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Public Act 92-0728
SB1646 Enrolled LRB9211249RCcd
AN ACT in relation to criminal law.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Criminal Code of 1961 is amended by adding
Sections 16-18, 16-19, 16-20, and 16-21 as follows:
(720 ILCS 5/16-18 new)
Sec. 16-18. Unlawful communication and access devices;
definitions. As used in Sections 16-19, 16-20, and 16-21,
unless the context otherwise indicates:
"Communication device" means any type of instrument,
device, machine, or equipment which is capable of
transmitting, acquiring, decrypting, or receiving any
telephonic, electronic, data, Internet access, audio, video,
microwave, or radio transmissions, signals, communications,
or services, including the receipt, acquisition,
transmission, or decryption of all such communications,
transmissions, signals, or services provided by or through
any cable television, fiber optic, telephone, satellite,
microwave, radio, Internet-based, data transmission, or
wireless distribution network, system or facility; or any
part, accessory, or component thereof, including any computer
circuit, security module, smart card, software, computer
chip, electronic mechanism or other component, accessory or
part of any communication device which is capable of
facilitating the transmission, decryption, acquisition or
reception of all such communications, transmissions, signals,
or services.
"Communication service" means any service lawfully
provided for a charge or compensation to facilitate the
lawful origination, transmission, emission, or reception of
signs, signals, data, writings, images, and sounds or
intelligence of any nature by telephone, including cellular
telephones or a wire, wireless, radio, electromagnetic,
photo-electronic or photo-optical system; and also any
service lawfully provided by any radio, telephone, cable
television, fiber optic, satellite, microwave, Internet-based
or wireless distribution network, system, facility or
technology, including, but not limited to, any and all
electronic, data, video, audio, Internet access, telephonic,
microwave and radio communications, transmissions, signals
and services, and any such communications, transmissions,
signals and services lawfully provided directly or indirectly
by or through any of those networks, systems, facilities or
technologies.
"Communication service provider" means: (1) any person or
entity providing any communication service, whether directly
or indirectly, as a reseller, including, but not limited to,
a cellular, paging or other wireless communications company
or other person or entity which, for a fee, supplies the
facility, cell site, mobile telephone switching office or
other equipment or communication service; (2) any person or
entity owning or operating any cable television, fiber optic,
satellite, telephone, wireless, microwave, radio, data
transmission or Internet-based distribution network, system
or facility; and (3) any person or entity providing any
communication service directly or indirectly by or through
any such distribution system, network or facility.
"Unlawful communication device" means any electronic
serial number, mobile identification number, personal
identification number or any communication device that is
capable of acquiring or facilitating the acquisition of a
communication service without the express consent or express
authorization of the communication service provider, or that
has been altered, modified, programmed or reprogrammed, alone
or in conjunction with another communication device or other
equipment, to so acquire or facilitate the unauthorized
acquisition of a communication service. "Unlawful
communication device" also means:
(1) any phone altered to obtain service without the
express consent or express authorization of the
communication service provider, tumbler phone,
counterfeit or clone phone, tumbler microchip,
counterfeit or clone microchip or other instrument
capable of disguising its identity or location or of
gaining unauthorized access to a communications system
operated by a communication service provider; and
(2) any communication device which is capable of,
or has been altered, designed, modified, programmed or
reprogrammed, alone or in conjunction with another
communication device or devices, so as to be capable of,
facilitating the disruption, acquisition, receipt,
transmission or decryption of a communication service
without the express consent or express authorization of
the communication service provider, including, but not
limited to, any device, technology, product, service,
equipment, computer software or component or part
thereof, primarily distributed, sold, designed,
assembled, manufactured, modified, programmed,
reprogrammed or used for the purpose of providing the
unauthorized receipt of, transmission of, disruption of,
decryption of, access to or acquisition of any
communication service provided by any communication
service provider.
"Manufacture or assembly of an unlawful communication
device" means to make, produce or assemble an unlawful
communication device or to modify, alter, program or
reprogram a communication device to be capable of acquiring,
disrupting, receiving, transmitting, decrypting, or
facilitating the acquisition, disruption, receipt,
transmission or decryption of, a communication service
without the express consent or express authorization of the
communication service provider, or to knowingly assist others
in those activities.
"Unlawful access device" means any type of instrument,
device, machine, equipment, technology, or software which is
primarily possessed, used, designed, assembled, manufactured,
sold, distributed or offered, promoted or advertised for the
purpose of defeating or circumventing any technology, device
or software, or any component or part thereof, used by the
provider, owner or licensee of any communication service or
of any data, audio or video programs or transmissions to
protect any such communication, audio or video services,
programs or transmissions from unauthorized access,
acquisition, receipt, decryption, disclosure, communication,
transmission or re-transmission.
"Manufacture or assembly of an unlawful access device"
means to make, produce or assemble an unlawful access device
or to modify, alter, program or re-program any instrument,
device, machine, equipment or software so that it is capable
of defeating or circumventing any technology, device or
software used by the provider, owner or licensee of a
communication service or of any data, audio or video programs
or transmissions to protect any such communication, data,
audio or video services, programs or transmissions from
unauthorized access, acquisition, disclosure, receipt,
decryption, communication, transmission or re-transmission.
(720 ILCS 5/16-19 new)
Sec. 16-19. Prohibited acts. A person commits an offense
if he or she knowingly:
(1) obtains or uses a communication service without the
authorization of, or compensation paid to, the communication
service provider, or assists or instructs any other person in
doing so with intent to defraud the communication service
provider;
(2) possesses, uses, manufactures, assembles,
distributes, leases, transfers, or sells, or offers, promotes
or advertises for sale, lease, use, or distribution an
unlawful communication device:
(A) for the commission of a theft of a
communication service or to receive, disrupt, transmit,
decrypt, or acquire, or facilitate the receipt,
disruption, transmission, decryption or acquisition, of
any communication service without the express consent or
express authorization of the communication service
provider; or
(B) to conceal or to assist another to conceal from
any communication service provider or from any lawful
authority the existence or place of origin or destination
of any communication;
(3) modifies, alters, programs or reprograms a
communication device for the purposes described in
subdivision (2)(A) or (2)(B);
(4) possesses, uses, manufactures, assembles, leases,
distributes, sells, or transfers, or offers, promotes or
advertises for sale, use or distribution, any unlawful access
device; or
(5) possesses, uses, prepares, distributes, gives or
otherwise transfers to another or offers, promotes, or
advertises for sale, use or distribution any:
(A) plans or instructions for making or assembling
an unlawful communication or access device, under
circumstances evidencing an intent to use or employ the
unlawful communication or access device, or to allow the
same to be used or employed, for a purpose prohibited by
this Section, or knowing or having reason to believe that
the plans or instructions are intended to be used for
manufacturing or assembling the unlawful communication or
access device for a purpose prohibited by this Section;
or
(B) material, including hardware, cables, tools,
data, computer software or other information or
equipment, knowing that the purchaser or a third person
intends to use the material in the manufacture or
assembly of an unlawful communication or access device
for a purpose prohibited by this Section.
(720 ILCS 5/16-20 new)
Sec. 16-20. Criminal penalties.
(a) Except for violations of Section 16-19 as provided
for in subsection (b) or (c) of this Section, a person who
violates Section 16-19 is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
(b) An offense under Section 16-19 is a Class 4 felony
if:
(1) the defendant has been convicted previously
under Section 16-19 or convicted of any similar crime in
this or any federal or other state jurisdiction; or
(2) the violation of Section 16-19 involves at
least 10, but not more than 50, unlawful communication or
access devices.
(c) An offense under Section 16-19 is a Class 3 felony
if:
(1) the defendant has been convicted previously on
2 or more occasions for offenses under Section 16-19 or
for any similar crime in this or any federal or other
state jurisdiction; or
(2) the violation of Section 16-19 involves more
than 50 unlawful communication or access devices.
(d) For purposes of grading an offense based upon a
prior conviction under Section 16-19 or for any similar crime
under subdivisions (b)(1) and (c)(1) of this Section, a prior
conviction shall consist of convictions upon separate
indictments or criminal complaints for offenses under Section
16-19 or any similar crime in this or any federal or other
state jurisdiction.
(e) As provided for in subdivisions (b)(1) and (c)(1) of
this Section, in grading an offense under Section 16-19 based
upon a prior conviction, the term "any similar crime" shall
include, but not be limited to, offenses involving theft of
service or fraud, including violations of the Cable
Communications Policy Act of 1984 (Public Law 98-549, 98
Stat. 2779).
(f) Separate offenses. For purposes of all criminal
penalties or fines established for violations of Section
16-19, the prohibited activity established in Section 16-19
as it applies to each unlawful communication or access device
shall be deemed a separate offense.
(g) Fines. For purposes of imposing fines upon
conviction of a defendant for an offense under Section 16-19,
all fines shall be imposed in accordance with Article 9 of
Chapter V of the Unified Code of Corrections.
(h) Restitution. The court shall, in addition to any
other sentence authorized by law, sentence a person convicted
of violating Section 16-19 to make restitution in the manner
provided in Article 5 of Chapter V of the Unified Code of
Corrections.
(i) Forfeiture of unlawful communication or access
devices. Upon conviction of a defendant under Section 16-19,
the court may, in addition to any other sentence authorized
by law, direct that the defendant forfeit any unlawful
communication or access devices in the defendant's possession
or control which were involved in the violation for which the
defendant was convicted.
(j) Venue. An offense under Section 16-19 may be deemed
to have been committed at either the place where the
defendant manufactured or assembled an unlawful communication
or access device, or assisted others in doing so, or the
place where the unlawful communication or access device was
sold or delivered to a purchaser or recipient. It is not a
defense to a violation of Section 16-19 that some of the acts
constituting the offense occurred outside of the State of
Illinois.
(720 ILCS 5/16-21 new)
Sec. 16-21. Civil actions.
(a) Any person aggrieved by a violation of Section 16-19
may bring a civil action in any court of competent
jurisdiction.
(b) The court may:
(1) grant preliminary and final injunctions to
prevent or restrain violations of Section 16-19 without a
showing by the plaintiff of special damages, irreparable
harm or inadequacy of other legal remedies;
(2) at any time while an action is pending, order
the impounding, on such terms as it deems reasonable, of
any unlawful communication or access device that is in
the custody or control of the violator and that the court
has reasonable cause to believe was involved in the
alleged violation of Section 16-19;
(3) award damages as described in subsection (c);
(4) in its discretion, award reasonable attorney's
fees and costs, including, but not limited to, costs for
investigation, testing and expert witness fees, to an
aggrieved party who prevails; and
(5) as part of a final judgment or decree finding a
violation of Section 16-19, order the remedial
modification or destruction of any unlawful communication
or access device involved in the violation that is in the
custody or control of the violator or has been impounded
under subdivision (2) of this subsection (b).
(c) Types of damages recoverable. Damages awarded by a
court under this Section shall be computed as either of the
following:
(1) Upon his or her election of such damages at any
time before final judgment is entered, the complaining
party may recover the actual damages suffered by him or
her as a result of the violation of Section 16-19 and any
profits of the violator that are attributable to the
violation and are not taken into account in computing the
actual damages. In determining the violator's profits,
the complaining party shall be required to prove only the
violator's gross revenue, and the violator shall be
required to prove his or her deductible expenses and the
elements of profit attributable to factors other than the
violation; or
(2) Upon election by the complaining party at any
time before final judgment is entered, that party may
recover in lieu of actual damages an award of statutory
damages of not less than $250 and not more than $10,000
for each unlawful communication or access device involved
in the action, with the amount of statutory damages to be
determined by the court, as the court considers just. In
any case, if the court finds that any of the violations
of Section 16-19 were committed willfully and for
purposes of commercial advantage or private financial
gain, the court in its discretion may increase the award
of statutory damages by an amount of not more than
$50,000 for each unlawful communication or access device
involved in the action.
(d) For purposes of all civil remedies established for
violations of Section 16-19, the prohibited activity
established in this Section applies to each unlawful
communication or access device and shall be deemed a separate
violation.
(720 ILCS 5/16-10 rep.)
(720 ILCS 5/16-11 rep.)
(720 ILCS 5/16-12 rep.)
(720 ILCS 5/16-13 rep.)
Section 10. The Criminal Code of 1961 is amended by
repealing Sections 16-10, 16-11, 16-12, and 16-13.
Passed in the General Assembly May 22, 2002.
Approved July 25, 2002.
Effective January 01, 2003.
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