Budget & Taxes (Property Tax)

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, on and after July 1, 2026, any bill to amend an existing homestead exemption or to create a new homestead exemption shall include the submission of an impact statement prepared by the sponsor of the bill. Provides that the maximum income limitation for the Low-Income Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption shall be $85,000 for taxable year 2025 and shall be subject to a cost-of-living adjustment in subsequent years. Provides that, for any tax certificates held by a county, the county clerk may create and administer a payment plan during the redemption period. Amends the Senior Citizens Real Estate Tax Deferral Act. Makes changes concerning the maximum household income. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, on and after July 1, 2026, any bill to amend an existing homestead exemption or to create a new homestead exemption shall include the submission of an impact statement prepared by the sponsor of the bill. Provides that the maximum income limitation for the Low-Income Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption shall be $85,000 for taxable year 2025 and shall be subject to a cost-of-living adjustment in subsequent years. Provides that, for any tax certificates held by a county, the county clerk may create and administer a payment plan during the redemption period. Amends the Senior Citizens Real Estate Tax Deferral Act. Makes changes concerning the maximum household income. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that the fair cash value of commercial energy storage system improvements in counties with fewer than 3,000,000 inhabitants shall be determined by subtracting the allowance for physical depreciation from the commercial energy storage system trended real property cost basis. Provides that those commercial energy storage systems are not subject to equalization factors applied by the Department of Revenue or by any board of review, assessor, or chief county assessment officer. Provides that the owner of the commercial energy storage system shall commission a metes and bounds survey description of the land upon which the commercial energy storage system is located. Contains other provisions concerning the assessment of commercial energy storage systems. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Creates a senior citizens homestead school levy exemption for property that is improved with a permanent structure that is occupied as a primary residence by an applicant who (i) is 65 years of age or older during the taxable year, (ii) has a household income that does not exceed the maximum income limitation, (iii) is liable for paying real property taxes on the property, (iv) is an owner of record of the property or has a legal or equitable interest in the property as evidenced by a written instrument, if no individual residing at the real property is or will be enrolled in a public school. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that the long-time occupant homestead exemption applies in all counties beginning with taxable year 2026. Effective immediately.

Amends the Senior Citizens and Persons with Disabilities Property Tax Relief Act. Changes the income eligibility levels for programs that use the income limits in the Act for eligibility determinations.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that property that is donated, granted, received, or used for a licensed not-for-profit child care center is exempt.

Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may certify a taxpayer for an exemption from any State or local use tax or retailers' occupation tax on building materials that will be incorporated into real estate at a megaproject site. Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that a retailer that makes a qualified sale of building materials to be incorporated into real estate at a megaproject site may deduct the receipts from such sales when calculating the taxes imposed by those Acts. Amends the Property Tax Code. Creates the Megaproject Assessment Freeze and Payment Law. Provides that a "megaproject" is a project that meets certain investment and job creation specifications. Provides that the megaproject property is eligible for an assessment freeze. Provides that megaproject property may be granted an abatement. Provides that a company that operates a megaproject shall enter into an agreement with the municipality in which the project is located and other local taxing districts to make certain special payments. Effective July 1, 2025.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that the total property tax bill for any property receiving the senior citizens homestead exemption may not exceed 101% of the tax bill for the immediately preceding taxable year, unless the increase is due to improvements to the property that increased the property's fair market value in the applicable tax year.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that certain homestead property that is owned by a person who will be 67 years of age or older during the taxable year is exempt from property taxes levied by a school district. Effective immediately.