Tax Returns Required For Presidential Candidates Under Illinois Senate Bill

EVANSTON, IL — The Illinois Senate approved a bill Thursday requiring candidates for president to release five years' worth of income tax returns in order to be able to appear on the ballot in the state. If passed by the House, signed by the governor and upheld in court, the bill could effectively block President Donald Trump from appearing on the 2020 Illinois ballot.

Under the Senate-approved bill, candidates for president and vice president would need to provide returns at least five days before the general election ballots were certified. The new legislation, SB982, passed by a 32-19 margin and was sponsored by Sen. Daniel Biss, a Democrat from Evanston, a Democratic gubernatorial candidate.

"Frankly, it's something I wish we'd had a year and a half ago," Biss said. The proposal, he suggested, was about transparency and good government. He used the occasion of its Senate passage to point out he has released his complete tax returns but other fellow Democratic candidates for governor have not, which Biss described as disappointing. "Whether you're running for president or governor, full disclosure of your taxes should be a no-brainer."

“Voters should be able to make up their own minds a candidate based upon their own priorities and their own interests,” Biss said. “I think we can all agree that it is in the public’s best interest to make sure they have all the information they need to make the best possible decision at the polls.”

Biss suggested information about candidates' sources of income and investments would help voters understand potential conflicts of interest.

» More: Daniel Biss Tax Returns 2012-2016

Current federal law requires presidential candidates complete certain financial disclosure forms but does not required to release tax returns. Between 1976 and 2016, major-party presidential nominees voluntarily released their tax returns.

Trump has not released any past returns, citing an audit, and his administration has suggested it will not release future returns either.

» More: Full Text and Bill Status of Senate Bill 982

Gov. Bruce Rauner has released his tax returns. Billionaire J.B. Pritzker, multi-millionaire Chris Kennedy and Alderman Ameya Pawar have all said they will release their tax returns. None have released any returns at the time of writing.

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Top photo: Patch file