Sen. Darby Hills

Amends the Property Tax Code. Creates the free and clear senior homestead exemption. Provides that certain homestead property that is owned and used a primary residence by a person who is 75 years of age or older and whose income does not exceed a specified income limitation is exempt from taxation under the Code.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that the assessed value of residential property in any general assessment year shall not exceed the assessed value of the property in the last general assessment year multiplied by one plus the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index during the 12-month calendar year immediately preceding the general assessment year for which the reassessment is conducted. Provides that the limitation does not apply if the increase in assessment is attributable to an addition, improvement, or modification to the property. Preempts the power of home rule units to tax. Effective immediately.

Maddy summaryThis bill makes Illinois' residential property tax credit refundable starting in 2026. It directly affects homeowners who claim the credit by allowing them to receive a cash refund if the credit amount exceeds their income tax liability. The key change is that taxpayers will get the excess credit amount paid back to them as a refund, rather than only reducing their tax bill. This refund won't count as income for means-tested programs (like food assistance), unless federal law requires otherwise. The change applies to tax years beginning January 1, 2026, and updates the existing credit structure under the Illinois Income Tax Act.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax deduction for gratuities that are included in the taxpayer's federal adjusted gross income. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Increases the tax credit for residential real property taxes from 5% of the real property taxes paid by the taxpayer during the taxable year on the principal residence of the taxpayer to 10% of the real property taxes paid by the taxpayer during the taxable year on the principal residence of the taxpayer. Provides that the credit is exempt from the Act's automatic sunset provision. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates the Welcome Home Illinois tax credit. Provides that each taxpayer who is a first-time homebuyer of a principal residence in the State during the taxable year is entitled to an income tax credit in an amount equal to $500. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, for taxable years 2027 and thereafter, the maximum reduction for the general homestead exemption in all counties shall be the maximum reduction for the immediately preceding taxable year, increased by the percentage increase, if any, in the Consumer Price Index during the 12-month period ending on September 30 of the immediately preceding taxable year. Effective immediately.

Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that prescription medicines and products classified as Class III medical devices by the United States Food and Drug Administration that are used for cancer treatment pursuant to a prescription are exempt from the tax under the Acts. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Increases the amount deposited into the Local Government Distributive Fund to: (i) 7.47% of the net revenue realized from the tax imposed upon individuals, trusts, estates, and pass-through entities; and (ii) 7.85% of the net revenue realized from the tax imposed upon corporations. Effective July 1, 2026.

Creates the Home Utility Relief Act. Requires the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to create, as soon as practicable, a Home Utility Rebate Program to provide rebates to households that use electricity and that have a median household income between 100% and 500% of the poverty guidelines updated periodically in the Federal Register by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Provides that eligible households shall receive the rebates as soon as practicable after implementation of the program. Requires the Department to, by rule, establish qualifications for program participation which may include requirements that apply under the Energy Assistance Act and other requirements. Provides that rebates provided under the program shall be funded through appropriations made from the Home Utility Rebate Relief Fund created under the Act. Requires the State Comptroller to direct and the State Treasurer to transfer $500,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Home Utility Rebate Relief Fund to provide rebates to qualifying households for State fiscal years 2026 and 2027. Provides that any funds left over at the end of the second month following the conclusion of payments to households in a fiscal year may be awarded to certain qualifying first-time small business owners as determined by the Department. Requires the Department to adopt emergency rules in accordance with the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to implement the program. Amends the State Finance Act to include the Home Utility Rebate Relief Fund as a special fund. Effective immediately.

Creates the Engineering Students of Illinois Scholarship Act. Creates the Engineering Students of Illinois Scholarship Program, to be administered by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, to provide scholarship assistance until July 1, 2031 to eligible students for engineering-related study at a public university who agree to work as an engineer for the Department of Transportation for a period of not less than 3 years. Allows the Commission to award scholarships to pay the tuition and fees of a student enrolled in an approved program of professional engineering education for the equivalent of 8 semesters or 16 quarters of full-time enrollment. Provides for an additional stipend in an amount not to exceed $10,000. Establishes the total amount of scholarship assistance, the application process, eligibility requirements, and payments and repayments. Amends the Board of Higher Education Act to require the Board of Higher Education to establish and administer a competitive grant program for public institutions of higher education that award degrees in engineering. Repeals the Act on July 1, 2032.