilized shall be obtained and determined as provided in subsection (G).

(3) For school districts maintaining grades kindergarten through 12, local property tax revenues per pupil shall be calculated as the product of the applicable equalized assessed valuation for the district multiplied by 3.00%, and divided by the district's Average Daily Attendance figure. For school districts maintaining grades kindergarten through 8, local property tax revenues per pupil shall be calculated as the product of the applicable equalized assessed valuation for the district multiplied by 2.30%, and divided by the district's Average Daily Attendance figure. For school districts maintaining grades 9 through 12, local property tax revenues per pupil shall be the applicable equalized assessed valuation of the district multiplied by 1.05%, and divided by the district's Average Daily Attendance figure.

For partial elementary unit districts created pursuant to Article 11E of this Code, local property tax revenues per pupil shall be calculated as the product of the equalized assessed valuation for property within the partial elementary unit district for elementary purposes, as defined in Article 11E of this Code, multiplied by 2.06% and divided by the district's Average Daily Attendance figure, plus the product of the equalized assessed valuation for property within the partial elementary unit district for high school purposes, as defined in Article 11E of this Code, multiplied by 0.94% and divided by the district's Average Daily Attendance figure.

(4) The Corporate Personal Property Replacement Taxes paid to each school district during the calendar year one year before the calendar year in which a school year begins, divided by the Average Daily Attendance figure for that district, shall be added to the local property tax revenues per pupil as derived by the application of the immediately preceding paragraph (3). The sum of these per pupil figures for each school district shall constitute Available Local Resources as that term is utilized in subsection (E) in the calculation of general State aid.

(E) Computation of General State Aid.

(1) For each school year, the amount of general State aid allotted to a school district shall be computed by the State Board of Education as provided in this subsection.

(2) For any school district for which Available Local Resources per pupil is less than the product of 0.93 times the Foundation Level, general State aid for that district shall be calculated as an amount equal to the Foundation Level minus Available Local Resources, multiplied by the Average Daily Attendance of the school district.

(3) For any school district for which Available Local Resources per pupil is equal to or greater than the product of 0.93 times the Foundation Level and less than the product of 1.75 times the Foundation Level, the general State aid per pupil shall be a decimal proportion of the Foundation Level derived using a linear algorithm. Under this linear algorithm, the calculated general State aid per pupil shall decline in direct linear fashion from 0.07 times the Foundation Level for a school district with Available Local Resources equal to the product of 0.93 times the Foundation Level, to 0.05 times the Foundation Level for a school district with Available Local Resources equal to the product of 1.75 times the Foundation Level. The allocation of general State aid for school districts subject to this paragraph 3 shall be the calculated general State aid per pupil figure multiplied by the Average Daily Attendance of the school district.

(4) For any school district for which Available Local Resources per pupil equals or exceeds the product of 1.75 times the Foundation Level, the general State aid for the school district shall be calculated as the product of $218 multiplied by the Average Daily Attendance of the school district.

(5) The amount of general State aid allocated to a school district for the 1999-2000 school year meeting the requirements set forth in paragraph (4) of subsection (G) shall be increased by an amount equal to the general State aid that would have been received by the district for the 1998-1999 school year by utilizing the Extension Limitation Equalized Assessed Valuation as calculated in paragraph (4) of subsection (G) less the general State aid allotted for the 1998-1999 school year. This amount shall be deemed a one time increase, and shall not affect any future general State aid allocations.

(F) Compilation of Average Daily Attendance.

(1) Each school district shall, by July 1 of each year, submit to the State Board of Education, on forms prescribed by the State Board of Education, attendance figures for the school year that began in the preceding calendar year. The attendance information so transmitted shall identify the average daily attendance figures for each month of the school year. Beginning with the general State aid claim form for the 2002-2003 school year, districts shall calculate Average Daily Attendance as provided in subdivisions (a), (b), and (c) of this paragraph (1).

(a) In districts that do not hold year-round classes, days of attendance in August shall be added to the month of September and any days of attendance in June shall be added to the month of May.

(b) In districts in which all buildings hold year-round classes, days of attendance in July and August shall be added to the month of September and any days of attendance in June shall be added to the month of May.

(c) In districts in which some buildings, but not all, hold year-round classes, for the non-year-round buildings, days of attendance in August shall be added to the month of September and any days of attendance in June shall be added to the month of May. The average daily attendance for the year-round buildings shall be computed as provided in subdivision (b) of this paragraph (1). To calculate the Average Daily Attendance for the district, the average daily attendance for the year-round buildings shall be multiplied by the days in session for the non-year-round buildings for each month and added to the monthly attendance of the non-year-round buildings.

Except as otherwise provided in this Section, days of attendance by pupils shall be counted only for sessions of not less than 5 clock hours of school work per day under direct supervision of: (i) teachers, or (ii) non-teaching personnel or volunteer personnel when engaging in non-teaching duties and supervising in those instances specified in subsection (a) of Section 10-22.34 and paragraph 10 of Section 34-18, with pupils of legal school age and in kindergarten and grades 1 through 12.

Days of attendance by tuition pupils shall be accredited only to the districts that pay the tuition to a recognized school.

(2) Days of attendance by pupils of less than 5 clock hours of school shall be subject to the following provisions in the compilation of Average Daily Attendance.

(a) Pupils regularly enrolled in a public school for only a part of the school day may be counted on the basis of 1/6 day for every class hour of instruction of 40 minutes or more attended pursuant to such enrollment, unless a pupil is enrolled in a block-schedule format of 80 minutes or more of instruction, in which case the pupil may be counted on the basis of the proportion of minutes of school work completed each day to the minimum number of minutes that school work is required to be held that day.

(b) (Blank).

(c) A session of 4 or more clock hours may be counted as a day of attendance upon certification by the regional superintendent, and approved by the State Superintendent of Education to the extent that the district has been forced to use daily multiple sessions.

(d) A session of 3 or more clock hours may be counted as a day of attendance (1) when the remainder of the school day or at least 2 hours in the evening of that day is utilized for an in-service training program for teachers, up to a maximum of 5 days per school year, provided a district conducts an in-service training program for teachers in accordance with Section 10-22.39 of this Code; or, in lieu of 4 such days, 2 full days may be used, in which event each such day may be counted as a day required for a legal school calendar pursuant to Section 10-19 of this Code; (1.5) when, of the 5 days allowed under item (1), a maximum of 4 days are used for parent-teacher conferences, or, in lieu of 4 such days, 2 full days are used, in which case each such day may be counted as a calendar day required under Section 10-19 of this Code, provided that the full-day, parent-teacher conference consists of (i) a minimum of 5 clock hours of parent-teacher conferences, (ii) both a minimum of 2 clock hours of parent-teacher conferences held in the evening following a full day of student attendance, as specified in subsection (F)(1)(c), and a minimum of 3 clock hours of parent-teacher conferences held on the day immediately following evening parent-teacher conferences, or (iii) multiple parent-teacher conferences held in the evenings following full days of student attendance, as specified in subsection (F)(1)(c), in which the time used for the parent-teacher conferences is equivalent to a minimum of 5 clock hours; and (2) when days in addition to those provided in items (1) and (1.5) are scheduled by a school pursuant to its school improvement plan adopted under Article 34 or its revised or amended school improvement plan adopted under Article 2, provided that (i) such sessions of 3 or more clock hours are scheduled to occur at regular intervals, (ii) the remainder of the school days in which such sessions occur are utilized for in-service training programs or other staff development activities for teachers, and (iii) a sufficient number of minutes of school work under the direct supervision of teachers are added to the school days between such regularly scheduled sessions to accumulate not less than the number of minutes by which such sessions of 3 or more clock hours fall short of 5 clock hours. Any full days used for the purposes of this paragraph shall not be considered for computing average daily attendance. Days scheduled for in-service training programs, staff development activities, or parent-teacher conferences may be scheduled separately for different grade levels and different attendance centers of the district.

(e) A session of not less than one clock hour of teaching hospitalized or homebound pupils on-site or by telephone to the classroom may be counted as 1/2 day of attendance, however these pupils must receive 4 or more clock hours of instruction to be counted for a full day of attendance.

(f) A session of at least 4 clock hours may be counted as a day of attendance for first grade pupils, and pupils in full day kindergartens, and a session of 2 or more hours may be counted as 1/2 day of attendance by pupils in kindergartens which provide only 1/2 day of attendance.

(g) For children with disabilities who are below the age of 6 years and who cannot attend 2 or more clock hours because of their disability or immaturity, a session of not less than one clock hour may be counted as 1/2 day of attendance; however for such children whose educational needs so require a session of 4 or more clock hours may be counted as a full day of attendance.

(h) A recognized kindergarten which provides for only 1/2 day of attendance by each pupil shall not have more than 1/2 day of attendance counted in any one day. However, kindergartens may count 2 1/2 days of attendance in any 5 consecutive school days. When a pupil attends such a kindergarten for 2 half days on any one school day, the pupil shall have the following day as a day absent from school, unless the school district obtains permission in writing from the State Superintendent of Education. Attendance at kindergartens which provide for a full day of attendance by each pupil shall be counted the same as attendance by first grade pupils. Only the first year of attendance in one kindergarten shall be counted, except in case of children who entered the kindergarten in their fifth year whose educational development requires a second year of kindergarten as determined under the rules and regulations of the State Board of Education.

(i) On the days when the assessment that includes a college and career ready determination is administered under subsection (c) of Section 2-3.64a-5 of this Code, the day of attendance for a pupil whose school day must be shortened to accommodate required testing procedures may be less than 5 clock hours and shall be counted towards the 176 days of actual pupil attendance required under Section 10-19 of this Code, provided that a sufficient number of minutes of school work in excess of 5 clock hours are first completed on other school days to compensate for the loss of school work on the examination days.

(j) Pupils enrolled in a remote educational program established under Section 10-29 of this Code may be counted on the basis of one-fifth day of attendance for every clock hour of instruction attended in the remote educational program, provided that, in any month, the school district may not claim for a student enrolled in a remote educational program more days of attendance than the maximum number of days of attendance the district can claim (i) for students enrolled in a building holding year-round classes if the student is classified as participating in the remote educational program on a year-round schedule or (ii) for students enrolled in a building not holding year-round classes if the student is not classified as participating in the remote educational program on a year-round schedule.

(G) Equalized Assessed Valuation Data.

(1) For purposes of the calculation of Available Local Resources required pursuant to subsection (D), the State Board of Education shall secure from the Department of Revenue the value as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue of all taxable property of every school district, together with (i) the applicable tax rate used in extending taxes for the funds of the district as of September 30 of the previous year and (ii) the limiting rate for all school districts subject to property tax extension limitations as imposed under the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law.

The Department of Revenue shall add to the equalized assessed value of all taxable property of each school district situated entirely or partially within a county that is or was subject to the provisions of Section 15-176 or 15-177 of the Property Tax Code (a) an amount equal to the total amount by which the homestead exemption allowed under Section 15-176 or 15-177 of the Property Tax Code for real property situated in that school district exceeds the total amount that would have been allowed in that school district if the maximum reduction under Section 15-176 was (i) $4,500 in Cook County or $3,500 in all other counties in tax year 2003 or (ii) $5,000 in all counties in tax year 2004 and thereafter and (b) an amount equal to the aggregate amount for the taxable year of all additional exemptions under Section 15-175 of the Property Tax Code for owners with a household income of $30,000 or less. The county clerk of any county that is or was subject to the provisions of Section 15-176 or 15-177 of the Property Tax Code shall annually calculate and certify to the Department of Revenue for each school district all homestead exemption amounts under Section 15-176 or 15-177 of the Property Tax Code and all amounts of additional exemptions under Section 15-175 of the Property Tax Code for owners with a household income of $30,000 or less. It is the intent of this paragraph that if the general homestead exemption for a parcel of property is determined under Section 15-176 or 15-177 of the Property Tax Code rather than Section 15-175, then the calculation of Available Local Resources shall not be affected by the difference, if any, between the amount of the general homestead exemption allowed for that parcel of property under Section 15-176 or 15-177 of the Property Tax Code and the amount that would have been allowed had the general homestead exemption for that parcel of property been determined under Section 15-175 of the Property Tax Code. It is further the intent of this paragraph that if additional exemptions are allowed under Section 15-175 of the Property Tax Code for owners with a household income of less than $30,000, then the calculation of Available Local Resources shall not be affected by the difference, if any, because of those additional exemptions.

This equalized assessed valuation, as adjusted further by the requirements of this subsection, shall be utilized in the calculation of Available Local Resources.

(2) The equalized assessed valuation in paragraph (1) shall be adjusted, as applicable, in the following manner:

(a) For the purposes of calculating State aid under this Section, with respect to any part of a school district within a redevelopment project area in respect to which a municipality has adopted tax increment allocation financing pursuant to the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act, Sections 11-74.4-1 through 11-74.4-11 of the Illinois Municipal Code or the Industrial Jobs Recovery Law, Sections 11-74.6-1 through 11-74.6-50 of the Illinois Municipal Code, no part of the current equalized assessed valuation of real property located in any such project area which is attributable to an increase above the total initial equalized assessed valuation of such property shall be used as part of the equalized assessed valuation of the district, until such time as all redevelopment project costs have been paid, as provided in Section 11-74.4-8 of the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act or in Section 11-74.6-35 of the Industrial Jobs Recovery Law. For the purpose of the equalized assessed valuation of the district, the total initial equalized assessed valuation or the current equalized assessed valuation, whichever is lower, shall be used until such time as all redevelopment project costs have been paid.

(b) The real property equalized assessed valuation for a school district shall be adjusted by subtracting from the real property value as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue for the district an amount computed by dividing the amount of any abatement of taxes under Section 18-170 of the Property Tax Code by 3.00% for a district maintaining grades kindergarten through 12, by 2.30% for a district maintaining grades kindergarten through 8, or by 1.05% for a district maintaining grades 9 through 12 and adjusted by an amount computed by dividing the amount of any abatement of taxes under subsection (a) of Section 18-165 of the Property Tax Code by the same percentage rates for district type as specified in this subparagraph (b).

(3) For the 1999-2000 school year and each school year thereafter, if a school district meets all of the criteria of this subsection (G)(3), the school district's Available Local Resources shall be calculated under subsection (D) using the district's Extension Limitation Equalized Assessed Valuation as calculated under this subsection (G)(3).

For purposes of this subsection (G)(3) the following terms shall have the following meanings:

"Budget Year": The school year for which general State aid is calculated and awarded under subsection (E).

"Base Tax Year": The property tax levy year used to calculate the Budget Year allocation of general State aid.

"Preceding Tax Year": The property tax levy year immediately preceding the Base Tax Year.

"Base Tax Year's Tax Extension": The product of the equalized assessed valuation utilized by the County Clerk in the Base Tax Year multiplied by the limiting rate as calculated by the County Clerk and defined in the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law.

"Preceding Tax Year's Tax Extension": The product of the equalized assessed valuation utilized by the County Clerk in the Preceding Tax Year multiplied by the Operating Tax Rate as defined in subsection (A).

"Extension Limitation Ratio": A numerical ratio, certified by the County Clerk, in which the numerator is the Base Tax Year's Tax Extension and the denominator is the Preceding Tax Year's Tax Extension.

"Operating Tax Rate": The operating tax rate as defined in subsection (A).

If a school district is subject to property tax extension limitations as imposed under the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law, the State Board of Education shall calculate the Extension Limitation Equalized Assessed Valuation of that district. For the 1999-2000 school year, the Extension Limitation Equalized Assessed Valuation of a school district as calculated by the State Board of Education shall be equal to the product of the district's 1996 Equalized Assessed Valuation and the district's Extension Limitation Ratio. Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph for a school district that has approved or does approve an increase in its limiting rate, for the 2000-2001 school year and each school year thereafter, the Extension Limitation Equalized Assessed Valuation of a school district as calculated by the State Board of Education shall be equal to the product of the Equalized Assessed Valuation last used in the calculation of general State aid and the district's Extension Limitation Ratio. If the Extension Limitation Equalized Assessed Valuation of a school district as calculated under this subsection (G)(3) is less than the district's equalized assessed valuation as calculated pursuant to subsections (G)(1) and (G)(2), then for purposes of calculating the district's general State aid for the Budget Year pursuant to subsection (E), that Extension Limitation Equalized Assessed Valuation shall be utilized to calculate the district's Available Local Resources under subsection (D). For the 2009-2010 school year and each school year thereafter, if a school district has approved or does approve an increase in its limiting rate, pursuant to Section 18-190 of the Property Tax Code, affecting the Base Tax Year, the Extension Limitation Equalized Assessed Valuation of the school district, as calculated by the State Board of Education, shall be equal to the product of the Equalized Assessed Valuation last used in the calculation of general State aid times an amount equal to one plus the percentage increase, if any, in the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers for all items published by the United States Department of Labor for the 12-month calendar year preceding the Base Tax Year, plus the Equalized Assessed Valuation of new property, annexed property, and recovered tax increment value and minus the Equalized Assessed Valuation of disconnected property. New property and recovered tax increment value shall have the meanings set forth in the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law.

Partial elementary unit districts created in accordance with Article 11E of this Code shall not be eligible for the adjustment in this subsection (G)(3) until the fifth year following the effective date of the reorganization.

(3.5) For the 2010-2011 school year and each school year thereafter, if a school district's boundaries span multiple counties, then the Department of Revenue shall send to the State Board of Education, for the purpose of calculating general State aid, the limiting rate and individual rates by purpose for the county that contains the majority of the school district's Equalized Assessed Valuation.

(4) For the purposes of calculating general State aid for the 1999-2000 school year only, if a school district experienced a triennial reassessment on the equalized assessed valuation used in calculating its general State financial aid apportionment for the 1998-1999 school year, the State Board of Education shall calculate the Extension Limitation Equalized Assessed Valuation that would have been used to calculate the district's 1998-1999 general State aid. This amount shall equal the product of the equalized assessed valuation used to calculate general State aid for the 1997-1998 school year and the district's Extension Limitation Ratio. If the Extension Limitation Equalized Assessed Valuation of the school district as calculated under this paragraph (4) is less than the district's equalized assessed valuation utilized in calculating the district's 1998-1999 general State aid allocation, then for purposes of calculating the district's general State aid pursuant to paragraph (5) of subsection (E), that Extension Limitation Equalized Assessed Valuation shall be utilized to calculate the district's Available Local Resources.

(5) For school districts having a majority of their equalized assessed valuation in any county except Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, or Will, if the amount of general State aid allocated to the school district for the 1999-2000 school year under the provisions of subsection (E), (H), and (J) of this Section is less than the amount of general State aid allocated to the district for the 1998-1999 school year under these subsections, then the general State aid of the district for the 1999-2000 school year only shall be increased by the difference between these amounts. The total payments made under this paragraph (5) shall not exceed $14,000,000. Claims shall be prorated if they exceed $14,000,000.

(H) Supplemental General State Aid.

(1) In addition to the general State aid a school district is allotted pursuant to subsection (E), qualifying school districts shall receive a grant, paid in conjunction with a district's payments of general State aid, for supplemental general State aid based upon the concentration level of children from low-income households within the school district. Supplemental State aid grants provided for school districts under this subsection shall be appropriated for distribution to school districts as part of the same line item in which the general State financial aid of school districts is appropriated under this Section.

(1.5) This paragraph (1.5) applies only to those school years preceding the 2003-2004 school year. For purposes of this subsection (H), the term "Low-Income Concentration Level" shall be the low-income eligible pupil count from the most recently available federal census divided by the Average Daily Attendance of the school district. If, however, (i) the percentage decrease from the 2 most recent federal censuses in the low-income eligible pupil count of a high school district with fewer than 400 students exceeds by 75% or more the percentage change in the total low-income eligible pupil count of contiguous elementary school districts, whose boundaries are coterminous with the high school district, or (ii) a high school district within 2 counties and serving 5 elementary school districts, whose boundaries are coterminous with the high school district, has a percentage decrease from the 2 most recent federal censuses in the low-income eligible pupil count and there is a percentage increase in the total low-income eligible pupil count of a majority of the elementary school districts in excess of 50% from the 2 most recent federal censuses, then the high school district's low-income eligible pupil count from the earlier federal census shall be the number used as the low-income eligible pupil count for the high school district, for purposes of this subsection (H). The changes made to this paragraph (1) by Public Act 92-28 shall apply to supplemental general State aid grants for school years preceding the 2003-2004 school year that are paid in fiscal year 1999 or thereafter and to any State aid payments made in fiscal year 1994 through fiscal year 1998 pursuant to subsection 1(n) of Section 18-8 of this Code (which was repealed on July 1, 1998), and any high school district that is affected by Public Act 92-28 is entitled to a recomputation of its supplemental general State aid grant or State aid paid in any of those fiscal years. This recomputation shall not be affected by any other funding.

(1.10) This paragraph (1.10) applies to the 2003-2004 school year and each school year thereafter. For purposes of this subsection (H), the term "Low-Income Concentration Level" shall, for each fiscal year, be the low-income eligible pupil count as of July 1 of the immediately preceding fiscal year (as determined by the Department of Human Services based on the number of pupils who are eligible for at least one of the following low income programs: Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program, TANF, or Food Stamps, excluding pupils who are eligible for services provided by the Department of Children and Family Services, averaged over the 2 immediately preceding fiscal years for fiscal year 2004 and over the 3 immediately preceding fiscal years for each fiscal year thereafter) divided by the Average Daily Attendance of the school district.

(2) Supplemental general State aid pursuant to this subsection (H) shall be provided as follows for the 1998-1999, 1999-2000, and 2000-2001 school years only:

(a) For any school district with a Low Income Concentration Level of at least 20% and less than 35%, the grant for any school year shall be $800 multiplied by the low income eligible pupil count.

(b) For any school district with a Low Income Concentration Level of at least 35% and less than 50%, the grant for the 1998-1999 school year shall be $1,100 multiplied by the low income eligible pupil count.

(c) For any school district with a Low Income Concentration Level of at least 50% and less than 60%, the grant for the 1998-99 school year shall be $1,500 multiplied by the low income eligible pupil count.

(d) For any school district with a Low Income Concentration Level of 60% or more, the grant for the 1998-99 school year shall be $1,900 multiplied by the low income eligible pupil count.

(e) For the 1999-2000 school year, the per pupil amount specified in subparagraphs (b), (c), and (d) immediately above shall be increased to $1,243, $1,600, and $2,000, respectively.

(f) For the 2000-2001 school year, the per pupil amounts specified in subparagraphs (b), (c), and (d) immediately above shall be $1,273, $1,640, and $2,050, respectively.

(2.5) Supplemental general State aid pursuant to this subsection (H) shall be provided as follows for the 2002-2003 school year:

(a) For any school district with a Low Income Concentration Level of less than 10%, the grant for each school year shall be $355 multiplied by the low income eligible pupil count.

(b) For any school district with a Low Income Concentration Level of at least 10% and less than 20%, the grant for each school year shall be $675 multiplied by the low income eligible pupil count.

(c) For any school district with a Low Income Concentration Level of at least 20% and less than 35%, the grant for each school year shall be $1,330 multiplied by the low income eligible pupil count.

(d) For any school district with a Low Income Concentration Level of at least 35% and less than 50%, the grant for each school year shall be $1,362 multiplied by the low income eligible pupil count.

(e) For any school district with a Low Income Concentration Level of at least 50% and less than 60%, the grant for each school year shall be $1,680 multiplied by the low income eligible pupil count.

(f) For any school district with a Low Income Concentration Level of 60% or more, the grant for each school year shall be $2,080 multiplied by the low income eligible pupil count.

(2.10) Except as otherwise provided, supplemental general State aid pursuant to this subsection (H) shall be provided as follows for the 2003-2004 school year and each school year thereafter:

(a) For any school district with a Low Income Concentration Level of 15% or less, the grant for each school year shall be $355 multiplied by the low income eligible pupil count.

(b) For any school district with a Low Income Concentration Level greater than 15%, the grant for each school year shall be $294.25 added to the product of $2,700 and the square of the Low Income Concentration Level, all multiplied by the low income eligible pupil count.

For the 2003-2004 school year and each school year thereafter through the 2008-2009 school year only, the grant shall be no less than the grant for the 2002-2003 school year. For the 2009-2010 school year only, the grant shall be no less than the grant for the 2002-2003 school year multiplied by 0.66. For the 2010-2011 school year only, the grant shall be no less than the grant for the 2002-2003 school year multiplied by 0.33. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph to the contrary, if for any school year supplemental general State aid grants are prorated as provided in paragraph (1) of this subsection (H), then the grants under this paragraph shall be prorated.

For the 2003-2004 school year only, the grant shall be no greater than the grant received during the 2002-2003 school year added to the product of 0.25 multiplied by the difference between the grant amount calculated under subsection (a) or (b) of this paragraph (2.10), whichever is applicable, and the grant received during the 2002-2003 school year. For the 2004-2005 school year only, the grant shall be no greater than the grant received during the 2002-2003 school year added to the product of 0.50 multiplied by the difference between the grant amount calculated under subsection (a) or (b) of this paragraph (2.10), whichever is applicable, and the grant received during the 2002-2003 school year. For the 2005-2006 school year only, the grant shall be no greater than the grant received during the 2002-2003 school year added to the product of 0.75 multiplied by the difference between the grant amount calculated under subsection (a) or (b) of this paragraph (2.10), whichever is applicable, and the grant received during the 2002-2003 school year.

(3) School districts with an Average Daily Attendance of more than 1,000 and less than 50,000 that qualify for supplemental general State aid pursuant to this subsection shall submit a plan to the State Board of Education prior to October 30 of each year for the use of the funds resulting from this grant of supplemental general State aid for the improvement of instruction in which priority is given to meeting the education needs of disadvantaged children. Such plan shall be submitted in accordance with rules and regulations promulgated by the State Board of Education.

(4) School districts with an Average Daily Attendance of 50,000 or more that qualify for supplemental general State aid pursuant to this subsection shall be required to distribute from funds available pursuant to this Section, no less than $261,000,000 in accordance with the following requirements:

(a) The required amounts shall be distributed to the attendance centers within the district in proportion to the number of pupils enrolled at each attendance center who are eligible to receive free or reduced-price lunches or breakfasts under the federal Child Nutrition Act of 1966 and under the National School Lunch Act during the immediately preceding school year.

(b) The distribution of these portions of supplemental and general State aid among attendance centers according to these requirements shall not be compensated for or contravened by adjustments of the total of other funds appropriated to any attendance centers, and the Board of Education shall utilize funding from one or several sources in order to fully implement this provision annually prior to the opening of school.

(c) Each attendance center shall be provided by the school district a distribution of noncategorical funds and other categorical funds to which an attendance center is entitled under law in order that the general State aid and supplemental general State aid provided by application of this subsection supplements rather than supplants the noncategorical funds and other categorical funds provided by the school district to the attendance centers.

(d) Any funds made available under this subsection that by reason of the provisions of this subsection are not required to be allocated and provided to attendance centers may be used and appropriated by the board of the district for any lawful school purpose.

(e) Funds received by an attendance center pursuant to this subsection shall be used by the attendance center at the discretion of the principal and local school council for programs to improve educational opportunities at qualifying schools through the following programs and services: early childhood education, reduced class size or improved adult to student classroom ratio, enrichment programs, remedial assistance, attendance improvement, and other educationally beneficial expenditures which supplement the regular and basic programs as determined by the State Board of Education. Funds provided shall not be expended for any political or lobbying purposes as defined by board rule.

(f) Each district subject to the provisions of this subdivision (H)(4) shall submit an acceptable plan to meet the educational needs of disadvantaged children, in compliance with the requirements of this paragraph, to the State Board of Education prior to July 15 of each year. This plan shall be consistent with the decisions of local school councils concerning the school expenditure plans developed in accordance with part 4 of Section 34-2.3. The State Board shall approve or reject the plan within 60 days after its submission. If the plan is rejected, the district shall give written notice of intent to modify the plan within 15 days of the notification of rejection and then submit a modified plan within 30 days after the date of the written notice of intent to modify. Districts may amend approved plans pursuant to rules promulgated by the State Board of Education.

Upon notification by the State Board of Education that the district has not submitted a plan prior to July 15 or a modified plan within the time period specified herein, the State aid funds affected by that plan or modified plan shall be withheld by the State Board of Education until a plan or modified plan is submitted.

If the district fails to distribute State aid to attendance centers in accordance with an approved plan, the plan for the following year shall allocate funds, in addition to the funds otherwise required by this subsection, to those attendance centers which were underfunded during the previous year in amounts equal to such underfunding.

For purposes of determining compliance with this subsection in relation to the requirements of attendance center funding, each district subject to the provisions of this subsection shall submit as a separate document by December 1 of each year a report of expenditure data for the prior year in addition to any modification of its current plan. If it is determined that there has been a failure to comply with the expenditure provisions of this subsection regarding contravention or supplanting, the State Superintendent of Education shall, within 60 days of receipt of the report, notify the district and any affected local school council. The district shall within 45 days of receipt of that notification inform the State Superintendent of Education of the remedial or corrective action to be taken, whether by amendment of the current plan, if feasible, or by adjustment in the plan for the following year. Failure to provide the expenditure report or the notification of remedial or corrective action in a timely manner shall result in a withholding of the affected funds.

The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this subsection. No funds shall be released under this subdivision (H)(4) to any district that has not submitted a plan that has been approved by the State Board of Education.

(I) (Blank).

(J) (Blank).

(K) Grants to Laboratory and Alternative Schools.

In calculating the amount to be paid to the governing board of a public university that operates a laboratory school under this Section or to any alternative school that is operated by a regional superintendent of schools, the State Board of Education shall require by rule such reporting requirements as it deems necessary.

As used in this Section, "laboratory school" means a public school which is created and operated by a public university and approved by the State Board of Education. The governing board of a public university which receives funds from the State Board under this subsection (K) may not increase the number of students enrolled in its laboratory school from a single district, if that district is already sending 50 or more students, except under a mutual agreement between the school board of a student's district of residence and the university which operates the laboratory school. A laboratory school may not have more than 1,000 students, excluding students with disabilities in a special education program.

As used in this Section, "alternative school" means a public school which is created and operated by a Regional Superintendent of Schools and approved by the State Board of Education. Such alternative schools may offer courses of instruction for which credit is given in regular school programs, courses to prepare students for the high school equivalency testing program or vocational and occupational training. A regional superintendent of schools may contract with a school district or a public community college district to operate an alternative school. An alternative school serving more than one educational service region may be established by the regional superintendents of schools of the affected educational service regions. An alternative school serving more than one educational service region may be operated under such terms as the regional superintendents of schools of those educational service regions may agree.

Each laboratory and alternative school shall file, on forms provided by the State Superintendent of Education, an annual State aid claim which states the Average Daily Attendance of the school's students by month. The best 3 months' Average Daily Attendance shall be computed for each school. The general State aid entitlement shall be computed by multiplying the applicable Average Daily Attendance by the Foundation Level as determined under this Section.

(L) Payments, Additional Grants in Aid and Other Requirements.

(1) For a school district operating under the financial supervision of an Authority created under Article 34A, the general State aid otherwise payable to that district under this Section, but not the supplemental general State aid, shall be reduced by an amount equal to the budget for the operations of the Authority as certified by the Authority to the State Board of Education, and an amount equal to such reduction shall be paid to the Authority created for such district for its operating expenses in the manner provided in Section 18-11. The remainder of general State school aid for any such district shall be paid in accordance with Article 34A when that Article provides for a disposition other than that provided by this Article.

(2) (Blank).

(3) Summer school. Summer school payments shall be made as provided in Section 18-4.3.

(4) For the 2015-2016 school year and each school year thereafter, the State Board of Education shall, subject to appropriation, provide a supplemental grant to entities that receive general State aid to limit the loss per student due to the difference between the general State aid claim as calculated under this Section and the amount appropriated for purposes of this Section divided by the Average Daily Attendance as set forth in paragraph (2) of subsection (C) of this Section. This supplemental grant must be paid first to the entity with the greatest loss per student and then to the next entity with the greatest loss per student until losses per student are reduced to their smallest possible amount given this appropriation.

For the 2016-2017 school year and each school year thereafter, no entity that receives general State aid may receive a smaller percentage of its general State aid claim as calculated under this Section than the entity received in the 2015-2016 school year.

(M) Education Funding Advisory Board.

The Education Funding Advisory Board, hereinafter in this subsection (M) referred to as the "Board", is hereby created. The Board shall consist of 5 members who are appointed by the Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The members appointed shall include representatives of education, business, and the general public. One of the members so appointed shall be designated by the Governor at the time the appointment is made as the chairperson of the Board. The initial members of the Board may be appointed any time after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997. The regular term of each member of the Board shall be for 4 years from the third Monday of January of the year in which the term of the member's appointment is to commence, except that of the 5 initial members appointed to serve on the Board, the member who is appointed as the chairperson shall serve for a term that commences on the date of his or her appointment and expires on the third Monday of January, 2002, and the remaining 4 members, by lots drawn at the first meeting of the Board that is held after all 5 members are appointed, shall determine 2 of their number to serve for terms that commence on the date of their respective appointments and expire on the third Monday of January, 2001, and 2 of their number to serve for terms that commence on the date of their respective appointments and expire on the third Monday of January, 2000. All members appointed to serve on the Board shall serve until their respective successors are appointed and confirmed. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as original appointments. If a vacancy in membership occurs at a time when the Senate is not in session, the Governor shall make a temporary appointment until the next meeting of the Senate, when he or she shall appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, a person to fill that membership for the unexpired term. If the Senate is not in session when the initial appointments are made, those appointments shall be made as in the case of vacancies.

The Education Funding Advisory Board shall be deemed established, and the initial members appointed by the Governor to serve as members of the Board shall take office, on the date that the Governor makes his or her appointment of the fifth initial member of the Board, whether those initial members are then serving pursuant to appointment and confirmation or pursuant to temporary appointments that are made by the Governor as in the case of vacancies.

The State Board of Education shall provide such staff assistance to the Education Funding Advisory Board as is reasonably required for the proper performance by the Board of its responsibilities.

For school years after the 2000-2001 school year, the Education Funding Advisory Board, in consultation with the State Board of Education, shall make recommendations as provided in this subsection (M) to the General Assembly for the foundation level under subdivision (B)(3) of this Section and for the supplemental general State aid grant level under subsection (H) of this Section for districts with high concentrations of children from poverty. The recommended foundation level shall be determined based on a methodology which incorporates the basic education expenditures of low-spending schools exhibiting high academic performance. The Education Funding Advisory Board shall make such recommendations to the General Assembly on January 1 of odd numbered years, beginning January 1, 2001.

(N) (Blank).

(O) References.

(1) References in other laws to the various subdivisions of Section 18-8 as that Section existed before its repeal and replacement by this Section 18-8.05 shall be deemed to refer to the corresponding provisions of this Section 18-8.05, to the extent that those references remain applicable.

(2) References in other laws to State Chapter 1 funds shall be deemed to refer to the supplemental general State aid provided under subsection (H) of this Section.

(P) Public Act 93-838 and Public Act 93-808 make inconsistent changes to this Section. Under Section 6 of the Statute on Statutes there is an irreconcilable conflict between Public Act 93-808 and Public Act 93-838. Public Act 93-838, being the last acted upon, is controlling. The text of Public Act 93-838 is the law regardless of the text of Public Act 93-808.

(Q) State Fiscal Year 2015 Payments.

For payments made for State fiscal year 2015, the State Board of Education shall, for each school district, calculate that district's pro-rata share of a minimum sum of $13,600,000 or additional amounts as needed from the total net General State Aid funding as calculated under this Section that shall be deemed attributable to the provision of special educational facilities and services, as defined in Section 14-1.08 of this Code, in a manner that ensures compliance with maintenance of State financial support requirements under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Each school district must use such funds only for the provision of special educational facilities and services, as defined in Section 14-1.08 of this Code, and must comply with any expenditure verification procedures adopted by the State Board of Education.

(R) Repealer.

This Section is repealed on June 1, 2017.

(Source: P.A. 98-972, eff. 8-15-14; 99-2, eff. 3-26-15.)

(105 ILCS 5/18-21 new)

Sec. 18-21. General State Aid Committee.

(a) There is created a General State Aid Committee to propose a revised school funding formula for Illinois schools. The Committee shall consist of the following members, all of whom shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for their travel expenses from appropriations to the State Board of Education available for that purpose and subject to the rules of the Legislative Travel Control Board:

(1) Three members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall serve as co-chairperson.

(2) Three members appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall serve as co-chairperson.

(3) Three members appointed by the President of the Senate, one of whom shall serve as co-chairperson.

(4) Three members appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate, one of whom shall serve as co-chairperson.

(b) The General State Aid Committee shall meet within 30 days of the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly. Thereafter, the Committee shall meet at the call of the co-chairpersons. The State Board of Education shall provide administrative and other support to the Committee.

(c) The General State Aid Committee shall propose a new school funding formula for public schools in this State. The Committee must establish a school funding formula that provides adequate, equitable, transparent, and accountable distribution of funds to school districts that will prepare students for success after high school.

(d) The Committee shall submit its proposed school funding formula to the General Assembly for consideration on or before December 31, 2016 by filing copies of its proposal as provided in Section 3.1 of the General Assembly Organization Act. Upon filing its proposal, the Committee is dissolved.

(e) This Section is repealed on December 31, 2017.

(105 ILCS 5/34-53) (from Ch. 122, par. 34-53)

Sec. 34-53. Tax levies; Purpose; Rates. For the purpose of establishing and supporting free schools for not fewer than 9 months in each year and defraying their expenses the board may levy annually, upon all taxable property of such district for educational purposes a tax for the fiscal years 1996 and each succeeding fiscal year at a rate of not to exceed the sum of (i) 2.81% 3.07% (or such other rate as may be set by law independent of the rate difference described in (ii) below) and (ii) the difference between .50% and the rate per cent of taxes extended for a School Finance Authority organized under Article 34A of the School Code, for the calendar year in which the applicable fiscal year of the board begins as determined by the county clerk and certified to the board pursuant to Section 18-110 of the Property Tax Code, of the value as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue for the year in which such levy is made.

For fiscal year 2016 and each succeeding fiscal year, for the purpose of making an employer contribution to the Public School Teachers' Pension and Retirement Fund of Chicago, the board shall levy annually, upon all taxable property located within the district, a tax at the rate of 0.26%. The proceeds from this additional tax shall be paid directly to the Pension Fund. The changes made to this Section by this amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly: (1) do not authorize an increase in the district's maximum aggregate extension or limiting rate under the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law; and (2) constitute a continuation of the existing total maximum rate under this Section and are not a new rate for the purposes of the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law.

Nothing in this amendatory Act of 1995 shall in any way impair or restrict the levy or extension of taxes pursuant to any tax levies for any purposes of the board lawfully made prior to the adoption of this amendatory Act of 1995.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code and in addition to any other methods provided for increasing the tax rate the board may, by proper resolution, cause a proposition to increase the annual tax rate for educational purposes to be submitted to the voters of such district at any general or special election. The maximum rate for educational purposes shall not exceed 4.00%. The election called for such purpose shall be governed by Article 9 of this Act. If at such election a majority of the votes cast on the proposition is in favor thereof, the Board of Education may thereafter until such authority is revoked in a like manner, levy annually the tax so authorized.

For purposes of this Article, educational purposes for fiscal years beginning in 1995 and each subsequent year shall also include, but not be limited to, in addition to those purposes authorized before this amendatory Act of 1995, constructing, acquiring, leasing (other than from the Public Building Commission of Chicago), operating, maintaining, improving, repairing, and renovating land, buildings, furnishings, and equipment for school houses and buildings, and related incidental expenses, and provision of special education, furnishing free textbooks and instructional aids and school supplies, establishing, equipping, maintaining, and operating supervised playgrounds under the control of the board, school extracurricular activities, and stadia, social center, and summer swimming pool programs open to the public in connection with any public school; making an employer contribution to the Public School Teachers' Pension and Retirement Fund as required by Section 17-129 of the Illinois Pension Code; and providing an agricultural science school, including site development and improvements, maintenance repairs, and supplies. Educational purposes also includes student transportation expenses.

All collections of all taxes levied for fiscal years ending before 1996 under this Section or under Sections 34-53.2, 34-53.3, 34-58, 34-60, or 34-62 of this Article as in effect prior to this amendatory Act of 1995 may be used for any educational purposes as defined by this amendatory Act of 1995 and need not be used for the particular purposes for which they were levied. The levy and extension of taxes pursuant to this Section as amended by this amendatory Act of 1995 shall not constitute a new or increased tax rate within the meaning of the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law or the One-year Property Tax Extension Limitation Law.

The rate at which taxes may be levied for the fiscal year beginning September 1, 1996, for educational purposes shall be the full rate authorized by this Section for such taxes for fiscal years ending after 1995.

(Source: P.A. 88-511; 88-670, eff. 12-2-94; 89-15, eff. 5-30-95.)

Section 90. The State Mandates Act is amended by adding Section 8.39 as follows:

(30 ILCS 805/8.39 new)

Sec. 8.39. Exempt mandate. Notwithstanding Sections 6 and 8 of this Act, no reimbursement by the State is required for the implementation of any mandate created by this amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly.

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