Amendment to Reinstate Funding for the Circuit Breaker Program
Proposed legislative amendment to restore the Illinois Circuit Breaker property tax relief program for income-qualified seniors and residents.
AMENDMENT TO REINSTATE FUNDING FOR THE CIRCUIT BREAKER PROGRAM
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE
This Act may be cited as the "Circuit Breaker Program Reinstatement Act."
SECTION 2. PURPOSE
The purpose of this Act is to reinstate funding for the Circuit Breaker Program under 320 ILCS 25, which provides financial relief to qualified seniors and disabled persons whose property tax liability exceeds a certain percentage of their income.
SECTION 3. AMENDMENT TO 320 ILCS 25
320 ILCS 25 is amended by adding Section 2.1 as follows:
Section 2.1. Reinstatement of Funding
(a) The General Assembly finds that: (1) The Circuit Breaker Program has historically provided vital financial relief to low-income seniors and disabled persons. (2) The discontinuation of funding for the Circuit Breaker Program has resulted in increased financial hardship for these vulnerable populations. (3) Reinstating funding for the Circuit Breaker Program is essential to alleviate the disproportionate property tax burden on qualified individuals.
(b) Effective immediately, funding for the Circuit Breaker Program shall be reinstated as provided in this Section.
SECTION 4. ELIGIBILITY
(a) To be eligible for the Circuit Breaker Program, an individual must: (1) Be 65 years of age or older, or be a disabled person as defined in subsection (b). (2) Have an annual household income not exceeding the threshold established by the Department of Revenue.
(b) For the purposes of this Section, "disabled person" means an individual who is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of a medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months.
SECTION 5. BENEFITS
(a) The benefits provided under the Circuit Breaker Program shall include: (1) A property tax rebate for eligible individuals whose property tax liability exceeds a certain percentage of their income, as determined by the Department of Revenue. (2) The percentage of income threshold for property tax liability eligibility shall be determined annually by the Department of Revenue based on available funding and the number of qualified applicants.
(b) The maximum rebate amount shall be established by the Department of Revenue, subject to annual adjustments based on inflation and budgetary considerations.
SECTION 6. FUNDING AND BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS
(a) To fund the Circuit Breaker Program, the following budget adjustments shall be made: (1) An appropriation of $[specific amount] from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Revenue for the administration and payment of benefits under the Circuit Breaker Program. (2) The Department of Revenue is authorized to seek additional funding from federal, state, and private sources to support the Program.
(b) The Department of Revenue shall provide an annual report to the General Assembly detailing the funding status, expenditures, and impact of the Circuit Breaker Program.
SECTION 7. RULES AND REGULATIONS
The Department of Revenue shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary to implement and administer the Circuit Breaker Program in accordance with this Act.
SECTION 8. EFFECTIVE DATE
This Act shall take effect immediately upon becoming law.