Budget & Taxes

Appropriates $2 from the General Revenue Fund to the Judges Retirement System of Illinois for its FY26 ordinary and contingent expenses. Effective July 1, 2025.

Makes appropriations for the ordinary and contingent expenses of the Procurement Policy Board for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, as follows: General Funds $567,000.

Amends the Video Gaming Act. Provides that a municipality with a population that is greater than or equal to 1,000,000 may not pass an ordinance prohibiting video gaming within the corporate limits of the municipality. Provides that, in such a municipality, video gaming may be prohibited only by referendum. Preempts home rule powers. Provides that a tax of 34% is imposed on net terminal income in such a municipality and shall be collected by the Illinois Gaming Board, of which 83% shall be distributed to the Regional Transportation Authority and 17% shall be distributed to the municipality in which the terminal is located. Makes conforming changes.

Appropriates $36,365,100 to the Office of the State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor for its ordinary and contingent expenses. Effective July 1, 2025.

HB 2040 appropriates funds to Western Illinois University for its operational costs. Specifically, it allocates $2 from the General Revenue Fund to cover the university's ordinary and contingent expenses for Fiscal Year 2026, becoming effective on July 1, 2025.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit in an amount equal to $1,500 for each person who is claimed as a dependent of the taxpayer for the taxable year under Section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that a county opting out of the special assessment programs to reduce the assessed value of certain residential real property shall not disqualify or shorten the maximum eligibility periods for any property approved to receive a reduced valuation prior to the county opting out. Requires that the special assessment programs be available to all qualifying residential real property regardless of whether or not the property has or is currently receiving any other public financing or subsidies or subject to any regulatory agreements with any public entity, or both. If an owner is approved for the reduced valuation prior to December 31, 2037 and the provisions are not subsequently extended, this shall not disqualify or shorten the maximum eligibility periods for any property approved to receive a reduced valuation. Provides that, if the chief county assessment officer has not created application forms, the chief county assessment officer shall make publicly available and accept applications forms that shall be available to local governments from the Illinois Department of Revenue. If a county Internet website exists, the application materials, as well as any other program requirements used by the county (such as application deadlines, fees, and other procedures required by the application) must be published on that website, otherwise it must be available to the public upon request at the office of the chief county assessment officer. On an annual basis, requires the Illinois Housing Development Authority to calculate and make available on its website the minimum per square foot expenditure requirements to be applicable statewide to be eligible for the reduced valuation, which shall include the historical annual expenditure requirements starting with calendar year 2021. Changes reference to improvements to existing residential real property to substantially rehabilitated residential real property. Makes other changes.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that a taxpayer is entitled to an income tax credit for each person who is (i) 62 years of age or older during the taxable year and (ii) employed by the taxpayer at a location in this State for not less than 185 days during the taxable year. Provides that the credit may be carried forward. Provides that the credit is exempt from the Act's automatic sunset provision. Effective immediately.

Amends the Video Gaming Act. Provides that the provisions setting forth the current tax on net terminal income are inoperative on July 1, 2025. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2025, a tax of 45% is imposed on net terminal income and shall be collected by the Illinois Gaming Board, and that of the tax collected 66.67% shall be deposited into the Capital Projects Funds, 11.11% shall be deposited into the Local Government Video Gaming Distributive Fund, 21.11% shall be deposited into the General Revenue Fund, and 1.11% shall be deposited into the State Gaming Fund which shall be transferred to the Department of Human Services' fund for the administration of programs for the treatment of compulsive gambling. Effective immediately.

States that meaningful reform of education in Illinois requires structural changes at all levels, including increases to paid teacher preparation and collaboration time, staffing models, and systems for recognition and incentives for educators. Urges school districts across the state to provide adequate paid planning time for teachers.