SB2744eng 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB2744 Engrossed LRB100 17584 RJF 32754 b

AN ACT concerning government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Property Tax Code is amended by changing Sections 2-45, 3-5, 8-35, 11-25, 11-155, 11-160, 11-165, 17-20, and 17-40 as follows:

(35 ILCS 200/2-45)

Sec. 2-45. Selection and eligibility of township and multi-township assessors.

(a) In all counties under township organization, township or multi-township assessors shall be qualified as required by subsections (b) through (d) of this Section and shall be elected as provided in this Code. Township or multi-township assessors shall enter upon their duties on January 1 following their election, and perform the duties of the office for 4 years.

(b) Beginning December 1, 1996, in any township or multi-township assessment district not subject to the requirements of subsections (c) or (d) of this Section, no person is eligible to file nomination papers or participate as a candidate in any caucus or primary or general election for, or be appointed to fill vacancies in, the office of township or multi-township assessor, unless he or she (i) has successfully completed an introductory course in assessment practices that is approved by the Department; or (ii) possesses at least one of the qualifications listed in paragraphs (1) through (6) of subsection (c) of this Section. The candidate cannot file nominating papers or participate as a candidate unless a copy of the certificate of his or her qualifications from the Department is filed with the township clerk, board of election commissioners, or other appropriate authority as required by the Election Code. The candidate cannot be appointed to fill a vacancy until he or she has filed a copy of the certificate of his or her qualifications from the Department with the appointing authority.

(c) Beginning December 1, 1996, in a township or multi-township assessment district with $25,000,000 or more of non-farm equalized assessed value or $1,000,000 or more in commercial and industrial equalized assessed value, no person is eligible to file nomination papers or participate as a candidate in any caucus or primary or general election for, or be appointed to fill vacancies in, the office of township or multi-township assessor, unless he or she possesses at least one of the qualifications listed in paragraphs (1) through (6) of this subsection (c).

(1) a currently active Certified Illinois Assessing Officer designation certificate from the Illinois Property Assessment Institute with current additional 30 class hours as required for additional compensation under Section 4-10;

(2) (blank); (A) A Certified Illinois Assessing Officer certificate from the Illinois Property Assessment Institute with a minimum of 300 additional hours of successfully completed courses approved by the Department, if at least 150 of the course hours required a written examination; and

(B) within the 4 years preceding the election, successful completion of at least 15 class hours of additional training in courses that must be approved by the Department, including but not limited to, assessment, appraisal, or computer courses, and that may be offered by accredited universities, colleges, or community colleges;

(3) a Certified Assessment Evaluator designation from the International Association of Assessing Officers;

(4) a currently active MAI, SREA, SRPA, SRA, or RM designation certification as a Member of the Appraisal Institute, Senior Real Estate Analyst, or Senior Real Property Appraiser from the Appraisal Institute or its predecessor organization;

(5) a currently active professional designation by any other appraisal or assessing association approved by the Department; or

(6) (blank). if the person has served as a township or multi-township assessor for 12 years or more, a Certified Illinois Assessing Official certificate from the Illinois Property Assessment Institute with a minimum of 360 additional hours of successfully completed courses approved by the Department, if at least 180 of the course hours required a written examination.

The candidate cannot file nominating papers or participate as a candidate unless a copy of the certificate of his or her qualifications from the Department is filed with the township clerk, board of election commissioners, or other appropriate authority as required by the Election Code. The candidate cannot be appointed to fill a vacancy until he or she has filed a copy of the certificate of his or her qualifications with the appointing authority.

(d) Beginning December 1, 2000, in a township or multi-township assessment district with more than $10,000,000 and less than $25,000,000 of non-farm equalized assessed value and less than $1,000,000 in commercial and industrial equalized assessed value, no person who has previously been elected as township or multi-township assessor in any such township or multi-township assessment district is eligible to file nomination papers or participate as a candidate in any caucus or primary or general election for the office of township or multi-township assessor, unless he or she possesses at least one of the qualifications listed in paragraphs (1) through (6) of subsection (c) of this Section. The candidate cannot file nominating papers or participate as a candidate unless a copy of the certificate of his or her qualifications from the Department is filed with the township clerk, board of election commissioners, or other appropriate authority as required by the Election Code.

(e) If any person files nominating papers for candidacy for the office of township or multi-township assessor without also filing a copy of the certificate of his or her qualifications from the Department as required by this Section, the clerk of the township, the board of election commissioners, or other appropriate authority as required by the Election Code shall refuse to certify the name of the person as a candidate to the proper election officials.

If no candidate for election meets the above qualifications there shall be no election and the town board of trustees or multi-township board of trustees shall appoint or contract with a person under Section 2-60.

As used in this Section only, "non-farm equalized assessed value" means the total equalized assessed value in the township or multi-township assessment district as reported to the Department under Section 18-225 after removal of homestead exemptions, and after removal of the equalized assessed value reported as farm or minerals to the Department under Section 18-225.

For purposes of this Section only, "file nomination papers" also includes having nomination papers filed on behalf of the candidate by another person.

(Source: P.A. 93-188, eff. 7-11-03.)

(35 ILCS 200/3-5)

Sec. 3-5. Supervisor of assessments. In counties with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants and in which no county assessor has been elected under Section 3-45, there shall be a county supervisor of assessments, either appointed as provided in this Section, or elected.

In counties with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants and not having an elected county assessor or an elected supervisor of assessments, the office of supervisor of assessments shall be filled by appointment by the presiding officer of the county board with the advice and consent of the county board.

To be eligible for appointment or to be eligible to file nomination papers or participate as a candidate in any primary or general election for, or be elected to, the office of supervisor of assessments, or to enter upon the duties of the office, a person must possess one of the following qualifications as certified by the Department individual to the county clerk:

(1) A currently active Certified Illinois Assessing Official designation certificate from the Illinois Property Assessment Institute, plus the additional training required for additional compensation under Section 4-10.

(2) A currently active Certified Assessment Evaluator certificate from the International Association of Assessing Officers.

(3) A currently active MAI, SREA, SRPA, SRA, or RM designation Member of the Appraisal Institute (MAI), Residential Member (RM), Senior Real Estate Analyst (SREA), Senior Real Property Analyst (SRPA) or Senior Residential Analyst (SRA) certificate from the Appraisal Institute or its predecessor organizations.

(4) (Blank). If the person has served as a supervisor of assessments for 12 years or more, a Certified Illinois Assessing Official certificate from the Illinois Property Assessment Institute with a minimum of 360 additional hours of successfully completed courses approved by the Department if at least 180 of the course hours required a written examination.

In addition, a person must have had at least 2 years' experience in the field of property sales, assessments, finance or appraisals and must have passed an examination conducted by the Department to determine his or her competence to hold the office. The examination may be conducted by the Department at a convenient location in the county or region. Notice of the time and place shall be given by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the counties and on the Department's official website, at least one week prior to the exam. The Department shall certify to the county board a list of the names and scores of persons who pass the examination. The Department may provide by rule the maximum time that the name of a person who has passed the examination will be included on a list of persons eligible for appointment or election. The term of office shall be 4 years from the date of appointment and until a successor is appointed and qualified.

(Source: P.A. 92-667, eff. 7-16-02.)

(35 ILCS 200/8-35)

Sec. 8-35. Notification requirements; procedure on protest.

(a) Assessments made by the Department. Upon completion of its original assessments, the Department shall publish a complete list of the assessments on the Department's official website and in the State "official newspaper." Any person feeling aggrieved by any such assessment may, within 10 days of the date of publication of the list, apply to the Department for a review and correction of that assessment. Upon review of the assessment, the Department shall make any correction as it considers just.

If review of an assessment has been made and notice has been given of the Department's decision, any party to the proceeding who feels aggrieved by the decision, may file an application for hearing. The application shall be in writing and shall be filed with the Department within 20 days after notice of the decision has been given by certified mail. Petitions for hearing shall state concisely the mistakes alleged to have been made or the new evidence to be presented.

No action for the judicial review of any assessment decision of the Department shall be allowed unless the party commencing such action has filed an application for a hearing and the Department has acted upon the application.

The extension of taxes on an assessment shall not be delayed by any proceeding under this Section. In cases where the assessment is revised, the taxes extended upon the assessment, or that part of the taxes as may be appropriate, shall be abated or, if already paid, refunded.

(b) Exemption decisions made by the Department. Notice of each exemption decision made by the Department under Section 15-25, 16-70, or 16-130 shall be given by certified mail to the applicant for exemption.

If an exemption decision has been made by the Department and notice has been given of the Department's decision, any party to the proceeding who feels aggrieved by the decision may file an application for hearing. The application shall be in writing and shall be filed with the Department within 60 days after notice of the decision has been given by certified mail. Petitions for hearing shall state concisely the mistakes alleged to have been made or the new evidence to be presented.

If a petition for hearing is filed, the Department shall reconsider the exemption decision and shall grant any party to the proceeding a hearing. As soon as practical after the reconsideration and hearing, the Department shall issue a notice of decision by mailing the notice by certified mail. The notice shall set forth the Department's findings of fact and the basis of the decision.

Within 30 days after the mailing of a notice of decision, any party to the proceeding may file with the Director a written request for rehearing in such form as the Department may by rule prescribe, setting forth the grounds on which rehearing is requested. If rehearing or Departmental review is granted, as soon as practical after the rehearing or Departmental review has been held, the Department shall issue a revised decision to the party or the party's legal representative as a result of the rehearing. The action of the Department on a petition for hearing shall become final the later of (i) 30 days after issuance of a notice of decision, if no request for rehearing is made, or (ii) if a timely request for rehearing is made, upon the issuance of the denial of the request or the issuance of a notice of final decision.

No action for the judicial review of any exemption decision of the Department shall be allowed unless the party commencing the action has filed an application for a hearing and the Department has acted upon the application.

The extension of taxes on an assessment shall not be delayed by any proceeding under this Section. In cases when the exemption is granted, in whole or in part, the taxes extended upon the assessment, or that part of the taxes as may be appropriate, shall be abated or, if already paid, refunded.

(Source: P.A. 92-658, eff. 7-16-02.)

(35 ILCS 200/11-25)

Sec. 11-25. Certification procedure. Application for a pollution control facility certificate shall be filed with the Pollution Control Board in a manner and form prescribed in regulations issued by that board. The application shall contain appropriate and available descriptive information concerning anything claimed to be entitled in whole or in part to tax treatment as a pollution control facility. If it is found that the claimed facility or relevant portion thereof is a pollution control facility as defined in Section 11-10, the Pollution Control Board, acting through its Chairman or his or her specifically authorized delegate, shall enter a finding and issue a certificate to that effect. The certificate shall require tax treatment as a pollution control facility, but only for the portion certified if only a portion is certified. The effective date of a certificate shall be the date of recommendation by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to the Illinois Pollution Control Board application for the certificate or the date of the construction of the facility, whichever is later.

(Source: P.A. 100-201, eff. 8-18-17.)

(35 ILCS 200/11-155)

Sec. 11-155. Certification and assessment authority. For assessment tax purposes, a qualifying water treatment facility shall be certified as such by the Director of Natural Resources and shall be assessed by the Department of Revenue. If an application is approved and a certification is issued following the procedure contained in Section 11-160, the property shall be assessed as a qualifying water treatment facility by the Department of Revenue.

(Source: P.A. 92-278, eff. 1-1-02.)

(35 ILCS 200/11-160)

Sec. 11-160. Approval procedure. Application for approval as a qualifying water treatment facility shall be filed with the Department of Revenue Natural Resources in the manner and form prescribed by the Department of Revenue Director of National Resources. The application shall contain appropriate and available descriptive information concerning anything claimed to be entitled to assessment tax treatment as defined in this Division 4. If it is found that the facility meets the definition, the Director of Revenue Natural Resources, or his or her duly authorized designee, shall enter a finding and issue a certificate that requires assessment tax treatment as a qualifying water treatment facility. The effective date of a certificate shall be on January 1 preceding the date of certification or preceding the date construction or installation of the facility commences, whichever is later.

(Source: P.A. 92-278, eff. 1-1-02.)

(35 ILCS 200/11-165)

Sec. 11-165. Judicial review; qualifying water treatment facilities. Any applicant or holder aggrieved by the issuance, refusal to issue, denial, revocation, modification, or restriction of a qualifying water treatment facility certificate may appeal the finding and order of the Department of Revenue (or the Department of Natural Resources, if applicable) under the Administrative Review Law.

(Source: P.A. 92-278, eff. 1-1-02.)

(35 ILCS 200/17-20)

Sec. 17-20. Hearing on tentative equalization factor. The Department shall, after publishing its tentative equalization factor and giving notice of hearing to the public in a newspaper of general circulation in the county and on the Department's official website, hold a hearing on its estimate not less than 10 days nor more than 30 days from the date of the publication. The notice shall state the date and time of the hearing, which shall be held in either Chicago or Springfield, the basis for the estimate of the Department, and further information as the Department may prescribe. The Department shall, after giving a hearing to all interested parties and opportunity for submitting testimony and evidence in support of or adverse to the estimate as the Department considers requisite, either confirm or revise the estimate so as to correctly represent the considered judgment of the Department respecting the estimated percentage to be added to or deducted from the aggregate assessment of all locally assessed property in the county except property assessed under Sections 10-110 through 10-140 or 10-170 through 10-200. Within 30 days after the conclusion of the hearing the Department shall mail to the County Clerk, by certified mail, its determination with respect to such estimated percentage to be added to or deducted from the aggregate assessment.

(Source: P.A. 91-555, eff. 1-1-00.)

(35 ILCS 200/17-40)

Sec. 17-40. Publication of final equalization factor. The Department shall publish in each county and on the Department's official website the percentage and equalization factor certified to each county clerk under Section 17-30. If the percentage differs from the percentage derived from the initial estimate certified under Section 17-15, a statement as to the basis for the final percentage shall also be published. The Department shall provide the statement to any member of the public upon request.

(Source: P.A. 79-703; 88-455.)