Section 35 ILCS 1010/1-15 - Independent Tax Tribunal; establishment(a) For the purpose of effectuating the policy declared in Section 1-5 of this Act, a State agency known as the Illinois Independent Tax Tribunal is created. The Tax Tribunal shall have the powers and duties enumerated in this Act, together with such others conferred upon it by law. The Tax Tribunal shall operate as an independent agency, and shall be separate from the authority of the Director of Revenue and the Department of Revenue.(b) Except as otherwise limited by this Act, the Tax Tribunal has all of the powers necessary or convenient to carry out the purposes and provisions of this Act, including, without limitation, each of the following:(1) To have a seal, and to alter that seal at pleasure, and to use it by causing it or a facsimile to be affixed or impressed or reproduced in any other manner.(2) To accept and expend appropriations.(3) To obtain and employ personnel as required in this Act, including any additional personnel necessary to fulfill the Tax Tribunal's purposes, and to make expenditures for personnel within the appropriations for that purpose.(4) To maintain offices at such places as required under this Act, and elsewhere as the Tax Tribunal may determine.(5) To engage in any activity or operation that is incidental to and in furtherance of efficient operation to accomplish the Tax Tribunal's purposes.(c) Unless otherwise stated, the Tax Tribunal is subject to the provisions of all applicable laws, including, but not limited to, each of the following:(1) The State Records Act.(2) The Illinois Procurement Code, except that the Illinois Procurement Code does not apply to the hiring of the chief administrative law judge or other administrative law judges pursuant to Section 1-25 of this Act.(3) The Freedom of Information Act, except as otherwise provided in Section 7 of that Act.(4) The State Property Control Act.(5) The State Officials and Employees Ethics Act.(6) The Illinois Administrative Procedure Act, to the extent not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act.(7) The Illinois State Auditing Act. For purposes of the Illinois State Auditing Act, the Tax Tribunal is a "State agency" within the meaning of the Act and is subject to the jurisdiction of the Auditor General.(d) Notwithstanding any provision in the tax statutes listed in Section 1-45 of this Act, the Tax Tribunal shall exercise its jurisdiction on and after January 1, 2014, and any protests prior to that date shall continue to be filed with the Department, and the Department shall exercise jurisdiction over such matters , but the administrative law judges of the Tax Tribunal may be appointed prior to that date and may take any action prior to that date that is necessary to enable the Tax Tribunal to properly exercise its jurisdiction on or after that date. Any administrative proceeding commenced on or after June 1, 2013 , that would otherwise be subject to the jurisdiction of the Illinois Independent Tax Tribunal may be conducted according to the procedures set forth in this Act if the taxpayer so elects. Such an election shall be irrevocable and may be made on or after January 1, 2014 , but no later than February 1, 2014 .Amended by P.A. 098-0463,§ 215, eff. 8/16/2013.Amended by P.A. 098-0024,§ 5-65, eff. 6/19/2013.Added by P.A. 097-1129,§ 1-15, eff. 8/28/2012.