Budget & Taxes

Amends the Governmental Account Audit Act. Provides that, beginning in fiscal year 2027, any governmental unit receiving revenue of less than $1,500,000 (rather than $850,000) in the immediately preceding fiscal year shall, in lieu of causing an annual audit of the accounts of the unit to be made, either (i) cause an audit of the accounts of the unit to be made once every 4 years and file with the Comptroller an annual financial report containing information required by the Comptroller or (ii) file with the Comptroller an annual financial report containing information required by the Comptroller, a copy of which has been provided to each member of that governmental unit's board of elected officials, presented either in person or by a live phone or web connection during a public meeting, and approved by a 3/5 majority vote. Provides that, beginning in fiscal year 2028, governmental units receiving revenue of $1,500,000 or more (rather than $850,000) in the immediately preceding fiscal year shall, in addition to complying with the requirements for audits and audit reports, file with the Comptroller the financial report and immediately make one copy of the audit report and one copy of the financial report a part of its public record as required by the Act. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that provisions concerning the valuation of commercial solar energy systems and wind energy devices apply only through taxable year 2026. Repeals those provisions on January 1, 2028. Effective immediately.

Amends the Counties Code and the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that neither a county nor a municipality may impose a tax on businesses calculated based on the number of employees of the business. Effective immediately.

SB 3874 repeals Illinois' enhanced bonus depreciation deduction for business equipment from the state income tax code. This change directly affects businesses that previously claimed accelerated tax deductions for qualifying equipment purchases. The bill eliminates this specific tax provision effective immediately upon enactment, with no new mechanisms or alternative deductions introduced. It is a straightforward repeal of an existing tax benefit, not a new policy.

Amends the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act of the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that not more than 5% of all surplus funds in the special tax allocation fund may be distributed. Provides that surplus funds in the special tax allocation fund may be distributed not more than once every 10 years (rather than annually). Provides that, if the termination date for a redevelopment project area is extended beyond the 23rd calendar year after the year in which the ordinance approving the redevelopment project area was adopted, then following the 23rd calendar year, no surplus funds may be distributed until the redevelopment project area is terminated. Effective immediately.

Amends the Business Corporation Act of 1983. Provides that, on or after January 1, 2027 and prior to January 1, 2028, the first $100,000 in liability is exempt from the franchise tax payable by domestic corporations. Provides that, in the case of a domestic corporation, no payment is required for a franchise tax that would have been due and payable on or after January 1, 2028. Repeals the provision concerning franchise taxes payable by domestic corporations on January 1, 2028. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Finance Act. Provides that the State shall not expend or invest any public funds in any organization, nonprofit organization, religious organization, or any other entity to be used for conversion therapy. Provides that the State shall not enter into any contract for the provision of conversion therapy. Provides that any contract entered into or renewed after the effective date of the amendatory Act that is used or will be used for conversion therapy shall be void and unenforceable as contrary to public policy. Defines "conversion therapy".

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, beginning in taxable year 2027, no taxing district may levy a tax on any parcel of real property that is more than 103% of the base amount unless (i) the increase is attributable to substantial improvements to the property, (ii) the taxing district did not levy a tax against the property in the previous taxable year, or (iii) the increase is attributable to a special service area. Provides that "base amount" means the tax levied by the taxing district on the subject property in the immediately preceding taxable year, except that, if the property received a homestead exemption in the immediately preceding taxable year and is not eligible for that exemption in the current taxable year, then the base amount shall be the tax that would have been levied by the taxing district on the subject property in the immediately preceding taxable year if the homestead exemption had not been applied. Provides that a taxing district may elect to be exempt from those provisions for one or more taxable years if the exemption is approved by referendum. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Finance Act. Provides that the State shall not expend or invest any public funds in any organization, nonprofit organization, religious organization, or any other entity to be used for conversion therapy. Provides that the State shall not enter into any contract for the provision of conversion therapy. Provides that any contract entered into or renewed after the effective date of the amendatory Act that is used or will be used for conversion therapy shall be void and unenforceable as contrary to public policy. Defines "conversion therapy".

Amends the Illinois Estate and Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Act. Makes changes concerning the taxes due under the Act on estates that contain qualified farm property. Provides that, for the purposes of calculating the State Death Tax Credit, those estates are subject to an exemption of $6,000,000 (rather than an exclusion amount of $4,000,000), which shall be deducted from the net estate value after the net estate value is computed in accordance with the Act. Provides that the exemption shall be adjusted each year according to the increase in the Consumer Price Index. Makes changes concerning the calculation of the deceased spousal unused exclusion amount for those estates. Provides for a special use valuation to provide that the value of the qualified farm property shall be calculated without regard to certain limitations under the Internal Revenue Code. Makes changes concerning the definition of "qualified heir". Effective January 1, 2027.