HB4677 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB102 24813 AWJ 34058 b

102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB4677

Introduced 1/21/2022, by Rep. Kelly M. Burke

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

35 ILCS 200/18-185
40 ILCS 5/13-503	from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 13-503
70 ILCS 2605/9.6a	from Ch. 42, par. 328.6a
30 ILCS 805/8.46 new

Amends the Property Tax Code. Modifies the exclusions to the definition of "aggregate extension" by excluding special purpose extensions made for the purpose of making contributions to the pension fund established under Article 13 of the Illinois Pension Code by use of bonds issued under specified provisions of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Act. Amends the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that, beginning in fiscal year 2032 and each year thereafter, the District shall contribute the actuarially determined contribution. Provides that the actuarially determined contribution is equal to the employer's normal cost plus an amount to amortize the unfunded liability on a level percent of payroll basis and bring the total actuarial assets of the Fund up to 100% of the total actuarial liability, calculated using the entry age normal actuarial cost method, by the year 2050. Makes conforming changes. Amends the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Act. Adds a provision allowing for the corporate authorities of the district to issue bonds in the principal amount of $600,000,000 for the purpose of making contributions to the pension fund without submitting the question of issuing bonds to the voters of the District. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning local 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 Section 18-185 as follows:

(35 ILCS 200/18-185)

Sec. 18-185. Short title; definitions. This Division 5 may be cited as the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law. As used in this Division 5:

"Consumer Price Index" means the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers for all items published by the United States Department of Labor.

"Extension limitation" means (a) the lesser of 5% or the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index during the 12-month calendar year preceding the levy year or (b) the rate of increase approved by voters under Section 18-205.

"Affected county" means a county of 3,000,000 or more inhabitants or a county contiguous to a county of 3,000,000 or more inhabitants.

"Taxing district" has the same meaning provided in Section 1-150, except as otherwise provided in this Section. For the 1991 through 1994 levy years only, "taxing district" includes only each non-home rule taxing district having the majority of its 1990 equalized assessed value within any county or counties contiguous to a county with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants. Beginning with the 1995 levy year, "taxing district" includes only each non-home rule taxing district subject to this Law before the 1995 levy year and each non-home rule taxing district not subject to this Law before the 1995 levy year having the majority of its 1994 equalized assessed value in an affected county or counties. Beginning with the levy year in which this Law becomes applicable to a taxing district as provided in Section 18-213, "taxing district" also includes those taxing districts made subject to this Law as provided in Section 18-213.

"Aggregate extension" for taxing districts to which this Law applied before the 1995 levy year means the annual corporate extension for the taxing district and those special purpose extensions that are made annually for the taxing district, excluding special purpose extensions: (a) made for the taxing district to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds that were approved by referendum; (b) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds issued before October 1, 1991; (c) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on bonds issued to refund or continue to refund those bonds issued before October 1, 1991; (d) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on bonds issued to refund or continue to refund bonds issued after October 1, 1991 that were approved by referendum; (e) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on revenue bonds issued before October 1, 1991 for payment of which a property tax levy or the full faith and credit of the unit of local government is pledged; however, a tax for the payment of interest or principal on those bonds shall be made only after the governing body of the unit of local government finds that all other sources for payment are insufficient to make those payments; (f) made for payments under a building commission lease when the lease payments are for the retirement of bonds issued by the commission before October 1, 1991, to pay for the building project; (g) made for payments due under installment contracts entered into before October 1, 1991; (h) made for payments of principal and interest on bonds issued under the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Act to finance construction projects initiated before October 1, 1991; (i) made for payments of principal and interest on limited bonds, as defined in Section 3 of the Local Government Debt Reform Act, in an amount not to exceed the debt service extension base less the amount in items (b), (c), (e), and (h) of this definition for non-referendum obligations, except obligations initially issued pursuant to referendum; (j) made for payments of principal and interest on bonds issued under Section 15 of the Local Government Debt Reform Act; (k) made by a school district that participates in the Special Education District of Lake County, created by special education joint agreement under Section 10-22.31 of the School Code, for payment of the school district's share of the amounts required to be contributed by the Special Education District of Lake County to the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund under Article 7 of the Illinois Pension Code; the amount of any extension under this item (k) shall be certified by the school district to the county clerk; (l) made to fund expenses of providing joint recreational programs for persons with disabilities under Section 5-8 of the Park District Code or Section 11-95-14 of the Illinois Municipal Code; (m) made for temporary relocation loan repayment purposes pursuant to Sections 2-3.77 and 17-2.2d of the School Code; (n) made for payment of principal and interest on any bonds issued under the authority of Section 17-2.2d of the School Code; (o) made for contributions to a firefighter's pension fund created under Article 4 of the Illinois Pension Code, to the extent of the amount certified under item (5) of Section 4-134 of the Illinois Pension Code; and (p) made for road purposes in the first year after a township assumes the rights, powers, duties, assets, property, liabilities, obligations, and responsibilities of a road district abolished under the provisions of Section 6-133 of the Illinois Highway Code.

"Aggregate extension" for the taxing districts to which this Law did not apply before the 1995 levy year (except taxing districts subject to this Law in accordance with Section 18-213) means the annual corporate extension for the taxing district and those special purpose extensions that are made annually for the taxing district, excluding special purpose extensions: (a) made for the taxing district to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds that were approved by referendum; (b) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds issued before March 1, 1995; (c) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on bonds issued to refund or continue to refund those bonds issued before March 1, 1995; (d) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on bonds issued to refund or continue to refund bonds issued after March 1, 1995 that were approved by referendum; (e) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on revenue bonds issued before March 1, 1995 for payment of which a property tax levy or the full faith and credit of the unit of local government is pledged; however, a tax for the payment of interest or principal on those bonds shall be made only after the governing body of the unit of local government finds that all other sources for payment are insufficient to make those payments; (f) made for payments under a building commission lease when the lease payments are for the retirement of bonds issued by the commission before March 1, 1995 to pay for the building project; (g) made for payments due under installment contracts entered into before March 1, 1995; (h) made for payments of principal and interest on bonds issued under the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Act to finance construction projects initiated before October 1, 1991; (h-4) made for stormwater management purposes by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago under Section 12 of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Act or made for the purpose of making contributions to the pension fund established under Article 13 of the Illinois Pension Code by use of bonds issued under Section 9.6a of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Act; (i) made for payments of principal and interest on limited bonds, as defined in Section 3 of the Local Government Debt Reform Act, in an amount not to exceed the debt service extension base less the amount in items (b), (c), and (e) of this definition for non-referendum obligations, except obligations initially issued pursuant to referendum and bonds described in subsection (h) of this definition; (j) made for payments of principal and interest on bonds issued under Section 15 of the Local Government Debt Reform Act; (k) made for payments of principal and interest on bonds authorized by Public Act 88-503 and issued under Section 20a of the Chicago Park District Act for aquarium or museum projects and bonds issued under Section 20a of the Chicago Park District Act for the purpose of making contributions to the pension fund established under Article 12 of the Illinois Pension Code; (l) made for payments of principal and interest on bonds authorized by Public Act 87-1191 or 93-601 and (i) issued pursuant to Section 21.2 of the Cook County Forest Preserve District Act, (ii) issued under Section 42 of the Cook County Forest Preserve District Act for zoological park projects, or (iii) issued under Section 44.1 of the Cook County Forest Preserve District Act for botanical gardens projects; (m) made pursuant to Section 34-53.5 of the School Code, whether levied annually or not; (n) made to fund expenses of providing joint recreational programs for persons with disabilities under Section 5-8 of the Park District Code or Section 11-95-14 of the Illinois Municipal Code; (o) made by the Chicago Park District for recreational programs for persons with disabilities under subsection (c) of Section 7.06 of the Chicago Park District Act; (p) made for contributions to a firefighter's pension fund created under Article 4 of the Illinois Pension Code, to the extent of the amount certified under item (5) of Section 4-134 of the Illinois Pension Code; (q) made by Ford Heights School District 169 under Section 17-9.02 of the School Code; and (r) made for the purpose of making employer contributions to the Public School Teachers' Pension and Retirement Fund of Chicago under Section 34-53 of the School Code.

"Aggregate extension" for all taxing districts to which this Law applies in accordance with Section 18-213, except for those taxing districts subject to paragraph (2) of subsection (e) of Section 18-213, means the annual corporate extension for the taxing district and those special purpose extensions that are made annually for the taxing district, excluding special purpose extensions: (a) made for the taxing district to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds that were approved by referendum; (b) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds issued before the date on which the referendum making this Law applicable to the taxing district is held; (c) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on bonds issued to refund or continue to refund those bonds issued before the date on which the referendum making this Law applicable to the taxing district is held; (d) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on bonds issued to refund or continue to refund bonds issued after the date on which the referendum making this Law applicable to the taxing district is held if the bonds were approved by referendum after the date on which the referendum making this Law applicable to the taxing district is held; (e) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on revenue bonds issued before the date on which the referendum making this Law applicable to the taxing district is held for payment of which a property tax levy or the full faith and credit of the unit of local government is pledged; however, a tax for the payment of interest or principal on those bonds shall be made only after the governing body of the unit of local government finds that all other sources for payment are insufficient to make those payments; (f) made for payments under a building commission lease when the lease payments are for the retirement of bonds issued by the commission before the date on which the referendum making this Law applicable to the taxing district is held to pay for the building project; (g) made for payments due under installment contracts entered into before the date on which the referendum making this Law applicable to the taxing district is held; (h) made for payments of principal and interest on limited bonds, as defined in Section 3 of the Local Government Debt Reform Act, in an amount not to exceed the debt service extension base less the amount in items (b), (c), and (e) of this definition for non-referendum obligations, except obligations initially issued pursuant to referendum; (i) made for payments of principal and interest on bonds issued under Section 15 of the Local Government Debt Reform Act; (j) made for a qualified airport authority to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds issued for the purpose of paying obligations due under, or financing airport facilities required to be acquired, constructed, installed or equipped pursuant to, contracts entered into before March 1, 1996 (but not including any amendments to such a contract taking effect on or after that date); (k) made to fund expenses of providing joint recreational programs for persons with disabilities under Section 5-8 of the Park District Code or Section 11-95-14 of the Illinois Municipal Code; (l) made for contributions to a firefighter's pension fund created under Article 4 of the Illinois Pension Code, to the extent of the amount certified under item (5) of Section 4-134 of the Illinois Pension Code; and (m) made for the taxing district to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds issued pursuant to Section 19-3.10 of the School Code.

"Aggregate extension" for all taxing districts to which this Law applies in accordance with paragraph (2) of subsection (e) of Section 18-213 means the annual corporate extension for the taxing district and those special purpose extensions that are made annually for the taxing district, excluding special purpose extensions: (a) made for the taxing district to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds that were approved by referendum; (b) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds issued before March 7, 1997 (the effective date of Public Act 89-718); (c) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on bonds issued to refund or continue to refund those bonds issued before March 7, 1997 (the effective date of Public Act 89-718); (d) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on bonds issued to refund or continue to refund bonds issued after March 7, 1997 (the effective date of Public Act 89-718) if the bonds were approved by referendum after March 7, 1997 (the effective date of Public Act 89-718); (e) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on revenue bonds issued before March 7, 1997 (the effective date of Public Act 89-718) for payment of which a property tax levy or the full faith and credit of the unit of local government is pledged; however, a tax for the payment of interest or principal on those bonds shall be made only after the governing body of the unit of local government finds that all other sources for payment are insufficient to make those payments; (f) made for payments under a building commission lease when the lease payments are for the retirement of bonds issued by the commission before March 7, 1997 (the effective date of Public Act 89-718) to pay for the building project; (g) made for payments due under installment contracts entered into before March 7, 1997 (the effective date of Public Act 89-718); (h) made for payments of principal and interest on limited bonds, as defined in Section 3 of the Local Government Debt Reform Act, in an amount not to exceed the debt service extension base less the amount in items (b), (c), and (e) of this definition for non-referendum obligations, except obligations initially issued pursuant to referendum; (i) made for payments of principal and interest on bonds issued under Section 15 of the Local Government Debt Reform Act; (j) made for a qualified airport authority to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds issued for the purpose of paying obligations due under, or financing airport facilities required to be acquired, constructed, installed or equipped pursuant to, contracts entered into before March 1, 1996 (but not including any amendments to such a contract taking effect on or after that date); (k) made to fund expenses of providing joint recreational programs for persons with disabilities under Section 5-8 of the Park District Code or Section 11-95-14 of the Illinois Municipal Code; and (l) made for contributions to a firefighter's pension fund created under Article 4 of the Illinois Pension Code, to the extent of the amount certified under item (5) of Section 4-134 of the Illinois Pension Code.

"Debt service extension base" means an amount equal to that portion of the extension for a taxing district for the 1994 levy year, or for those taxing districts subject to this Law in accordance with Section 18-213, except for those subject to paragraph (2) of subsection (e) of Section 18-213, for the levy year in which the referendum making this Law applicable to the taxing district is held, or for those taxing districts subject to this Law in accordance with paragraph (2) of subsection (e) of Section 18-213 for the 1996 levy year, constituting an extension for payment of principal and interest on bonds issued by the taxing district without referendum, but not including excluded non-referendum bonds. For park districts (i) that were first subject to this Law in 1991 or 1995 and (ii) whose extension for the 1994 levy year for the payment of principal and interest on bonds issued by the park district without referendum (but not including excluded non-referendum bonds) was less than 51% of the amount for the 1991 levy year constituting an extension for payment of principal and interest on bonds issued by the park district without referendum (but not including excluded non-referendum bonds), "debt service extension base" means an amount equal to that portion of the extension for the 1991 levy year constituting an extension for payment of principal and interest on bonds issued by the park district without referendum (but not including excluded non-referendum bonds). A debt service extension base established or increased at any time pursuant to any provision of this Law, except Section 18-212, shall be increased each year commencing with the later of (i) the 2009 levy year or (ii) the first levy year in which this Law becomes applicable to the taxing district, by the lesser of 5% or the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index during the 12-month calendar year preceding the levy year. The debt service extension base may be established or increased as provided under Section 18-212. "Excluded non-referendum bonds" means (i) bonds authorized by Public Act 88-503 and issued under Section 20a of the Chicago Park District Act for aquarium and museum projects; (ii) bonds issued under Section 15 of the Local Government Debt Reform Act; or (iii) refunding obligations issued to refund or to continue to refund obligations initially issued pursuant to referendum.

"Special purpose extensions" include, but are not limited to, extensions for levies made on an annual basis for unemployment and workers' compensation, self-insurance, contributions to pension plans, and extensions made pursuant to Section 6-601 of the Illinois Highway Code for a road district's permanent road fund whether levied annually or not. The extension for a special service area is not included in the aggregate extension.

"Aggregate extension base" means the taxing district's last preceding aggregate extension as adjusted under Sections 18-135, 18-215, 18-230, 18-206, and 18-233. An adjustment under Section 18-135 shall be made for the 2007 levy year and all subsequent levy years whenever one or more counties within which a taxing district is located (i) used estimated valuations or rates when extending taxes in the taxing district for the last preceding levy year that resulted in the over or under extension of taxes, or (ii) increased or decreased the tax extension for the last preceding levy year as required by Section 18-135(c). Whenever an adjustment is required under Section 18-135, the aggregate extension base of the taxing district shall be equal to the amount that the aggregate extension of the taxing district would have been for the last preceding levy year if either or both (i) actual, rather than estimated, valuations or rates had been used to calculate the extension of taxes for the last levy year, or (ii) the tax extension for the last preceding levy year had not been adjusted as required by subsection (c) of Section 18-135.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for levy year 2012, the aggregate extension base for West Northfield School District No. 31 in Cook County shall be $12,654,592.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for levy year 2022, the aggregate extension base of a home equity assurance program that levied at least $1,000,000 in property taxes in levy year 2019 or 2020 under the Home Equity Assurance Act shall be the amount that the program's aggregate extension base for levy year 2021 would have been if the program had levied a property tax for levy year 2021.

"Levy year" has the same meaning as "year" under Section 1-155.

"New property" means (i) the assessed value, after final board of review or board of appeals action, of new improvements or additions to existing improvements on any parcel of real property that increase the assessed value of that real property during the levy year multiplied by the equalization factor issued by the Department under Section 17-30, (ii) the assessed value, after final board of review or board of appeals action, of real property not exempt from real estate taxation, which real property was exempt from real estate taxation for any portion of the immediately preceding levy year, multiplied by the equalization factor issued by the Department under Section 17-30, including the assessed value, upon final stabilization of occupancy after new construction is complete, of any real property located within the boundaries of an otherwise or previously exempt military reservation that is intended for residential use and owned by or leased to a private corporation or other entity, (iii) in counties that classify in accordance with Section 4 of Article IX of the Illinois Constitution, an incentive property's additional assessed value resulting from a scheduled increase in the level of assessment as applied to the first year final board of review market value, and (iv) any increase in assessed value due to oil or gas production from an oil or gas well required to be permitted under the Hydraulic Fracturing Regulatory Act that was not produced in or accounted for during the previous levy year. In addition, the county clerk in a county containing a population of 3,000,000 or more shall include in the 1997 recovered tax increment value for any school district, any recovered tax increment value that was applicable to the 1995 tax year calculations.

"Qualified airport authority" means an airport authority organized under the Airport Authorities Act and located in a county bordering on the State of Wisconsin and having a population in excess of 200,000 and not greater than 500,000.

"Recovered tax increment value" means, except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, the amount of the current year's equalized assessed value, in the first year after a municipality terminates the designation of an area as a redevelopment project area previously established under the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act in the Illinois Municipal Code, previously established under the Industrial Jobs Recovery Law in the Illinois Municipal Code, previously established under the Economic Development Project Area Tax Increment Act of 1995, or previously established under the Economic Development Area Tax Increment Allocation Act, of each taxable lot, block, tract, or parcel of real property in the redevelopment project area over and above the initial equalized assessed value of each property in the redevelopment project area. For the taxes which are extended for the 1997 levy year, the recovered tax increment value for a non-home rule taxing district that first became subject to this Law for the 1995 levy year because a majority of its 1994 equalized assessed value was in an affected county or counties shall be increased if a municipality terminated the designation of an area in 1993 as a redevelopment project area previously established under the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act in the Illinois Municipal Code, previously established under the Industrial Jobs Recovery Law in the Illinois Municipal Code, or previously established under the Economic Development Area Tax Increment Allocation Act, by an amount equal to the 1994 equalized assessed value of each taxable lot, block, tract, or parcel of real property in the redevelopment project area over and above the initial equalized assessed value of each property in the redevelopment project area. In the first year after a municipality removes a taxable lot, block, tract, or parcel of real property from a redevelopment project area established under the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act in the Illinois Municipal Code, the Industrial Jobs Recovery Law in the Illinois Municipal Code, or the Economic Development Area Tax Increment Allocation Act, "recovered tax increment value" means the amount of the current year's equalized assessed value of each taxable lot, block, tract, or parcel of real property removed from the redevelopment project area over and above the initial equalized assessed value of that real property before removal from the redevelopment project area.

Except as otherwise provided in this Section, "limiting rate" means a fraction the numerator of which is the last preceding aggregate extension base times an amount equal to one plus the extension limitation defined in this Section and the denominator of which is the current year's equalized assessed value of all real property in the territory under the jurisdiction of the taxing district during the prior levy year. For those taxing districts that reduced their aggregate extension for the last preceding levy year, except for school districts that reduced their extension for educational purposes pursuant to Section 18-206, the highest aggregate extension in any of the last 3 preceding levy years shall be used for the purpose of computing the limiting rate. The denominator shall not include new property or the recovered tax increment value. If a new rate, a rate decrease, or a limiting rate increase has been approved at an election held after March 21, 2006, then (i) the otherwise applicable limiting rate shall be increased by the amount of the new rate or shall be reduced by the amount of the rate decrease, as the case may be, or (ii) in the case of a limiting rate increase, the limiting rate shall be equal to the rate set forth in the proposition approved by the voters for each of the years specified in the proposition, after which the limiting rate of the taxing district shall be calculated as otherwise provided. In the case of a taxing district that obtained referendum approval for an increased limiting rate on March 20, 2012, the limiting rate for tax year 2012 shall be the rate that generates the approximate total amount of taxes extendable for that tax year, as set forth in the proposition approved by the voters; this rate shall be the final rate applied by the county clerk for the aggregate of all capped funds of the district for tax year 2012.

(Source: P.A. 102-263, eff. 8-6-21; 102-311, eff. 8-6-21; 102-519, eff. 8-20-21; 102-558, eff. 8-20-21; revised 10-5-21.)

Section 10. The Illinois Pension Code is amended by changing Section 13-503 as follows:

(40 ILCS 5/13-503) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 13-503)

Sec. 13-503. Tax levy. Until fiscal year 2013, the Water Reclamation District shall annually levy a tax upon all the taxable real property within the District at a rate which, when extended, will produce a sum that (i) when added to the amounts deducted from the salaries of employees, interest income on investments, and other income, will be sufficient to meet the requirements of the Fund on an actuarially funded basis, but (ii) shall not exceed an amount equal to the total amount of contributions by the employees to the Fund made in the calendar year 2 years prior to the year for which the tax is levied, multiplied by 2.19, except that the amount of employee contributions made on or after January 1, 2003 towards the purchase of additional optional benefits under Section 13-304.1 shall only be multiplied by 1.00.

Beginning in fiscal year 2013 until the end of fiscal year 2031, the District shall annually levy a tax upon all the taxable real property within the District at a rate which, when extended, will produce a sum that (i) will be sufficient to meet the Fund's actuarially determined contribution requirement, but (ii) shall not exceed an amount equal to the total employee contributions 2 years prior multiplied by 4.19. The actuarially determined contribution requirement is equal to the employer's normal cost plus the annual amount needed to amortize the unfunded liability by the year 2050 as a level percent of payroll. The funding goal is to attain a funded ratio of 100% at least 90% by the year 2050, with the funded ratio being the ratio of the actuarial value of assets to the total actuarial liability.

Beginning in fiscal year 2032 and each year thereafter, the District shall contribute the actuarially determined contribution. The actuarially determined contribution is equal to the employer's normal cost plus an amount to amortize the unfunded liability on a level percent of payroll basis and bring the total actuarial assets of the Fund up to 100% of the total actuarial liability, calculated using the entry age normal actuarial cost method, by the year 2050.

The tax shall be levied and collected in the same manner as the general taxes of the District.

The tax shall be exclusive of and in addition to the amount of tax the District is now or may hereafter be authorized to levy for general purposes under the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Act or under any other laws which may limit the amount of tax for general purposes. The county clerk of any county, in reducing tax levies as may be authorized by law, shall not consider any such tax as a part of the general tax levy for District purposes, and shall not include the same in any limitation of the percent of the assessed valuation upon which taxes are required to be extended.

Revenues derived from the tax shall be paid to the Fund for the benefit of the Fund.

If the funds available for the purposes of this Article are insufficient during any year to meet the requirements of this Article, the District may issue tax anticipation warrants or notes, as provided by law, against the current tax levy.

The Board shall submit annually to the Board of Commissioners of the District an estimate of the amount required to be raised by taxation for the purposes of the Fund. The Board of Commissioners shall review the estimate and determine the tax to be levied for such purposes.

(Source: P.A. 97-894, eff. 8-3-12.)

Section 15. The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Act is amended by changing Section 9.6a as follows:

(70 ILCS 2605/9.6a) (from Ch. 42, par. 328.6a)

Sec. 9.6a. Bonds for sewage treatment and water quality improvements. The corporate authorities of a sanitary district, in order to provide funds required for the replacing, remodeling, completing, altering, constructing and enlarging of sewage treatment works, administrative buildings, water quality improvement projects, or flood control facilities, and additions therefor, pumping stations, tunnels, conduits, intercepting sewers and outlet sewers, together with the equipment, including air pollution equipment, and appurtenances thereto, to acquire property, real, personal or mixed, necessary for said purposes, for costs and expenses for the acquisition of the sites and rights-of-way necessary thereto, and for engineering expenses for designing and supervising the construction of such works, may issue on or before December 31, 2034, in addition to all other obligations heretofore or herein authorized, bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness for such purposes in an aggregate amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed 3.35% of the equalized assessed valuation of all taxable property within the sanitary district, to be ascertained by the last assessment for State and local taxes previous to the issuance of any such obligations. Such obligations shall be issued without submitting the question of such issuance to the legal voters of such sanitary district for approval.

The corporate authorities may sell such obligations at private or public sale and enter into any contract or agreement necessary, appropriate or incidental to the exercise of the powers granted by this Act, including, without limitation, contracts or agreements for the sale and purchase of such obligations and the payment of costs and expenses incident thereto. The corporate authorities may pay such costs and expenses, in whole or in part, from the corporate fund.

Such obligations shall be issued from time to time only in amounts as may be required for such purposes but the amount of such obligations issued during any one budget year shall not exceed $150,000,000 plus the amount of any obligations authorized by this Act to be issued during the 3 budget years next preceding the year of issuance but which were not issued, provided, however, that this limitation shall not be applicable (i) to the issuance of obligations to refund bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness, (ii) to obligations issued to provide for the repayment of money received from the Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund for the construction or repair of wastewater treatment works, and (iii) to obligations issued as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, issued prior to January 1, 2011, that are commonly known as "Build America Bonds" as authorized by Section 54AA of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Each ordinance authorizing the issuance of the obligations shall state the general purpose or purposes for which they are to be issued, and the corporate authorities may at any time thereafter pass supplemental appropriations ordinances appropriating the proceeds from the sale of such obligations for such purposes.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 9.6 or this Section, and in addition to any other amount of bonds authorized to be issued under this Act, the corporate authorities are authorized to issue from time to time bonds of the district in the principal amount of $600,000,000 for the purpose of making contributions to the pension fund established under Article 13 of the Illinois Pension Code without submitting the question of issuing bonds to the voters of the District. Any bond issuances under this subsection are intended to decrease the unfunded liability of the pension fund and shall not decrease the amount of the employer contributions required in any given year under Section 13-503 of the Illinois Pension Code.

The corporate authorities may issue bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness in an amount necessary to provide funds to refund outstanding obligations issued pursuant to this Section, including interest accrued or to accrue thereon.

(Source: P.A. 101-302, eff. 1-1-20.)

Section 90. The State Mandates Act is amended by adding Section 8.46 as follows:

(30 ILCS 805/8.46 new)

Sec. 8.46. Exempt mandate. Notwithstanding Sections 6 and 8 of this Act, no reimbursement by the State is required for the implementation of any mandate created by this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.