For Illinois corporate clients who pay significant Illinois corporate franchise tax, relief may be on the way.

Illinois is on the verge of joining Delaware and many other jurisdictions that permit simple conversions from corporate to limited liability company (LLC) form, by enacting the “Entity Omnibus Act” as part of House Bill 2963, passed by the Illinois General Assembly and sent to the governor’s office last week. Assuming the governor signs the Bill, the effective date of the new law would be July 1, 2018.

Corporations formed under the Illinois Business Corporation Act often face impediments to conversion to an LLC to be free of the franchise tax. The new Act should make planning and execution considerably easier.