HB3336 would create a new fee-and-rebate structure tied to Illinois elections and income taxes. Beginning January 1, 2026, the State Board of Elections would be required to set up a payment system to collect two fees from prospective candidates for elected office in consolidated or general elections: a $2,500 pre-filing fee and a $2,500 filing fee. Candidates would have to certify payment of these fees when submitting nomination papers, and election authorities would be prohibited from accepting nomination papers without that certification.
The bill directs all money collected from these candidate fees into a newly created Election Income Tax Rebate Fund. Starting in 2027, the Department of Revenue would use the fund to pay an annual rebate to each individual taxpayer who files an Illinois income tax return by the specified deadline. Each eligible taxpayer would receive an equal share of the fund’s money for that year. The bill also amends the State Finance Act to establish the special fund and the Illinois Income Tax Act to authorize the rebate program.
Impact
HB3336 would amend the Election Code, State Finance Act, and Illinois Income Tax Act to create a new candidate-fee collection system and a dedicated state fund for tax rebates. It would impose additional costs on prospective candidates for elected office in consolidated or general elections, while also changing nomination-paper filing requirements by making proof of payment a condition of acceptance. On the tax side, it would create a new annual rebate mechanism for individual Illinois income taxpayers, funded entirely by the candidate fees deposited into the Election Income Tax Rebate Fund.
Sentiment
No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of legislative debate or formal support/opposition in the available materials. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears designed as a revenue-raising and taxpayer-rebate proposal, with a populist framing that links election participation costs to income tax relief. Because the bill was introduced but no further action is shown, its reception cannot be reliably characterized beyond the proposal itself.
Contention
The main points of contention likely involve the size and fairness of the new candidate fees, especially the requirement that candidates pay substantial amounts before filing and have their nomination papers rejected if payment is not certified. Candidates, election officials, and political parties could object that the fees create a barrier to ballot access or favor better-funded candidates. Supporters would likely emphasize the rebate benefit to taxpayers and the idea of using candidate fees to offset tax burdens, but no specific positions are documented in the provided record.