Dear Students,

August marks the one-year anniversary of Governor Pritzker signing House Bill 2243 into law. HB 2243, now Public Act 101-0467, changed the Illinois statute governing pre-election/appointment requirements for township and county assessors.

As of August 23, 2019, township and county assessors who hold a CIAO are no longer required to complete 30 hours (at least 15 hours being exam hours) in the year of, or the year immediately preceding, election, appointment, or contract. This bill was supported and championed by the Illinois Assessors Association (IAA) and the County Assessment Officers Association (CAOA).

Important items to note:

• The IPAI still requires you complete 60 hours of continuing education (CE) within a four-year cycle (currently 2019 – 2022). Failure to complete your CE will result in your CIAO designation becoming inactive. Courses cannot be repeated in the last four years for CIAO CE credit and the four core qualifying courses do not count for CE.
• IDOR will still require 30 hours (at least 15 hours being exam hours) and holding a qualifying position in order for a CIAO to receive the IDOR stipend. Courses cannot be repeated in the last 10 years to qualify for stipend credit.
• This bill specifically impacts elected, appointed, and contracted township assessors and elected and appointed county assessors, not deputy assessors or other assessment office staffers.
• Candidates to be elected, appointed, or contracted to office are still required to obtain a Certificate of Educational Qualification from IDOR before they can be appointed, contracted, or file nominating papers to be elected to office. 

The full text of Public Act 101-0467 is available on the General Assembly’s website. Pleas take a few minutes to read the full text and better understand it. Should you have questions about the election, appointment, or contract of township and county assessors, please contact our office or IDOR.

Thank you,

Josh W. Barnett
Executive Director