SB3512 Summary

• Eliminates the 4% timber harvest fee that timber buyers were required to deduct from payments to timber growers and forward to the Department of Natural Resources.

• Removes the requirement for timber growers who process or resell timber produced on their own land to pay 4% of the minimum fair market value to the Department.

• Repeals related penalty provisions in the Timber Buyers Licensing Act for failure to pay the 4% harvest fee, including penalties of 7.5% per month up to 37.5% aggregate.

• Updates the Illinois Forestry Development Act to reference the eliminated fee structure while maintaining priority consideration for timber growers who previously paid the 4% fee to receive increased cost-share amounts for forest management practices.

• Maintains reporting requirements for timber buyers to file transaction reports with the Department, though without the 4% fee deduction component.