HB4973 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB096 17693 RLJ 33057 b

96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
HB4973

Introduced 1/21/2010, by Rep. Dan Reitz

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

55 ILCS 5/5-1132 new
65 ILCS 5/11-5.3-2 new

Amends the Counties Code and the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that a county or a municipality may, by ordinance, impose a fee against persons making false alarms. Provides that a fee may not be imposed if (i) the emergency telephone system or a public safety agency is notified that the alarm is unfounded before a public safety agency responds to the alarm or (ii) the alarm system is being installed, repaired, maintained, or tested and the emergency telephone system and public safety agency are notified in advance of the activity in connection with the alarm system. Provides that a fee may not be imposed against a person if the call was initiated due to symptoms that could require emergency medical attention. Defines "alarm" and "false alarm".

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning local government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Counties Code is amended by adding Section 5-1132 as follows:

(55 ILCS 5/5-1132 new)

Sec. 5-1132. False alarms. The county board of each county may, by ordinance, impose a fee against persons making false alarms. A fee may not be imposed, however, if the emergency telephone system or a public safety agency is notified that the alarm is unfounded before a public safety agency responds to the alarm or if the alarm system is being installed, repaired, maintained, or tested and the emergency telephone system and public safety agency are notified in advance of the activity in connection with the alarm system. In addition, a fee may not be imposed against a person if the call was initiated due to symptoms that could require emergency medical attention.

For the purposes of this Section, "alarm" means any mechanical or electric device or assembly of equipment, designed or arranged to signal the occurrence of an illegal entry, a fire, an emergency medical assistance need, or other activity requiring urgent attention and to which the police department, the fire department, or an emergency medical service are expected to respond.

For the purposes of this Section, "false alarm" means an alarm signal to which a police department, a fire department, or emergency medical service of the county responds with emergency service personnel, equipment, or both when a situation requiring that response does not, in fact, exist, if the signal is caused by the inadvertence, negligence, or an intentional act or omission on the part of an alarm company or alarm user or a malfunction of the alarm.

Section 10. The Illinois Municipal Code is amended by adding Section 11-5.3-2 as follows:

(65 ILCS 5/11-5.3-2 new)

Sec. 11-5.3-2. False alarms. The corporate authorities of each municipality may, by ordinance, impose a fee against persons making false alarms. A fee may not be imposed, however, if the emergency telephone system or a public safety agency is notified that the alarm is unfounded before a public safety agency responds to the alarm or if the alarm system is being installed, repaired, maintained, or tested and the emergency telephone system and public safety agency are notified in advance of the activity in connection with the alarm system. In addition, a fee may not be imposed against a person if the call was initiated due to symptoms that could require emergency medical attention.

For the purposes of this Section, "alarm" means any mechanical or electric device or assembly of equipment, designed or arranged to signal the occurrence of an illegal entry, a fire, an emergency medical assistance need, or other activity requiring urgent attention and to which the police department, the fire department, or an emergency medical service are expected to respond.

For the purposes of this Section, "false alarm" means an alarm signal to which a police department, a fire department, or emergency medical service of the municipality responds with emergency service personnel, equipment, or both when a situation requiring that response does not, in fact, exist, if the signal is caused by the inadvertence, negligence, or an intentional act or omission on the part of an alarm company or alarm user or a malfunction of the alarm.