Illinois House Bill Seeks Audit Exemption for Small Towns under 1,000 Residents

State Representative Dan Swanson has supported a recently approved House measure aimed at alleviating financial burdens on small municipalities in Illinois. House Bill 1082 proposes amending the Illinois Municipal Auditing Law to exempt towns with populations under 1,000 from mandatory annual audits. Currently, the limited availability of Certified Public Accountants specializing in municipal audits, paired with the high costs, poses challenges for these small communities. The Illinois Municipal League highlights such audits as disproportionately expensive for towns with minimal annual budgets. With House approval secured, the bill now moves to the Senate for further consideration. Representative Swanson emphasized the importance of this exemption during recent debates.