Bill Text: IL HB2543 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides for a non-binding, advisory referendum on the question of whether a taxing district should reduce its aggregate extension by up to 10% from its aggregate extension for the previous taxable year. Provides that the referendum shall be initiated by a petition signed by a number of registered voters of the taxing district that is equal to or greater than 1% but less than 5% of the total number of votes cast in the taxing district in the preceding general election. Provides for a binding referendum on the question of whether a taxing district shall reduce its aggregate extension by up to 10% from its aggregate extension for the previous taxable year. Provides that the referendum shall be initiated by a petition signed by a number of registered voters of a taxing district that is equal to or greater than 5% of the total number of votes cast in the taxing district in the preceding general election. Preempts the power of home rule units to tax. Effective immediately.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2025-02-04 - Referred to Rules Committee [HB2543 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2025-HB2543-Introduced.html

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB2543 Introduced , by Rep. Joe C. Sosnowski SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
35 ILCS 200/Art. 18 Div. 5.2 heading new
35 ILCS 200/18-249.6 new
Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides for a non-binding, advisory referendum on the question of whether a taxing district should reduce its aggregate extension by up to 10% from its aggregate extension for the previous taxable year. Provides that the referendum shall be initiated by a petition signed by a number of registered voters of the taxing district that is equal to or greater than 1% but less than 5% of the total number of votes cast in the taxing district in the preceding general election. Provides for a binding referendum on the question of whether a taxing district shall reduce its aggregate extension by up to 10% from its aggregate extension for the previous taxable year. Provides that the referendum shall be initiated by a petition signed by a number of registered voters of a taxing district that is equal to or greater than 5% of the total number of votes cast in the taxing district in the preceding general election. Preempts the power of home rule units to tax. Effective immediately.
LRB104 08609 HLH 18661 b
A BILL FOR
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AN ACT concerning revenue.
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 adding
Division 5.2 to Article 18 as follows:
(35 ILCS 200/Art. 18 Div. 5.2 heading new)
Division 5.2. Taxpayer Empowerment Law
(35 ILCS 200/18-249.6 new)
Sec. 18-249.6. Referenda to decrease the taxing district's
aggregate extension.
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, upon
submission of a petition signed by a number of registered
voters of a taxing district that is equal to or greater than 1%
but less than 5% of the total number of votes cast in the
taxing district in the preceding general election, a
non-binding, advisory referendum on the question of whether
the taxing district should reduce its aggregate extension by
up to 10% from its aggregate extension for the previous
taxable year shall be submitted to the voters of the taxing
district at the next regularly scheduled general or
consolidated election in accordance with the Election Code;
however, in no event shall a question under this Section be

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submitted at a primary election.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, upon
submission of a petition signed by a number of registered
voters of a taxing district that is equal to or greater than 5%
of the total number of votes cast in the taxing district in the
preceding general election, a binding referendum on the
question of whether the taxing district shall reduce its
aggregate extension by up to 10% from its aggregate extension
for the previous taxable year shall be submitted to the voters
of the taxing district at the next regularly scheduled general
or consolidated election in accordance with the Election Code;
however, in no event shall a question under this Section be
submitted at a primary election.
(c) Petitions under subsection (a) or (b) may be
circulated no earlier than 12 months prior to the date the
petition is filed under this subsection. A petition under
subsection (a) or (b) shall be filed with the applicable
election authority, as defined in Section 1-3 of the Election
Code, or, in the case of multiple election authorities, with
the State Board of Elections, in the time and manner specified
in Article 28 of the Election Code. The validity of petitions
under subsections (a) or (b) shall be determined as provided
by Article 28 of the Election Code. The election authority or
Board, as applicable, shall certify the question and the
proper election authority or authorities shall submit the
question to the voters. Except as otherwise provided in this

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Section, this referendum shall be subject to all other general
election law requirements.
(d) The proposition seeking to reduce the taxing
district's aggregate extension shall be in substantially the
following form:
"Should the aggregate extension for (taxing district)
be reduced from (previous levy year's extension) to
(proposed extension, which may be up to 10% less than the
previous levy year's extension) for (levy year)?"
Votes shall be recorded as "Yes" or "No".
If the referendum is a binding referendum as provided in
subsection (b), and a majority of all votes cast on the
proposition are in favor of the proposition, then, for the
levy year immediately after the levy year in which the
election is held, the taxing district's aggregate extension
shall be reduced as provided in the referendum.
(e) As used in this Section:
"Aggregate extension" means the annual corporate extension
for the taxing district and those special purpose extensions
that are made annually for the taxing district.
"Taxing district" has the same meaning provided in Section
1-150.
(f) This Section is a limitation on the power of home rule
units to tax under subsection (g) of Section 6 of Article VII
of the Illinois Constitution.
(g) If there is a conflict between a provision of this

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Section and another law of this State, including, but not
limited to, the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law and the
Election Code, this Section controls.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.