Public Act 096-1248
 
HB6062 EnrolledLRB096 17995 HLH 33366 b

    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 20-25 as follows:
 
    (35 ILCS 200/20-25)
    Sec. 20-25. Forms of payment.
    (a) Taxes levied by taxing districts may be satisfied by
payment in legal money of the United States, cashier's check,
certified check, post office money order, bank money order
issued by a national or state bank that is insured by the
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or by a personal or
corporate check drawn on such a bank, to the respective
collection officers who are entitled by law to receive the tax
payments or by credit card in accordance with the Local
Governmental Acceptance of Credit Cards Act. A county collector
may refuse to accept a personal check within 30 days before a
tax sale.
    (b) Beginning on January 1, 2012, subject to compliance
with all applicable purchasing requirements, a county with a
population of more than 3,000,000 is required to accept payment
by credit card for each installment of property taxes; provided
that all service charges or fees, as determined by the county,
associated with the processing or accepting of a credit card
payment by the county shall be paid by the taxpayer. If a
taxpayer elects to make a property tax payment by credit card
and a service charge or fee is imposed, the payment of that
service charge or fee shall be deemed voluntary by the taxpayer
and shall not be refundable. Nothing in this subsection
requires a county with a population of more than 3,000,000 to
accept payment by credit card for the payment on any
installment of taxes that is delinquent under Section 21-10,
21-25, or 21-30 of the Property Tax Code or for the purposes of
any tax sale or scavenger sale under Division 3.5, 4, or 5 of
Article 21 of the Property Tax Code. A county that accepts
payment of property taxes by credit card in accordance with the
terms of this subsection shall not incur liability for or
associated with the collection of a property tax payment by
credit card. The public hearing requirement of subsection (a)
of Section 20 of the Local Governmental Acceptance of Credit
Cards Act shall not apply to this subsection. This subsection
is a limitation under subsection (i) of Section 6 of Article
VII of the Illinois Constitution on the concurrent exercise by
home rule units of powers and functions exercised by the State.
(Source: P.A. 90-518, eff. 8-22-97.)
 
    Section 7. The Local Government Acceptance of Credit Cards
Act is amended by changing Section 20 as follows:
 
    (50 ILCS 345/20)
    Sec. 20. Election by local governmental entities to accept
credit cards.
    (a) The decision whether to accept credit card payments for
any particular type of obligation shall be made by the
governing body of the local governmental entity that has
general discretionary authority over the manner of acceptance
of payments. The governing body may adopt reasonable rules
governing the manner of acceptance of payments by credit card.
Except as provided in subsection (b) of Section 20-25 of the
Property Tax Code, no No decision to accept credit card
payments under this Act shall be made until the governing body
has determined, following a public hearing held not sooner than
10 nor later than 30 days following public notice of the
hearing, that the acceptance of credit card payments for the
types of authorized obligations specified in the public notice
is in the best interests of the citizens and governmental
administration of the local governmental entity or community
college and of the students and taxpayers thereof.
    (b) The governing body of the entity accepting payment by
credit card may enter into agreements with one or more
financial institutions or other service providers to
facilitate the acceptance and processing of credit card
payments. Such agreements shall identify the specific services
to be provided, an itemized list of the fees charged, and the
means by which each such fee shall be paid. Such agreements may
include a discount fee to cover the costs of interchange,
assessments and authorizations, a per item processing fee for
the service provider, and any other fee, including a payment of
a surcharge or convenience fee, that may be applicable to
specific circumstances. Any agreement for acceptance of
payments by credit cards may be canceled by the governmental
entity upon giving reasonable notice of intent to cancel.
    (c) An entity accepting payments by credit card may pay
amounts due a financial institution or other service provider
by (i) paying the financial institution or other service
provider upon presentation of an invoice or (ii) allowing the
financial institution or other service provider to withhold the
amount of the fees from the credit card payment. A discount or
processing fee may be authorized whenever the governing body of
the entity determines that any reduction of revenue resulting
from the discount or processing fee will be in the best
interest of the entity. Items that may be considered in making
a determination to authorize the payment of fees or the
acceptance of a discount include, but are not limited to,
improved governmental cash flows, reduction of governmental
overhead, improved governmental financial security, a
combination of these items, and the benefit of increased public
convenience. No payment to or withheld by a financial
institution or other service provider may exceed the amounts
authorized under subsection (b) of Section 25.
    (d) Unless specifically prohibited by an ordinance or rule
adopted by the governing body of the local governmental entity,
a person may pay multiple tax bills in a single transaction.
(Source: P.A. 90-518, eff. 8-22-97.)
 
    Section 10. The State Mandates Act is amended by adding
Section 8.34 as follows:
 
    (30 ILCS 805/8.34 new)
    Sec. 8.34. 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 96th General Assembly.
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.