springfield updates

Illinois Association of REALTORS
Quorum Call Week in Review
July 13, 2007


Quorum Call is distributed Fridays when the Illinois General Assembly is in session. For more information, contact Greg St. Aubin, Director of IAR Governmental Affairs, gstaubin@iar.org, or Julie Sullivan, Assistant Director, Legislative and Political Affairs, jsullivan@iar.org. Full text of legislation cited in this newsletter can be found at www.ilga.gov.


- While Shakespeare used the phrase "the winter of discontent" Statehouse observers agree that for now it is our “summer of discontent.”

- The General Assembly was in session all week with little progress made in the negotiations on the State budget or other issues and STILL no end in sight to this contentious session. The chambers held concurrent regular session days along with the Special Session days called by proclamation of the Governor. The House concentrated on holding a series of “Committee of the Whole” hearings and the Senate Appropriations Committees met as one to discuss aspects of State funding priorities.

- On Wednesday, July 11th the Senate concurred with the House amendments to Senate Bill 17, marking final legislative action on this legislation. You may recall that SB 17 was legislation that dealt with the assessment of timberland, prairie, wetlands and other undeveloped land. In 2004 the Illinois Department of Revenue had issued a ruling that had led to significant increases in the assessment of this type of property. The legislation will require property owners to place land (must be at least five acres) in an approved conservation stewardship program to qualify for the preferential assessment of 5% of the market value. The legislation has specific definitions to clarify what would qualify as wooded acreage, it creates a transition assessment and stipulates that after October 1, 2007 if the ownership interests or beneficial interests change by more than 50% from those interests as they existed on October 1, 2007 then the property would not longer qualify to receive the preferential assessment treatment of the wooded acreage.

- Also on Wednesday, the Senate approved legislation to resolve a conflict that occurred with the State notice provisions with respect to a school bond referendum held and approved by the voters in O’Fallon. This bill has been to the House for their consideration.

- Representative Ken Dunkin introduced a proposal this week to amend the Bill of Rights Article of the Illinois Constitution to add the “Right to Decent Housing”. This new provision states that all persons shall have a right to decent, safe, sanitary, and affordable housing and that the General Assembly may provide by law for the enforcement and implementation of this provision. House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 26 (HJRCA 26) would have to be approved by both chambers and by the voters of the State to become effective. The resolution is currently in the House Rules Committee.

- The House and the Senate are scheduled to be in session Saturday and Sunday and continuing to next week.


For more information, contact Greg St. Aubin, Director of IAR Governmental Affairs, gstaubin@iar.org, or Julie Sullivan, Assistant Director, Legislative and Political Affairs, jsullivan@iar.org.

Contact information for members of the House and Senate, notice of committee hearings, text of legislation and roll call votes are all available on the Illinois General Assembly’s Web site, www.ilga.gov.