Illinois Security Deposit Return Act amendment awaits Gov’s signature

UPDATE: The law was signed 8/17/12 and goes into effect on 1/1/13

The Illinois House of Representatives and Senate have voted to approve an amendment to the Illinois Security Deposit Return Act.  The law, currently awaiting the Governor’s signature to become law, will amend the state law governing the return of certain security deposits to allow a landlord to send the required itemized statement of damages and paid receipts to a tenant via “electronic mail to a verified electronic mail address provided by the lessee”.  Previously, the required statement and receipts needed to be delivered to the tenant in person or mailed to the tenant’s last known address.

The law does not define how the e-mail address is to be “verified” and, if there is any deposit to return, I presume that deposit will still have to be deli9vered to the tenant in person or mailed to the tenant’s last known address.