Public Act 098-0322
 
SB1657 EnrolledLRB098 07357 HLH 37420 b

    AN ACT concerning revenue.
 
    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 6-15, 9-5, and 16-55 as follows:
 
    (35 ILCS 200/6-15)
    Sec. 6-15. Political makeup and compensation. The board of
review appointed under Section 6-5 shall consist of 3 2
members, 2 of whom are affiliated with the political party
polling the highest vote for any county office in the county,
and one member of the party polling the second highest vote for
the same county office at the last general election prior to
any appointment made under this Section. The third member shall
not be affiliated with that same party. Each member of the
board of review shall receive an annual salary to be fixed by
the county board and paid out of the county treasury.
(Source: P.A. 86-905; 87-1189; 88-455.)
 
    (35 ILCS 200/9-5)
    Sec. 9-5. Rules. Each county assessor, board of appeals,
and board of review shall make and publish reasonable rules for
the guidance of persons doing business with them and for the
orderly dispatch of business.
    In counties with fewer than 3,000,000 inhabitants, these
rules shall not require specific proof to be offered nor limit
the nature of evidence which may be offered as a condition of
filing an assessment complaint under Section 16-55.
    In counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, the county
assessor and board of appeals (ending the first Monday in
December 1998 and the board of review beginning the first
Monday in December 1998 and thereafter), jointly shall make and
prescribe rules for the assessment of property and the
preparation of the assessment books by the township assessors
in their respective townships and for the return of those books
to the county assessor.
(Source: P.A. 88-455; 89-126, eff. 7-11-95; 89-671, eff.
8-14-96.)
 
    (35 ILCS 200/16-55)
    Sec. 16-55. Complaints.
    (a) On written complaint that any property is overassessed
or underassessed, the board shall review the assessment, and
correct it, as appears to be just, but in no case shall the
property be assessed at a higher percentage of fair cash value
than other property in the assessment district prior to
equalization by the board or the Department.
    (b) The board shall include compulsory sales in reviewing
and correcting assessments, including, but not limited to,
those compulsory sales submitted by the taxpayer, if the board
determines that those sales reflect the same property
characteristics and condition as those originally used to make
the assessment. The board shall also consider whether the
compulsory sale would otherwise be considered an arm's length
transaction.
    (c) If a complaint is filed by an attorney on behalf of a
taxpayer, all notices and correspondence from the board
relating to the appeal shall be directed to the attorney. The
board may require proof of the attorney's authority to
represent the taxpayer. If the attorney fails to provide proof
of authority within the compliance period granted by the board
pursuant to subsection (d), the board may dismiss the
complaint. The Board shall send, electronically or by mail,
notice of the dismissal to the attorney and taxpayer.
    (d) A complaint to affect the assessment for the current
year shall be filed on or before 30 calendar days after the
date of publication of the assessment list under Section 12-10.
Upon receipt of a written complaint that is timely filed under
this Section, the board of review shall docket the complaint.
If the complaint does not comply with the board of review rules
adopted under Section 9-5 entitling the complainant to a
hearing, the board shall send, electronically or by mail,
notification acknowledging receipt of the complaint. The
notification must identify which rules have not been complied
with and provide the complainant with not less than 10 business
days to bring the complaint into compliance with those rules.
If the complainant complies with the board of review rules
either upon the initial filing of a complaint or within the
time as extended by the board of review for compliance, then
the board of review shall send, electronically or by mail, a
notice of hearing and the board shall hear the complaint and
shall issue and send, electronically or by mail, a decision
upon resolution. Except as otherwise provided in subsection
(c), if the complainant has not complied with the rules within
the time as extended by the board of review, the board shall
nonetheless issue and send a decision. The board of review may
adopt rules allowing any party to attend and participate in a
hearing by telephone or electronically.
    (e) The board may also, at any time before its revision of
the assessments is completed in every year, increase, reduce or
otherwise adjust the assessment of any property, making changes
in the valuation as may be just, and shall have full power over
the assessment of any person and may do anything in regard
thereto that it may deem necessary to make a just assessment,
but the property shall not be assessed at a higher percentage
of fair cash value than the assessed valuation of other
property in the assessment district prior to equalization by
the board or the Department.
    (f) No assessment shall be increased until the person to be
affected has been notified and given an opportunity to be
heard, except as provided below.
    (g) Before making any reduction in assessments of its own
motion, the board of review shall give notice to the assessor
or chief county assessment officer who certified the
assessment, and give the assessor or chief county assessment
officer an opportunity to be heard thereon.
    (h) All complaints of errors in assessments of property
shall be in writing, and shall be filed by the complaining
party with the board of review, in duplicate. The duplicate
shall be filed by the board of review with the assessor or
chief county assessment officer who certified the assessment.
    (i) In all cases where a change in assessed valuation of
$100,000 or more is sought, the board of review shall also
serve a copy of the petition on all taxing districts as shown
on the last available tax bill at least 14 days prior to the
hearing on the complaint. All taxing districts shall have an
opportunity to be heard on the complaint.
    (j) Complaints shall be classified by townships or taxing
districts by the clerk of the board of review. All classes of
complaints shall be docketed numerically, each in its own
class, in the order in which they are presented, in books kept
for that purpose, which books shall be open to public
inspection. Complaints shall be considered by townships or
taxing districts until all complaints have been heard and
passed upon by the board.
(Source: P.A. 96-1083, eff. 7-16-10; 97-812, eff. 7-13-12.)
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.