SB1837 would amend Illinois’ Timber Buyers Licensing Act and related provisions of the Illinois Forestry Development Act to eliminate the existing 4% timber buyer harvest fee. Under current law, timber buyers must deduct 4% of the purchase price, or 4% of the minimum fair market value when price cannot be determined, and remit it to the Department of Natural Resources. The bill also removes a parallel 4% payment requirement for timber growers who use timber from their own land for lumber, processing, or resale.
The bill states legislative intent that the fee is not being fully used for its original purpose of helping timber growers replace harvested timber, and therefore should be eliminated. It makes conforming changes to reporting, penalty, and fund provisions so that references to the 4% fee are removed or marked blank where necessary. The bill also revises the Forestry Development Act to preserve the cost-share program for forest management, while changing how the Illinois Forestry Development Fund is financed by removing the timber harvest fee as a revenue source.
Impact
If enacted, SB1837 would repeal the statutory harvest-fee mechanism that currently applies to timber sales and certain self-used timber operations, reducing direct payment obligations for timber buyers and some timber growers. It would also alter the enforcement and penalty structure tied to nonpayment of that fee, since several misdemeanor and felony provisions are keyed to amounts due under Section 9a. The bill would leave the broader forestry cost-share program in place, but the Illinois Forestry Development Fund would lose a major dedicated revenue stream and would need to rely on other fees, fines, appropriations, or revenues authorized by law.
Sentiment
The available text suggests the bill is framed as a deregulatory and relief measure for the timber industry, with the sponsor arguing that the fee is ineffective and should be eliminated. Because there are no committee transcripts or recorded votes provided, there is no direct evidence of broader legislative support or opposition in the materials supplied. The bill’s tone is policy-focused and corrective rather than punitive, emphasizing that the current fee no longer serves its intended purpose.
Contention
The main point of contention is likely the loss of dedicated funding for forestry programs versus the benefit of eliminating a 4% charge on timber transactions. Supporters would likely argue that the fee is burdensome and not being used effectively to assist timber growers, while opponents may argue that removing it could weaken the Illinois Forestry Development Fund and reduce resources for forest management and reforestation. Another possible issue is the bill’s removal of penalties tied to fee nonpayment, which could be viewed as reducing compliance incentives and enforcement tools.