Creates the Conservation Acquisition and Resource Enhancement Program Act. Sets out the purpose and the scope of the Program. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources shall administer the Program and provides the terms and conditions of the Program. Creates the Open Space Council to review each land conservation project proposal and consider the recommendations of the Department. Provides that the Council shall have a link on the Department's website providing information on the Program. Creates the Conservation Acquisition and Resource Enhancement Program Fund. Provides for grants awarded by the Council and sets criteria for selecting grant recipients. Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Conservation Acquisition and Resource Enhancement Program Fund as a special fund in the State treasury. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax checkoff for the Conservation Acquisition and Resource Enhancement Program Fund. Makes changes to references concerning funds subject to the Act's tax checkoff provisions. Effective July 1, 2007.
Sponsored bills
Amends the Property Tax Code. Requires the county clerk to abate a percentage of the property taxes levied on each parcel of property that is owned and used exclusively as a home by a person who is 70 years of age or older or who is a disabled person and who has an annual household income of $30,000 or less. Requires that this abatement must be applied proportionally to the property tax levies of each taxing district that levies a property tax on the property. Creates the Taxing District Non-Pass-Through Act of 2008. Prohibits taxing districts that are affected by the abatement from shifting the cost of this mandate to any other taxpayer by means of increases in property tax rates or through any other methods. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.
Amends the Property Tax Code. Requires each chief county assessment officer in counties with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants to provide to each residential taxpayer a Homestead Assessment Disclosure Document that contains certain disclosures concerning the assessed valuation of homestead property. Requires the Department of Revenue to annually review the disclosures to ensure that they are accurate and that they comply with all applicable laws and rules concerning property valuations. Provides that, if a taxpayer files a complaint before a board of review, then, within 5 days after the complaint is filed, the board of review must provide the taxpayer with a detailed description of the rules and procedures for hearings before the board. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Requires that the disclosure of financial interests filed by a State contract bidder or offeror include the financial interests of each subcontractor named in the bid or offer.
Amends the Military Leave of Absence Act and the Public Employee Armed Services Rights Act. Makes technical changes in the Acts' short title Sections.
Amends the Property Tax Code. In a Section concerning the Senior Citizens Homestead Exemption, increases the amount of the maximum reduction in the 2007 taxable year and provides that, for each year thereafter, the maximum reduction must be increased by an amount equal to the annual rate of increase of the Consumer Price Index. In a Section concerning the Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption, provides that, for taxable year 2007 and thereafter, the amount of the exemption is the equalized assessed value of the residence in the taxable year for which application is made minus the base amount (now, the amount of the exemption is based upon the applicant's household income). Provides that, in taxable year 2007 and thereafter, the maximum income limitation must be increased each year by an amount equal to the annual rate of increase of the Consumer Price Index. Provides that certain senior taxpayers qualify for the exemption if they have a household income that does not exceed $75,000 (indexed to the Consumer Price Index) and have occupied the property as a residence for at least the 5 consecutive years immediately preceding the current taxable year. In a Section concerning tax bills, requires that each tax bill contain a statement drafted by the Department of Revenue that informs senior taxpayers or taxpayers with a disability of property tax benefits that are or may be available to them. Makes technical changes. Effective immediately.
Amends the School Construction Law. Provides that the State Board of Education shall rank school districts based on certain school construction priorities and notify each school district of its rank. Provides that the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability may take whatever actions are necessary to determine whether the State Board of Education is complying with this amendatory Act. Effective immediately.
Amends the Property Tax Code. In a Section concerning bond issues for special service areas, provides that bonds may be issued to provide special services for, and be secured by the full faith and credit of the areas included in, 2 or more special service areas established by a municipality or county if (i) the special services for which the bonds are issued are collectively found to be in addition to those services provided generally throughout the municipality or county and (ii) each special service area securing the bonds maintains a separate tax levy. Effective immediately.
Amends the Property Tax Code. Includes disabled persons within the provisions granting an assessment freeze homestead exemption to senior citizens. Changes the name to the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption (now Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption). Makes corresponding changes to a cross-reference to the exemption. Amends the States Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.
Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that if, in order to qualify for a property-tax exemption, the taxpayer must have an income that is at or below a certain amount, then, for the purposes of that exemption, the term "income" does not include any Social Security benefit unless expressly stated otherwise. Effective immediately.