South Cook News

Robert "Bob" Rita introduced HB1377 in the Illinois House on Jan. 15, 2025, during the general assembly session 104, according to the Illinois General Assembly.

According to the Illinois General Assembly site, the legislature summarized the bill's official text as follows: "Amends the Property Tax Code. In provisions concerning appraisals, provides that the appraisals submitted by the owner and occupant of the property must be prepared for ad valorem purposes, must estimate the value of the property as of January 1 of the assessment year at issue, and must comply with all rules of the chief county assessment officer or the board of review concerning the submission of appraisals. Provides that, if the chief county assessment officer renders a decision lowering the assessed valuation of the property, the county shall reimburse the property owner for the cost of the appraisal."

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill amends the Property Tax Code to establish procedures for property owners, particularly those with single-family residences in counties with over 3 million inhabitants, when challenging property assessments. Owners must submit appraisals prepared for ad valorem purposes as of Jan. 1 of the assessment year, adhering to the chief county assessment officer's rules. If a decision is made to lower the property's assessed valuation, the county is required to reimburse the appraisal costs. The bill also outlines requirements for filing complaints, including using appraisals and income tax returns, and stipulates that assessment hearings and related documents must be publicly accessible. Effective beginning with the 2026 assessment year.

Robert "Bob" Rita has proposed one other bill since the beginning of the 104th session.

Rita graduated from Moraine Valley Community College in 1999 with an AA.

Robert "Bob" Rita is currently serving in the Illinois State House, representing the state's 28th House District. He replaced previous state representative Tom Dart in 2003.

Bills in Illinois follow a multi-step legislative process, beginning with introduction in either the House or Senate, followed by committee review, floor debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching the governor for approval or veto. The General Assembly operates on a biennial schedule, and while typically thousands of bills are introduced each session, only a fraction successfully pass through the process to become law.

You can read more about bills and other measures here.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
HB1377	01/15/2025	Amends the Property Tax Code. In provisions concerning appraisals, provides that the appraisals submitted by the owner and occupant of the property must be prepared for ad valorem purposes, must estimate the value of the property as of January 1 of the assessment year at issue, and must comply with all rules of the chief county assessment officer or the board of review concerning the submission of appraisals. Provides that, if the chief county assessment officer renders a decision lowering the assessed valuation of the property, the county shall reimburse the property owner for the cost of the appraisal.
HB1378	01/15/2025	Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, subject to certain limitations, a claim for a refund resulting from certain orders of the circuit court or from a certificate of error shall not be allowed unless the claim is filed within 20 years from the date the right to a refund arose. Effective immediately.
HB1389	01/15/2025	Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Expands the provisions regarding automated speed enforcement systems in safety zones to include municipalities in the counties of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, Madison, McHenry, St. Clair, and Will (instead of just the City of Chicago). Provides that the net proceeds a municipality receives from civil penalties imposed under an automated speed enforcement system shall be expended or obligated by the municipality for, among other purposes, the remission of $5 from each civil penalty to the State Treasurer for deposit into the General Revenue Fund, which shall be remitted to the State Treasurer as determined by the State Treasurer. Provides that if an automated speed enforcement system is removed or rendered inoperable due to construction, then the Department of Transportation shall authorize the reinstallation or use of the automated speed enforcement system within 30 days after the construction is complete.