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1 | AN ACT concerning regulation.
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2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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4 | Section 5. The Illinois Insurance Code is amended by adding | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | Article XLV as follows: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | (215 ILCS 5/Art. XLV heading new)
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7 | ARTICLE XLV. PUBLIC ADJUSTERS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 | (215 ILCS 5/1501 new)
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9 | Sec. 1501. Short title. This Article may be cited as the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
10 | Public Adjustors Law. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
11 | (215 ILCS 5/1505 new)
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12 | Sec. 1505. Purpose and scope. This Article governs the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
13 | qualifications and procedures for the licensing of public | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
14 | adjusters. It specifies the duties of and restrictions on | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
15 | public adjusters, which include limiting their licensure to | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
16 | assisting insureds in first party claims. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
17 | (215 ILCS 5/1510 new)
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18 | Sec. 1510. Definitions. In this Article: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
19 | "Apprentice public adjuster" means a person who is | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
20 | qualified in all respects as a public adjuster, except as to |
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1 | experience, education, or training. | ||||||
2 | "Business entity" means a corporation, association, | ||||||
3 | partnership, limited liability company, limited liability | ||||||
4 | partnership, or other legal entity. | ||||||
5 | "Director" means the Director of the Division of Insurance | ||||||
6 | of the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. | ||||||
7 | "Division" means the Division of Insurance of the | ||||||
8 | Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. | ||||||
9 | "Fingerprints" means an impression of the lines on the | ||||||
10 | finger taken for the purpose of identification. The impression | ||||||
11 | may be electronic or in ink converted to electronic format. | ||||||
12 | "Home state" means the District of Columbia and any state | ||||||
13 | or territory of the United States where the public adjuster's | ||||||
14 | principal place of residence or principal place of business is | ||||||
15 | located. If neither the state in which the public adjuster | ||||||
16 | maintains the principal place of residence nor the state in | ||||||
17 | which the public adjuster maintains the principal place of | ||||||
18 | business has a substantially similar law governing public | ||||||
19 | adjusters, the public adjuster may declare another state in | ||||||
20 | which it becomes licensed and acts as a public adjuster to be | ||||||
21 | the home state. | ||||||
22 | "Individual" means a natural person. | ||||||
23 | "Person" means an individual or a business entity. | ||||||
24 | "Public adjuster" means any person who, for compensation or | ||||||
25 | any other thing of value on behalf of the insured: | ||||||
26 | (i) acts or aids, solely in relation to first party |
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1 | claims arising under insurance contracts that insure the | ||||||
2 | real or personal property of the insured, on behalf of an | ||||||
3 | insured in negotiating for, or effecting the settlement of, | ||||||
4 | a claim for loss or damage covered by an insurance | ||||||
5 | contract; | ||||||
6 | (ii) advertises for employment as an public adjuster of | ||||||
7 | insurance claims or solicits business or represents | ||||||
8 | himself or herself to the public as an public adjuster of | ||||||
9 | first party insurance claims for losses or damages arising | ||||||
10 | out of policies of insurance that insure real or personal | ||||||
11 | property; or | ||||||
12 | (iii) directly or indirectly solicits business, | ||||||
13 | investigates or adjusts losses, or advises an insured about | ||||||
14 | first party claims for losses or damages arising out of | ||||||
15 | policies of insurance that insure real or personal property | ||||||
16 | for another person engaged in the business of adjusting | ||||||
17 | losses or damages covered by an insurance policy for the | ||||||
18 | insured. | ||||||
19 | "Uniform individual application" means the current version | ||||||
20 | of the National Association of Directors (NAIC) Uniform | ||||||
21 | Individual Application for resident and nonresident | ||||||
22 | individuals. | ||||||
23 | "Uniform business entity application" means the current | ||||||
24 | version of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners | ||||||
25 | (NAIC) Uniform Business Entity Application for resident and | ||||||
26 | nonresident business entities. |
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1 | (215 ILCS 5/1515 new)
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2 | Sec. 1515. License required. | ||||||
3 | (a) A person shall not act or hold himself out as a public | ||||||
4 | adjuster in this State unless the person is licensed as a | ||||||
5 | public adjuster in accordance with this Article. | ||||||
6 | (b) A person licensed as a public adjuster shall not | ||||||
7 | misrepresent to a claimant that he or she is an adjuster | ||||||
8 | representing an insurer in any capacity, including acting as an | ||||||
9 | employee of the insurer or acting as an independent adjuster | ||||||
10 | unless so appointed by an insurer in writing to act on the | ||||||
11 | insurer's behalf for that specific claim or purpose. A licensed | ||||||
12 | public adjuster is prohibited from charging that specific | ||||||
13 | claimant a fee when appointed by the insurer and the | ||||||
14 | appointment is accepted by the public adjuster. | ||||||
15 | (c) A business entity acting as a public adjuster is | ||||||
16 | required to obtain a public adjuster license. Application shall | ||||||
17 | be made using the Uniform Business Entity Application. Before | ||||||
18 | approving the application, the Director shall find that: | ||||||
19 | (1) the business entity has paid the required fees to | ||||||
20 | be registered as a business entity in this State; and | ||||||
21 | (2) the business entity has designated a licensed | ||||||
22 | public adjuster responsible for the business entity's | ||||||
23 | compliance with the insurance laws, rules and regulations | ||||||
24 | of this State. | ||||||
25 | (d) Notwithstanding subsections (a) through (c) of this |
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1 | Section, a license as a public adjuster shall not be required | ||||||
2 | of the following: | ||||||
3 | (1) an attorney admitted to practice in this State, | ||||||
4 | when acting in his or her professional capacity as an | ||||||
5 | attorney; | ||||||
6 | (2) a person who negotiates or settles claims arising | ||||||
7 | under a life or health insurance policy or an annuity | ||||||
8 | contract; | ||||||
9 | (3) a person employed only for the purpose of obtaining | ||||||
10 | facts surrounding a loss or furnishing technical | ||||||
11 | assistance to a licensed public adjuster, including | ||||||
12 | photographers, estimators, private investigators, | ||||||
13 | engineers, and handwriting experts; | ||||||
14 | (4) a licensed health care provider, or employee of a | ||||||
15 | licensed health care provider, who prepares or files a | ||||||
16 | health claim form on behalf of a patient; or | ||||||
17 | (5) a person who settles subrogation claims between | ||||||
18 | insurers. | ||||||
19 | (215 ILCS 5/1520 new)
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20 | Sec. 1520. Application for license. | ||||||
21 | (a) A person applying for a public adjuster license shall | ||||||
22 | make application to the Director on the appropriate uniform | ||||||
23 | application or other application prescribed by the Director. | ||||||
24 | (b) The applicant shall declare under penalty of perjury | ||||||
25 | and under penalty of refusal, suspension, or revocation of the |
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1 | license that the statements made in the application are true, | ||||||
2 | correct, and complete to the best of the applicant's knowledge | ||||||
3 | and belief. | ||||||
4 | (c) In order to make a determination of license | ||||||
5 | eligibility, the Director is authorized to require | ||||||
6 | fingerprints of applicants and submit the fingerprints and the | ||||||
7 | fee required to perform the criminal history record checks to | ||||||
8 | the Illinois State Police and the Federal Bureau of | ||||||
9 | Investigation (FBI) for State and national criminal history | ||||||
10 | record checks. The Director shall require a criminal history | ||||||
11 | record check on each applicant in accordance with this Section. | ||||||
12 | The Director shall require each applicant to submit a full set | ||||||
13 | of fingerprints in order for the Director to obtain and receive | ||||||
14 | National Criminal History Records from the FBI Criminal Justice | ||||||
15 | Information Services Division. | ||||||
16 | (1) The Director may contract for the collection, | ||||||
17 | transmission, and resubmission of fingerprints required | ||||||
18 | under this Section. If the Director does so, the fee for | ||||||
19 | collecting, transmitting, and retaining fingerprints shall | ||||||
20 | be payable directly to the contractor. The Director may | ||||||
21 | agree to a reasonable fingerprinting fee to be charged by | ||||||
22 | the contractor. | ||||||
23 | (2) The Director may waive submission of fingerprints | ||||||
24 | by any person that has previously furnished fingerprints | ||||||
25 | and those fingerprints are on file with the Central | ||||||
26 | Repository of the NAIC, its affiliates, or subsidiaries. |
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1 | (3) The Director is authorized to submit electronic | ||||||
2 | fingerprint records and necessary identifying information | ||||||
3 | to the NAIC, its affiliates, or subsidiaries for permanent | ||||||
4 | retention in a centralized repository. The purpose of such | ||||||
5 | a centralized repository is to provide Directors with | ||||||
6 | access to fingerprint records in order to perform criminal | ||||||
7 | history record checks. | ||||||
8 | (215 ILCS 5/1525 new)
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9 | Sec. 1525. Resident license. | ||||||
10 | (a) Before issuing a public adjuster license to an | ||||||
11 | applicant under this Section, the Director shall find that the | ||||||
12 | applicant: | ||||||
13 | (1) is eligible to designate this State as his or her | ||||||
14 | home state or is a nonresident who is not eligible for a | ||||||
15 | license under Section 1540; | ||||||
16 | (2) has not committed any act that is a ground for | ||||||
17 | denial, suspension, or revocation of a license as set forth | ||||||
18 | in Section 1555; | ||||||
19 | (3) is trustworthy, reliable, and of good reputation, | ||||||
20 | evidence of which may be determined by the Director; | ||||||
21 | (4) is financially responsible to exercise the license | ||||||
22 | and has provided proof of financial responsibility as | ||||||
23 | required in Section 1560 of this Article; and | ||||||
24 | (5) maintains an office in the home state of residence | ||||||
25 | with public access by reasonable appointment or regular |
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1 | business hours. This includes a designated office within a | ||||||
2 | home state of residence. | ||||||
3 | (b) In addition to satisfying the requirements of | ||||||
4 | subsection (a) of this Section, an individual shall | ||||||
5 | (1) be at least 18 years of age; | ||||||
6 | (2) have successfully passed the public adjuster | ||||||
7 | examination; | ||||||
8 | (3) designate a licensed individual public adjuster | ||||||
9 | responsible for the business entity's compliance with the | ||||||
10 | insurance laws, rules, and regulations of this State; and | ||||||
11 | (4) designate only licensed individual public | ||||||
12 | adjusters to exercise the business entity's license. | ||||||
13 | (c) The Director may require any documents reasonably | ||||||
14 | necessary to verify the information contained in the | ||||||
15 | application. | ||||||
16 | (215 ILCS 5/1530 new)
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17 | Sec. 1530. Examination. | ||||||
18 | (a) An individual applying for a public adjuster license | ||||||
19 | under this Article must pass a written examination unless he or | ||||||
20 | she is exempt pursuant to Section 1535 of this Article. The | ||||||
21 | examination shall test the knowledge of the individual | ||||||
22 | concerning the duties and responsibilities of a public adjuster | ||||||
23 | and the insurance laws and regulations of this State. | ||||||
24 | Examinations required by this Section shall be developed and | ||||||
25 | conducted under rules and regulations prescribed by the |
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1 | Director. | ||||||
2 | (b) The Director may make arrangements, including | ||||||
3 | contracting with an outside testing service, for administering | ||||||
4 | examinations and collecting the nonrefundable fee. Each | ||||||
5 | individual applying for an examination shall remit a | ||||||
6 | non-refundable fee as prescribed by the Director. An individual | ||||||
7 | who fails to appear for the examination as scheduled or fails | ||||||
8 | to pass the examination shall reapply for an examination and | ||||||
9 | remit all required fees and forms before being rescheduled for | ||||||
10 | another examination. | ||||||
11 | (215 ILCS 5/1535 new)
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12 | Sec. 1535. Exemptions from examination. | ||||||
13 | (a) An individual who applies for a public adjuster license | ||||||
14 | in this State who was previously licensed as a public adjuster | ||||||
15 | in another state based on an public adjuster examination shall | ||||||
16 | not be required to complete any prelicensing examination. This | ||||||
17 | exemption is only available if (i) the person is currently | ||||||
18 | licensed in that state or if the application is received within | ||||||
19 | 12 months of the cancellation of the applicant's previous | ||||||
20 | license; and (ii) if the prior state issues a certification | ||||||
21 | that, at the time of cancellation, the applicant was in good | ||||||
22 | standing in that state or the state's producer database records | ||||||
23 | or records maintained by the NAIC, its affiliates, or | ||||||
24 | subsidiaries, indicate that the public adjuster is or was | ||||||
25 | licensed in good standing. |
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1 | (b) A person licensed as a public adjuster in another state | ||||||
2 | based on a public adjuster examination who moves to this State | ||||||
3 | shall submit an application within 90 days of establishing | ||||||
4 | legal residence to become a resident licensee pursuant to | ||||||
5 | Section 1525 of this Article. No prelicensing examination shall | ||||||
6 | be required of that person to obtain a public adjuster license. | ||||||
7 | (c) An individual who applies for a public adjuster license | ||||||
8 | in this State who was previously licensed as a public adjuster | ||||||
9 | in this State shall not be required to complete any | ||||||
10 | prelicensing examination. This exemption is only available if | ||||||
11 | the application is received within 12 months of the | ||||||
12 | cancellation of the applicant's previous license in this State | ||||||
13 | and if, at the time of cancellation, the applicant was in good | ||||||
14 | standing in this State. | ||||||
15 | (215 ILCS 5/1540 new)
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16 | Sec. 1540. Nonresident license reciprocity. | ||||||
17 | (a) Unless denied licensure pursuant to Section 1555 of | ||||||
18 | this Article, a nonresident person shall receive a nonresident | ||||||
19 | public adjuster license if: | ||||||
20 | (1) the person is currently licensed as a resident | ||||||
21 | public adjuster and in good standing in his or her home | ||||||
22 | state; | ||||||
23 | (2) the person has submitted the proper request for | ||||||
24 | licensure and has provided proof of financial | ||||||
25 | responsibility as required in Section 1560 of this Article; |
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1 | (3) the person has submitted or transmitted to the | ||||||
2 | Director the appropriate completed application for | ||||||
3 | licensure; and | ||||||
4 | (4) the person's home state awards non-resident public | ||||||
5 | adjuster licenses to residents of this State on the same | ||||||
6 | basis. | ||||||
7 | (b) The Director may verify the public adjuster's licensing | ||||||
8 | status through the producer database maintained by the NAIC, | ||||||
9 | its affiliates, or subsidiaries. | ||||||
10 | (c) As a condition to continuation of a public adjuster | ||||||
11 | license issued under this Section, the licensee shall maintain | ||||||
12 | a resident public adjuster license in his or her home state. | ||||||
13 | The non-resident public adjuster license issued under this | ||||||
14 | Section shall terminate and be surrendered immediately to the | ||||||
15 | Director if the home state public adjuster license terminates | ||||||
16 | for any reason, unless the public adjuster has been issued a | ||||||
17 | license as a resident public adjuster in his or her new home | ||||||
18 | state. Notification to the state or states where the | ||||||
19 | non-resident license is issued must be made as soon as | ||||||
20 | possible, yet no later that 30 days of change in new state | ||||||
21 | resident license. The licensee shall include his or her new and | ||||||
22 | old address on the notification. A new state resident license | ||||||
23 | is required for non-resident licenses to remain valid. The new | ||||||
24 | state resident license must have reciprocity with the licensing | ||||||
25 | non-resident state or states for the non-resident license not | ||||||
26 | to terminate. |
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1 | (215 ILCS 5/1545 new)
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2 | Sec. 1545. License. | ||||||
3 | (a) Unless denied licensure under this Article, persons who | ||||||
4 | have met the requirements of this Article shall be issued a | ||||||
5 | public adjuster license. | ||||||
6 | (b) A public adjuster license shall remain in effect unless | ||||||
7 | revoked, terminated, or suspended as long as the requirements | ||||||
8 | for license renewal are met by the due date. | ||||||
9 | (c) The licensee shall inform the Director by any means | ||||||
10 | acceptable to the Director of a change of address, change of | ||||||
11 | legal name, or change of information submitted on the | ||||||
12 | application within 30 days of the change. | ||||||
13 | (d) A licensed public adjuster shall be subject to Trade | ||||||
14 | Practices and Fraud Sections of this Code. | ||||||
15 | (e) A public adjuster who allows his or her license to | ||||||
16 | lapse may, within 12 months from the due date of the renewal, | ||||||
17 | be issued a new public adjuster license upon the Director's | ||||||
18 | receipt of the request for renewal. However, a penalty in the | ||||||
19 | amount of double the unpaid renewal fee shall be required for | ||||||
20 | the issue of the new public adjuster license. The new public | ||||||
21 | adjuster license shall be effective the date the Director | ||||||
22 | receives the request for renewal and the late payment penalty. | ||||||
23 | (f) Any public adjuster licensee that fails to apply for | ||||||
24 | renewal of a license before expiration of the current license | ||||||
25 | shall pay a lapsed license fee of twice the license fee and be |
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1 | subject to other penalties as provided by law before the | ||||||
2 | license will be renewed. If the Division receives the request | ||||||
3 | for reinstatement and the required lapsed license fee within 60 | ||||||
4 | days of the date the license lapsed, the Division shall | ||||||
5 | reinstate the license retroactively to the date the license | ||||||
6 | lapsed. If the Division receives the request for reinstatement | ||||||
7 | and the required lapsed license fee after 60 days, but within | ||||||
8 | one year of the date the license lapsed, the Division shall | ||||||
9 | reinstate the license prospectively with the date the license | ||||||
10 | is reinstated. If the person applies for reinstatement more | ||||||
11 | than one year from the date the license lapsed, the person | ||||||
12 | shall reapply for the license under this Article. | ||||||
13 | (g) A licensed public adjuster that is unable to comply | ||||||
14 | with license renewal procedures due to military service, a | ||||||
15 | long-term medical disability, or some other extenuating | ||||||
16 | circumstance, may request a waiver of the procedures in | ||||||
17 | subsection (f) of this Section. The public adjuster may also | ||||||
18 | request a waiver of any examination requirement, fine, or other | ||||||
19 | sanction imposed for failure to comply with renewal procedures. | ||||||
20 | (h) The license shall contain the licensee's name, city and | ||||||
21 | state of business address, personal identification number, the | ||||||
22 | date of issuance, the expiration date, and any other | ||||||
23 | information the Director deems necessary. | ||||||
24 | (i) In order to assist in the performance of the Director's | ||||||
25 | duties, the Director may contract with non-governmental | ||||||
26 | entities, including the NAIC or any affiliates or subsidiaries |
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1 | that the NAIC oversees, to perform any ministerial functions, | ||||||
2 | including the collection of fees and data, related to licensing | ||||||
3 | that the Director may deem appropriate. | ||||||
4 | (215 ILCS 5/1550 new)
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5 | Sec. 1550. Apprentice public adjuster license. | ||||||
6 | (a) The apprentice public adjuster license is an optional | ||||||
7 | license to facilitate the training necessary to ensure | ||||||
8 | reasonable competency to fulfill the responsibilities of a | ||||||
9 | public adjuster as defined in this Article. | ||||||
10 | (b) The apprentice public adjuster license shall be subject | ||||||
11 | to the following terms and conditions: | ||||||
12 | (1) An attestation or certification from a licensed | ||||||
13 | public adjuster (licensee) shall accompany an application | ||||||
14 | for an initial apprentice public adjuster license assuming | ||||||
15 | responsibility for all actions of such applicant; | ||||||
16 | (2) The apprentice public adjuster is authorized to | ||||||
17 | adjust claims in the state that has issued licensure only; | ||||||
18 | (3) The apprentice public adjuster shall not be | ||||||
19 | required to take and successfully complete the prescribed | ||||||
20 | public adjuster examination; | ||||||
21 | (4) The licensee shall at all times be an employee of a | ||||||
22 | public adjuster and subject to training, direction, and | ||||||
23 | control by a licensed public adjuster; | ||||||
24 | (5) The apprentice public adjuster license is for a | ||||||
25 | period not to exceed 12 months, the license shall not be |
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1 | renewed; | ||||||
2 | (6) The licensee is restricted to participation in | ||||||
3 | factual investigation, tentative closing, and solicitation | ||||||
4 | of losses subject to the review and final determination of | ||||||
5 | a licensed public adjuster; | ||||||
6 | (7) Compensation of an apprentice public adjuster | ||||||
7 | shall be on a salaried or hourly basis only; and | ||||||
8 | (8) The licensee shall be subject to suspension, | ||||||
9 | revocation, or conditions in accordance with State law. | ||||||
10 | (215 ILCS 5/1555 new)
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11 | Sec. 1555. License denial, non-renewal, or revocation | ||||||
12 | (a) The Director may place on probation, suspend, revoke, | ||||||
13 | refuse to issue or renew a public adjuster's license, or may | ||||||
14 | levy a civil penalty or any combination of actions, for any one | ||||||
15 | or more of the following causes: | ||||||
16 | (1) providing incorrect, misleading, incomplete, or | ||||||
17 | materially untrue information in the license application; | ||||||
18 | (2) violating any insurance laws, or violating any | ||||||
19 | regulation, subpoena, or order of the Director or of | ||||||
20 | another state's Director; | ||||||
21 | (3) obtaining or attempting to obtain a license through | ||||||
22 | misrepresentation or fraud; | ||||||
23 | (4) improperly withholding, misappropriating, or | ||||||
24 | converting any monies or properties received in the course | ||||||
25 | of doing insurance business; |
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1 | (5) intentionally misrepresenting the terms of an | ||||||
2 | actual or proposed insurance contract or application for | ||||||
3 | insurance; | ||||||
4 | (6) having been convicted of a felony; | ||||||
5 | (7) having admitted or been found to have committed any | ||||||
6 | insurance unfair trade practice or insurance fraud; | ||||||
7 | (8) using fraudulent, coercive, or dishonest | ||||||
8 | practices; or demonstrating incompetence, | ||||||
9 | untrustworthiness, or financial irresponsibility in the | ||||||
10 | conduct of business in this State or elsewhere; | ||||||
11 | (9) having an insurance license, or its equivalent, | ||||||
12 | denied, suspended, or revoked in any other state, province, | ||||||
13 | district, or territory; | ||||||
14 | (10) forging another's name to an application for | ||||||
15 | insurance or to any document related to an insurance | ||||||
16 | transaction; | ||||||
17 | (11) cheating, including improperly using notes or any | ||||||
18 | other reference material, to complete an examination for an | ||||||
19 | insurance license; | ||||||
20 | (12) knowingly accepting insurance business from an | ||||||
21 | individual who is not licensed but who is required to be | ||||||
22 | licensed by the Director; | ||||||
23 | (13) failing to comply with an administrative or court | ||||||
24 | order imposing a child support obligation; or | ||||||
25 | (14) failing to pay State income tax or comply with any | ||||||
26 | administrative or court order directing payment of State |
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1 | income tax. | ||||||
2 | (b) In the event that the action by the Director is to deny | ||||||
3 | an application for or not renew a license, the Director shall | ||||||
4 | notify the applicant or licensee and advise, in writing, the | ||||||
5 | applicant or licensee of the reason for the non-renewal or | ||||||
6 | denial of the applicant's or licensee's license. The applicant | ||||||
7 | or licensee may make written demand upon the Director for a | ||||||
8 | hearing before the Director to determine the reasonableness of | ||||||
9 | the Director's action. | ||||||
10 | (c) The license of a business entity may be suspended, | ||||||
11 | revoked, or refused if the Director finds, after hearing, that | ||||||
12 | an individual licensee's violation was known or should have | ||||||
13 | been known by one or more of the partners, officers, or | ||||||
14 | managers acting on behalf of the business entity and the | ||||||
15 | violation was neither reported to the Director, nor corrective | ||||||
16 | action taken. | ||||||
17 | (d) In addition to or in lieu of any applicable denial, | ||||||
18 | suspension or revocation of a license, a person may, after | ||||||
19 | hearing, be subject to a civil fine. | ||||||
20 | (e) The Director shall retain the authority to enforce the | ||||||
21 | provisions of and impose any penalty or remedy authorized by | ||||||
22 | this Article against any person who is under investigation for | ||||||
23 | or charged with a violation of this Article even if the | ||||||
24 | person's license or registration has been surrendered or has | ||||||
25 | lapsed by operation of law. |
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1 | (215 ILCS 5/1560 new)
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2 | Sec. 1560. Bond or letter of credit. | ||||||
3 | (a) Prior to the issuance of a license as a public adjuster | ||||||
4 | and for the duration of the license, the applicant shall secure | ||||||
5 | evidence of financial responsibility in a format prescribed by | ||||||
6 | the Director through a security bond or irrevocable letter of | ||||||
7 | credit, subject to all of the following requirements: | ||||||
8 | (1) A surety bond executed and issued by an insurer | ||||||
9 | authorized to issue surety bonds in this State, which bond: | ||||||
10 | (A) shall be in the minimum amount of $20,000; | ||||||
11 | (B) shall be in favor of this State and shall | ||||||
12 | specifically authorize recovery by the Director on | ||||||
13 | behalf of any person in this State who sustained | ||||||
14 | damages as the result of erroneous acts, failure to | ||||||
15 | act, conviction of fraud, or conviction of unfair | ||||||
16 | practices in his or her capacity as a public adjuster; | ||||||
17 | and | ||||||
18 | (C) shall not be terminated unless at least 30 | ||||||
19 | days' prior written notice will have been filed with | ||||||
20 | the Director and given to the licensee; and | ||||||
21 | (2) An irrevocable letter of credit issued by a | ||||||
22 | qualified financial institution, which letter of credit | ||||||
23 | (A) shall be in the minimum amount of $20,000; | ||||||
24 | (B) shall be to an account to the Director and | ||||||
25 | subject to lawful levy of execution on behalf of any | ||||||
26 | person to whom the public adjuster has been found to be |
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1 | legally liable as the result of erroneous acts, failure | ||||||
2 | to act, fraudulent acts, or unfair practices in his or | ||||||
3 | her capacity as a public adjuster; and | ||||||
4 | (C) shall not be terminated unless at least 30 | ||||||
5 | days' prior written notice will have been filed with | ||||||
6 | the and given to the licensee. | ||||||
7 | (b) The issuer of the evidence of financial responsibility | ||||||
8 | shall notify the Director upon termination of the bond or | ||||||
9 | letter of credit, unless otherwise directed by the Director. | ||||||
10 | (c) The Director may ask for the evidence of financial | ||||||
11 | responsibility at any time he or she deems relevant. | ||||||
12 | (d) The authority to act as a public adjuster shall | ||||||
13 | automatically terminate if the evidence of financial | ||||||
14 | responsibility terminates or becomes impaired. | ||||||
15 | (215 ILCS 5/1565 new)
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16 | Sec. 1565. Continuing education. | ||||||
17 | (a) An individual, who holds a public adjuster license and | ||||||
18 | who is not exempt under subsection (b) of this Section, shall | ||||||
19 | satisfactorily complete a minimum of 24 hours of continuing | ||||||
20 | education courses, including ethics, reported on a biennial | ||||||
21 | basis in conjunction with the license renewal cycle. | ||||||
22 | (b) This Section shall not apply to: | ||||||
23 | (1) licensees not licensed for one full year prior to | ||||||
24 | the end of the applicable continuing education biennium; or | ||||||
25 | (2) licensees holding nonresident public adjuster |
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1 | licenses who have met the continuing education | ||||||
2 | requirements of their home state and whose home state gives | ||||||
3 | credit to residents of this State on the same basis. | ||||||
4 | (c) Only continuing education courses approved by the | ||||||
5 | Director shall be used to satisfy the continuing education | ||||||
6 | requirement of subsection (a) of this Section. | ||||||
7 | (215 ILCS 5/1570 new)
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8 | Sec. 1570. Public adjuster fees. | ||||||
9 | (a) A public adjuster shall not pay a commission, service | ||||||
10 | fee, or other valuable consideration to a person for | ||||||
11 | investigating or settling claims in this State if that person | ||||||
12 | is required to be licensed under this Article and is not so | ||||||
13 | licensed. | ||||||
14 | (b) A person shall not accept a commission, service fee, or | ||||||
15 | other valuable consideration for investigating or settling | ||||||
16 | claims in this State if that person is required to be licensed | ||||||
17 | under this Article and is not so licensed. | ||||||
18 | (c) A public adjuster may pay or assign commission, service | ||||||
19 | fees, or other valuable consideration to persons who do not | ||||||
20 | investigate or settle claims in this State, unless the payment | ||||||
21 | would violate State law. | ||||||
22 | (215 ILCS 5/1575 new)
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23 | Sec. 1575. Contract between public adjuster and insured. | ||||||
24 | (a) Public adjusters shall ensure that all contracts for |
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1 | their services are in writing and contain the following terms: | ||||||
2 | (1) legible full name of the adjuster signing the | ||||||
3 | contract, as specified in Department records; | ||||||
4 | (2) permanent home state business address and phone | ||||||
5 | number; | ||||||
6 | (3) license number; | ||||||
7 | (4) title of "Public Adjuster Contract"; | ||||||
8 | (5) the insured's full name, street address, insurance | ||||||
9 | company name, and policy number, if known or upon | ||||||
10 | notification; | ||||||
11 | (6) a description of the loss and its location, if | ||||||
12 | applicable; | ||||||
13 | (7) description of services to be provided to the | ||||||
14 | insured; | ||||||
15 | (8) signatures of the public adjuster and the insured; | ||||||
16 | (9) date contract was signed by the public adjuster and | ||||||
17 | date the contract was signed by the insured; | ||||||
18 | (10) attestation language stating that the public | ||||||
19 | adjuster is fully bonded pursuant to State law; and | ||||||
20 | (11) full salary, fee, commission, compensation, or | ||||||
21 | other considerations the public adjuster is to receive for | ||||||
22 | services. | ||||||
23 | (b) The contract may specify that the public adjuster shall | ||||||
24 | be named as a co-payee on an insurer's payment of a claim. | ||||||
25 | (1) If the compensation is based on a share of the | ||||||
26 | insurance settlement, the exact percentage shall be |
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1 | specified. | ||||||
2 | (2) Initial expenses to be reimbursed to the public | ||||||
3 | adjuster from the proceeds of the claim payment shall be | ||||||
4 | specified by type, with dollar estimates set forth in the | ||||||
5 | contract and with any additional expenses first approved by | ||||||
6 | the insured. | ||||||
7 | (3) Compensation provisions in a public adjusting | ||||||
8 | contract shall not be redacted in any copy of the contract | ||||||
9 | provided to the Director. | ||||||
10 | (c) If the insurer, not later than 72 hours after the date | ||||||
11 | on which the loss is reported to the insurer, either pays or | ||||||
12 | commits in writing to pay to the insured the policy limit of | ||||||
13 | the insurance policy, the public adjuster shall: | ||||||
14 | (1) not receive a commission consisting of a percentage | ||||||
15 | of the total amount paid by an insurer to resolve a claim; | ||||||
16 | (2) inform the insured that loss recovery amount might | ||||||
17 | not be increased by insurer; and | ||||||
18 | (3) be entitled only to reasonable compensation from | ||||||
19 | the insured for services provided by the public adjuster on | ||||||
20 | behalf of the insured, based on the time spent on a claim | ||||||
21 | and expenses incurred by the public adjuster, until the | ||||||
22 | claim is paid or the insured receives a written commitment | ||||||
23 | to pay from the insurer. | ||||||
24 | (d) A public adjuster shall provide the insured a written | ||||||
25 | disclosure concerning any direct or indirect financial | ||||||
26 | interest that the public adjuster has with any other party who |
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1 | is involved in any aspect of the claim, other than the salary, | ||||||
2 | fee, commission, or other consideration established in the | ||||||
3 | written contract with the insured, including, but not limited | ||||||
4 | to, any ownership of, other than as a minority stockholder, or | ||||||
5 | any compensation expected to be received from, any construction | ||||||
6 | firm, salvage firm, building appraisal firm, motor vehicle | ||||||
7 | repair shop, or any other firm which that provides estimates | ||||||
8 | for work, or that performs any work, in conjunction with | ||||||
9 | damages caused by the insured loss on which the public adjuster | ||||||
10 | is engaged. The word "firm" shall include any corporation, | ||||||
11 | partnership, association, joint-stock company, or person. | ||||||
12 | (e) A public adjuster contract may not contain any contract | ||||||
13 | term that: | ||||||
14 | (1) allows the public adjuster's percentage fee to be | ||||||
15 | collected when money is due from an insurance company, but | ||||||
16 | not paid, or that allows a public adjuster to collect the | ||||||
17 | entire fee from the first check issued by an insurance | ||||||
18 | company, rather than as percentage of each check issued by | ||||||
19 | an insurance company; | ||||||
20 | (2) requires the insured to authorize an insurance | ||||||
21 | company to issue a check only in the name of the public | ||||||
22 | adjuster; | ||||||
23 | (3) imposes collection costs or late fees; or | ||||||
24 | (4) precludes a public adjuster from pursuing civil | ||||||
25 | remedies. | ||||||
26 | (f) The following provisions apply to a contract between a |
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1 | public adjuster and an insured: | ||||||
2 | (1) Prior to the signing of the contract, the public | ||||||
3 | adjuster shall provide the insured with a separate | ||||||
4 | disclosure document regarding the claim process that | ||||||
5 | states: | ||||||
6 | "Property insurance policies obligate the insured to | ||||||
7 | present a claim to his or her insurance company for | ||||||
8 | consideration. There are 3 types of adjusters that could be | ||||||
9 | involved in that process. The definitions of the 3 types | ||||||
10 | are as follows: | ||||||
11 | (A) "Company adjuster" means the insurance | ||||||
12 | adjusters who are employees of an insurance company. | ||||||
13 | They represent the interest of the insurance company | ||||||
14 | and are paid by the insurance company. They will not | ||||||
15 | charge you a fee. | ||||||
16 | (B) "Independent adjuster" means the insurance | ||||||
17 | adjusters who are hired on a contract basis by an | ||||||
18 | insurance company to represent the insurance company's | ||||||
19 | interest in the settlement of the claim. They are paid | ||||||
20 | by your insurance company. They will not charge you a | ||||||
21 | fee. | ||||||
22 | (C) "Public adjuster" means the insurance | ||||||
23 | adjusters who do not work for any insurance company. | ||||||
24 | They work for the insured to assist in the preparation, | ||||||
25 | presentation and settlement of the claim. The insured | ||||||
26 | hires them by signing a contract agreeing to pay them a |
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1 | fee or commission based on a percentage of the | ||||||
2 | settlement, or other method of compensation.". | ||||||
3 | (2) The insured is not required to hire a public | ||||||
4 | adjuster to help the insured meet his or her obligations | ||||||
5 | under the policy, but has the right to do so. | ||||||
6 | (3) The insured has the right to initiate direct | ||||||
7 | communications with the insured's attorney, the insurer, | ||||||
8 | the insurer's adjuster, and the insurer's attorney, or any | ||||||
9 | other person regarding the settlement of the insured's | ||||||
10 | claim. Once a public adjuster has been retained, the | ||||||
11 | company adjuster or other insurance representative may not | ||||||
12 | communicate directly with the insured without the | ||||||
13 | permission or consent of the public adjuster or the | ||||||
14 | insured's legal counsel. | ||||||
15 | (4) The public adjuster is not a representative or | ||||||
16 | employee of the insurer. | ||||||
17 | (5) The salary, fee, commission, or other | ||||||
18 | consideration is the obligation of the insured, not the | ||||||
19 | insurer. | ||||||
20 | (g) The contracts shall be executed in duplicate to provide | ||||||
21 | an original contract to the public adjuster, and an original | ||||||
22 | contract to the insured. The public adjuster's original | ||||||
23 | contract shall be available at all times for inspection without | ||||||
24 | notice by the Director. | ||||||
25 | (h) The public adjuster shall provide the insurer a | ||||||
26 | notification letter, which has been signed by the insured, |
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1 | authorizing the public adjuster to represent the insured's | ||||||
2 | interest. | ||||||
3 | (i) The public adjuster shall give the insured written | ||||||
4 | notice of the insured's rights as a consumer under the law of | ||||||
5 | this State. | ||||||
6 | (j) The insured has the right to rescind the contract | ||||||
7 | within 3 business days after the date the contract was signed. | ||||||
8 | The rescission shall be in writing and mailed or delivered to | ||||||
9 | the public adjuster at the address in the contract within the 3 | ||||||
10 | business day period. | ||||||
11 | (k) If the insured exercises the right to rescind the | ||||||
12 | contract, anything of value given by the insured under the | ||||||
13 | contract will be returned to the insured within 15 business | ||||||
14 | days following the receipt by the public adjuster of the | ||||||
15 | cancellation notice. | ||||||
16 | (215 ILCS 5/1580 new)
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17 | Sec. 1580. Escrow or trust accounts.
A public adjuster who | ||||||
18 | receives, accepts, or holds any funds on behalf of an insured | ||||||
19 | towards the settlement of a claim for loss or damage shall | ||||||
20 | deposit the funds in a non-interest bearing escrow or trust | ||||||
21 | account in a financial institution that is insured by an agency | ||||||
22 | of the federal government in the public adjuster's home state | ||||||
23 | or where the loss occurred. | ||||||
24 | (215 ILCS 5/1585 new)
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1 | Sec. 1585. Record retention. | ||||||
2 | (a) A public adjuster shall maintain a complete record of | ||||||
3 | each transaction as a public adjuster. The records required by | ||||||
4 | this Section shall include the following: | ||||||
5 | (1) name of the insured; | ||||||
6 | (2) date, location and amount of the loss; | ||||||
7 | (3) copy of the contract between the public adjuster | ||||||
8 | and insured; | ||||||
9 | (4) name of the insurer, amount, expiration date and | ||||||
10 | number of each policy carried with respect to the loss; | ||||||
11 | (5) itemized statement of the insured's recoveries; | ||||||
12 | (6) itemized statement of all compensation received by | ||||||
13 | the public adjuster, from any source whatsoever, in | ||||||
14 | connection with the loss; | ||||||
15 | (7) a register of all monies received, deposited, | ||||||
16 | disbursed, or withdrawn in connection with a transaction | ||||||
17 | with an insured, including fees transfers and | ||||||
18 | disbursements from a trust account and all transactions | ||||||
19 | concerning all interest bearing accounts; | ||||||
20 | (8) name of public adjuster who executed the contract; | ||||||
21 | (9) name of the attorney representing the insured, if | ||||||
22 | applicable, and the name of the claims representatives of | ||||||
23 | the insurance company; and | ||||||
24 | (10) evidence of financial responsibility in a format | ||||||
25 | prescribed by the Director. | ||||||
26 | (b) Records shall be maintained for at least 5 years after |
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1 | the termination of the transaction with an insured and shall be | ||||||
2 | open to examination by the Director at all times. | ||||||
3 | (c) Records submitted to the Director in accordance with | ||||||
4 | this Section that contain information identified in writing as | ||||||
5 | proprietary by the public adjuster shall be treated as | ||||||
6 | confidential by the Director and shall not be subject Freedom | ||||||
7 | of Information Act. | ||||||
8 | (215 ILCS 5/1590 new)
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9 | Sec. 1590. Standards of conduct of public adjuster. | ||||||
10 | (a) A public adjuster is obligated, under his or her | ||||||
11 | license, to serve with objectivity and complete loyalty for the | ||||||
12 | interests of his client alone, and to render to the insured | ||||||
13 | such information, counsel, and service, as within the | ||||||
14 | knowledge, understanding, and opinion in good faith of the | ||||||
15 | licensee, as will best serve the insured's insurance claim | ||||||
16 | needs and interest. | ||||||
17 | (b) A public adjuster shall not solicit or attempt to | ||||||
18 | solicit an insured during the progress of a loss-producing | ||||||
19 | occurrence, as defined in the insured's insurance contract. | ||||||
20 | (c) A public adjuster shall not permit an unlicensed | ||||||
21 | employee or representative of the public adjuster to conduct | ||||||
22 | business for which a license is required under this Article. | ||||||
23 | (d) A public adjuster shall not have a direct or indirect | ||||||
24 | financial interest in any aspect of the claim, other than the | ||||||
25 | salary, fee, commission, or other consideration established in |
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1 | the written contract with the insured, unless full written | ||||||
2 | disclosure has been made to the insured as set forth in | ||||||
3 | subsection (g) of Section 1575. | ||||||
4 | (e) A public adjuster shall not acquire any interest in the | ||||||
5 | salvage of property subject to the contract with the insured | ||||||
6 | unless the public adjuster obtains written permission from the | ||||||
7 | insured after settlement of the claim with the insurer as set | ||||||
8 | forth in subsection (g) of Section 1575 of this Article. | ||||||
9 | (f) The public adjuster shall abstain from referring or | ||||||
10 | directing the insured to get needed repairs or services in | ||||||
11 | connection with a loss from any person, unless disclosed to the | ||||||
12 | insured: | ||||||
13 | (1) with whom the public adjuster has a financial | ||||||
14 | interest; or | ||||||
15 | (2) from whom the public adjuster may receive direct or | ||||||
16 | indirect compensation for the referral. | ||||||
17 | (g) The public adjuster shall disclose to an insured if he | ||||||
18 | or she has any interest or will be compensated by any | ||||||
19 | construction firm, salvage firm, building appraisal firm, | ||||||
20 | motor vehicle repair shop, or any other firm that performs any | ||||||
21 | work in conjunction with damages caused by the insured loss. | ||||||
22 | The word "firm" shall include any corporation, partnership, | ||||||
23 | association, joint-stock company or individual as set forth in | ||||||
24 | Section 1575 of this Article. | ||||||
25 | (h) Any compensation or anything of value in connection | ||||||
26 | with an insured's specific loss that will be received by a |
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1 | public adjuster shall be disclosed by the public adjuster to | ||||||
2 | the insured in writing including the source and amount of any | ||||||
3 | such compensation. | ||||||
4 | (i) Public adjusters shall adhere to the following general | ||||||
5 | ethical requirements: | ||||||
6 | (1) A public adjuster shall not undertake the | ||||||
7 | adjustment of any claim if the public adjuster is not | ||||||
8 | competent and knowledgeable as to the terms and conditions | ||||||
9 | of the insurance coverage, or which otherwise exceeds the | ||||||
10 | public adjuster's current expertise; | ||||||
11 | (2) A public adjuster shall not knowingly make any oral | ||||||
12 | or written material misrepresentations or statements which | ||||||
13 | are false or maliciously critical and intended to injure | ||||||
14 | any person engaged in the business of insurance to any | ||||||
15 | insured client or potential insured client; | ||||||
16 | (3) No public adjuster, while so licensed by the | ||||||
17 | Department, may represent or act as a company adjuster or | ||||||
18 | independent adjuster on the same claim; | ||||||
19 | (4) The contract shall not be construed to prevent an | ||||||
20 | insured from pursuing any civil remedy after the 3-business | ||||||
21 | day revocation or cancellation period; | ||||||
22 | (5) A public adjuster shall not enter into a contract | ||||||
23 | or accept a power of attorney that vests in the public | ||||||
24 | adjuster the effective authority to choose the persons who | ||||||
25 | shall perform repair work; and | ||||||
26 | (6) A public adjuster shall ensure that all contracts |
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1 | for the public adjuster's services are in writing and set | ||||||
2 | forth all terms and conditions of the engagement. | ||||||
3 | (j) A public adjuster may not agree to any loss settlement | ||||||
4 | without the insured's knowledge and consent. | ||||||
5 | (215 ILCS 5/1595 new)
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6 | Sec. 1595. Reporting of actions. | ||||||
7 | (a) The public adjuster shall report to the Director any | ||||||
8 | administrative action taken against the public adjuster in | ||||||
9 | another jurisdiction or by another governmental agency in this | ||||||
10 | State within 30 days of the final disposition of the matter. | ||||||
11 | This report shall include a copy of the order, consent to | ||||||
12 | order, or other relevant legal documents. | ||||||
13 | (b) Within 30 days of the initial pretrial hearing date, | ||||||
14 | the public adjuster shall report to the Director any criminal | ||||||
15 | prosecution of the public adjuster taken in any jurisdiction. | ||||||
16 | The report shall include a copy of the initial complaint filed, | ||||||
17 | the order resulting from the hearing, and any other relevant | ||||||
18 | legal documents. | ||||||
19 | (215 ILCS 5/1600 new)
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20 | Sec. 1600. Rules.
The Director shall promulgate reasonable | ||||||
21 | rules as are necessary or proper to carry out the purposes of | ||||||
22 | this Article.
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23 | Section 900. The Freedom of Information Act is amended by |
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1 | changing Section 7 as follows: | ||||||
2 | (5 ILCS 140/7) (from Ch. 116, par. 207) | ||||||
3 | (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 95-988 ) | ||||||
4 | Sec. 7. Exemptions.
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5 | (1) The following shall be exempt from inspection and | ||||||
6 | copying:
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7 | (a) Information specifically prohibited from | ||||||
8 | disclosure by federal or
State law or rules and regulations | ||||||
9 | adopted under federal or State law.
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10 | (b) Information that, if disclosed, would constitute a | ||||||
11 | clearly
unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, unless | ||||||
12 | the disclosure is
consented to in writing by the individual | ||||||
13 | subjects of the information. The
disclosure of information | ||||||
14 | that bears on the public duties of public
employees and | ||||||
15 | officials shall not be considered an invasion of personal
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16 | privacy. Information exempted under this subsection (b) | ||||||
17 | shall include but
is not limited to:
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18 | (i) files and personal information maintained with | ||||||
19 | respect to
clients, patients, residents, students or | ||||||
20 | other individuals receiving
social, medical, | ||||||
21 | educational, vocational, financial, supervisory or
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22 | custodial care or services directly or indirectly from | ||||||
23 | federal agencies
or public bodies;
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24 | (ii) personnel files and personal information | ||||||
25 | maintained with
respect to employees, appointees or |
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1 | elected officials of any public body or
applicants for | ||||||
2 | those positions;
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3 | (iii) files and personal information maintained | ||||||
4 | with respect to any
applicant, registrant or licensee | ||||||
5 | by any public body cooperating with or
engaged in | ||||||
6 | professional or occupational registration, licensure | ||||||
7 | or discipline;
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8 | (iv) information required of any taxpayer in | ||||||
9 | connection with the
assessment or collection of any tax | ||||||
10 | unless disclosure is otherwise required
by State | ||||||
11 | statute;
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12 | (v) information revealing the identity of persons | ||||||
13 | who file complaints
with or provide information to | ||||||
14 | administrative, investigative, law enforcement
or | ||||||
15 | penal agencies; provided, however, that identification | ||||||
16 | of witnesses to
traffic accidents, traffic accident | ||||||
17 | reports, and rescue reports may be provided
by agencies | ||||||
18 | of local government, except in a case for which a | ||||||
19 | criminal
investigation is ongoing, without | ||||||
20 | constituting a clearly unwarranted per se
invasion of | ||||||
21 | personal privacy under this subsection; and
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22 | (vi) the names, addresses, or other personal | ||||||
23 | information of
participants and registrants in park | ||||||
24 | district, forest preserve district, and
conservation | ||||||
25 | district programs.
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26 | (c) Records compiled by any public body for |
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1 | administrative enforcement
proceedings and any law | ||||||
2 | enforcement or correctional agency for
law enforcement | ||||||
3 | purposes or for internal matters of a public body,
but only | ||||||
4 | to the extent that disclosure would:
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5 | (i) interfere with pending or actually and | ||||||
6 | reasonably contemplated
law enforcement proceedings | ||||||
7 | conducted by any law enforcement or correctional
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8 | agency;
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9 | (ii) interfere with pending administrative | ||||||
10 | enforcement proceedings
conducted by any public body;
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11 | (iii) deprive a person of a fair trial or an | ||||||
12 | impartial hearing;
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13 | (iv) unavoidably disclose the identity of a | ||||||
14 | confidential source or
confidential information | ||||||
15 | furnished only by the confidential source;
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16 | (v) disclose unique or specialized investigative | ||||||
17 | techniques other than
those generally used and known or | ||||||
18 | disclose internal documents of
correctional agencies | ||||||
19 | related to detection, observation or investigation of
| ||||||
20 | incidents of crime or misconduct;
| ||||||
21 | (vi) constitute an invasion of personal privacy | ||||||
22 | under subsection (b) of
this Section;
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23 | (vii) endanger the life or physical safety of law | ||||||
24 | enforcement personnel
or any other person; or
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25 | (viii) obstruct an ongoing criminal investigation.
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26 | (d) Criminal history record information maintained by |
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1 | State or local
criminal justice agencies, except the | ||||||
2 | following which shall be open for
public inspection and | ||||||
3 | copying:
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4 | (i) chronologically maintained arrest information, | ||||||
5 | such as traditional
arrest logs or blotters;
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6 | (ii) the name of a person in the custody of a law | ||||||
7 | enforcement agency and
the charges for which that | ||||||
8 | person is being held;
| ||||||
9 | (iii) court records that are public;
| ||||||
10 | (iv) records that are otherwise available under | ||||||
11 | State or local law; or
| ||||||
12 | (v) records in which the requesting party is the | ||||||
13 | individual
identified, except as provided under part | ||||||
14 | (vii) of
paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of this | ||||||
15 | Section.
| ||||||
16 | "Criminal history record information" means data | ||||||
17 | identifiable to an
individual and consisting of | ||||||
18 | descriptions or notations of arrests,
detentions, | ||||||
19 | indictments, informations, pre-trial proceedings, trials, | ||||||
20 | or
other formal events in the criminal justice system or | ||||||
21 | descriptions or
notations of criminal charges (including | ||||||
22 | criminal violations of local
municipal ordinances) and the | ||||||
23 | nature of any disposition arising therefrom,
including | ||||||
24 | sentencing, court or correctional supervision, | ||||||
25 | rehabilitation and
release. The term does not apply to | ||||||
26 | statistical records and reports in
which individuals are |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | not identified and from which
their identities are not | ||||||
2 | ascertainable, or to information that is for
criminal | ||||||
3 | investigative or intelligence purposes.
| ||||||
4 | (e) Records that relate to or affect the security of | ||||||
5 | correctional
institutions and detention facilities.
| ||||||
6 | (f) Preliminary drafts, notes, recommendations, | ||||||
7 | memoranda and other
records in which opinions are | ||||||
8 | expressed, or policies or actions are
formulated, except | ||||||
9 | that a specific record or relevant portion of a
record | ||||||
10 | shall not be exempt when the record is publicly cited
and | ||||||
11 | identified by the head of the public body. The exemption | ||||||
12 | provided in
this paragraph (f) extends to all those records | ||||||
13 | of officers and agencies
of the General Assembly that | ||||||
14 | pertain to the preparation of legislative
documents.
| ||||||
15 | (g) Trade secrets and commercial or financial | ||||||
16 | information obtained from
a person or business where the | ||||||
17 | trade secrets or information are
proprietary, privileged | ||||||
18 | or confidential, or where disclosure of the trade
secrets | ||||||
19 | or information may cause competitive harm, including: | ||||||
20 | (i) All
information determined to be confidential | ||||||
21 | under Section 4002 of the
Technology Advancement and | ||||||
22 | Development Act. | ||||||
23 | (ii) All trade secrets and commercial or financial | ||||||
24 | information obtained by a public body, including a | ||||||
25 | public pension fund, from a private equity fund or a | ||||||
26 | privately held company within the investment portfolio |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | of a private equity fund as a result of either | ||||||
2 | investing or evaluating a potential investment of | ||||||
3 | public funds in a private equity fund. The exemption | ||||||
4 | contained in this item does not apply to the aggregate | ||||||
5 | financial performance information of a private equity | ||||||
6 | fund, nor to the identity of the fund's managers or | ||||||
7 | general partners. The exemption contained in this item | ||||||
8 | does not apply to the identity of a privately held | ||||||
9 | company within the investment portfolio of a private | ||||||
10 | equity fund, unless the disclosure of the identity of a | ||||||
11 | privately held company may cause competitive harm.
| ||||||
12 | Nothing contained in this
paragraph (g) shall be construed | ||||||
13 | to prevent a person or business from
consenting to disclosure.
| ||||||
14 | (h) Proposals and bids for any contract, grant, or | ||||||
15 | agreement, including
information which if it were | ||||||
16 | disclosed would frustrate procurement or give
an advantage | ||||||
17 | to any person proposing to enter into a contractor | ||||||
18 | agreement
with the body, until an award or final selection | ||||||
19 | is made. Information
prepared by or for the body in | ||||||
20 | preparation of a bid solicitation shall be
exempt until an | ||||||
21 | award or final selection is made.
| ||||||
22 | (i) Valuable formulae,
computer geographic systems,
| ||||||
23 | designs, drawings and research data obtained or
produced by | ||||||
24 | any public body when disclosure could reasonably be | ||||||
25 | expected to
produce private gain or public loss.
The | ||||||
26 | exemption for "computer geographic systems" provided in |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | this paragraph
(i) does not extend to requests made by news | ||||||
2 | media as defined in Section 2 of
this Act when the | ||||||
3 | requested information is not otherwise exempt and the only
| ||||||
4 | purpose of the request is to access and disseminate | ||||||
5 | information regarding the
health, safety, welfare, or | ||||||
6 | legal rights of the general public.
| ||||||
7 | (j) Test questions, scoring keys and other examination | ||||||
8 | data used to
administer an academic examination or | ||||||
9 | determined the qualifications of an
applicant for a license | ||||||
10 | or employment.
| ||||||
11 | (k) Architects' plans, engineers' technical | ||||||
12 | submissions, and
other
construction related technical | ||||||
13 | documents for
projects not constructed or developed in | ||||||
14 | whole or in part with public funds
and the same for | ||||||
15 | projects constructed or developed with public funds, but
| ||||||
16 | only to the extent
that disclosure would compromise | ||||||
17 | security, including but not limited to water
treatment | ||||||
18 | facilities, airport facilities, sport stadiums, convention | ||||||
19 | centers,
and all government owned, operated, or occupied | ||||||
20 | buildings.
| ||||||
21 | (l) Library circulation and order records identifying | ||||||
22 | library users with
specific materials.
| ||||||
23 | (m) Minutes of meetings of public bodies closed to the
| ||||||
24 | public as provided in the Open Meetings Act until the | ||||||
25 | public body
makes the minutes available to the public under | ||||||
26 | Section 2.06 of the Open
Meetings Act.
|
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | (n) Communications between a public body and an | ||||||
2 | attorney or auditor
representing the public body that would | ||||||
3 | not be subject to discovery in
litigation, and materials | ||||||
4 | prepared or compiled by or for a public body in
| ||||||
5 | anticipation of a criminal, civil or administrative | ||||||
6 | proceeding upon the
request of an attorney advising the | ||||||
7 | public body, and materials prepared or
compiled with | ||||||
8 | respect to internal audits of public bodies.
| ||||||
9 | (o) Information received by a primary or secondary | ||||||
10 | school, college or
university under its procedures for the | ||||||
11 | evaluation of faculty members by
their academic peers.
| ||||||
12 | (p) Administrative or technical information associated | ||||||
13 | with automated
data processing operations, including but | ||||||
14 | not limited to software,
operating protocols, computer | ||||||
15 | program abstracts, file layouts, source
listings, object | ||||||
16 | modules, load modules, user guides, documentation
| ||||||
17 | pertaining to all logical and physical design of | ||||||
18 | computerized systems,
employee manuals, and any other | ||||||
19 | information that, if disclosed, would
jeopardize the | ||||||
20 | security of the system or its data or the security of
| ||||||
21 | materials exempt under this Section.
| ||||||
22 | (q) Documents or materials relating to collective | ||||||
23 | negotiating matters
between public bodies and their | ||||||
24 | employees or representatives, except that
any final | ||||||
25 | contract or agreement shall be subject to inspection and | ||||||
26 | copying.
|
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | (r) Drafts, notes, recommendations and memoranda | ||||||
2 | pertaining to the
financing and marketing transactions of | ||||||
3 | the public body. The records of
ownership, registration, | ||||||
4 | transfer, and exchange of municipal debt
obligations, and | ||||||
5 | of persons to whom payment with respect to these | ||||||
6 | obligations
is made.
| ||||||
7 | (s) The records, documents and information relating to | ||||||
8 | real estate
purchase negotiations until those negotiations | ||||||
9 | have been completed or
otherwise terminated. With regard to | ||||||
10 | a parcel involved in a pending or
actually and reasonably | ||||||
11 | contemplated eminent domain proceeding under the Eminent | ||||||
12 | Domain Act, records, documents and
information relating to | ||||||
13 | that parcel shall be exempt except as may be
allowed under | ||||||
14 | discovery rules adopted by the Illinois Supreme Court. The
| ||||||
15 | records, documents and information relating to a real | ||||||
16 | estate sale shall be
exempt until a sale is consummated.
| ||||||
17 | (t) Any and all proprietary information and records | ||||||
18 | related to the
operation of an intergovernmental risk | ||||||
19 | management association or
self-insurance pool or jointly | ||||||
20 | self-administered health and accident
cooperative or pool.
| ||||||
21 | (u) Information concerning a university's adjudication | ||||||
22 | of student or
employee grievance or disciplinary cases, to | ||||||
23 | the extent that disclosure
would reveal the identity of the | ||||||
24 | student or employee and information
concerning any public | ||||||
25 | body's adjudication of student or employee grievances
or | ||||||
26 | disciplinary cases, except for the final outcome of the |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | cases.
| ||||||
2 | (v) Course materials or research materials used by | ||||||
3 | faculty members.
| ||||||
4 | (w) Information related solely to the internal | ||||||
5 | personnel rules and
practices of a public body.
| ||||||
6 | (x) Information contained in or related to | ||||||
7 | examination, operating, or
condition reports prepared by, | ||||||
8 | on behalf of, or for the use of a public
body responsible | ||||||
9 | for the regulation or supervision of financial
| ||||||
10 | institutions or insurance companies, unless disclosure is | ||||||
11 | otherwise
required by State law.
| ||||||
12 | (y) Information the disclosure of which is restricted | ||||||
13 | under Section
5-108 of the Public Utilities Act.
| ||||||
14 | (z) Manuals or instruction to staff that relate to | ||||||
15 | establishment or
collection of liability for any State tax | ||||||
16 | or that relate to investigations
by a public body to | ||||||
17 | determine violation of any criminal law.
| ||||||
18 | (aa) Applications, related documents, and medical | ||||||
19 | records received by
the Experimental Organ Transplantation | ||||||
20 | Procedures Board and any and all
documents or other records | ||||||
21 | prepared by the Experimental Organ
Transplantation | ||||||
22 | Procedures Board or its staff relating to applications
it | ||||||
23 | has received.
| ||||||
24 | (bb) Insurance or self insurance (including any | ||||||
25 | intergovernmental risk
management association or self | ||||||
26 | insurance pool) claims, loss or risk
management |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | information, records, data, advice or communications.
| ||||||
2 | (cc) Information and records held by the Department of | ||||||
3 | Public Health and
its authorized representatives relating | ||||||
4 | to known or suspected cases of
sexually transmissible | ||||||
5 | disease or any information the disclosure of which
is | ||||||
6 | restricted under the Illinois Sexually Transmissible | ||||||
7 | Disease Control Act.
| ||||||
8 | (dd) Information the disclosure of which is exempted | ||||||
9 | under Section 30
of the Radon Industry Licensing Act.
| ||||||
10 | (ee) Firm performance evaluations under Section 55 of | ||||||
11 | the
Architectural, Engineering, and Land Surveying | ||||||
12 | Qualifications Based
Selection Act.
| ||||||
13 | (ff) Security portions of system safety program plans, | ||||||
14 | investigation
reports, surveys, schedules, lists, data, or | ||||||
15 | information compiled, collected,
or prepared by or for the | ||||||
16 | Regional Transportation Authority under Section 2.11
of | ||||||
17 | the Regional Transportation Authority Act or the St. Clair | ||||||
18 | County Transit
District under the
Bi-State Transit Safety | ||||||
19 | Act.
| ||||||
20 | (gg) Information the disclosure of which is restricted | ||||||
21 | and
exempted under Section 50 of the Illinois Prepaid | ||||||
22 | Tuition Act.
| ||||||
23 | (hh) Information the disclosure of which is
exempted | ||||||
24 | under the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act.
| ||||||
25 | (ii) Beginning July 1, 1999, information that would | ||||||
26 | disclose
or might lead to the disclosure of
secret or |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | confidential information, codes, algorithms, programs, or | ||||||
2 | private
keys intended to be used to create electronic or | ||||||
3 | digital signatures under the
Electronic Commerce Security | ||||||
4 | Act.
| ||||||
5 | (jj) Information contained in a local emergency energy | ||||||
6 | plan submitted to
a municipality in accordance with a local | ||||||
7 | emergency energy plan ordinance that
is adopted under | ||||||
8 | Section 11-21.5-5 of the Illinois Municipal Code.
| ||||||
9 | (kk) Information and data concerning the distribution | ||||||
10 | of
surcharge moneys collected and remitted by wireless | ||||||
11 | carriers under the Wireless
Emergency Telephone Safety | ||||||
12 | Act.
| ||||||
13 | (ll) Vulnerability assessments, security measures, and | ||||||
14 | response policies
or plans that are designed to identify, | ||||||
15 | prevent, or respond to potential
attacks upon a community's | ||||||
16 | population or systems, facilities, or installations,
the | ||||||
17 | destruction or contamination of which would constitute a | ||||||
18 | clear and present
danger to the health or safety of the | ||||||
19 | community, but only to the extent that
disclosure could | ||||||
20 | reasonably be expected to jeopardize the effectiveness of | ||||||
21 | the
measures or the safety of the personnel who implement | ||||||
22 | them or the public.
Information exempt under this item may | ||||||
23 | include such things as details
pertaining to the | ||||||
24 | mobilization or deployment of personnel or equipment, to | ||||||
25 | the
operation of communication systems or protocols, or to | ||||||
26 | tactical operations.
|
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | (mm) Maps and other records regarding the location or | ||||||
2 | security of generation, transmission, distribution, | ||||||
3 | storage, gathering,
treatment, or switching facilities | ||||||
4 | owned by a utility or by the Illinois Power Agency.
| ||||||
5 | (nn) Law enforcement officer identification | ||||||
6 | information or
driver
identification
information compiled | ||||||
7 | by a law enforcement agency or the Department of
| ||||||
8 | Transportation
under Section 11-212 of the Illinois | ||||||
9 | Vehicle Code.
| ||||||
10 | (oo) Records and information provided to a residential
| ||||||
11 | health care
facility resident sexual assault
and death | ||||||
12 | review team or the Executive Council under the Abuse | ||||||
13 | Prevention Review Team Act.
| ||||||
14 | (pp) Information provided to the predatory lending | ||||||
15 | database created pursuant to Article 3 of the Residential | ||||||
16 | Real Property Disclosure Act, except to the extent | ||||||
17 | authorized under that Article.
| ||||||
18 | (qq) Defense budgets and petitions for certification | ||||||
19 | of compensation and expenses for court appointed trial | ||||||
20 | counsel as provided under Sections 10 and 15 of the Capital | ||||||
21 | Crimes Litigation Act. This subsection (qq) shall apply | ||||||
22 | until the conclusion of the trial of the case, even if the | ||||||
23 | prosecution chooses not to pursue the death penalty prior | ||||||
24 | to trial or sentencing.
| ||||||
25 | (rr) Information contained in or related to proposals, | ||||||
26 | bids, or negotiations related to electric power |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | procurement under Section 1-75 of the Illinois Power Agency | ||||||
2 | Act and Section 16-111.5 of the Public Utilities Act that | ||||||
3 | is determined to be confidential and proprietary by the | ||||||
4 | Illinois Power Agency or by the Illinois Commerce | ||||||
5 | Commission.
| ||||||
6 | (ss) Information that is prohibited from being | ||||||
7 | disclosed under Section 4 of the Illinois Health and | ||||||
8 | Hazardous Substances Registry Act. | ||||||
9 | (tt) Information the disclosure of which is
exempted | ||||||
10 | under the Public Adjusters Law of the Illinois Insurance | ||||||
11 | Code. | ||||||
12 | (2) This Section does not authorize withholding of | ||||||
13 | information or limit the
availability of records to the public, | ||||||
14 | except as stated in this Section or
otherwise provided in this | ||||||
15 | Act.
| ||||||
16 | (Source: P.A. 94-280, eff. 1-1-06; 94-508, eff. 1-1-06; 94-664, | ||||||
17 | eff. 1-1-06; 94-931, eff. 6-26-06; 94-953, eff. 6-27-06; | ||||||
18 | 94-1055, eff. 1-1-07; 95-331, eff. 8-21-07; 95-481, eff. | ||||||
19 | 8-28-07; 95-941, eff. 8-29-08.)
| ||||||
20 | (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 95-988 ) | ||||||
21 | Sec. 7. Exemptions.
| ||||||
22 | (1) The following shall be exempt from inspection and | ||||||
23 | copying:
| ||||||
24 | (a) Information specifically prohibited from | ||||||
25 | disclosure by federal or
State law or rules and regulations |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | adopted under federal or State law.
| ||||||
2 | (b) Information that, if disclosed, would constitute a | ||||||
3 | clearly
unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, unless | ||||||
4 | the disclosure is
consented to in writing by the individual | ||||||
5 | subjects of the information. The
disclosure of information | ||||||
6 | that bears on the public duties of public
employees and | ||||||
7 | officials shall not be considered an invasion of personal
| ||||||
8 | privacy. Information exempted under this subsection (b) | ||||||
9 | shall include but
is not limited to:
| ||||||
10 | (i) files and personal information maintained with | ||||||
11 | respect to
clients, patients, residents, students or | ||||||
12 | other individuals receiving
social, medical, | ||||||
13 | educational, vocational, financial, supervisory or
| ||||||
14 | custodial care or services directly or indirectly from | ||||||
15 | federal agencies
or public bodies;
| ||||||
16 | (ii) personnel files and personal information | ||||||
17 | maintained with
respect to employees, appointees or | ||||||
18 | elected officials of any public body or
applicants for | ||||||
19 | those positions;
| ||||||
20 | (iii) files and personal information maintained | ||||||
21 | with respect to any
applicant, registrant or licensee | ||||||
22 | by any public body cooperating with or
engaged in | ||||||
23 | professional or occupational registration, licensure | ||||||
24 | or discipline;
| ||||||
25 | (iv) information required of any taxpayer in | ||||||
26 | connection with the
assessment or collection of any tax |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | unless disclosure is otherwise required
by State | ||||||
2 | statute;
| ||||||
3 | (v) information revealing the identity of persons | ||||||
4 | who file complaints
with or provide information to | ||||||
5 | administrative, investigative, law enforcement
or | ||||||
6 | penal agencies; provided, however, that identification | ||||||
7 | of witnesses to
traffic accidents, traffic accident | ||||||
8 | reports, and rescue reports may be provided
by agencies | ||||||
9 | of local government, except in a case for which a | ||||||
10 | criminal
investigation is ongoing, without | ||||||
11 | constituting a clearly unwarranted per se
invasion of | ||||||
12 | personal privacy under this subsection;
| ||||||
13 | (vi) the names, addresses, or other personal | ||||||
14 | information of
participants and registrants in park | ||||||
15 | district, forest preserve district, and
conservation | ||||||
16 | district programs; and
| ||||||
17 | (vii) the Notarial Record or other medium | ||||||
18 | containing the thumbprint or fingerprint required by | ||||||
19 | Section 3-102(c)(6) of the Illinois Notary Public Act. | ||||||
20 | (c) Records compiled by any public body for | ||||||
21 | administrative enforcement
proceedings and any law | ||||||
22 | enforcement or correctional agency for
law enforcement | ||||||
23 | purposes or for internal matters of a public body,
but only | ||||||
24 | to the extent that disclosure would:
| ||||||
25 | (i) interfere with pending or actually and | ||||||
26 | reasonably contemplated
law enforcement proceedings |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | conducted by any law enforcement or correctional
| ||||||
2 | agency;
| ||||||
3 | (ii) interfere with pending administrative | ||||||
4 | enforcement proceedings
conducted by any public body;
| ||||||
5 | (iii) deprive a person of a fair trial or an | ||||||
6 | impartial hearing;
| ||||||
7 | (iv) unavoidably disclose the identity of a | ||||||
8 | confidential source or
confidential information | ||||||
9 | furnished only by the confidential source;
| ||||||
10 | (v) disclose unique or specialized investigative | ||||||
11 | techniques other than
those generally used and known or | ||||||
12 | disclose internal documents of
correctional agencies | ||||||
13 | related to detection, observation or investigation of
| ||||||
14 | incidents of crime or misconduct;
| ||||||
15 | (vi) constitute an invasion of personal privacy | ||||||
16 | under subsection (b) of
this Section;
| ||||||
17 | (vii) endanger the life or physical safety of law | ||||||
18 | enforcement personnel
or any other person; or
| ||||||
19 | (viii) obstruct an ongoing criminal investigation.
| ||||||
20 | (d) Criminal history record information maintained by | ||||||
21 | State or local
criminal justice agencies, except the | ||||||
22 | following which shall be open for
public inspection and | ||||||
23 | copying:
| ||||||
24 | (i) chronologically maintained arrest information, | ||||||
25 | such as traditional
arrest logs or blotters;
| ||||||
26 | (ii) the name of a person in the custody of a law |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | enforcement agency and
the charges for which that | ||||||
2 | person is being held;
| ||||||
3 | (iii) court records that are public;
| ||||||
4 | (iv) records that are otherwise available under | ||||||
5 | State or local law; or
| ||||||
6 | (v) records in which the requesting party is the | ||||||
7 | individual
identified, except as provided under part | ||||||
8 | (vii) of
paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of this | ||||||
9 | Section.
| ||||||
10 | "Criminal history record information" means data | ||||||
11 | identifiable to an
individual and consisting of | ||||||
12 | descriptions or notations of arrests,
detentions, | ||||||
13 | indictments, informations, pre-trial proceedings, trials, | ||||||
14 | or
other formal events in the criminal justice system or | ||||||
15 | descriptions or
notations of criminal charges (including | ||||||
16 | criminal violations of local
municipal ordinances) and the | ||||||
17 | nature of any disposition arising therefrom,
including | ||||||
18 | sentencing, court or correctional supervision, | ||||||
19 | rehabilitation and
release. The term does not apply to | ||||||
20 | statistical records and reports in
which individuals are | ||||||
21 | not identified and from which
their identities are not | ||||||
22 | ascertainable, or to information that is for
criminal | ||||||
23 | investigative or intelligence purposes.
| ||||||
24 | (e) Records that relate to or affect the security of | ||||||
25 | correctional
institutions and detention facilities.
| ||||||
26 | (f) Preliminary drafts, notes, recommendations, |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | memoranda and other
records in which opinions are | ||||||
2 | expressed, or policies or actions are
formulated, except | ||||||
3 | that a specific record or relevant portion of a
record | ||||||
4 | shall not be exempt when the record is publicly cited
and | ||||||
5 | identified by the head of the public body. The exemption | ||||||
6 | provided in
this paragraph (f) extends to all those records | ||||||
7 | of officers and agencies
of the General Assembly that | ||||||
8 | pertain to the preparation of legislative
documents.
| ||||||
9 | (g) Trade secrets and commercial or financial | ||||||
10 | information obtained from
a person or business where the | ||||||
11 | trade secrets or information are
proprietary, privileged | ||||||
12 | or confidential, or where disclosure of the trade
secrets | ||||||
13 | or information may cause competitive harm, including: | ||||||
14 | (i) All
information determined to be confidential | ||||||
15 | under Section 4002 of the
Technology Advancement and | ||||||
16 | Development Act. | ||||||
17 | (ii) All trade secrets and commercial or financial | ||||||
18 | information obtained by a public body, including a | ||||||
19 | public pension fund, from a private equity fund or a | ||||||
20 | privately held company within the investment portfolio | ||||||
21 | of a private equity fund as a result of either | ||||||
22 | investing or evaluating a potential investment of | ||||||
23 | public funds in a private equity fund. The exemption | ||||||
24 | contained in this item does not apply to the aggregate | ||||||
25 | financial performance information of a private equity | ||||||
26 | fund, nor to the identity of the fund's managers or |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | general partners. The exemption contained in this item | ||||||
2 | does not apply to the identity of a privately held | ||||||
3 | company within the investment portfolio of a private | ||||||
4 | equity fund, unless the disclosure of the identity of a | ||||||
5 | privately held company may cause competitive harm.
| ||||||
6 | Nothing contained in this
paragraph (g) shall be construed | ||||||
7 | to prevent a person or business from
consenting to disclosure.
| ||||||
8 | (h) Proposals and bids for any contract, grant, or | ||||||
9 | agreement, including
information which if it were | ||||||
10 | disclosed would frustrate procurement or give
an advantage | ||||||
11 | to any person proposing to enter into a contractor | ||||||
12 | agreement
with the body, until an award or final selection | ||||||
13 | is made. Information
prepared by or for the body in | ||||||
14 | preparation of a bid solicitation shall be
exempt until an | ||||||
15 | award or final selection is made.
| ||||||
16 | (i) Valuable formulae,
computer geographic systems,
| ||||||
17 | designs, drawings and research data obtained or
produced by | ||||||
18 | any public body when disclosure could reasonably be | ||||||
19 | expected to
produce private gain or public loss.
The | ||||||
20 | exemption for "computer geographic systems" provided in | ||||||
21 | this paragraph
(i) does not extend to requests made by news | ||||||
22 | media as defined in Section 2 of
this Act when the | ||||||
23 | requested information is not otherwise exempt and the only
| ||||||
24 | purpose of the request is to access and disseminate | ||||||
25 | information regarding the
health, safety, welfare, or | ||||||
26 | legal rights of the general public.
|
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | (j) Test questions, scoring keys and other examination | ||||||
2 | data used to
administer an academic examination or | ||||||
3 | determined the qualifications of an
applicant for a license | ||||||
4 | or employment.
| ||||||
5 | (k) Architects' plans, engineers' technical | ||||||
6 | submissions, and
other
construction related technical | ||||||
7 | documents for
projects not constructed or developed in | ||||||
8 | whole or in part with public funds
and the same for | ||||||
9 | projects constructed or developed with public funds, but
| ||||||
10 | only to the extent
that disclosure would compromise | ||||||
11 | security, including but not limited to water
treatment | ||||||
12 | facilities, airport facilities, sport stadiums, convention | ||||||
13 | centers,
and all government owned, operated, or occupied | ||||||
14 | buildings.
| ||||||
15 | (l) Library circulation and order records identifying | ||||||
16 | library users with
specific materials.
| ||||||
17 | (m) Minutes of meetings of public bodies closed to the
| ||||||
18 | public as provided in the Open Meetings Act until the | ||||||
19 | public body
makes the minutes available to the public under | ||||||
20 | Section 2.06 of the Open
Meetings Act.
| ||||||
21 | (n) Communications between a public body and an | ||||||
22 | attorney or auditor
representing the public body that would | ||||||
23 | not be subject to discovery in
litigation, and materials | ||||||
24 | prepared or compiled by or for a public body in
| ||||||
25 | anticipation of a criminal, civil or administrative | ||||||
26 | proceeding upon the
request of an attorney advising the |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | public body, and materials prepared or
compiled with | ||||||
2 | respect to internal audits of public bodies.
| ||||||
3 | (o) Information received by a primary or secondary | ||||||
4 | school, college or
university under its procedures for the | ||||||
5 | evaluation of faculty members by
their academic peers.
| ||||||
6 | (p) Administrative or technical information associated | ||||||
7 | with automated
data processing operations, including but | ||||||
8 | not limited to software,
operating protocols, computer | ||||||
9 | program abstracts, file layouts, source
listings, object | ||||||
10 | modules, load modules, user guides, documentation
| ||||||
11 | pertaining to all logical and physical design of | ||||||
12 | computerized systems,
employee manuals, and any other | ||||||
13 | information that, if disclosed, would
jeopardize the | ||||||
14 | security of the system or its data or the security of
| ||||||
15 | materials exempt under this Section.
| ||||||
16 | (q) Documents or materials relating to collective | ||||||
17 | negotiating matters
between public bodies and their | ||||||
18 | employees or representatives, except that
any final | ||||||
19 | contract or agreement shall be subject to inspection and | ||||||
20 | copying.
| ||||||
21 | (r) Drafts, notes, recommendations and memoranda | ||||||
22 | pertaining to the
financing and marketing transactions of | ||||||
23 | the public body. The records of
ownership, registration, | ||||||
24 | transfer, and exchange of municipal debt
obligations, and | ||||||
25 | of persons to whom payment with respect to these | ||||||
26 | obligations
is made.
|
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | (s) The records, documents and information relating to | ||||||
2 | real estate
purchase negotiations until those negotiations | ||||||
3 | have been completed or
otherwise terminated. With regard to | ||||||
4 | a parcel involved in a pending or
actually and reasonably | ||||||
5 | contemplated eminent domain proceeding under the Eminent | ||||||
6 | Domain Act, records, documents and
information relating to | ||||||
7 | that parcel shall be exempt except as may be
allowed under | ||||||
8 | discovery rules adopted by the Illinois Supreme Court. The
| ||||||
9 | records, documents and information relating to a real | ||||||
10 | estate sale shall be
exempt until a sale is consummated.
| ||||||
11 | (t) Any and all proprietary information and records | ||||||
12 | related to the
operation of an intergovernmental risk | ||||||
13 | management association or
self-insurance pool or jointly | ||||||
14 | self-administered health and accident
cooperative or pool.
| ||||||
15 | (u) Information concerning a university's adjudication | ||||||
16 | of student or
employee grievance or disciplinary cases, to | ||||||
17 | the extent that disclosure
would reveal the identity of the | ||||||
18 | student or employee and information
concerning any public | ||||||
19 | body's adjudication of student or employee grievances
or | ||||||
20 | disciplinary cases, except for the final outcome of the | ||||||
21 | cases.
| ||||||
22 | (v) Course materials or research materials used by | ||||||
23 | faculty members.
| ||||||
24 | (w) Information related solely to the internal | ||||||
25 | personnel rules and
practices of a public body.
| ||||||
26 | (x) Information contained in or related to |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | examination, operating, or
condition reports prepared by, | ||||||
2 | on behalf of, or for the use of a public
body responsible | ||||||
3 | for the regulation or supervision of financial
| ||||||
4 | institutions or insurance companies, unless disclosure is | ||||||
5 | otherwise
required by State law.
| ||||||
6 | (y) Information the disclosure of which is restricted | ||||||
7 | under Section
5-108 of the Public Utilities Act.
| ||||||
8 | (z) Manuals or instruction to staff that relate to | ||||||
9 | establishment or
collection of liability for any State tax | ||||||
10 | or that relate to investigations
by a public body to | ||||||
11 | determine violation of any criminal law.
| ||||||
12 | (aa) Applications, related documents, and medical | ||||||
13 | records received by
the Experimental Organ Transplantation | ||||||
14 | Procedures Board and any and all
documents or other records | ||||||
15 | prepared by the Experimental Organ
Transplantation | ||||||
16 | Procedures Board or its staff relating to applications
it | ||||||
17 | has received.
| ||||||
18 | (bb) Insurance or self insurance (including any | ||||||
19 | intergovernmental risk
management association or self | ||||||
20 | insurance pool) claims, loss or risk
management | ||||||
21 | information, records, data, advice or communications.
| ||||||
22 | (cc) Information and records held by the Department of | ||||||
23 | Public Health and
its authorized representatives relating | ||||||
24 | to known or suspected cases of
sexually transmissible | ||||||
25 | disease or any information the disclosure of which
is | ||||||
26 | restricted under the Illinois Sexually Transmissible |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | Disease Control Act.
| ||||||
2 | (dd) Information the disclosure of which is exempted | ||||||
3 | under Section 30
of the Radon Industry Licensing Act.
| ||||||
4 | (ee) Firm performance evaluations under Section 55 of | ||||||
5 | the
Architectural, Engineering, and Land Surveying | ||||||
6 | Qualifications Based
Selection Act.
| ||||||
7 | (ff) Security portions of system safety program plans, | ||||||
8 | investigation
reports, surveys, schedules, lists, data, or | ||||||
9 | information compiled, collected,
or prepared by or for the | ||||||
10 | Regional Transportation Authority under Section 2.11
of | ||||||
11 | the Regional Transportation Authority Act or the St. Clair | ||||||
12 | County Transit
District under the
Bi-State Transit Safety | ||||||
13 | Act.
| ||||||
14 | (gg) Information the disclosure of which is restricted | ||||||
15 | and
exempted under Section 50 of the Illinois Prepaid | ||||||
16 | Tuition Act.
| ||||||
17 | (hh) Information the disclosure of which is
exempted | ||||||
18 | under the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act.
| ||||||
19 | (ii) Beginning July 1, 1999, information that would | ||||||
20 | disclose
or might lead to the disclosure of
secret or | ||||||
21 | confidential information, codes, algorithms, programs, or | ||||||
22 | private
keys intended to be used to create electronic or | ||||||
23 | digital signatures under the
Electronic Commerce Security | ||||||
24 | Act.
| ||||||
25 | (jj) Information contained in a local emergency energy | ||||||
26 | plan submitted to
a municipality in accordance with a local |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | emergency energy plan ordinance that
is adopted under | ||||||
2 | Section 11-21.5-5 of the Illinois Municipal Code.
| ||||||
3 | (kk) Information and data concerning the distribution | ||||||
4 | of
surcharge moneys collected and remitted by wireless | ||||||
5 | carriers under the Wireless
Emergency Telephone Safety | ||||||
6 | Act.
| ||||||
7 | (ll) Vulnerability assessments, security measures, and | ||||||
8 | response policies
or plans that are designed to identify, | ||||||
9 | prevent, or respond to potential
attacks upon a community's | ||||||
10 | population or systems, facilities, or installations,
the | ||||||
11 | destruction or contamination of which would constitute a | ||||||
12 | clear and present
danger to the health or safety of the | ||||||
13 | community, but only to the extent that
disclosure could | ||||||
14 | reasonably be expected to jeopardize the effectiveness of | ||||||
15 | the
measures or the safety of the personnel who implement | ||||||
16 | them or the public.
Information exempt under this item may | ||||||
17 | include such things as details
pertaining to the | ||||||
18 | mobilization or deployment of personnel or equipment, to | ||||||
19 | the
operation of communication systems or protocols, or to | ||||||
20 | tactical operations.
| ||||||
21 | (mm) Maps and other records regarding the location or | ||||||
22 | security of generation, transmission, distribution, | ||||||
23 | storage, gathering,
treatment, or switching facilities | ||||||
24 | owned by a utility or by the Illinois Power Agency.
| ||||||
25 | (nn) Law enforcement officer identification | ||||||
26 | information or
driver
identification
information compiled |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | by a law enforcement agency or the Department of
| ||||||
2 | Transportation
under Section 11-212 of the Illinois | ||||||
3 | Vehicle Code.
| ||||||
4 | (oo) Records and information provided to a residential
| ||||||
5 | health care
facility resident sexual assault
and death | ||||||
6 | review team or the Executive Council under the Abuse | ||||||
7 | Prevention Review Team Act.
| ||||||
8 | (pp) Information provided to the predatory lending | ||||||
9 | database created pursuant to Article 3 of the Residential | ||||||
10 | Real Property Disclosure Act, except to the extent | ||||||
11 | authorized under that Article.
| ||||||
12 | (qq) Defense budgets and petitions for certification | ||||||
13 | of compensation and expenses for court appointed trial | ||||||
14 | counsel as provided under Sections 10 and 15 of the Capital | ||||||
15 | Crimes Litigation Act. This subsection (qq) shall apply | ||||||
16 | until the conclusion of the trial of the case, even if the | ||||||
17 | prosecution chooses not to pursue the death penalty prior | ||||||
18 | to trial or sentencing.
| ||||||
19 | (rr) Information contained in or related to proposals, | ||||||
20 | bids, or negotiations related to electric power | ||||||
21 | procurement under Section 1-75 of the Illinois Power Agency | ||||||
22 | Act and Section 16-111.5 of the Public Utilities Act that | ||||||
23 | is determined to be confidential and proprietary by the | ||||||
24 | Illinois Power Agency or by the Illinois Commerce | ||||||
25 | Commission.
| ||||||
26 | (ss) Information that is prohibited from being |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1 | disclosed under Section 4 of the Illinois Health and | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2 | Hazardous Substances Registry Act. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3 | (tt) Information the disclosure of which is
exempted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
4 | under the Public Adjusters Law of the Illinois Insurance | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | Code. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | (2) This Section does not authorize withholding of | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7 | information or limit the
availability of records to the public, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 | except as stated in this Section or
otherwise provided in this | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
9 | Act.
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10 | (Source: P.A. 94-280, eff. 1-1-06; 94-508, eff. 1-1-06; 94-664, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
11 | eff. 1-1-06; 94-931, eff. 6-26-06; 94-953, eff. 6-27-06; | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
12 | 94-1055, eff. 1-1-07; 95-331, eff. 8-21-07; 95-481, eff. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
13 | 8-28-07; 95-941, eff. 8-29-08; 95-988, eff. 6-1-09; revised | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
14 | 10-20-08.)
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
15 | (215 ILCS 5/Art. XXXI.75 rep.)
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
16 | Section 910. The Illinois Insurance Code is amended by | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
17 | repealing Article XXXI.75.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
18 | Section 997. Severability. The provisions of this Act are | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
19 | severable under Section 1.31 of the Statute on Statutes.
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