97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
HB5479

 

Introduced 2/15/2012, by Rep. Brandon W. Phelps

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
55 ILCS 5/5-1008.6 new
55 ILCS 5/5-1008.7 new
55 ILCS 5/5-1008.8 new
55 ILCS 5/5-1008.9 new
55 ILCS 5/5-1008.10 new
55 ILCS 5/5-1008.11 new
55 ILCS 5/5-1008.12 new
55 ILCS 5/5-1008.13 new
55 ILCS 5/5-1008.14 new
55 ILCS 5/5-1008.15 new
55 ILCS 5/5-1008.16 new
55 ILCS 5/5-1008.17 new

    Amends the Counties Code. Provides that the corporate authorities of a county having a population of less than 35,000 may, by ordinance or resolution, impose a tax upon the patrons of amusements that take place within the county. Provides that proceeds from the tax shall first be directed to costs arising from the amusement. Provides that, in order to hold any mass gathering, any owner of an amusement shall apply for and obtain a license from the county where the amusement is to be held. Sets forth provisions concerning the contents of the application for a license, public hearing requirements, and penalties for violation.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB5479LRB097 20142 HLH 65537 b

1    AN ACT concerning local government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Counties Code is amended by adding Sections
55-1008.6, 5-1008.7, 5-1008.8, 5-1008.9, 5-1008.10, 5-1008.11,
65-1008.12, 5-1008.13, 5-1008.14, 5-1008.15, 5-1008.16, and
75-1008.17 as follows:
 
8    (55 ILCS 5/5-1008.6 new)
9    Sec. 5-1008.6. Small county amusement tax.
10    The corporate authorities of a county having a population
11of less than 35,000 may, by ordinance or resolution, impose a
12tax upon the patrons of amusements that take place within the
13county and may require the owner of the amusement to collect
14the tax and to collect information regarding the number of
15attendees at an amusement within a reasonable margin. The tax
16may not exceed 6.5% of the admission fee or other charge paid
17for the privilege of entering, witnessing, or viewing the
18amusement. The county may impose an attendance threshold for
19the application of any tax or may apply the tax uniformly for
20all amusements within the county. Additionally, not-for-profit
21charitable organizations or religious, educational, or
22government entities may be exempt from the tax.
23    For the purposes of this Section, "amusement" means any

 

 

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1exhibition, performance, presentation, or show for
2entertainment or gathering purposes, including, but not
3limited to, any theatrical, dramatic, musical, or spectacular
4performance, motorcycle rally, promotional show, concert,
5motion picture show, flower, poultry or animal show, animal
6act, circus, rodeo, athletic contest, sport, game, or similar
7exhibition, such as boxing, wrestling, skating, dancing,
8swimming, riding on animals or vehicles, baseball, basketball,
9softball, soccer, football, tennis, golf, hockey, track and
10field games, bowling, and billiard and pool games. For purposes
11of this Section, the term "amusement" shall not include
12raffles, as defined in the Raffles Act, inter-track wagering,
13as defined in the Illinois Horse Racing Act of 1975, or
14automatic amusement devices such as jukeboxes, marble
15machines, pinball machines, video games, movie or video booths
16or stands, or similar games, operations, or transactions.
17    For the purposes of this Section, "owner" means (i) any
18person who has an ownership or leasehold interest in a
19building, structure, vehicle, boat, campground, area, or other
20place where an amusement is held and who presents, conducts, or
21operates an amusement in that place, or who allows, by
22agreement or otherwise, another person to present, conduct, or
23operate an amusement in that place, and (ii) any person who has
24a proprietary interest in the amusement that entitles the
25person to all or a portion of the proceeds, after payment of
26reasonable expenses, from the operation, conduct, or

 

 

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1presentation of the amusement, excluding proceeds from
2non-amusement services and from sales of tangible personal
3property.
4    Nothing in this Section shall be construed to authorize the
5county to impose a tax upon the privilege of engaging in any
6business that, under the Constitution of the United States, may
7not be made the subject of taxation by the State.
 
8    (55 ILCS 5/5-1008.7 new)
9    Sec. 5-1008.7. Order levying execution of amusement tax. It
10shall be the duty of the clerk of the corporate authorities
11described in Section 5-1008.6 to make out and deliver a copy of
12the order levying execution of a tax imposed under Section
135-1008.6 to the sheriff of the county. The copy, duly
14certified, shall have the force and effect of an execution
15against the property exhibited or persons or owners, as defined
16under Section 5-1008.6, exhibiting the amusement. The sheriff
17shall be liable on his official bond for any default or neglect
18in collecting the tax.
 
19    (55 ILCS 5/5-1008.8 new)
20    Sec. 5-1008.8. Proceeds to go into county treasury general
21fund. The money collected from the tax imposed by Section
225-1008.6 shall be paid into the county treasury and shall go to
23and form a part of the general fund of the county. The
24treasurer of the county to whom the money is paid shall give

 

 

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1the sheriff who pays it duplicate receipts, one of which shall
2be deposited with the clerk of the county commission, and shall
3discharge the sheriff. The funds shall be used for the benefit
4of the county, but in particular the funds shall first be
5directed to costs arising from the amusement, including but not
6limited to extra law enforcement costs, court costs for
7prosecutions related to the amusement, and public health,
8safety, and welfare.
 
9    (55 ILCS 5/5-1008.9 new)
10    Sec. 5-1008.9. Penalty for delinquent payment of amusement
11tax. Any person, association, owner, company, corporation or
12co-partnership of persons who fails to pay a tax imposed in
13accordance with Section 5-1008.6 shall, on conviction thereof,
14be adjudged guilty of a Class B misdemeanor, and punished by a
15fine not less than $100, by imprisonment in the county jail for
16a term not less than 10 days nor more than 6 months, or by both
17the fine and the term of imprisonment.
 
18    (55 ILCS 5/5-1008.10 new)
19    Sec. 5-1008.10. Amusement mass gathering license required.
20    Except as provided in Section 5-1008.11, any person,
21association, corporation, or co-partnership of persons that is
22an owner of an amusement and intends to hold a mass gathering
23shall apply for and obtain a license from the county where the
24amusement, as defined under Section 5-1008.6, is to be held

 

 

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1prior to holding any mass gathering. A "mass gathering" means
2an amusement that is:
3        (1) held outside the limits of a municipality;
4        (2) that attracts or is expected to attract:
5            (i) more than 1,000 persons; or
6            (ii) more than 500 persons, if 51% or more of those
7        persons may reasonably be expected to be younger than
8        21 years of age and it is planned or may reasonably be
9        expected that alcoholic beverages will be sold,
10        served, or consumed at or around the gathering; and
11        (3) at which the persons will remain:
12            (i) for more than 5 continuous hours; or
13            (ii) for any amount of time during the period
14        beginning at 10 p.m. and ending at 4 a.m.
 
15    (55 ILCS 5/5-1008.11 new)
16    Sec. 5-1008.11. Amusement license required; exception. No
17person shall operate, maintain, conduct, advertise, or sell or
18furnish tickets for a mass gathering in any county in this
19State unless he first obtains a license from that county to
20operate, maintain, or conduct the mass gathering in accordance
21with Section 5-1008.10. This provision shall not apply to home
22rule counties or counties having populations exceeding 35,000.
 
23    (55 ILCS 5/5-1008.12 new)
24    Sec. 5-1008.12. Application for license; fee; contents of

 

 

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1application.
2    Application for a license to operate, maintain or conduct a
3mass gathering shall be made in writing to the county clerk at
4least 60 days prior to the time indicated for the commencement
5of the planned mass gathering and shall be accompanied by a
6nonrefundable application fee established by the governing
7body of the county but not more than $500. The application, at
8the discretion of the governing body of the county, shall
9contain the following information:
10        (1) the name, age, residence, and mailing address of
11    the person making the application. If the application is
12    made by a partnership, the names and addresses of the
13    partners must appear. Where the applicant is a corporation,
14    the application must be signed by the president, vice
15    president, and secretary of the corporation and must
16    contain their addresses, and a certified copy of the
17    articles of incorporation shall be submitted with the
18    application;
19        (2) proof of financial worth of the individuals or
20    corporation. The proof of indemnity against injury or loss
21    to persons or property and the amount and form of the
22    indemnity shall be prescribed by the governing body of the
23    county;
24        (3) a written statement of the kind, character, or type
25    of mass gathering that the applicant proposes to operate,
26    maintain, or conduct;

 

 

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1        (4) the address or legal description of the place where
2    the proposed mass gathering is to be operated, maintained,
3    or conducted. Additionally, the applicant must submit
4    proof of ownership of the place where the mass gathering is
5    to be operated, maintained, or conducted, or a statement
6    signed by the owner of the premises indicating his consent
7    that the site be used for the proposed mass gathering;
8        (5) the dates and hours during which the mass gathering
9    is to be operated, maintained, or conducted;
10        (6) an estimate of the number of customers, spectators,
11    participants, and other persons expected to attend the
12    amusement or gathering for each day it is operated,
13    maintained, or conducted;
14        (7) the name and address of anyone contributing,
15    investing, or having a financial interest greater than $500
16    in producing the mass gathering;
17        (8) a detailed written explanation of the applicant's
18    plans to provide security and fire protection, water supply
19    and facilities, food supply and facilities, sanitation
20    facilities, medical facilities and services, vehicle
21    parking space, vehicle access and onsite traffic control,
22    and, if it is proposed or expected that spectators or
23    participants will remain at night or overnight, the
24    arrangements for illuminating the premises and for camping
25    or similar facilities. The applicant's plans shall include
26    what provisions shall be made for numbers of spectators in

 

 

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1    excess of the estimate, and what provisions shall be made
2    for cleanup of the premises and removal of rubbish after
3    the festival has concluded; and
4        (9) a plot plan showing arrangement of the facilities
5    including those for parking, egress, and ingress.
 
6    (55 ILCS 5/5-1008.13 new)
7    Sec. 5-1008.13. Public hearing on contents of application.
8Upon receipt of a complete application and the application fee,
9the county clerk shall set the application for public hearing
10at a regular meeting of the governing body of the county, not
11less than 15 days nor more than 45 days thereafter, and shall
12give not less than 10 days' written notice thereof to the
13applicant. The clerk shall promptly give notice of the hearing
14and copies of the application to the department of public
15safety, sheriff, the division of health, and the fire marshal,
16who shall each investigate the application and report in
17writing to the governing body of the county not later than the
18hearing, with appropriate recommendations related to their
19official functions as to granting a license and the conditions
20for granting a license. In the event that the county does not
21have one or more of the listed governmental departments, then
22the governing body of the county shall designate suitable
23entities, private or public, or county divisions or employees
24to investigate the application in accordance with this Section.
 

 

 

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1    (55 ILCS 5/5-1008.14 new)
2    Sec. 5-1008.14. Issue of license. Based upon the testimony
3of the witnesses and evidence presented at the hearing,
4including the report of the officials specified in Section
55-1008.13, the governing body of the county shall grant the
6license, deny the license, or set conditions which must be met,
7or security given that they will be met, before a license may
8be granted. If conditions are imposed by the governing body,
9the applicant shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the
10county clerk proof that all conditions have been met before the
11license may be issued by the county clerk.
 
12    (55 ILCS 5/5-1008.15 new)
13    Sec. 5-1008.15. Grounds for denial of license.
14    After holding the required public hearing, in addition to
15the requirements and conditions set forth in sections 5-1008.10
16through 5-1008.14, the governing body of the county may deny
17issuance of a license if it finds any of the following:
18        (1) that the proposed mass gathering will be conducted
19    in a manner or on a location not meeting the health,
20    zoning, fire, or building and safety standards established
21    by applicable city or county ordinances or State laws;
22        (2) that the applicant has knowingly made a false,
23    misleading, or fraudulent statement of material fact in the
24    application for license, or in any other document required
25    pursuant to Sections 5-1008.10 through 5-1008.14;

 

 

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1        (3) that the applicant, his employee, agent, or any
2    person connected or associated with the applicant as
3    partner, director, officer, stockholder owning more than
4    10% interest in the corporation, associate, or manager has
5    previously conducted the type of mass gathering being
6    applied for, and that the previous mass gathering resulted
7    in the creation of a public or private nuisance, including
8    a nuisance that endangered public health and safety; or
9        (4) that the applicant, his employee, agent, or any
10    person connected or associated with the applicant as
11    partner, director, officer, stockholder owning more than
12    10% interest in the corporation, associate, or manager has
13    been convicted in a court of competent jurisdiction, by
14    final judgment, of a felony.
 
15    (55 ILCS 5/5-1008.16 new)
16    Sec. 5-1008.16. Penalty for violation. Any person who
17violates the provisions of Sections 5-1008.10 through
185-1008.15 is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor. Any violation of
19Sections 5-1008.10 through 5-1008.15 shall be grounds for an
20injunction against the mass gathering, as applied for by either
21the State of Illinois or the county.
 
22    (55 ILCS 5/5-1008.17 new)
23    Sec. 5-1008.17. Reasonable conditions authorized; notice
24of conditions. At the hearing required by Section 5-1008.13,

 

 

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1the governing body of the county or municipality may establish
2reasonable conditions that are necessary to protect the health,
3safety, or property of local residents and persons attending
4the mass gathering that must be met prior to the issuance of
5any license under Sections 5-1008.10 through 5-1008.15. The
6governing body may take a matter under submission before
7determining which conditions shall be imposed. When the
8governing body takes a matter under submission, written notice
9of any conditions imposed as prerequisite to the issuance of a
10license shall be mailed to the applicant within 15 days after
11the original hearing.