Senate Advances Legislation to Stop Governments from Charging Property Tax Penalties to Deceased Individuals
Legislation that alleviates the financial burdens placed on families dealing with unforeseen property tax penalties in the wake of a loved one’s passing advanced in the Senate last week. I am the leading Chief Co-Sponsor of this bill.
Currently, even when a person has passed away, governments may still be charging their estate with interest and penalties for property taxes, leaving grieving families with unexpected expenses.
Senate Bill 2832 would allow for the estate of a deceased individual to apply for a waiver with the county treasurer that would prevent interest and penalties from being charged on delinquent property taxes.
Senate Bill 2832 passed the Senate on April 9 and now awaits action in the House of Representatives.
Local Officials Visit Springfield on UCCI Lobby Day
It was an incredibly busy wee at the Capitol, with Friday serving as the deadline for Senate Bills to be approved in our chamber. However, I carved out some time to visit with Carroll County Board Chairman Joe Payette and Julie Bohle Bickelhaupt, who were in town for the United Counties Council of Illinois (UCCI) Lobby Day.
Carroll County is where I grew up, so it was wonderful to have the opportunity to talk with these leaders about issues of importance to the county, and how I may assist legislatively.
UCCI is a statewide organization of county boards, and provides numerous services to counties and county officials, including tracking legislation that affects counties, providing legislative input of issues that impact county government, and explaining the legal ramifications of newly-adopted or amended statutes. UCCI also provides educational opportunities for county officials through a leadership academy.
Opposition Voiced Against Wetland Overregulation
Ignoring concerns from Illinois’ agriculture community, environmental activists are pushing legislation that would grant the state sweeping authority over private land.
The bill was proposed in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Sackett v. EPA decision, which rolled back the scope of Waters of the United States (WOTUS) and curtailed overreach by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). WOTUS, a part of the Federal Clean Water Act, has been heavily criticized by farmers, homeowners, and landowners because of the broad authority it gave the government over private land.
Senate Bill 771 would give many of the powers the Sackett v. EPA decision took away from the EPA to the state. The legislation goes even further, creating a new regulatory system at the state level that puts the burden on landowners to hire costly specialists to identify wetlands. It also mandates permits for projects, even on private property, without specifying a timeline – allowing the state to effectively kill projects by not acting on a permit request. Additionally, it allows the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to issue hefty civil penalties of $10,000 per day for violations.
The legislation has been met with opposition from a broad range of interests, including farmers, business groups, home builders, and energy producers. If passed, it could mean the end of numerous energy projects, costing the state hundreds of millions of dollars in economic development.
I voted against the legislation and believe strongly that it infringes on property rights and would create yet another burdensome and costly regulatory process for citizens that could potentially harm Illinois’ agriculture, construction, and energy sectors in the long term.
Northwest Illinois Realtors Visit State Capitol
While in Springfield for their annual lobby day, a group of realtors from Northwest Illinois stopped by my office for a brief visit. Members of the Illinois Realtors Association do a drive-down day every year so they can meet and talk with their elected officials about issues that affect the housing industry, protecting private property rights, and to share their legislative agenda.
The Illinois Realtors Association is one of the state’s largest lobbying organizations, with more than 50,000 members statewide,
