Lake County Gazette

Disabled veterans will not have to pay building permit fees starting next year after Senate Bill 2751 was signed into law. About the signing, Sen. Dan McConchie said, "Prior to this law, disabled veterans had to pay local permit fees on top of their renovation costs." He made this statement in a July 3 Facebook post.

"Prior to this law, disabled veterans had to pay local permit fees on top of their renovation costs," said Daniel Mcconchie, State Senator, according to Facebook. "I sponsored SB 2751 to waive these fees, easing this extra financial burden. Waiving these fees is a small way to give back."

In his Facebook post, McConchie shared a link to a press release that expanded on the topic. "Disabled veterans already face significant challenges when it comes to home renovations. This legislation ensures they are not burdened with extra costs from city permit fees. Veterans have sacrificed so much for us, and waiving these fees is a small way to give back," said McConchie in the July 2 news release. McConchie is himself a veteran of the U.S. Army National Guard.

Screenshot of Sen. Dan McConchie's July 3 Facebook post | Senator Dan McConchie's Facebook page

McConchie filed the bill on January 16, 2024, and it moved to the House of Representatives on April 11, 2024. Rep. Stephanie Kifowit is the chief sponsor in the House. The bill passed the Senate on May 15, the same day it passed both houses. The bill went to Gov. J.B. Pritzker for signing on June 13 and was signed into law on July 1. It will go into effect on January 1, 2025.

The bill states that a disabled veteran or that veteran’s caregiver will not be charged building permit fees for improvements to the home of the veteran if those improvements are necessary to accommodate the disability. All applications, forms, and other paperwork must still be submitted. This includes veterans of the Armed Forces, the National Guard, or the Reserves of the Armed Forces; and that veteran or caregiver must show veteran status and attest that the renovations are necessary, according to the General Assembly’s website focused on the bill.

McConchie has served the people of the 26th District since 2016. He is an energy consultant with Verde Solutions, according to his official senate biography. He is a former member of the Army National Guard and worked for two decades in public affairs for national advocacy groups, as well as two years at Trinity International University as an adjunct professor teaching graduate-level bioethics and public policy courses. He and his wife live in Hawthorn Woods.