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92_HB0304
LRB9203924SMdv
1 AN ACT concerning taxes.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 5. The Property Tax Code is amended by changing
5 Section 15-172 as follows:
6 (35 ILCS 200/15-172)
7 Sec. 15-172. Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead
8 Exemption.
9 (a) This Section may be cited as the Senior Citizens
10 Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption.
11 (b) As used in this Section:
12 "Applicant" means an individual who has filed an
13 application under this Section.
14 "Base amount" means the base year equalized assessed
15 value of the residence plus the first year's equalized
16 assessed value of any added improvements which increased the
17 assessed value of the residence after the base year.
18 "Base year" means the taxable year prior to the taxable
19 year for which the applicant first qualifies and applies for
20 the exemption provided that in the prior taxable year the
21 property was improved with a permanent structure that was
22 occupied as a residence by the applicant who was liable for
23 paying real property taxes on the property and who was either
24 (i) an owner of record of the property or had legal or
25 equitable interest in the property as evidenced by a written
26 instrument or (ii) had a legal or equitable interest as a
27 lessee in the parcel of property that was single family
28 residence. If in any subsequent taxable year for which the
29 applicant applies and qualifies for the exemption the
30 equalized assessed value of the residence is less than the
31 equalized assessed value in the existing base year (provided
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1 that such equalized assessed value is not based on an
2 assessed value that results from a temporary irregularity in
3 the property that reduces the assessed value for one or more
4 taxable years), then that subsequent taxable year shall
5 become the base year until a new base year is established
6 under the terms of this paragraph. For taxable year 1999
7 only, the Chief County Assessment Officer shall review (i)
8 all taxable years for which the applicant applied and
9 qualified for the exemption and (ii) the existing base year.
10 The assessment officer shall select as the new base year the
11 year with the lowest equalized assessed value. An equalized
12 assessed value that is based on an assessed value that
13 results from a temporary irregularity in the property that
14 reduces the assessed value for one or more taxable years
15 shall not be considered the lowest equalized assessed value.
16 The selected year shall be the base year for taxable year
17 1999 and thereafter until a new base year is established
18 under the terms of this paragraph.
19 "Chief County Assessment Officer" means the County
20 Assessor or Supervisor of Assessments of the county in which
21 the property is located.
22 "Equalized assessed value" means the assessed value as
23 equalized by the Illinois Department of Revenue.
24 "Household" means the applicant, the spouse of the
25 applicant, and all persons using the residence of the
26 applicant as their principal place of residence.
27 "Household income" means the combined income of the
28 members of a household for the calendar year preceding the
29 taxable year.
30 "Income" has the same meaning as provided in Section 3.07
31 of the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax
32 Relief and Pharmaceutical Assistance Act, except that,
33 beginning in assessment year 2001, "income" does not include
34 veteran's benefits.
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1 "Internal Revenue Code of 1986" means the United States
2 Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or any successor law or laws
3 relating to federal income taxes in effect for the year
4 preceding the taxable year.
5 "Life care facility that qualifies as a cooperative"
6 means a facility as defined in Section 2 of the Life Care
7 Facilities Act.
8 "Residence" means the principal dwelling place and
9 appurtenant structures used for residential purposes in this
10 State occupied on January 1 of the taxable year by a
11 household and so much of the surrounding land, constituting
12 the parcel upon which the dwelling place is situated, as is
13 used for residential purposes. If the Chief County Assessment
14 Officer has established a specific legal description for a
15 portion of property constituting the residence, then that
16 portion of property shall be deemed the residence for the
17 purposes of this Section.
18 "Taxable year" means the calendar year during which ad
19 valorem property taxes payable in the next succeeding year
20 are levied.
21 (c) Beginning in taxable year 1994, a senior citizens
22 assessment freeze homestead exemption is granted for real
23 property that is improved with a permanent structure that is
24 occupied as a residence by an applicant who (i) is 65 years
25 of age or older prior to during the taxable year 2001 or 60
26 years of age or older during taxable year 2001 and
27 thereafter, (ii) has a household income of $35,000 or less
28 prior to taxable year 1999, or $40,000 or less in taxable
29 years year 1999 and 2000, and $50,000 or less in taxable year
30 2001 and thereafter, (iii) is liable for paying real property
31 taxes on the property, and (iv) is an owner of record of the
32 property or has a legal or equitable interest in the property
33 as evidenced by a written instrument. This homestead
34 exemption shall also apply to a leasehold interest in a
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1 parcel of property improved with a permanent structure that
2 is a single family residence that is occupied as a residence
3 by a person who (i) is 65 years of age or older prior to
4 during the taxable year 2001 or 60 years of age or older
5 during taxable year 2001 and thereafter, (ii) has a household
6 income of $35,000 or less prior to taxable year 1999, or
7 $40,000 or less in taxable years year 1999 and 2000, and
8 $50,000 or less in taxable year 2001 and thereafter, (iii)
9 has a legal or equitable ownership interest in the property
10 as lessee, and (iv) is liable for the payment of real
11 property taxes on that property.
12 The amount of this exemption shall be the equalized
13 assessed value of the residence in the taxable year for which
14 application is made minus the base amount.
15 When the applicant is a surviving spouse of an applicant
16 for a prior year for the same residence for which an
17 exemption under this Section has been granted, the base year
18 and base amount for that residence are the same as for the
19 applicant for the prior year.
20 Each year at the time the assessment books are certified
21 to the County Clerk, the Board of Review or Board of Appeals
22 shall give to the County Clerk a list of the assessed values
23 of improvements on each parcel qualifying for this exemption
24 that were added after the base year for this parcel and that
25 increased the assessed value of the property.
26 In the case of land improved with an apartment building
27 owned and operated as a cooperative or a building that is a
28 life care facility that qualifies as a cooperative, the
29 maximum reduction from the equalized assessed value of the
30 property is limited to the sum of the reductions calculated
31 for each unit occupied as a residence by a person or persons
32 65 years of age or older with a household income of $35,000
33 or less prior to taxable year 1999, or $40,000 or less in
34 taxable years year 1999 and 2000, and $50,000 or less in
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1 taxable year 2001 and thereafter who is liable, by contract
2 with the owner or owners of record, for paying real property
3 taxes on the property and who is an owner of record of a
4 legal or equitable interest in the cooperative apartment
5 building, other than a leasehold interest. In the instance of
6 a cooperative where a homestead exemption has been granted
7 under this Section, the cooperative association or its
8 management firm shall credit the savings resulting from that
9 exemption only to the apportioned tax liability of the owner
10 who qualified for the exemption. Any person who willfully
11 refuses to credit that savings to an owner who qualifies for
12 the exemption is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.
13 When a homestead exemption has been granted under this
14 Section and an applicant then becomes a resident of a
15 facility licensed under the Nursing Home Care Act, the
16 exemption shall be granted in subsequent years so long as the
17 residence (i) continues to be occupied by the qualified
18 applicant's spouse or (ii) if remaining unoccupied, is still
19 owned by the qualified applicant for the homestead exemption.
20 Beginning January 1, 1997, when an individual dies who
21 would have qualified for an exemption under this Section, and
22 the surviving spouse does not independently qualify for this
23 exemption because of age, the exemption under this Section
24 shall be granted to the surviving spouse for the taxable year
25 preceding and the taxable year of the death, provided that,
26 except for age, the surviving spouse meets all other
27 qualifications for the granting of this exemption for those
28 years.
29 When married persons maintain separate residences, the
30 exemption provided for in this Section may be claimed by only
31 one of such persons and for only one residence.
32 For taxable year 1994 only, in counties having less than
33 3,000,000 inhabitants, to receive the exemption, a person
34 shall submit an application by February 15, 1995 to the Chief
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1 County Assessment Officer of the county in which the property
2 is located. In counties having 3,000,000 or more
3 inhabitants, for taxable year 1994 and all subsequent taxable
4 years, to receive the exemption, a person may submit an
5 application to the Chief County Assessment Officer of the
6 county in which the property is located during such period as
7 may be specified by the Chief County Assessment Officer. The
8 Chief County Assessment Officer in counties of 3,000,000 or
9 more inhabitants shall annually give notice of the
10 application period by mail or by publication. In counties
11 having less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, beginning with
12 taxable year 1995 and thereafter, to receive the exemption, a
13 person shall submit an application by July 1 of each taxable
14 year to the Chief County Assessment Officer of the county in
15 which the property is located. A county may, by ordinance,
16 establish a date for submission of applications that is
17 different than July 1. The applicant shall submit with the
18 application an affidavit of the applicant's total household
19 income, age, marital status (and if married the name and
20 address of the applicant's spouse, if known), and principal
21 dwelling place of members of the household on January 1 of
22 the taxable year. The Department shall establish, by rule, a
23 method for verifying the accuracy of affidavits filed by
24 applicants under this Section. The applications shall be
25 clearly marked as applications for the Senior Citizens
26 Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption.
27 Notwithstanding any other provision to the contrary, in
28 counties having fewer than 3,000,000 inhabitants, if an
29 applicant fails to file the application required by this
30 Section in a timely manner and this failure to file is due to
31 a mental or physical condition sufficiently severe so as to
32 render the applicant incapable of filing the application in a
33 timely manner, the Chief County Assessment Officer may extend
34 the filing deadline for a period of 30 days after the
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1 applicant regains the capability to file the application, but
2 in no case may the filing deadline be extended beyond 3
3 months of the original filing deadline. In order to receive
4 the extension provided in this paragraph, the applicant shall
5 provide the Chief County Assessment Officer with a signed
6 statement from the applicant's physician stating the nature
7 and extent of the condition, that, in the physician's
8 opinion, the condition was so severe that it rendered the
9 applicant incapable of filing the application in a timely
10 manner, and the date on which the applicant regained the
11 capability to file the application.
12 Beginning January 1, 1998, notwithstanding any other
13 provision to the contrary, in counties having fewer than
14 3,000,000 inhabitants, if an applicant fails to file the
15 application required by this Section in a timely manner and
16 this failure to file is due to a mental or physical condition
17 sufficiently severe so as to render the applicant incapable
18 of filing the application in a timely manner, the Chief
19 County Assessment Officer may extend the filing deadline for
20 a period of 3 months. In order to receive the extension
21 provided in this paragraph, the applicant shall provide the
22 Chief County Assessment Officer with a signed statement from
23 the applicant's physician stating the nature and extent of
24 the condition, and that, in the physician's opinion, the
25 condition was so severe that it rendered the applicant
26 incapable of filing the application in a timely manner.
27 In counties having less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, if an
28 applicant was denied an exemption in taxable year 1994 and
29 the denial occurred due to an error on the part of an
30 assessment official, or his or her agent or employee, then
31 beginning in taxable year 1997 the applicant's base year, for
32 purposes of determining the amount of the exemption, shall be
33 1993 rather than 1994. In addition, in taxable year 1997, the
34 applicant's exemption shall also include an amount equal to
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1 (i) the amount of any exemption denied to the applicant in
2 taxable year 1995 as a result of using 1994, rather than
3 1993, as the base year, (ii) the amount of any exemption
4 denied to the applicant in taxable year 1996 as a result of
5 using 1994, rather than 1993, as the base year, and (iii) the
6 amount of the exemption erroneously denied for taxable year
7 1994.
8 For purposes of this Section, a person who will be 65
9 years of age, for taxable years prior to taxable year 2001
10 and 60 years of age or older for taxable year 2001 and
11 thereafter, during the current taxable year shall be eligible
12 to apply for the homestead exemption during that taxable
13 year. Application shall be made during the application
14 period in effect for the county of his or her residence.
15 The Chief County Assessment Officer may determine the
16 eligibility of a life care facility that qualifies as a
17 cooperative to receive the benefits provided by this Section
18 by use of an affidavit, application, visual inspection,
19 questionnaire, or other reasonable method in order to insure
20 that the tax savings resulting from the exemption are
21 credited by the management firm to the apportioned tax
22 liability of each qualifying resident. The Chief County
23 Assessment Officer may request reasonable proof that the
24 management firm has so credited that exemption.
25 Except as provided in this Section, all information
26 received by the chief county assessment officer or the
27 Department from applications filed under this Section, or
28 from any investigation conducted under the provisions of this
29 Section, shall be confidential, except for official purposes
30 or pursuant to official procedures for collection of any
31 State or local tax or enforcement of any civil or criminal
32 penalty or sanction imposed by this Act or by any statute or
33 ordinance imposing a State or local tax. Any person who
34 divulges any such information in any manner, except in
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1 accordance with a proper judicial order, is guilty of a Class
2 A misdemeanor.
3 Nothing contained in this Section shall prevent the
4 Director or chief county assessment officer from publishing
5 or making available reasonable statistics concerning the
6 operation of the exemption contained in this Section in which
7 the contents of claims are grouped into aggregates in such a
8 way that information contained in any individual claim shall
9 not be disclosed.
10 (d) Each Chief County Assessment Officer shall annually
11 publish a notice of availability of the exemption provided
12 under this Section. The notice shall be published at least
13 60 days but no more than 75 days prior to the date on which
14 the application must be submitted to the Chief County
15 Assessment Officer of the county in which the property is
16 located. The notice shall appear in a newspaper of general
17 circulation in the county.
18 (e) Notwithstanding Sections 6 and 8 of the State
19 Mandates Act, no reimbursement by the State is required for
20 the implementation of any mandate created by this Section.
21 (Source: P.A. 90-14, eff. 7-1-97; 90-204, eff. 7-25-97;
22 90-523, eff. 11-13-97; 90-524, eff. 1-1-98; 90-531, eff.
23 1-1-98; 90-655, eff. 7-30-98; 91-45, eff. 6-30-99; 91-56,
24 eff. 6-30-99; 91-819, eff. 6-13-00.)
25 Section 90. The State Mandates Act is amended by adding
26 Section 8.25 as follows:
27 (30 ILCS 805/8.25 new)
28 Sec. 8.25. Exempt mandate. Notwithstanding Sections 6
29 and 8 of this Act, no reimbursement by the State is required
30 for the implementation of any mandate created by the Senior
31 Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption under Section
32 15-172 of the Property Tax Code.
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1 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
2 becoming law.