April 21, 2023 State Capitol Report

After a two-week absence, legislators returned to Springfield this week to begin the second half of the spring session. Regarding the legislative process, this means the House is considering Senate Bills passed in the Senate, and House is taking action on the Senate bills sent over from the Senate. Most of the legislative action occurred in committee hearings with several bills being heard and many negotiations taking place on bills where compromise continues to be sought. Your Governmental Affairs Team remains focused on committee hearings and being a part of negotiations. Below are highlights of the bills we continue to follow closely.

Bills We Are Following

Click the bill number to view additional information

This bill prohibits landlords from requiring tenants to use electronic payments for rent. Illinois REALTORS® is monitoring this legislation that is on 3rd Reading in the Senate.

This bill creates the Tenant Radon Protection Act to allow tenants to test for radon and break the lease if radon is found in their rental until. We OPPOSE this legislation and continue to work with the both the House and Senate sponsors and American Lung Association to make acceptable changes. The bill is on 3rd Reading in the Senate.

This bill mandates municipalities to provide information regarding service lines containing lead. As HB2776 was introduced it would have amended the Residential Real Property Disclosure Act and required the seller to disclose on the real estate disclosure form any discovered concentration of or unsafe conditions relating to lead paint, lead water pipes, lead plumbing pipes or lead in the soil on the premises (rather than unsafe concentrations of or unsafe conditions relating to lead paint, lead water pipes, lead plumbing pipes or lead in the soil on the premises). The Illinois REALTORS® Legislative team worked with the sponsor to amend the bill to remove all language regarding the real estate disclosure form. House Amendment 1 was adopted at the suggestion of Illinois REALTORS® to contain no language pertaining to the disclosure form. With the amendment, the Illinois REALTORS® moved from Oppose to Neutral on the bill which is now in the Senate Environment and Conservation Committee.

This bill the Governor’s Executive Order establishing a Homelessness Task Force with members being selected by the Governor and legislative leaders. Illinois REALTORS® SUPPORTS this legislation that has moved to 3rd Reading in the Senate.

This bill allows a landlord to accept reusable tenant screening reports that includes applicant name, contact information, employment verification, last address, eviction record. Illinois REALTORS® is monitoring this legislation that has moved 3rd Reading in the Senate.

This bill creates an advisory committee to determine which homes contain windows or doors that cause offensive odors and are eligible for replacement pursuant to the Residential Sound Insulation Program created for municipalities to mitigate aircraft noise. ILLINOIS REALTORS® is monitoring this legislation that has been assigned to the Senate Local Government Committee.

This bill creates the Electric Vehicle Charging Act. As originally proposed, this legislation would have mandated developers to provide all residential single family and multi-family dwelling parking spaces with a fully wired, very specific circuit electric vehicle charging receptacle for possible future use, which would have increased housing costs significantly at a time when housing costs are at an all-time high and supply is extraordinarily low. As introduced, the Illinois REALTORS® strongly opposed this legislation but after four years of negotiations, the proponents accepted our amendment making it clear: 1) that developers will not be required to install wire from an electrical panel through the conduit and 2) requiring a developer converting property from rental building to a condominium association to make EV ready or EV capable if it necessitates excavation in order to retro-fit the parking lot. With our amendment, SB40 bill advanced to 2nd Reading in the House.

This bill housing authorities to collect data on their rental vacancies and waiting lists and to report this information to the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority to include in their report to the Illinois General Assembly annually. Defines “federally assisted housing” to mean any housing units or subsidized housing programs funded in whole or in part by the federal government including all properties owned or finance by a housing authority, or a subsidiary or partnership in which the housing authority is a member. ILLINOIS REALTORS® is monitoring this Senate Bill that was assigned to the House Housing Committee.

After the adoption of Amendment 1, the bill provides that a property owner may not be required to utilize specific technology, including, but not limited to solar shingles rather than traditional solar panels. A HOA may impose reasonable conditions so long as such conditions are not more onerous than the association’s analogous conditions for non-solar projects. The Illinois REALTORS® Legislative Team is monitoring this legislation that is expected to pass the Senate this week.

This bill removes language that requires a lessor of residential real property who is restricted from withholding any part of a security deposit from a lessee without furnishing an itemized statement to the lessee to be a lessor of a residential real property containing five or more units. The Legislative Team is monitoring this legislation that has been assigned to the House Housing Committee.

This bill provides that nothing shall prohibit a financial institution from considering immigration status in a real estate transaction in compliance with state or federal law. ILLINOIS REALTORS® is monitoring this legislation that has been assigned to the House Immigration & Human Rights Committee.

This bill changes to the Auction License Act, Home Inspector Act, Leasing agents, and Real Estate Appraiser Licensing Act regarding continuing education. Illinois REALTORS® SUPPORTS this clean-up legislation that has been assigned to the House Executive Committee.

With Amendment 1, this bill provides that the interest and penalties will be waived by the county collector if the property owner does not receive a property tax bill because the bill was mailed to an incorrect address by no fault of the property owner. ILLINOIS REALTORS® is monitoring this legislation that has been assigned to the House Revenue and Finance Committee.

In provisions concerning the Historic Residence Assessment Freeze Law, the bill provides that the fair cash value of the property shall be based on the final determination by the assessment officer, board of review, PTAB, or court. After the expiration of the 8-year valuation period, the current fair cash value is less than the adjusted base year valuation, the assessment shall be based on the current fair cash value. ILLINOIS REALTORS® is monitoring this bill that has been assigned to the House Revenue and Finance Committee.

This bill seeks to institute a statewide building code. ILLINOIS REALTORS® is NEUTRAL on this Senate Bill which has been assigned to the House Executive Committee.

Next Week: At-A-Glance

Are YOU Ready!?! Tuesday, April 25 is the BIG DAY. Capitol Conference 2023 is here and it will be great to be back in the Capitol. Starting our day at Springfield’s BOS Convention Center, REALTORS® are going to hear from Speaker of the House Emanuel “Chris” Welch, learn about legislative issues, hear about business growth ideas, and we are very excited about our keynote speaker David Axelrod, a national political strategist best known for advising President Obama through his presidency.

Then we will head to the Capitol where REALTORS® will meet with legislators before heading back to the BOS Center for a Major Investor Reception and end the day with a huge block party from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. It is an action-packed day and most importantly, it is an important day where legislators hear from nearly 700 REALTORS®!

Your voice does matter. We thank all who can take the time to be in Springfield to meet with their legislators. It does make a huge difference.

GET READY FOR OUR BIGGEST ADVOCACY EVENT OF THE YEAR!

BACK AND BETTER THAN EVER! Join us Tuesday, April 25 at the Bank of Springfield Center in Springfield to visit your legislators at the Illinois State Capitol.

This year’s FREE, members-only event includes a keynote address from David Axelrod, national political strategist.

Come in early for the pre-show at 8 a.m. on April 25 to hear business growth expert Jeff Havens.

Cap your day with the first-ever Lobby Day Block Party featuring the Lakeshore Encores.

Thank you for reading the April 21, 2023 State Capitol Report. Click here to read previous reports.