HB0747eng 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB0747 Engrossed LRB099 04557 AWJ 24585 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 2-45 as follows:

(35 ILCS 200/2-45)

Sec. 2-45. Selection and eligibility of township and multi-township assessors.

(a) In all counties under township organization, township or multi-township assessors shall be qualified as required by subsections (b) through (d) of this Section and shall be elected as provided in this Code. Township or multi-township assessors shall enter upon their duties on January 1 following their election, and perform the duties of the office for 4 years.

(b) Beginning December 1, 1996, in any township or multi-township assessment district not subject to the requirements of subsections (c) or (d) of this Section, no person is eligible to file nomination papers or participate as a candidate in any caucus or primary or general election for, or be appointed to fill vacancies in, the office of township or multi-township assessor, unless he or she (i) has successfully completed an introductory course in assessment practices that is approved by the Department; or (ii) possesses at least one of the qualifications listed in paragraphs (1) through (6) of subsection (c) of this Section. The candidate cannot file nominating papers or participate as a candidate unless a copy of the certificate of his or her qualifications is filed with the township clerk, board of election commissioners, or other appropriate authority as required by the Election Code. The candidate cannot be appointed to fill a vacancy until he or she has filed a copy of the certificate of his or her qualifications with the appointing authority.

(c) Beginning December 1, 1996, in a township or multi-township assessment district with $25,000,000 or more of non-farm equalized assessed value or $1,000,000 or more in commercial and industrial equalized assessed value, no person is eligible to file nomination papers or participate as a candidate in any caucus or primary or general election for, or be appointed to fill vacancies in, the office of township or multi-township assessor, unless he or she possesses at least one of the qualifications listed in paragraphs (1) through (6) of this subsection (c).

(1) a Certified Illinois Assessing Officer certificate from the Illinois Property Assessment Institute with current additional 30 class hours as required for additional compensation under Section 4-10;

(2) (A) A Certified Illinois Assessing Officer certificate from the Illinois Property Assessment Institute with a minimum of 300 additional hours of successfully completed courses approved by the Department, if at least 150 of the course hours required a written examination; and

(B) within the 4 years preceding the election, successful completion of at least 15 class hours of additional training in courses that must be approved by the Department, including but not limited to, assessment, appraisal, or computer courses, and that may be offered by accredited universities, colleges, or community colleges;

(3) a Certified Assessment Evaluator designation from the International Association of Assessing Officers;

(4) certification as a Member of the Appraisal Institute, Senior Real Estate Analyst, or Senior Real Property Appraiser from the Appraisal Institute or its predecessor organization;

(5) a professional designation by any other appraisal or assessing association approved by the Department; or

(6) if the person has served as a township or multi-township assessor for 12 years or more, a Certified Illinois Assessing Official certificate from the Illinois Property Assessment Institute with a minimum of 360 additional hours of successfully completed courses approved by the Department, if at least 180 of the course hours required a written examination.

The candidate cannot file nominating papers or participate as a candidate unless a copy of the certificate of his or her qualifications is filed with the township clerk, board of election commissioners, or other appropriate authority as required by the Election Code. The candidate cannot be appointed to fill a vacancy until he or she has filed a copy of the certificate of his or her qualifications with the appointing authority.

(d) Beginning December 1, 2000, in a township or multi-township assessment district with more than $10,000,000 and less than $25,000,000 of non-farm equalized assessed value and less than $1,000,000 in commercial and industrial equalized assessed value, no person who has previously been elected as township or multi-township assessor in any such township or multi-township assessment district is eligible to file nomination papers or participate as a candidate in any caucus or primary or general election for the office of township or multi-township assessor, unless he or she possesses at least one of the qualifications listed in paragraphs (1) through (6) of subsection (c) of this Section. The candidate cannot file nominating papers or participate as a candidate unless a copy of the certificate of his or her qualifications is filed with the township clerk, board of election commissioners, or other appropriate authority as required by the Election Code.

(e) If any person files nominating papers for candidacy for the office of township or multi-township assessor without also filing a copy of the certificate as required by this Section, the clerk of the township, the board of election commissioners, or other appropriate authority as required by the Election Code shall refuse to certify the name of the person as a candidate to the proper election officials.

If no candidate for election meets the above qualifications there shall be no election and the town board of trustees or multi-township board of trustees shall appoint or contract with a person under Section 2-60.

As used in this Section only, "non-farm equalized assessed value" means the total equalized assessed value in the township or multi-township assessment district as reported to the Department under Section 18-225 after removal of homestead exemptions, and after removal of the equalized assessed value reported as farm or minerals to the Department under Section 18-225.

For purposes of this Section only, "file nomination papers" also includes having nomination papers filed on behalf of the candidate by another person.

(f) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, with respect to elections or vacancies occurring on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly, candidates for township or multi-township assessor in Cook County are not required to file certificates of qualifications as provided in this Section.

(Source: P.A. 93-188, eff. 7-11-03.)