State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
Legislation

   [ Search ]   [ Legislation ]
[ Home ]   [ Back ]   [ Bottom ]


[ Introduced ][ Engrossed ][ Enrolled ]

91_HB2180sam001

 










                                          SRS91HB2180NCcbam01

 1                    AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 2180

 2        AMENDMENT NO.     .  Amend House Bill 2180 on page 1,  by
 3    replacing lines 1 and 2 with the following:
 4        "AN  ACT  to  amend  the  Property  Tax  Code by changing
 5    Sections  21-295,  21-305,  21-345,  and  22-40  and   adding
 6    Sections 21-306 and 21-397."; and

 7    on  page  1,  by  replacing  lines  5  through  14  with  the
 8    following:

 9        "Section 5.  The Property Tax Code is amended by changing
10    Sections   21-295,  21-305,  21-345,  and  22-40  and  adding
11    Sections 21-306 and 21-397 as follows:

12        (35 ILCS 200/21-295)
13        Sec. 21-295. Creation of indemnity fund.
14        (a)  In counties of less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, each
15    person purchasing any property at  a  sale  under  this  Code
16    shall  pay  to the County Collector, prior to the issuance of
17    any certificate of purchase, a  fee  of  $20  for  each  item
18    purchased  in counties of less than 3,000,000 inhabitants and
19    $80 in counties of 3,000,000 or  more  inhabitants.   In  all
20    counties,  A like sum shall be paid for each year that all or
21    a portion of an installment of subsequent taxes,  or  portion
 
                            -2-           SRS91HB2180NCcbam01
 1    thereof  is  are  paid by the tax purchaser and posted to the
 2    tax judgment, sale, redemption and  forfeiture  record  where
 3    the  underlying  certificate  of  purchase  is recorded.  The
 4    amount paid prior to issuance of the certificate of  purchase
 5    shall  be  included  in the purchase price of the property in
 6    the certificate of purchase and all amounts paid  under  this
 7    subsection shall be included in the amount required to redeem
 8    under Section 21-355.
 9        (a-5)  In counties of 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, each
10    person  purchasing  property  at a sale under this Code shall
11    pay to the County Collector  a  fee  of  $80  for  each  item
12    purchased  plus an additional sum equal to 5% of total taxes,
13    interest, and penalties, including the taxes,  interest,  and
14    penalties  paid under Section 21-240.  In these counties, the
15    certificate holder shall also pay to the County  Collector  a
16    fee  of $80 for each year that all or a portion of subsequent
17    taxes are paid by the tax purchaser and  posted  to  the  tax
18    judgment,  sale,  redemption,  and forfeiture record, plus an
19    additional sum equal to 5% of all subsequent taxes, interest,
20    and penalties.  The additional 5% fee is not  required  after
21    December 31, 2006.
22        (b)  The amount paid prior to issuance of the certificate
23    of  purchase  pursuant  to  subsection  (a) or (a-5) shall be
24    included in  the  purchase  price  of  the  property  in  the
25    certificate  of  purchase  and  all  amounts  paid under this
26    Section shall be included in the amount  required  to  redeem
27    under   Section  21-355.  Except  as  otherwise  provided  in
28    subsection (b) of Section 21-300, all  money  received  under
29    subsection (a) or (a-5) shall be paid by the Collector to the
30    County Treasurer of the County in which the land is situated,
31    for  the  purpose of an indemnity fund. The County Treasurer,
32    as trustee of that fund,  shall  invest  all  of  that  fund,
33    principal  and income, in his or her hands from time to time,
34    if not immediately required for payments of indemnities under
 
                            -3-           SRS91HB2180NCcbam01
 1    subsection (a) of Section 21-305, in investments permitted by
 2    the Illinois State Board of Investment under Article  22A  of
 3    the Illinois Pension Code.  The county collector shall report
 4    annually  to the Circuit Court on the condition and income of
 5    the fund.  The  indemnity  fund  shall  be  held  to  satisfy
 6    judgments  obtained  against the County Treasurer, as trustee
 7    of the fund. No payment shall be made from the  fund,  except
 8    upon  a judgment of the court which ordered the issuance of a
 9    tax deed.
10    (Source: P.A. 86-1028; 86-1431; 88-455.)

11        (35 ILCS 200/21-305)
12        Sec. 21-305. Payments from Indemnity Fund.
13        (a)  Any owner of property sold under  any  provision  of
14    this  Code  who  sustains  loss  or  damage  by reason of the
15    issuance of a tax deed under Section 21-445 or 22-40 and  who
16    is  barred or is in any way precluded from bringing an action
17    for the recovery of the property  shall  have  the  right  to
18    indemnity  for  the  loss  or  damage  sustained,  limited as
19    follows:
20             (1)  An owner who resided on property that contained
21        4 or less dwelling units on the last day of the period of
22        redemption and who is equitably entitled to  compensation
23        for  the  loss  or  damage  sustained  has  the  right to
24        indemnity.  An equitable indemnity award shall be limited
25        to the fair cash value of the property as of the date the
26        tax deed was issued less any mortgages or  liens  on  the
27        property,  and  the  award  will  not exceed $99,000. The
28        Court shall liberally construe this equitable entitlement
29        standard  to  provide  compensation  wherever,   in   the
30        discretion of the Court, the equities warrant the action.
31             An  owner  of  a  property  that contained 4 or less
32        dwelling units who requests an award in excess of $99,000
33        must prove that the loss of his or her property  was  not
 
                            -4-           SRS91HB2180NCcbam01
 1        attributable to his or her own fault or negligence before
 2        an award in excess of $99,000 will be granted.
 3             (2)  An owner who sustains the loss or damage of any
 4        property  occasioned  by  reason of the issuance of a tax
 5        deed, without fault or negligence of his or her own,  has
 6        the  right to indemnity limited to the fair cash value of
 7        the  property   less  any  mortgages  or  liens  on   the
 8        property.    In  determining  the  existence  of fault or
 9        negligence, the court shall consider  whether  the  owner
10        exercised  ordinary reasonable diligence under all of the
11        relevant circumstances.
12             (3)  In determining the fair cash value of  property
13        less  any  mortgages  or  liens on the property, the fair
14        cash value shall be reduced by the  principal  amount  of
15        all  taxes  paid  by  the  tax  purchaser  or  his or her
16        assignee before the issuance of the tax deed.
17             (4)  If an award made under paragraph (1) or (2)  is
18        subject  to  a  reduction by the amount of an outstanding
19        mortgage  or  lien  on  the  property,  other  than   the
20        principal  amount  of all taxes paid by the tax purchaser
21        or his or her assignee before the  issuance  of  the  tax
22        deed and the petitioner would be personally liable to the
23        mortgagee or lienholder for all or part of that reduction
24        amount,  the  court  shall  order an additional indemnity
25        award to be paid directly to the mortgagee or  lienholder
26        sufficient   to   discharge   the  petitioner's  personal
27        liability. The court, in its discretion,  may  order  the
28        joinder  of  the mortgagee or lienholder as an additional
29        party to the indemnity action. Any owner of property sold
30        under any provision of this Code, who  without  fault  or
31        negligence  of  his or her own sustains loss or damage by
32        reason of the issuance of a tax deed under Sections 22-40
33        or 21-445 and who is barred or in any way precluded  from
34        bringing  an  action  for the recovery of the property or
 
                            -5-           SRS91HB2180NCcbam01
 1        any owner of property containing 4 or less dwelling units
 2        who resided  thereon  the  last  day  of  the  period  of
 3        redemption  who, in the opinion of the Court which issued
 4        the  tax  deed  order,  is  equitably  entitled  to  just
 5        compensation, has the right to indemnity for the loss  or
 6        damage  sustained. Indemnity shall be limited to the fair
 7        cash value of the property as of the date  that  the  tax
 8        deed was issued, less any mortgages or liens thereon.
 9        (b)  Indemnity fund; subrogation.
10             (1)  Any  person  claiming indemnity hereunder shall
11        petition the Court which ordered the tax deed  to  issue,
12        shall  name  the  County  Treasurer,  as  Trustee  of the
13        indemnity fund, as defendant to the petition,  and  shall
14        ask   that   judgment   be  entered  against  the  County
15        Treasurer, as Trustee, in the  amount  of  the  indemnity
16        sought.   The  provisions of the Civil Practice Law shall
17        apply to proceedings  under  the  petition,  except  that
18        neither  the  petitioner  nor  County  Treasurer shall be
19        entitled to trial by jury on the issues presented in  the
20        petition. The Court shall liberally construe this Section
21        to provide compensation wherever in the discretion of the
22        Court the equities warrant such action.
23             (2)  The   County   Treasurer,  as  Trustee  of  the
24        indemnity fund, shall be subrogated  to  all  parties  in
25        whose  favor judgment may be rendered against him or her,
26        and by third party complaint may bring in as a defendant
27        any a person, other than the tax  deed  grantee  and  its
28        successors  in title, not a party to the action who is or
29        may be liable to him or her, as subrogee, for all or part
30        of the petitioner's claim against him or her.
31        (c)  Any contract involving the proceeds  of  a  judgment
32    for  indemnity  under  this  Section,  between  the  tax deed
33    grantee  or  its  successors  in  title  and  the   indemnity
34    petitioner or his or her successors, shall be in writing.  In
 
                            -6-           SRS91HB2180NCcbam01
 1    any  action brought under Section 21-305, the Collector shall
 2    be entitled to discovery regarding, but not limited  to,  the
 3    following:
 4             (1)  the   identity   of  all  persons  beneficially
 5        interested  in  the  contract,  directly  or  indirectly,
 6        including at least the following information:  the  names
 7        and  addresses  of  any  natural  persons;  the  place of
 8        incorporation  of  any  corporation  and  the  names  and
 9        addresses of its shareholders unless it is publicly held;
10        the names  and  addresses  of  all  general  and  limited
11        partners  of  any partnership; the names and addresses of
12        all persons having an ownership interest  in  any  entity
13        doing  business  under an assumed name, and the county in
14        which the assumed business name is  registered;  and  the
15        nature and extent of the interest in the contract of each
16        person identified;
17             (2)  the  time  period during which the contract was
18        negotiated and agreed upon, from the date  of  the  first
19        direct or indirect contact between any of the contracting
20        parties to the date of its execution;
21             (3)  the name and address of each natural person who
22        took  part  in negotiating the contract, and the identity
23        and relationship of the party that the person represented
24        in the negotiations; and
25             (4)  the existence of an agreement  for  payment  of
26        attorney's fees by or on behalf of each party.
27        Any information disclosed during discovery may be subject
28    to  protective  order as deemed appropriate by the court. The
29    terms of the contract shall not be used as evidence of value.
30    
31    (Source: P.A. 86-1028; 86-1431; 88-455.)

32        (35 ILCS 200/21-306 new)
33        Sec. 21-306.  Indemnity fund fraud.
 
                            -7-           SRS91HB2180NCcbam01
 1        (a)  A person commits the offense of indemnity fund fraud
 2    when that person knowingly:
 3             (1)  offers or agrees to become a party  to,  or  to
 4        acquire an interest in, a contract involving the proceeds
 5        of  a  judgment for indemnity under Section 21-305 before
 6        the end of the period of redemption from the tax sale  to
 7        which the judgment relates;
 8             (2)  fraudulently induces a party to forego bringing
 9        an action for the recovery of the property;
10             (3)  makes  a deceptive misrepresentation during the
11        course of negotiating an agreement under  subsection  (c)
12        of Section 21-305; or
13             (4)  conspires  to  violate any of the provisions of
14        this subsection.
15        (b)  Commission of any one act  described  in  subsection
16    (a) is a Class A misdemeanor. Commission of more than one act
17    described in subsection (a) during a single course of conduct
18    is  a  Class  4 felony. A second or subsequent conviction for
19    violation of any portion of this Section is a Class 4 felony.
20        (c)  The State's  Attorney  of  the  county  in  which  a
21    judgment  for  indemnity  under Section 21-305 is entered may
22    bring a civil action in the name of the People of  the  State
23    of Illinois against a person who violates paragraph (1), (2),
24    or  (3) of subsection (a). Upon a finding of liability in the
25    action the court shall enter judgment in favor of the  People
26    in  a sum equal to three times the amount of the judgment for
27    indemnity, together with costs of the action  and  reasonable
28    attorney's  fees.  The  proceeds  of  any judgment under this
29    subsection shall be paid into the general fund of the county.
30    

31        (35 ILCS 200/21-345)
32        Sec. 21-345.  Right of redemption.
33        (a)  Property sold under this Code may be  redeemed  only
34    by  those  persons having a right of redemption as defined in
 
                            -8-           SRS91HB2180NCcbam01
 1    this Section and only in accordance with this Code.
 2        A right to redeem property from any sale under this  Code
 3    shall  exist  in  any  owner  or  person  interested  in that
 4    property,  other  than  an  undisclosed  beneficiary  of   an
 5    Illinois  land  trust,  whether  or  not  the interest in the
 6    property sold is recorded or filed.  Any redemption shall  be
 7    presumed  to have been made by or on behalf of the owners and
 8    persons interested in the property and  shall  inure  to  the
 9    benefit of the persons having the legal or equitable title to
10    the  property  redeemed,  subject  to the right of the person
11    making  the  redemption  to  be  reimbursed  by  the  persons
12    benefited.  No redemption shall be held invalid by reason  of
13    the failure of the person redeeming to have recorded or filed
14    the  document evidencing an interest in the property prior to
15    redemption, other  than  an  undisclosed  beneficiary  of  an
16    Illinois land trust.
17        (b)  Any person who desires to redeem and does not desire
18    to contest the validity of a petition for tax deed may redeem
19    pursuant  to  this  Section and related Sections of this Code
20    without submitting a written protest  under  Section  21-380.
21    This  subsection  (b)  shall  be  construed as declarative of
22    existing law and not as a new enactment.
23    (Source: P.A.  86-286;  86-413;  86-418;   86-949;   86-1028;
24    86-1158;  86-1481;  87-145;  87-236; 87-435; 87-895; 87-1189;
25    88-455.)

26        (35 ILCS 200/21-397 new)
27        Sec. 21-397. Notice of order setting aside redemption. In
28    counties with 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, if an  order  is
29    entered  setting  aside  a  redemption  made  within the time
30    allowed by law after a petition for tax deed has been  filed,
31    the  holder  of the certificate of purchase shall mail a copy
32    of the  order  within  7  days  of  entry  of  the  order  by
33    registered  or  certified  mail  to  the county clerk, to the
 
                            -9-           SRS91HB2180NCcbam01
 1    person who made the redemption, and to all  parties  entitled
 2    to  notice  of  the  petition  under Section 22-10, 22-15, or
 3    22-25. The order  shall  provide  that  any  person  who  was
 4    entitled to redeem may pay to the county clerk within 30 days
 5    after  the  entry of the order the amount necessary to redeem
 6    the property from the sale as of the last day of  the  period
 7    of  redemption.  The  county clerk shall make an entry in the
 8    annual tax judgment, sale, redemption, and forfeiture  record
 9    reflecting  the entry of the order and shall immediately upon
10    request provide an estimate of the amount required to  effect
11    a redemption as of the last date of the period of redemption.
12    If  the  amount  is  paid  within  30 days after entry of the
13    order, then the court shall  enter  an  order  declaring  the
14    taxes  to be paid as if the property had been redeemed within
15    the time required by law and dismissing the petition for  tax
16    deed.   A  tax  deed  shall  not  be issued within the 30-day
17    period.  Upon surrender of the certificate of  purchase,  the
18    county  clerk  shall  distribute  the funds deposited as if a
19    timely redemption had been made. This Section applies to  all
20    redemptions  that  occur  after  the  effective  date of this
21    amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly.

22        (35 ILCS 200/22-40)
23        Sec. 22-40.  Issuance of deed; possession.
24        (a)  If the redemption period expires  and  the  property
25    has  not  been redeemed and all taxes and special assessments
26    which became due and payable subsequent to the sale have been
27    paid and all forfeitures and sales which occur subsequent  to
28    the  sale  have been redeemed and the notices required by law
29    have been given and all advancements of  public  funds  under
30    the  police  power  made  by  a  city,  village or town under
31    Section  22-35 have been paid and the petitioner has complied
32    with all the provisions of law entitling  him  or  her  to  a
33    deed,  the  court  shall  so  find  and  shall enter an order
 
                            -10-          SRS91HB2180NCcbam01
 1    directing  the  county  clerk  on  the  production   of   the
 2    certificate of purchase and a certified copy of the order, to
 3    issue  to  the  purchaser  or his or her assignee a tax deed.
 4    The court shall insist  on  strict  compliance  with  Section
 5    22-10  through  22-25.   Prior  to  the  entry  of  an  order
 6    directing  the  issuance  of a tax deed, the petitioner shall
 7    furnish the  court  with  a  report  of  proceedings  of  the
 8    evidence  received  on  the  application for tax deed and the
 9    report of proceedings shall be filed and made a part  of  the
10    court record.
11        (b)  If  taxes  for  years  prior to the year sold remain
12    delinquent at  the  time  of  the  tax  deed  hearing,  those
13    delinquent taxes may be merged into the tax deed if the court
14    determines that all other requirements for receiving an order
15    directing  the  issuance  of  the  tax deed are fulfilled and
16    makes a further determination under either paragraph  (1)  or
17    (2).
18             (1)  Incomplete estimate.
19                  (A)  The  property in question was purchased at
20             an annual sale; and
21                  (B)  the statement and  estimate  of  forfeited
22             general taxes furnished by the county clerk pursuant
23             to  Section  21-240 failed to include all delinquent
24             taxes as of the date of that estimate's issuance.
25             (2)  Vacating order.
26                  (A)  The petitioner furnishes the court with  a
27             certified copy of an order vacating a prior sale for
28             the subject property;
29                  (B)  the  order  vacating  the sale was entered
30             after the date of purchase for the subject taxes;
31                  (C)  the sale in error was granted pursuant  to
32             paragraphs  (1),  (2),  or  (4) of subsection (b) of
33             Section 21-310 or Section 22-35; and
34                  (D)  the tax purchaser who received the sale in
 
                            -11-          SRS91HB2180NCcbam01
 1             error has no affiliation, direct or  indirect,  with
 2             the  petitioner  in  the present proceeding and that
 3             petitioner has signed an affidavit attesting to  the
 4             lack of affiliation.
 5    If  delinquent taxes are merged into the tax deed pursuant to
 6    this subsection,  a  declaration  to  that  effect  shall  be
 7    included  in  the  order  directing issuance of the tax deed.
 8    Nothing contained in this Section  shall  relieve  any  owner
 9    liable for delinquent property taxes under this Code from the
10    payment  of  the  taxes  that have been merged into the title
11    upon issuance of the tax deed.
12        (c)  The county clerk is entitled to  a  fee  of  $10  in
13    counties  of 3,000,000 or more inhabitants and $5 in counties
14    with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants for the issuance of  the
15    tax  deed.  The clerk may not include in a tax deed more than
16    one  property  as   listed,  assessed   and   sold   in   one
17    description,  except  in  cases  where several properties are
18    owned by one person.
19        Upon application the court shall, enter an order to place
20    the tax deed grantee in possession of the  property  and  may
21    enter  orders  and  grant  relief  as  may  be  necessary  or
22    desirable to maintain the grantee in possession.
23    (Source: P.A.  86-1158;  86-1431;  86-1475;  87-145;  87-669;
24    87-671; 87-895; 87-1189; 88-455.)

25        Section  99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect upon
26    becoming law.".

[ Top ]