By Greg Bishop/Illinois Radio Network
SPRINGFIELD – It’s could be onto the governor’s desk soon with a couple of bills to allow religious organizations to maintain tax exempt status in Illinois.
One measure deals with how to treat religious retreat centers.
State Rep. Peter Breen, R-Lombard, said Senate Bill 587 is necessary because the state’s Department of Revenue is treating religious retreat centers as hotels and taxing them as such.
“Most folks know that religious retreat centers that normally do not have televisions, telephones, or really any of the comforts or parts that would indicate a hotel,” Breen said.
The bill clarifies the definition of a hotel and gives a limited exemption to religious centers that get tax exempt certification, “and then [the center is] only letting the rooms either in furtherance of your religious purposes, or you’re only letting the rooms to entities that are exclusively operated for religious purposes, and only renting the rooms in furtherance of their religious purposes, that that is an exclusion,” Breen said.
The bill passed both chambers unanimously and will head to the governor’s desk.
Another measure that could soon head to the governor’s desk would allow church parking lots to be tax exempt, regardless if they’re rented out.
Senate Bill 1593 could pass soon.
State Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia, D-Aurora, said the measure allows churches in downtown areas to lease their parking lots to a municipality so free parking for businesses can be provided without the church losing its tax exempt status.
“The benefit is that many local churches are located in downtown areas where public parking is scarce,” Chapa LaVia said. “Free parking is a sufficient benefit to downtown businesses as it provides places for customers and employees to park. And it’s helping them keep their business open, viable and profitable so thus it enhances the whole community.”
SB1593 could be voted on in the full house this week.
More than 200 bills the Legislature passed out of both chambers so far this year.
