Illinois Legislation Summary

Taxes Against Real Estate

For 1979 and subsequent years, the County Clerk will levy and extend taxes against real estate in each taxing district.
This will yield a percentage of the debt service on outstanding bonds.
The balance needed to fully pay the debt service will constitute a first and prior lien on the monies received by each taxing district through the Personal Property Tax Replacement Fund.
This balance will be first applied or set aside for such purpose.
In counties with fewer than 3,000,000 inhabitants, the amendments made by Public Act 81-1255 will first apply to 1980 taxes, collected in 1981.

Agricultural Fair Act Amendments

The Agricultural Fair Act is amended by changing Sections 9, 13, 17, 18, and 20.

Premiums (Section 9)

Formulas for distributing monies from the Agricultural Premium Fund or the Fair and Exposition Fund to eligible county fairs are contingent upon the following provisions:
- No single department or class (excluding junior exhibitors) shall be paid premiums exceeding 30% of the total premiums awarded by the county fair.
- Harness horse races and running horse races are considered as one department.
- Reasonable entry fees for all classes may be charged.
- No appropriation for county fairs shall be used for personnel or acts solely for entertainment, except for agriculture-related events.
- Prizes for light horses, harness-racing, and running horses shall be payable from such appropriation.

Rehabilitation (Section 13)

To qualify for disbursements, the land must be owned by the county fair board, a State, city, village, or county government body.
Alternatively, the land can be held under a lease of at least 20 years, requiring continuous possession by the lessee.
County fairs must notify the Department in writing of their intent to participate before obligating any funds for which reimbursement is requested.
Reimbursement is provided annually for liability and casualty insurance, and for the rehabilitation of grounds, including major construction and minor maintenance projects, as follows:
- 100% of the first $5,000.
- 75% of the next $20,000.
- 50% of the next $20,000.
The lesser of either $20,000 or 50% of the amount received by a county fair may be expended for liability and casualty insurance.
The maximum reimbursement for the DeWitt County Fair in fiscal years 2022 and 2023 is $13,250, subject to appropriation.
Excess expenditures for approved projects can be carried over to the succeeding year as a claim for reimbursement, not exceeding 7 years, as long as funds are available.
The president and secretary of each participating county fair must file a sworn statement of expenditures with itemized receipted bills by June 30 of each year.
If the Department approves the claim, the State Comptroller is authorized to draw a warrant payable from the Agricultural Premium Fund or the Fair and Exposition Fund.
Any remaining amount of the appropriation for rehabilitation after all claims are paid shall be distributed as a grant to the participating fairs qualifying for the maximum reimbursement on an equal basis.

Fair and Expositions (Section 17)

Eligible county fairs may elect to participate in the appropriation from the Fair and Exposition Fund instead of the Agricultural Premium Fund in any odd-numbered year.
The Department must be notified of this election by January 1 of the participation year, and the election is binding for 4 calendar years.
No county fair may participate in appropriations under both Funds for the same calendar year.
During State fiscal year 2026 only, the Department may make payments to county fairs from the Fair and Exposition Fund for amounts otherwise payable from the Agricultural Premium Fund.
This is subject to the same conditions as if the moneys were paid from the Agricultural Premium Fund, and receipt of such payments shall not affect the county fair's prior election.
In counties where a Fair and Exposition Authority participated in 1999, the Authority shall transfer all remaining funds to the county fair within 30 days of the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly.
Upon the transfer of such funds, the terms of the Authority's members shall terminate, and the Authority shall cease to exist.

Money Paid into the Fair and Exposition Fund (Section 18)

Money is paid into the Fair and Exposition Fund by the Illinois Racing Board, as provided in Section 28 of the Illinois Horse Racing Act of 1975.
The General Assembly makes appropriations payable from this fund to the Department for distribution to county fairs.
Such appropriations are distributed to:
- County fairs eligible to participate in appropriations from the Agricultural Premium Fund but elect to participate in appropriations from the Fair and Exposition Fund.
- County fairs that participate in the Agricultural Premium Fund under Section 17 but receive moneys from the Fair and Exposition Fund under subsection (b) of Section 17.
If a county has more than one county fair, the fairs shall jointly elect to participate in either the Agricultural Premium Fund or the Fair and Exposition Fund.
All participating county fairs of the same county shall participate in the same appropriation.
To expend moneys appropriated from the Fair and Exposition Fund for land purchase, construction, or maintenance, participants must hold the land in fee or under a lease of at least 20 years, with continuous possession, or the land must be owned by the fair association, an agricultural society, or a fair and exposition authority.

Use of Appropriations (Section 20)

Appropriations from the Fair and Exposition Fund may be used for financing agricultural, educational, trade, and scientific exhibits.
They may also be used for:
- Premium and award purposes as set forth in subsections (a) through (e) of Section 9.
- Premiums to agricultural extensions or 4-H clubs.
- Premiums to vocational agriculture section fairs.
- Rehabilitation of county fairgrounds.
- Distribution to encourage and aid county fairs and other agricultural societies.
- Grants and other purposes for county fair and State Fair horse racing.
- Other expenses incurred by the fair directly related to the operation of the fair and approved by rule by the Department.
The participant must hold the land as a fee, under a lease of at least 20 years (with continuous possession), or be owned by the fair association, an agricultural society, or a fair and exposition authority.

Illinois Procurement Code

Application (Section 1-10)

The Code applies only to procurements for which bidders, offerors, potential contractors, or contractors were first solicited on or after July 1, 1998.
It does not affect contracts entered into based on solicitations before this date.
Procurements solicited between the effective date of Articles 50 and 99 and July 1, 1998, should be substantially in accordance with the Code and its intent.
The Code applies regardless of the source of funds, including federal assistance moneys.
The Code does not apply to:
- Contracts between the State and its political subdivisions or other governments, or between State governmental bodies, except as specifically provided in the Code.
- Grants, except for the filing requirements of Section 20-80.
- Purchase of care, except as provided in Section 5-30.6 of the Illinois Public Aid Code and this Section.
- Hiring of an individual as an employee and not as an independent contractor.
- Collective bargaining contracts.
- Purchase of real estate, except that notice of contracts over $25,000 must be published in the Procurement Bulletin within 10 days after the deed is recorded.
- Contracts necessary to prepare for anticipated litigation, enforcement actions, or investigations, subject to prior approval by the chief legal counsel.
- Procurement expenditures by the Illinois Conservation Foundation when only private funds are used.
- Public-private agreements and design-build agreements entered into according to the procurement requirements of the Public-Private Partnerships for Transportation Act.
- Contracts for legal, financial, and other professional and artistic services entered into by the Illinois Finance Authority in which the State of Illinois is not obligated. Such contracts have to go through a competitive process authorized by the members of the Illinois Finance Authority and are subject to Sections 5-30, 20-160, 50-13, 50-20, 50-35, and 50-37 of this Code, as well as the final approval by the members of the Illinois Finance Authority of the terms of the contract.
- Contracts for legal and financial services entered into by the Illinois Housing Development Authority in connection with the issuance of bonds in which the State of Illinois is not obligated. Such contracts shall be awarded through a competitive process authorized by the members of the Illinois Housing Development Authority and are subject to Sections 5-30, 20-160, 50-13, 50-20, 50-35, and 50-37 of this Code, as well as the final approval by the members of the Illinois Housing Development Authority of the terms of the contract.
- Contracts for services, commodities, and equipment to support the delivery of timely forensic science services in consultation with and subject to the approval of the Chief Procurement Officer.
  - except for the requirements of Sections 20-60, 20-65, 20-70, and 20-160 and Article 50 of this Code;
  - however, the Chief Procurement Officer may, in writing with justification, waive any certification required under Article 50 of this Code.
Contracts for participation expenditures required by a domestic or international trade show or exhibition of an exhibitor, member, or sponsor.
Contracts with a railroad or utility that requires the State to reimburse the railroad or utilities for the relocation of utilities for construction or other public purpose. Contracts included within this paragraph (15) shall include, but not be limited to, those associated with: relocations, crossings, installations, and maintenance.
- For the purposes of this paragraph (15),