(35 ILCS 200/18-178)

Sec. 18-178. Abatement for the residence of a surviving spouse of a fallen police officer, soldier, or rescue worker.

(a) The governing body of any county or municipality may, by ordinance, order the county clerk to abate any percentage of the taxes levied by the county or municipality on each parcel of qualified property within the boundaries of the county or municipality that is owned by the surviving spouse of a fallen police officer, soldier, or rescue worker.

(b) The governing body may provide, by ordinance, for the percentage amount and duration of an abatement under this Section and for any other provision necessary to carry out the provisions of this Section. Upon passing an ordinance under this Section, the county or municipality must deliver a certified copy of the ordinance to the county clerk.

(c) As used in this Section:

"Fallen police officer, soldier, or rescue worker" means an individual who dies:

(1) as a result of or in the course of employment as a police officer;

(2) while in the active service of a fire, rescue, or emergency medical service; or

(3) while on active duty as a member of the United States Armed Services, including the National Guard, serving in Iraq or Afghanistan.

"Fallen police officer, soldier, or rescue worker", however, does not include any individual whose death was the result of that individual's own willful misconduct or abuse of alcohol or drugs.

"Qualified property" means a parcel of real property that is occupied by not more than 2 families, that is used as the principal residence by a surviving spouse, and that:

(1) was owned by the fallen police officer, soldier, or rescue worker or surviving spouse at the time of the police officer's, soldier's, or rescue worker's death;

(2) was acquired by the surviving spouse within 2 years after the police officer's, soldier's, or rescue worker's death if the surviving spouse was domiciled in the State at the time of that death; or

(3) was acquired more than 2 years after the police officer's, soldier's, or rescue worker's death if surviving spouse qualified for an abatement for a former qualified property located in that municipality.

"Surviving spouse" means a spouse, who has not remarried, of a fallen police officer, soldier, or rescue worker.

(Source: P.A. 97-767, eff. 7-9-12.)