IL SB1691

Establishes homestead property tax exemptions for Illinois veterans with service-connected disabilities, ranging from $2,500 to full exemption based on disability rating percentage.

For taxable years 2015 and thereafter: veterans with 30-50% disability receive $2,500 exemption; 50-70% disability receive $5,000 exemption; 70% or more disability receive full property tax exemption.

Exemption carries over to surviving spouses if they remain unmarried and occupy or own the property; if a veteran dies during exemption review, the application process continues and approval transfers to the spouse.

Veterans killed in the line of duty (beginning 2015) are eligible for exemption benefits even if they never qualified before death.

Allows county assessment officers to approve exemptions for 2020 without reapplication for properties approved in 2019, provided the county declared a COVID-19 disaster and ownership remains unchanged.