South Cook News

Robert "Bob" Rita introduced HB1378 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. 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."

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, establishing a 20-year limit for filing refund claims stemming from specific court orders or certificates of error. It stipulates that refunds exceeding $5 million annually for claims filed more than seven years after the right to a refund arose will be deferred to the following year. Refunds are to be paid from remaining funds in the Protest Fund or from newly collected taxes if necessary. Interest on refunds will be calculated from the payment date at the lower of 5% or the annual increase in the Consumer Price Index. The amendments apply to claims filed on or after the start of the first month following the bill's enactment, and it is effective immediately.

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
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.
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.
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.