103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
HB5440

 

Introduced 2/9/2024, by Rep. Joe C. Sosnowski

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
60 ILCS 1/235-20

    Amends the Township Code. Provides that a township must expend at least 51% of the funds deposited into the general assistance fund in a calendar year by the following calendar year. Provides for elimination of the general assistance tax for one year if a township expends less than 51% of the funds deposited into the general assistance fund in a calendar year by the following calendar year. Provides for the reduction of the general assistance tax levy to 0.05% if a township expends at least 51% but less than 70% of the funds deposited into the general assistance fund in a calendar year by the following calendar year. Effective immediately.


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A BILL FOR

 

HB5440LRB103 36802 AWJ 66912 b

1    AN ACT concerning local government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Township Code is amended by changing
5Section 235-20 as follows:
 
6    (60 ILCS 1/235-20)
7    Sec. 235-20. General assistance tax.
8    (a) The township board may raise money by taxation deemed
9necessary to be expended to provide general assistance in the
10township to persons needing that assistance as provided in the
11Illinois Public Aid Code, including persons eligible for
12assistance under the Military Veterans Assistance Act, where
13that duty is provided by law. The tax for each fiscal year
14shall not be more than 0.10% of value, or more than an amount
15approved at a referendum held under this Section, as equalized
16or assessed by the Department of Revenue, and shall in no case
17exceed the amount needed in the township for general
18assistance. The board may decrease the maximum tax rate by
19ordinance.
20    (b) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, if
21the board desires to increase the maximum tax rate, it shall
22order a referendum on that proposition to be held at an
23election in accordance with the general election law. The

 

 

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1board shall certify the proposition to the proper election
2officials, who shall submit the proposition to the voters at
3an election in accordance with the general election law. If a
4majority of the votes cast on the proposition is in favor of
5the proposition, the board may annually levy the tax at a rate
6not exceeding the higher rate approved by the voters at the
7election. If, however, the board has decreased the maximum tax
8rate under subsection (a), then it may, at any time after the
9decrease, increase the maximum tax rate, by ordinance, to a
10rate less than or equal to the maximum tax rate immediately
11prior to the board's ordinance to decrease the rate.
12    (c) If a city, village, or incorporated town having a
13population of more than 500,000 is located within or partially
14within a township, then the entire amount of the tax levied by
15the township for the purpose of providing general assistance
16under this Section on property lying within that city,
17village, or incorporated town, less the amount allowed for
18collecting the tax, shall be paid over by the treasurer of the
19township to the treasurer of the city, village, or
20incorporated town to be appropriated and used by the city,
21village, or incorporated town for the relief and support of
22persons needing general assistance residing in that portion of
23the city, village, or incorporated town located within the
24township in accordance with the Illinois Public Aid Code.
25    (d) Any taxes levied for general assistance before or
26after this Section takes effect may also be used for the

 

 

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1payment of warrants issued against and in anticipation of
2those taxes and accrued interest on those warrants and may
3also be used to pay the cost of administering that assistance.
4    (e) In any township with a population of less than 500,000
5that receives no State funding for the general assistance
6program and that has not issued anticipation warrants or
7otherwise borrowed monies for the administration of the
8general assistance program during the township's previous 3
9fiscal years of operation, a one time transfer of monies from
10the township's general assistance fund may be made to the
11general township fund pursuant to action by the township
12board. This transfer may occur only to the extent that the
13amount of monies remaining in the general assistance fund
14after the transfer is equal to the greater of (i) the amount of
15the township's expenditures in the previous fiscal year for
16general assistance or (ii) an amount equal to either 0.10% of
17the last known total equalized value of all taxable property
18in the township, or 100% of the highest amount levied for
19general assistance purposes in any of the three previous
20fiscal years. The transfer shall be completed no later than
21one year after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the
2292nd General Assembly. No township that has certified a new
23levy or an increase in the levy under this Section during
24calendar year 2002 may transfer monies under this subsection.
25No action on the transfer of monies under this subsection
26shall be taken by the township board except at a township board

 

 

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1meeting. No monies transferred under this subsection shall be
2considered in determining whether the township qualifies for
3State funds to supplement local funds for public aid purposes
4under Section 12-21.13 of the Illinois Public Aid Code.
5    (e-5) The township board of Gray Township in White County
6may approve by resolution or ordinance transfers of monies
7from the township's general assistance fund to the general
8township fund no later than one year after the effective date
9of this amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly if:
10        (1) the township receives no State funding for the
11    general assistance program;
12        (2) the township has not issued anticipation warrants
13    or otherwise borrowed monies for the administration of the
14    general assistance program during the township's previous
15    3 fiscal years of operation;
16        (3) the amount of monies remaining in the general
17    assistance fund after the transfer is equal to the greater
18    of (i) the amount of the township's expenditures in the
19    previous fiscal year for general assistance or (ii) an
20    amount equal to either 0.10% of the last known total
21    equalized value of all taxable property in the township,
22    or 100% of the highest amount levied for general
23    assistance purposes in any of the three previous fiscal
24    years; and
25        (4) the township that has not certified a new levy or
26    an increase in the levy under this Section during calendar

 

 

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1    year 2015.
2No monies transferred under this subsection shall be
3considered in determining whether the township qualifies for
4State funds to supplement local funds for public aid purposes
5under Section 12-21.13 of the Illinois Public Aid Code.
6    (f) A township must expend at least 51% of the funds
7deposited into the general assistance fund in a calendar year
8by the following calendar year.
9    If a township expends less than 51% of the funds deposited
10into the general assistance fund in a calendar year by the
11following calendar year, the general assistance tax levy is
12eliminated for the calendar year immediately following the
13calendar year in which the township was required to expend at
14least 51%. If a general assistance tax levy is eliminated
15under this paragraph, the treasurer of the township shall
16provide notice to the county clerk of the elimination. The
17general assistance tax levy shall be restored after the year
18it was eliminated to the same tax levy percentage as before the
19levy was eliminated under this paragraph.
20    If a township expends at least 51% but less than 70% of the
21funds deposited into the general assistance fund in a calendar
22year by the following calendar year, the general assistance
23tax levy is reduced to 0.05% on January 1 if the general
24assistance tax levy is greater than 0.05%, notwithstanding any
25other provision of this Section. If a general assistance tax
26levy percentage is reduced under this paragraph, the treasurer

 

 

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1of the township shall provide notice to the county clerk of the
2reduction. A general assistance tax levy percentage reduced
3under this paragraph may be increased as otherwise provided in
4this Section, except that the levy will be reduced again or
5eliminated if the township does not meet the requirements of
6this subsection.
7(Source: P.A. 99-248, eff. 1-1-16.)
 
8    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
9becoming law.