South Cook News

Robert "Bob" Rita introduced HB1625 in the Illinois House on Jan. 23, 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: "Creates the Ground-Based Sparkler Purchaser Excise Tax Act. Imposes a tax, beginning July 1, 2026, upon purchasers for the privilege of using ground-based sparklers and not for the purpose of resale at the rate of 3% of the purchase price of ground-based sparklers. Prohibits certain retail combinations or bundles. Requires every retailer required to collect the tax to apply to the Department of Revenue for a certificate of registration. Provides that any retailer required to collect the tax shall be liable to the Department for the tax, whether the tax has been collected, and any such tax shall constitute a debt to the State. Provides for the making of returns. Provides that from the revenue collected, the Department shall pay 25% into the Fireman's Annuity and Benefit Fund, 25% into the Firefighters' Pension Investment Fund, and 50% into the General Revenue Fund. Provides for recordkeeping requirements. Establishes penalties for violations of the Act. Provides that the Department shall have full power to administer and enforce the Act. Allows for the arrest of any person who violates the Act, the search of any place of business to inspect all ground-based sparklers, and the seizure of any ground based-sparklers without a warrant. Sets forth hearing requirements after seizure. Allows the Department to adopt rules. Amends the Fireworks Regulation Act of Illinois. Allows a municipality to prohibit the sale and use of ground-based sparklers on public property. Prohibits ground-based sparklers from being sold to a person under the age of 18 years. Amends the Pyrotechnic Use Act. Prohibits ground-based sparklers from being sold to a person under the age of 18 years. Effective January 1, 2026."

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

In essence, this bill, effective Jan. 1, 2026, establishes the Ground-Based Sparkler Purchaser Excise Tax Act in Illinois. It introduces a tax, effective July 1, 2026, of 3% on the purchase price of ground-based sparklers, intended for personal use and not resale. Retailers must apply to the Department of Revenue for a certificate of registration and are prohibited from bundling sparklers with nontaxable items. The collected tax revenue is allocated with 25% each to the Fireman’s Annuity and Benefit Fund and the Firefighters’ Pension Investment Fund, and 50% to the General Revenue Fund. The bill also amends existing laws to allow municipalities to prohibit sales and use of sparklers on public property and restricts sales to individuals under 18. The Act enforces recordkeeping, provides for audits, and details penalties for non-compliance, including seizure and forfeiture provisions for illegal possession or sale of sparklers. The Department of Revenue is empowered to enforce the Act, including arrests and inspections without warrants, while adopting necessary regulations.

Robert "Bob" Rita has proposed another four bills 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
HB1625	01/23/2025	Creates the Ground-Based Sparkler Purchaser Excise Tax Act. Imposes a tax, beginning July 1, 2026, upon purchasers for the privilege of using ground-based sparklers and not for the purpose of resale at the rate of 3% of the purchase price of ground-based sparklers. Prohibits certain retail combinations or bundles. Requires every retailer required to collect the tax to apply to the Department of Revenue for a certificate of registration. Provides that any retailer required to collect the tax shall be liable to the Department for the tax, whether the tax has been collected, and any such tax shall constitute a debt to the State. Provides for the making of returns. Provides that from the revenue collected, the Department shall pay 25% into the Fireman's Annuity and Benefit Fund, 25% into the Firefighters' Pension Investment Fund, and 50% into the General Revenue Fund. Provides for recordkeeping requirements. Establishes penalties for violations of the Act. Provides that the Department shall have full power to administer and enforce the Act. Allows for the arrest of any person who violates the Act, the search of any place of business to inspect all ground-based sparklers, and the seizure of any ground based-sparklers without a warrant. Sets forth hearing requirements after seizure. Allows the Department to adopt rules. Amends the Fireworks Regulation Act of Illinois. Allows a municipality to prohibit the sale and use of ground-based sparklers on public property. Prohibits ground-based sparklers from being sold to a person under the age of 18 years. Amends the Pyrotechnic Use Act. Prohibits ground-based sparklers from being sold to a person under the age of 18 years. Effective January 1, 2026.
HB1505	01/21/2025	Amends the Illinois Horse Racing Act of 1975. Provides that the Illinois Racing Board may appoint the Director of Mutuels to serve as the State director for inter-track wagering and simulcast wagering by inter-track wagering licensees and inter-track wagering location licensees. Provides that the pari-mutuel tax imposed at all pari-mutuel wagering facilities and on advance deposit wagering shall be remitted to the Board (rather than the Department of Revenue). Provides that the Board shall distribute contributed funds to a charitable organization on a schedule determined by the Board, based on the charitable organization's estimated expenditures related to the grant (rather than by December 31 of each year). Provides that any funds not expended by the grantee in a grant year shall be distributed to the charitable organization or charitable organizations selected in the next grant year after the funds are recovered. Repeals provisions authorizing the Board to make daily temporary deposits of certain fees and provisions requiring the Board and the Department of Agriculture to establish a program to conduct drug testing on horses at county fairs. Makes other changes. 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.
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.