SPRINGFIELD – A new law backed by State Senator Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) aims to provide relief and flexibility to property tax owners.

“We are seeing the economic impact COVID-19 is having on residents who are struggling to get by,” Bennett said. “With property taxpayers suffering, it made sense to do what we can to help working families and small businesses find additional savings.”

Under this legislation, local businesses and residents would see property tax relief in the form of:

• Empowering county governments to approve 2020 homestead exemptions for those with disabilities, veterans with disabilities and senior citizens, as long as the property had been granted this exemption for 2019;
• Allowing counties with less than 3 million residents to waive interest penalties and fees for late property tax payments due in 2020;
• Deferred property tax sale.

“With residents desperate for property tax relief, these measures address problems plaguing property tax payers,” Bennett said. 

The legislation - Senate Bill 685 - was signed into law Friday and is effective immediately.