With two Olympic medalists from Illinois and possibly more on the way, a suburban lawmaker has sponsored a bill that waives state tax on their winnings.
State Sen. Julie Morrison is sponsoring legislation approved by a Senate committee that would exempt Olympians from paying Illinois taxes on their awards.
Olympians who win gold medals are awarded $25,000, while those who win silver earn $15,000, and bronze medalists receive $10,000. The amounts are currently taxed by both federal and state governments.
A Democrat from Deerfield, Morrison says she represents many of Illinois' Olympic athletes and that as those athletes proudly represent Illinois and the U.S., "we should honor them for their commitment."
Two Illinois Olympians have medaled since the Sochi games began. Jason Brown of Highland Park earned a bronze medal for mixed team figure skating, and Aja Evans of Chicago won a bronze medal for women’s bobsledding.
Illinois has similarly exempted Olympians from paying taxes on their awards in the past.
The legislation, which also applies to Para-Olympians, could be considered by the full Senate as early as Thursday.
