HB3217 amends the Illinois Property Tax Code to create a new assessment rule for non-income producing wooded acreage. Beginning with the 2025 assessment year, the assessed value of qualifying wooded acreage may not increase by more than 4% over the immediately preceding assessment year, and this cap would continue through the 2039 assessment year or until the property no longer qualifies under the section.
The bill defines “non-income producing wooded acreage” as wooded acreage that does not generate annual net income as defined elsewhere in the Property Tax Code. In practical terms, the measure is designed to limit year-to-year assessment growth for certain wooded properties, likely reducing property tax increases for owners of qualifying land.
Impact
The bill would add a new Section 10-511 to the Property Tax Code and create a statutory assessment cap for a specific class of property. County assessors and local taxing authorities would need to apply the 104% limitation to eligible non-income producing wooded acreage starting with the 2025 assessment year, affecting how those parcels are valued for property tax purposes. The change would primarily benefit owners of qualifying wooded acreage by slowing assessment growth, while potentially reducing or delaying property tax revenue growth for local governments tied to those parcels.
Sentiment
No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate or formal support/opposition in the available materials. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears targeted and technical, with a clear property-tax relief purpose for a narrow category of landowners. The absence of recorded discussion makes the overall sentiment difficult to gauge beyond the bill’s apparent intent to provide predictable assessment limits.
Contention
The main likely point of contention is the fiscal effect: supporters may view the bill as protecting owners of wooded acreage from sharp assessment increases, while opponents may worry about reduced property tax base growth for local governments and taxing districts. Another possible issue is eligibility and administration, since assessors would need to determine whether acreage is truly “non-income producing” under the referenced income definition. The bill also creates a long-term cap through 2039, which could be debated as either stability for landowners or an unwarranted constraint on reassessment.