SPRINGFIELD – With the state beginning its next stage of recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, property owners will see financial relief under a measure supported by State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) that was signed into law last Friday.

“Residents across Illinois have faced severe financial hardships over the past few months, and property taxes are often a burden for families living on fixed incomes,” Stadelman said. “Any form of relief during these times can help alleviate some of the pain people are experiencing.”

Under the legislation, local businesses and residents will 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 sales.

“Giving homeowners some flexibility on property taxes is a necessity in our current economic situation,” Stadelman said. “Everyone has been effected by this pandemic.”

This legislation went into effect on June 5, 2020.