HB5781eng 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB5781 Engrossed LRB096 18161 HLH 33536 b

AN ACT concerning revenue.

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

ARTICLE 5

Section 5-1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Reciprocal Tax Collection Act.

Section 5-5. Collection of tax liabilities of other states and the District of Columbia.

(a) Definitions. For purposes of this Section:

(1) "Taxpayer" means any person identified by a claimant state under this Section as owing taxes to a claimant state.

(2) "Claimant state" means any other state of the United States or the District of Columbia with whom the Director has entered an agreement for reciprocal collection of taxes under Section 2505-640 of the Department of Revenue Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois.

(3) "Taxes" means any amount of tax imposed under the laws of the claimant state or any political subdivision of the claimant state, including additions to tax for penalties and interest, that is finally due and payable to the claimant state by a taxpayer, and with respect to which all administrative or judicial remedies, other than a claim for refund of amounts collected in payment of the tax, have been exhausted or have lapsed, and that is legally enforceable under the laws of the claimant state against the taxpayer, whether or not there is an outstanding judgment for that sum.

(4) "Tax officer" means a unit or official of a claimant state, or the duly authorized agent of that unit or official, charged with the imposition, assessment, or collection of taxes of that state.

(5) "Director" means the Illinois Director of Revenue.

(b) Request of claimant state for collection.

(1) Upon the request and certification of the tax officer of a claimant state to the Director that a taxpayer owes taxes to that claimant state, the Director may collect those taxes, using all legal authority available to the Department of Revenue to collect debt, and shall deposit the amounts collected into the Reciprocal Tax Collection Fund and order payment to the claimant state under Section 5-10 of this Act.

(2) The certification shall include:

(A) the full name and address of the taxpayer;

(B) the taxpayer's Social Security number or federal employer identification number;

(C) the amount of the tax for the taxable period sought to be collected, including a detailed statement for each taxable period showing tax, interest, and penalty;

(D) a statement whether the taxpayer filed a tax return with the claimant state for the tax, and, if so, whether that tax return was filed under protest; and

(E) a statement that all administrative or judicial remedies, other than a claim for refund of amounts collected in payment of the tax, have been exhausted or have lapsed and that the amount of taxes is legally enforceable under the laws of that state against the taxpayer.

(3) Upon receipt by the Director of the required certification, the Director shall notify the taxpayer by first-class mail to the taxpayer's last-known address that the Director has received a request from the claimant state to collect taxes from the taxpayer, that the taxpayer has the right to protest the collection of those taxes by the Director for the claimant state, that failure to file a protest in accordance with item (4) of subsection (b) of this Section shall constitute a waiver of any demand against this State on account of the collection of those taxes and that the amount, upon collection, will be paid over to the claimant state. The notice shall include a copy of the certification by the tax officer of the claimant state. Sixty days after the date on which it is mailed, a notice under this subsection shall be final except only for such amounts as to which the taxpayer has filed, as provided in item (4) of subsection (b) of this Section, a written protest with the Director.

(4) Any taxpayer notified in accordance with item (3) of subsection (b) of this Section may, on or before the 60th day after the mailing of the notice by the Director, protest the collection of all or a portion of such taxes by filing with the Director a written protest in which the taxpayer shall set forth the grounds on which the protest is based. If a timely protest is filed, the Director shall refrain from collecting the taxes and shall send a copy of the protest to the claimant state for determination of the protest on its merits in accordance with the laws of that state. In the case of a taxpayer that did not file a tax return for the tax for the taxable period sought to be collected and where the amount of taxes owed to the claimant state is based on an assessment made against the taxpayer by the tax officer of the claimant state, and where the taxpayer has filed a timely protest under this subsection, the Director shall require the claimant state to certify that the assessment was contested before and adjudicated by an administrative or judicial tribunal of competent jurisdiction in the claimant state. If the Director is satisfied that the taxpayer's written protest is based on a bona fide contention that the claimant state did not have jurisdiction to tax the taxpayer, the Director shall require the claimant state to certify that the assessment was contested before and adjudicated by a judicial tribunal of competent jurisdiction in the claimant state. If the claimant state fails, on or before the 45th day after the sending of the copy of the protest by the Director to the claimant state, to certify to the Director that the claimant state has reviewed the stated grounds on which the protest is based, and to renew the certification described in item (2) of subsection (b) of this Section, the Director shall not collect the taxes. If the certifications are made within that time period, and if the Director is satisfied that the certifications are true, accurate, and complete, the Director shall collect the tax.

Section 5-10. Expenditures from the Reciprocal Tax Collection Fund.

(a) The Director shall order paid and the State Comptroller shall pay from the Reciprocal Tax Collection Fund to the claimant state the amount of taxes certified by the Director to the Comptroller as collected under this Act on behalf of the claimant state pursuant to a request under subsection (b) of Section 5-5 of this Act.

(b) This Act shall constitute an irrevocable and continuing appropriation from the Reciprocal Tax Collection Fund for the purpose of paying amounts collected to claimant states upon the order of the Director in accordance with the provisions of this Section.

Section 5-15. Effect of payment to claimant state. Upon payment to a claimant state of an amount certified in a request for collection under subsection (b) of Section 5-5 of this Act, the Director and this State shall be discharged of any obligation or liability to a taxpayer with respect to the amounts collected from the taxpayer and paid to the claimant state pursuant to this Act. Any action for refund of those amounts shall lie only against the claimant state.

Section 5-90. The Department of Revenue Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is amended by adding Section 2505-640 as follows:

(20 ILCS 2505/2505-640 new)

Sec. 2505-640. Collection of taxes of other states.

(a) The Department may enter into agreements with any other state for the reciprocal collection by the Department pursuant to the Reciprocal Tax Collection Act of taxes owed to that state and collection by the other state pursuant to a provision of its law similar to the Reciprocal Tax Collection Act of taxes owed to this State.

(b) An agreement under this Section shall contain provisions relating to:

(1) safeguards against the disclosure or inappropriate use of any information that identifies, directly or indirectly, a particular taxpayer obtained or maintained pursuant to the agreement, or that is required to be kept confidential under the applicable laws of either state or of the United States; and

(2) a minimum threshold for the amount of taxes owed by a taxpayer to a state that would trigger the operation of the agreement.

Section 5-95. The State Finance Act is amended by adding Section 5.756 as follows:

(30 ILCS 105/5.756 new)

Sec. 5.756. The Reciprocal Tax Collection Fund.

ARTICLE 10

Section 10-5. The Illinois State Collection Act of 1986 is amended by adding Section 9 and by changing Section 10 as follows:

(30 ILCS 210/9 new)

Sec. 9. Collection agency fees. Except where prohibited by federal law or regulation, in the case of any liability referred to a collection agency on or after July 1, 2010, any fee charged to the State by the collection agency is considered an additional liability owed to the State, is immediately subject to all collection procedures applicable to the liability referred to the collection agency, and must be separately stated in any statement or notice of the liability issued by the collection agency to the taxpayer.

(30 ILCS 210/10)

Sec. 10. Department of Revenue Debt Collection Bureau to assume collection duties.

(a) The Department of Revenue's Debt Collection Bureau shall serve as the primary debt collecting entity for the State and in that role shall collect debts on behalf of agencies of the State. All debts owed the State of Illinois shall be referred to the Bureau, subject to such limitations as the Department of Revenue shall by rule establish. The Bureau shall utilize the Comptroller's offset system and private collection agencies, as well as its own collections personnel. The Bureau shall collect debt using all legal authority available to the Department of Revenue to collect debt and all legal authority available to the referring agency.

(b) The Bureau shall have the sole authority to let contracts with persons specializing in debt collection for the collection of debt referred to and accepted by the Bureau. Any contract with the debt collector shall specify that the collector's fee shall be on a contingency basis and that the debt collector shall not be entitled to collect a contingency fee for any debt collected through the efforts of any State offset system.

(c) The Department of Revenue shall adopt rules for the certification of debt from referring agencies and shall adopt rules for the certification of collection specialists to be employed by the Bureau.

(d) The Department of Revenue shall adopt rules for determining when a debt referred by an agency shall be deemed by the Bureau to be uncollectible.

(e) Once an agency's debt is deemed by the Bureau to be uncollectible, the Bureau shall return the debt to the referring agency which shall then write the debt off as uncollectible in accordance with the requirements of the Uncollected State Claims Act or return the debt to the Bureau for additional collection efforts. The Bureau shall refuse to accept debt that has been deemed uncollectible absent factual assertions from the referring agency that due to circumstances not known at the time the debt was deemed uncollectible that the debt is worthy of additional collection efforts.

(f) For each debt referred, the State agency shall retain all documents and records relating to or supporting the debt. In the event a debtor shall raise a reasonable doubt as to the validity of the debt, the Bureau may in its discretion refer the debt back to the referring agency for further review and recommendation.

(g) The Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall be exempt from the requirements of this Section with regard to child support debts, the collection of which is governed by the requirements of Title IV, Part D of the federal Social Security Act. The Department of Healthcare and Family Services may refer child support debts to the Bureau, provided that the debt satisfies the requirements for referral of delinquent debt as established by rule by the Department of Revenue. The Bureau shall use all legal means available to collect child support debt, including those authorizing the Department of Revenue to collect debt and those authorizing the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to collect debt. All such referred debt shall remain an obligation under the Department of Healthcare and Family Services' Child Support Enforcement Program subject to the requirements of Title IV, Part D of the federal Social Security Act, including the continued use of federally mandated enforcement remedies and techniques by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services.

(g-1) The Department of Employment Security is exempt from subsection (a) with regard to debts to any federal account, including but not limited to the Unemployment Trust Fund, and penalties and interest assessed under the Unemployment Insurance Act. The Department of Employment Security may refer those debts to the Bureau, provided the debt satisfies the requirements for referral of delinquent debt as established by rule by the Department of Revenue. The Bureau shall use all legal means available to collect the debts, including those authorizing the Department of Revenue to collect debt and those authorizing the Department of Employment Security to collect debt. All referred debt shall remain an obligation to the account to which it is owed.

(h) The Bureau may collect its costs of collecting debts on behalf of other State agencies from those agencies in a manner to be determined by the Director of Revenue, except that the Bureau shall not recover any such cost on any accounts referred by the General Assembly, the Supreme Court and other courts of this State, and the State executive branch constitutional officers. The Debt Collection Fund is created as a special fund in the State treasury. Debt collection contractors under this Act shall receive a contingency fee as provided by the terms of their contracts with the Department of Revenue. Thereafter, 20% of all amounts collected by the Bureau, excluding amounts collected on behalf of the Departments of Healthcare and Family Services (formerly Public Aid) and Revenue, shall be deposited into the Debt Collection Fund, except that the Bureau shall not impose the 20% collection fee on any accounts referred by the General Assembly, the Supreme Court and several courts of this State, and the State executive branch constitutional officers. All remaining amounts collected shall be deposited into the General Revenue Fund unless the funds are owed to any State fund or funds other than the General Revenue Fund. Moneys in the Debt Collection Fund shall be appropriated only for the administrative costs of the Bureau. On the last day of each fiscal year, unappropriated moneys and moneys otherwise deemed unneeded for the next fiscal year remaining in the Debt Collection Fund may be transferred into the General Revenue Fund at the Governor's reasonable discretion. The provisions of this subsection do not apply to debt that is exempt from subsection (a) pursuant to subsection (g-1) or child support debt referred to the Bureau by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (formerly Department of Public Aid) pursuant to this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly. Collections arising from referrals from the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (formerly Department of Public Aid) shall be deposited into such fund or funds as the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall direct, in accordance with the requirements of Title IV, Part D of the federal Social Security Act, applicable provisions of State law, and the rules of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services. Collections arising from referrals from the Department of Employment Security shall be deposited into the fund or funds that the Department of Employment Security shall direct, in accordance with the requirements of Section 3304(a)(3) of the federal Unemployment Tax Act, Section 303(a)(4) of the federal Social Security Act, and the Unemployment Insurance Act.

(i) The Attorney General and the State Comptroller may assist in the debt collection efforts of the Bureau, as requested by the Department of Revenue.

(j) The Director of Revenue shall report annually to the General Assembly and State Comptroller upon the debt collection efforts of the Bureau. Each report shall include an analysis of the overdue debts owed to the State.

(k) The Department of Revenue shall adopt rules and procedures for the administration of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly. The rules shall be adopted under the Department of Revenue's emergency rulemaking authority within 90 days following the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly due to the budget crisis threatening the public interest.

(l) The Department of Revenue's Debt Collection Bureau's obligations under this Section 10 shall be subject to appropriation by the General Assembly.

(Source: P.A. 95-331, eff. 8-21-07; 96-493, eff. 1-1-10.)

Section 10-10. The Retailers' Occupation Tax Act is amended by changing Section 5 as follows:

(35 ILCS 120/5) (from Ch. 120, par. 444)

Sec. 5. In case any person engaged in the business of selling tangible personal property at retail fails to file a return when and as herein required, but thereafter, prior to the Department's issuance of a notice of tax liability under this Section, files a return and pays the tax, he shall also pay a penalty in an amount determined in accordance with Section 3-3 of the Uniform Penalty and Interest Act.

In case any person engaged in the business of selling tangible personal property at retail files the return at the time required by this Act but fails to pay the tax, or any part thereof, when due, a penalty in an amount determined in accordance with Section 3-3 of the Uniform Penalty and Interest Act shall be added thereto.

In case any person engaged in the business of selling tangible personal property at retail fails to file a return when and as herein required, but thereafter, prior to the Department's issuance of a notice of tax liability under this Section, files a return but fails to pay the entire tax, a penalty in an amount determined in accordance with Section 3-3 of the Uniform Penalty and Interest Act shall be added thereto.

In case any person engaged in the business of selling tangible personal property at retail fails to file a return, the Department shall determine the amount of tax due from him according to its best judgment and information, which amount so fixed by the Department shall be prima facie correct and shall be prima facie evidence of the correctness of the amount of tax due, as shown in such determination. In making any such determination of tax due, it shall be permissible for the Department to show a figure that represents the tax due for any given period of 6 months instead of showing the amount of tax due for each month separately. Proof of such determination by the Department may be made at any hearing before the Department or in any legal proceeding by a reproduced copy or computer print-out of the Department's record relating thereto in the name of the Department under the certificate of the Director of Revenue. If reproduced copies of the Department's records are offered as proof of such determination, the Director must certify that those copies are true and exact copies of records on file with the Department. If computer print-outs of the Department's records are offered as proof of such determination, the Director must certify that those computer print-outs are true and exact representations of records properly entered into standard electronic computing equipment, in the regular course of the Department's business, at or reasonably near the time of the occurrence of the facts recorded, from trustworthy and reliable information. Such certified reproduced copy or certified computer print-out shall, without further proof, be admitted into evidence before the Department or in any legal proceeding and shall be prima facie proof of the correctness of the amount of tax due, as shown therein. The Department shall issue the taxpayer a notice of tax liability for the amount of tax claimed by the Department to be due, together with a penalty of 30% thereof.

However, where the failure to file any tax return required under this Act on the date prescribed therefor (including any extensions thereof), is shown to be unintentional and nonfraudulent and has not occurred in the 6 2 years immediately preceding the failure to file on the prescribed date or is due to other reasonable cause the penalties imposed by this Act shall not apply.

If such person or the legal representative of such person files, within 60 days after such notice, a protest to such notice of tax liability and requests a hearing thereon, the Department shall give notice to such person or the legal representative of such person of the time and place fixed for such hearing, and shall hold a hearing in conformity with the provisions of this Act, and pursuant thereto shall issue a final assessment to such person or to the legal representative of such person for the amount found to be due as a result of such hearing.

If a protest to the notice of tax liability and a request for a hearing thereon is not filed within 60 days after such notice, such notice of tax liability shall become final without the necessity of a final assessment being issued and shall be deemed to be a final assessment.

After the issuance of a final assessment, or a notice of tax liability which becomes final without the necessity of actually issuing a final assessment as hereinbefore provided, the Department, at any time before such assessment is reduced to judgment, may (subject to rules of the Department) grant a rehearing (or grant departmental review and hold an original hearing if no previous hearing in the matter has been held) upon the application of the person aggrieved. Pursuant to such hearing or rehearing, the Department shall issue a revised final assessment to such person or his legal representative for the amount found to be due as a result of such hearing or rehearing.

Except in case of failure to file a return, or with the consent of the person to whom the notice of tax liability is to be issued, no notice of tax liability shall be issued on and after each July 1 and January 1 covering gross receipts received during any month or period of time more than 3 years prior to such July 1 and January 1, respectively, except that if a return is not filed at the required time, a notice of tax liability may be issued not later than 3 years after the time the return is filed. The foregoing limitations upon the issuance of a notice of tax liability shall not apply to the issuance of any such notice with respect to any period of time prior thereto in cases where the Department has, within the period of limitation then provided, notified a person of the amount of tax computed even though the Department had not determined the amount of tax due from such person in the manner required herein prior to the issuance of such notice, but in no case shall the amount of any such notice of tax liability for any period otherwise barred by this Act exceed for such period the amount shown in the notice theretofore issued.

If, when a tax or penalty under this Act becomes due and payable, the person alleged to be liable therefor is out of the State, the notice of tax liability may be issued within the times herein limited after his or her coming into or return to the State; and if, after the tax or penalty under this Act becomes due and payable, the person alleged to be liable therefor departs from and remains out of the State, the time of his or her absence is no part of the time limited for the issuance of the notice of tax liability; but the foregoing provisions concerning absence from the State shall not apply to any case in which, at the time when a tax or penalty becomes due under this Act, the person allegedly liable therefor is not a resident of this State.

The time limitation period on the Department's right to issue a notice of tax liability shall not run during any period of time in which the order of any court has the effect of enjoining or restraining the Department from issuing the notice of tax liability.

In case of failure to pay the tax, or any portion thereof, or any penalty provided for in this Act, or interest, when due, the Department may bring suit to recover the amount of such tax, or portion thereof, or penalty or interest; or, if the taxpayer has died or become a person under legal disability, may file a claim therefor against his estate; provided that no such suit with respect to any tax, or portion thereof, or penalty, or interest shall be instituted more than 6 2 years after the date any proceedings in court for review thereof have terminated or the time for the taking thereof has expired without such proceedings being instituted, except with the consent of the person from whom such tax or penalty or interest is due; nor, except with such consent, shall such suit be instituted more than 6 2 years after the date any return is filed with the Department in cases where the return constitutes the basis for the suit for unpaid tax, or portion thereof, or penalty provided for in this Act, or interest: Provided that the time limitation period on the Department's right to bring any such suit shall not run during any period of time in which the order of any court has the effect of enjoining or restraining the Department from bringing such suit.

After the expiration of the period within which the person assessed may file an action for judicial review under the Administrative Review Law without such an action being filed, a certified copy of the final assessment or revised final assessment of the Department may be filed with the Circuit Court of the county in which the taxpayer has his principal place of business, or of Sangamon County in those cases in which the taxpayer does not have his principal place of business in this State. The certified copy of the final assessment or revised final assessment shall be accompanied by a certification which recites facts that are sufficient to show that the Department complied with the jurisdictional requirements of the Act in arriving at its final assessment or its revised final assessment and that the taxpayer had his opportunity for an administrative hearing and for judicial review, whether he availed himself or herself of either or both of these opportunities or not. If the court is satisfied that the Department complied with the jurisdictional requirements of the Act in arriving at its final assessment or its revised final assessment and that the taxpayer had his opportunity for an administrative hearing and for judicial review, whether he availed himself of either or both of these opportunities or not, the court shall render judgment in favor of the Department and against the taxpayer for the amount shown to be due by the final assessment or the revised final assessment, plus any interest which may be due, and such judgment shall be entered in the judgment docket of the court. Such judgment shall bear the rate of interest as set by the Uniform Penalty and Interest Act, but otherwise shall have the same effect as other judgments. The judgment may be enforced, and all laws applicable to sales for the enforcement of a judgment shall be applicable to sales made under such judgments. The Department shall file the certified copy of its assessment, as herein provided, with the Circuit Court within 6 2 years after such assessment becomes final except when the taxpayer consents in writing to an extension of such filing period, and except that the time limitation period on the Department's right to file the certified copy of its assessment with the Circuit Court shall not run during any period of time in which the order of any court has the effect of enjoining or restraining the Department from filing such certified copy of its assessment with the Circuit Court.

If, when the cause of action for a proceeding in court accrues against a person, he or she is out of the State, the action may be commenced within the times herein limited, after his or her coming into or return to the State; and if, after the cause of action accrues, he or she departs from and remains out of the State, the time of his or her absence is no part of the time limited for the commencement of the action; but the foregoing provisions concerning absence from the State shall not apply to any case in which, at the time the cause of action accrues, the party against whom the cause of action accrues is not a resident of this State. The time within which a court action is to be commenced by the Department hereunder shall not run from the date the taxpayer files a petition in bankruptcy under the Federal Bankruptcy Act until 30 days after notice of termination or expiration of the automatic stay imposed by the Federal Bankruptcy Act.

No claim shall be filed against the estate of any deceased person or any person under legal disability for any tax or penalty or part of either, or interest, except in the manner prescribed and within the time limited by the Probate Act of 1975, as amended.

The collection of tax or penalty or interest by any means provided for herein shall not be a bar to any prosecution under this Act.

In addition to any penalty provided for in this Act, any amount of tax which is not paid when due shall bear interest at the rate and in the manner specified in Sections 3-2 and 3-9 of the Uniform Penalty and Interest Act from the date when such tax becomes past due until such tax is paid or a judgment therefor is obtained by the Department. If the time for making or completing an audit of a taxpayer's books and records is extended with the taxpayer's consent, at the request of and for the convenience of the Department, beyond the date on which the statute of limitations upon the issuance of a notice of tax liability by the Department otherwise would run, no interest shall accrue during the period of such extension or until a Notice of Tax Liability is issued, whichever occurs first.

In addition to any other remedy provided by this Act, and regardless of whether the Department is making or intends to make use of such other remedy, where a corporation or limited liability company registered under this Act violates the provisions of this Act or of any rule or regulation promulgated thereunder, the Department may give notice to the Attorney General of the identity of such a corporation or limited liability company and of the violations committed by such a corporation or limited liability company, for such action as is not already provided for by this Act and as the Attorney General may deem appropriate.

If the Department determines that an amount of tax or penalty or interest was incorrectly assessed, whether as the result of a mistake of fact or an error of law, the Department shall waive the amount of tax or penalty or interest that accrued due to the incorrect assessment.

(Source: P.A. 87-193; 87-205; 87-895; 88-480.)

Section 10-15. The Illinois Vehicle Code is amended by changing Section 2-123 as follows:

(625 ILCS 5/2-123) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 2-123)

Sec. 2-123. Sale and Distribution of Information.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, the Secretary may make the driver's license, vehicle and title registration lists, in part or in whole, and any statistical information derived from these lists available to local governments, elected state officials, state educational institutions, and all other governmental units of the State and Federal Government requesting them for governmental purposes. The Secretary shall require any such applicant for services to pay for the costs of furnishing such services and the use of the equipment involved, and in addition is empowered to establish prices and charges for the services so furnished and for the use of the electronic equipment utilized.

(b) The Secretary is further empowered to and he may, in his discretion, furnish to any applicant, other than listed in subsection (a) of this Section, vehicle or driver data on a computer tape, disk, other electronic format or computer processable medium, or printout at a fixed fee of $250 for orders received before October 1, 2003 and $500 for orders received on or after October 1, 2003, in advance, and require in addition a further sufficient deposit based upon the Secretary of State's estimate of the total cost of the information requested and a charge of $25 for orders received before October 1, 2003 and $50 for orders received on or after October 1, 2003, per 1,000 units or part thereof identified or the actual cost, whichever is greater. The Secretary is authorized to refund any difference between the additional deposit and the actual cost of the request. This service shall not be in lieu of an abstract of a driver's record nor of a title or registration search. This service may be limited to entities purchasing a minimum number of records as required by administrative rule. The information sold pursuant to this subsection shall be the entire vehicle or driver data list, or part thereof. The information sold pursuant to this subsection shall not contain personally identifying information unless the information is to be used for one of the purposes identified in subsection (f-5) of this Section. Commercial purchasers of driver and vehicle record databases shall enter into a written agreement with the Secretary of State that includes disclosure of the commercial use of the information to be purchased.

(b-1) The Secretary is further empowered to and may, in his or her discretion, furnish vehicle or driver data on a computer tape, disk, or other electronic format or computer processible medium, at no fee, to any State or local governmental agency that uses the information provided by the Secretary to transmit data back to the Secretary that enables the Secretary to maintain accurate driving records, including dispositions of traffic cases. This information may be provided without fee not more often than once every 6 months.

(c) Secretary of State may issue registration lists. The Secretary of State may compile a list of all registered vehicles. Each list of registered vehicles shall be arranged serially according to the registration numbers assigned to registered vehicles and may contain in addition the names and addresses of registered owners and a brief description of each vehicle including the serial or other identifying number thereof. Such compilation may be in such form as in the discretion of the Secretary of State may seem best for the purposes intended.

(d) The Secretary of State shall furnish no more than 2 current available lists of such registrations to the sheriffs of all counties and to the chiefs of police of all cities and villages and towns of 2,000 population and over in this State at no cost. Additional copies may be purchased by the sheriffs or chiefs of police at the fee of $500 each or at the cost of producing the list as determined by the Secretary of State. Such lists are to be used for governmental purposes only.

(e) (Blank).

(e-1) (Blank).

(f) The Secretary of State shall make a title or registration search of the records of his office and a written report on the same for any person, upon written application of such person, accompanied by a fee of $5 for each registration or title search. The written application shall set forth the intended use of the requested information. No fee shall be charged for a title or registration search, or for the certification thereof requested by a government agency. The report of the title or registration search shall not contain personally identifying information unless the request for a search was made for one of the purposes identified in subsection (f-5) of this Section. The report of the title or registration search shall not contain highly restricted personal information unless specifically authorized by this Code.

The Secretary of State shall certify a title or registration record upon written request. The fee for certification shall be $5 in addition to the fee required for a title or registration search. Certification shall be made under the signature of the Secretary of State and shall be authenticated by Seal of the Secretary of State.

The Secretary of State may notify the vehicle owner or registrant of the request for purchase of his title or registration information as the Secretary deems appropriate.

No information shall be released to the requestor until expiration of a 10 day period. This 10 day period shall not apply to requests for information made by law enforcement officials, government agencies, financial institutions, attorneys, insurers, employers, automobile associated businesses, persons licensed as a private detective or firms licensed as a private detective agency under the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, Fingerprint Vendor, and Locksmith Act of 2004, who are employed by or are acting on behalf of law enforcement officials, government agencies, financial institutions, attorneys, insurers, employers, automobile associated businesses, and other business entities for purposes consistent with the Illinois Vehicle Code, the vehicle owner or registrant or other entities as the Secretary may exempt by rule and regulation.

Any misrepresentation made by a requestor of title or vehicle information shall be punishable as a petty offense, except in the case of persons licensed as a private detective or firms licensed as a private detective agency which shall be subject to disciplinary sanctions under Section 40-10 of the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, Fingerprint Vendor, and Locksmith Act of 2004.

(f-5) The Secretary of State shall not disclose or otherwise make available to any person or entity any personally identifying information obtained by the Secretary of State in connection with a driver's license, vehicle, or title registration record unless the information is disclosed for one of the following purposes:

(1) For use by any government agency, including any court or law enforcement agency, in carrying out its functions, or any private person or entity acting on behalf of a federal, State, or local agency in carrying out its functions.

(2) For use in connection with matters of motor vehicle or driver safety and theft; motor vehicle emissions; motor vehicle product alterations, recalls, or advisories; performance monitoring of motor vehicles, motor vehicle parts, and dealers; and removal of non-owner records from the original owner records of motor vehicle manufacturers.

(3) For use in the normal course of business by a legitimate business or its agents, employees, or contractors, but only:

(A) to verify the accuracy of personal information submitted by an individual to the business or its agents, employees, or contractors; and

(B) if such information as so submitted is not correct or is no longer correct, to obtain the correct information, but only for the purposes of preventing fraud by, pursuing legal remedies against, or recovering on a debt or security interest against, the individual.

(4) For use in research activities and for use in producing statistical reports, if the personally identifying information is not published, redisclosed, or used to contact individuals.

(5) For use in connection with any civil, criminal, administrative, or arbitral proceeding in any federal, State, or local court or agency or before any self-regulatory body, including the service of process, investigation in anticipation of litigation, and the execution or enforcement of judgments and orders, or pursuant to an order of a federal, State, or local court.

(6) For use by any insurer or insurance support organization or by a self-insured entity or its agents, employees, or contractors in connection with claims investigation activities, antifraud activities, rating, or underwriting.

(7) For use in providing notice to the owners of towed or impounded vehicles.

(8) For use by any person licensed as a private detective or firm licensed as a private detective agency under the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, Fingerprint Vendor, and Locksmith Act of 2004, private investigative agency or security service licensed in Illinois for any purpose permitted under this subsection.

(9) For use by an employer or its agent or insurer to obtain or verify information relating to a holder of a commercial driver's license that is required under chapter 313 of title 49 of the United States Code.

(10) For use in connection with the operation of private toll transportation facilities.

(11) For use by any requester, if the requester demonstrates it has obtained the written consent of the individual to whom the information pertains.

(12) For use by members of the news media, as defined in Section 1-148.5, for the purpose of newsgathering when the request relates to the operation of a motor vehicle or public safety.

(13) For any other use specifically authorized by law, if that use is related to the operation of a motor vehicle or public safety.

(f-6) The Secretary of State shall not disclose or otherwise make available to any person or entity any highly restricted personal information obtained by the Secretary of State in connection with a driver's license, vehicle, or title registration record unless specifically authorized by this Code.

(g) 1. The Secretary of State may, upon receipt of a written request and a fee of $6 before October 1, 2003 and a fee of $12 on and after October 1, 2003, furnish to the person or agency so requesting a driver's record. Such document may include a record of: current driver's license issuance information, except that the information on judicial driving permits shall be available only as otherwise provided by this Code; convictions; orders entered revoking, suspending or cancelling a driver's license or privilege; and notations of accident involvement. All other information, unless otherwise permitted by this Code, shall remain confidential. Information released pursuant to a request for a driver's record shall not contain personally identifying information, unless the request for the driver's record was made for one of the purposes set forth in subsection (f-5) of this Section. The Secretary of State may, without fee, allow a parent or guardian of a person under the age of 18 years, who holds an instruction permit or graduated driver's license, to view that person's driving record online, through a computer connection. The parent or guardian's online access to the driving record will terminate when the instruction permit or graduated driver's license holder reaches the age of 18.

2. The Secretary of State shall not disclose or otherwise make available to any person or entity any highly restricted personal information obtained by the Secretary of State in connection with a driver's license, vehicle, or title registration record unless specifically authorized by this Code. The Secretary of State may certify an abstract of a driver's record upon written request therefor. Such certification shall be made under the signature of the Secretary of State and shall be authenticated by the Seal of his office.

3. All requests for driving record information shall be made in a manner prescribed by the Secretary and shall set forth the intended use of the requested information.

The Secretary of State may notify the affected driver of the request for purchase of his driver's record as the Secretary deems appropriate.

No information shall be released to the requester until expiration of a 10 day period. This 10 day period shall not apply to requests for information made by law enforcement officials, government agencies, financial institutions, attorneys, insurers, employers, automobile associated businesses, persons licensed as a private detective or firms licensed as a private detective agency under the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, Fingerprint Vendor, and Locksmith Act of 2004, who are employed by or are acting on behalf of law enforcement officials, government agencies, financial institutions, attorneys, insurers, employers, automobile associated businesses, and other business entities for purposes consistent with the Illinois Vehicle Code, the affected driver or other entities as the Secretary may exempt by rule and regulation.

Any misrepresentation made by a requestor of driver information shall be punishable as a petty offense, except in the case of persons licensed as a private detective or firms licensed as a private detective agency which shall be subject to disciplinary sanctions under Section 40-10 of the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, Fingerprint Vendor, and Locksmith Act of 2004.

4. The Secretary of State may furnish without fee, upon the written request of a law enforcement agency, any information from a driver's record on file with the Secretary of State when such information is required in the enforcement of this Code or any other law relating to the operation of motor vehicles, including records of dispositions; documented information involving the use of a motor vehicle; whether such individual has, or previously had, a driver's license; and the address and personal description as reflected on said driver's record.

5. Except as otherwise provided in this Section, the Secretary of State may furnish, without fee, information from an individual driver's record on file, if a written request therefor is submitted by any public transit system or authority, public defender, law enforcement agency, a state or federal agency, or an Illinois local intergovernmental association, if the request is for the purpose of a background check of applicants for employment with the requesting agency, or for the purpose of an official investigation conducted by the agency, or to determine a current address for the driver so public funds can be recovered or paid to the driver, or for any other purpose set forth in subsection (f-5) of this Section.

The Secretary may also furnish the courts a copy of an abstract of a driver's record, without fee, subsequent to an arrest for a violation of Section 11-501 or a similar provision of a local ordinance. Such abstract may include records of dispositions; documented information involving the use of a motor vehicle as contained in the current file; whether such individual has, or previously had, a driver's license; and the address and personal description as reflected on said driver's record.

6. Any certified abstract issued by the Secretary of State or transmitted electronically by the Secretary of State pursuant to this Section, to a court or on request of a law enforcement agency, for the record of a named person as to the status of the person's driver's license shall be prima facie evidence of the facts therein stated and if the name appearing in such abstract is the same as that of a person named in an information or warrant, such abstract shall be prima facie evidence that the person named in such information or warrant is the same person as the person named in such abstract and shall be admissible for any prosecution under this Code and be admitted as proof of any prior conviction or proof of records, notices, or orders recorded on individual driving records maintained by the Secretary of State.

7. Subject to any restrictions contained in the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, and upon receipt of a proper request and a fee of $6 before October 1, 2003 and a fee of $12 on or after October 1, 2003, the Secretary of State shall provide a driver's record to the affected driver, or the affected driver's attorney, upon verification. Such record shall contain all the information referred to in paragraph 1 of this subsection (g) plus: any recorded accident involvement as a driver; information recorded pursuant to subsection (e) of Section 6-117 and paragraph (4) of subsection (a) of Section 6-204 of this Code. All other information, unless otherwise permitted by this Code, shall remain confidential.

(h) The Secretary shall not disclose social security numbers or any associated information obtained from the Social Security Administration except pursuant to a written request by, or with the prior written consent of, the individual except: (1) to officers and employees of the Secretary who have a need to know the social security numbers in performance of their official duties, (2) to law enforcement officials for a lawful, civil or criminal law enforcement investigation, and if the head of the law enforcement agency has made a written request to the Secretary specifying the law enforcement investigation for which the social security numbers are being sought, (3) to the United States Department of Transportation, or any other State, pursuant to the administration and enforcement of the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986, (4) pursuant to the order of a court of competent jurisdiction, or (5) to the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (formerly Department of Public Aid) for utilization in the child support enforcement duties assigned to that Department under provisions of the Illinois Public Aid Code after the individual has received advanced meaningful notification of what redisclosure is sought by the Secretary in accordance with the federal Privacy Act, or (6) to the Illinois Department of Revenue solely for use by the Department in the collection of any tax or debt that the Department of Revenue is authorized or required by law to collect, provided that the Department shall not disclose the social security number to any person or entity outside of the Department.

(i) (Blank).

(j) Medical statements or medical reports received in the Secretary of State's Office shall be confidential. No confidential information may be open to public inspection or the contents disclosed to anyone, except officers and employees of the Secretary who have a need to know the information contained in the medical reports and the Driver License Medical Advisory Board, unless so directed by an order of a court of competent jurisdiction.

(k) All fees collected under this Section shall be paid into the Road Fund of the State Treasury, except that (i) for fees collected before October 1, 2003, $3 of the $6 fee for a driver's record shall be paid into the Secretary of State Special Services Fund, (ii) for fees collected on and after October 1, 2003, of the $12 fee for a driver's record, $3 shall be paid into the Secretary of State Special Services Fund and $6 shall be paid into the General Revenue Fund, and (iii) for fees collected on and after October 1, 2003, 50% of the amounts collected pursuant to subsection (b) shall be paid into the General Revenue Fund.

(l) (Blank).

(m) Notations of accident involvement that may be disclosed under this Section shall not include notations relating to damage to a vehicle or other property being transported by a tow truck. This information shall remain confidential, provided that nothing in this subsection (m) shall limit disclosure of any notification of accident involvement to any law enforcement agency or official.

(n) Requests made by the news media for driver's license, vehicle, or title registration information may be furnished without charge or at a reduced charge, as determined by the Secretary, when the specific purpose for requesting the documents is deemed to be in the public interest. Waiver or reduction of the fee is in the public interest if the principal purpose of the request is to access and disseminate information regarding the health, safety, and welfare or the legal rights of the general public and is not for the principal purpose of gaining a personal or commercial benefit. The information provided pursuant to this subsection shall not contain personally identifying information unless the information is to be used for one of the purposes identified in subsection (f-5) of this Section.

(o) The redisclosure of personally identifying information obtained pursuant to this Section is prohibited, except to the extent necessary to effectuate the purpose for which the original disclosure of the information was permitted.

(p) The Secretary of State is empowered to adopt rules to effectuate this Section.

(Source: P.A. 94-56, eff. 6-17-05; 95-201, eff. 1-1-08; 95-287, eff. 1-1-08; 95-331, eff. 8-21-07; 95-613, eff. 9-11-07; 95-876, eff. 8-21-08.)

ARTICLE 99

Section 99-99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January 1, 2011.