103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
HB4295

 

Introduced 1/16/2024, by Rep. Sonya M. Harper

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
50 ILCS 722/13 new
230 ILCS 40/15

    Amends the Missing Persons Identification Act. Defines "Ebony Alert" as a notification system designed to issue and coordinate alerts with respect to Black youth, including young women and girls, who are reported missing under unexplained or suspicious circumstances, who are reported missing and are at risk, who are reported missing and are developmentally disabled or cognitively impaired, or who have been abducted. Provides for procedures for law enforcement agencies to request activation of an Ebony Alert by the Illinois State Police if the law enforcement agency determines that an Ebony Alert would be an effective tool in the investigation of missing or abducted Black youth, including listing factors for the agency to consider. Allows use of a changeable message sign under specified circumstances. Provides that radio, television, cable, satellite, and social media systems are encouraged, but not required, to cooperate with disseminating the Ebony Alert or the information contained in an Ebony Alert. Amends the Video Gaming Act. Provides that the Illinois Gaming Board, in its discretion, may require video gaming terminals to display Amber Alert and Ebony Alert (rather than only Amber Alert) messages if the Board makes a finding that it would be economically and technically feasible and pose no risk to the integrity and security of the central communications system and video gaming terminals.


LRB103 35653 AWJ 65728 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB4295LRB103 35653 AWJ 65728 b

1    AN ACT concerning government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Missing Persons Identification Act is
5amended by adding Section 13 as follows:
 
6    (50 ILCS 722/13 new)
7    Sec. 13. Ebony Alerts.
8    (a) As used in this Section, "Ebony Alert" means a
9notification system, activated under subsection (b), designed
10to issue and coordinate alerts with respect to Black youth,
11including young women and girls, who are reported missing
12under unexplained or suspicious circumstances, who are
13reported missing and are at risk, who are reported missing and
14are developmentally disabled or cognitively impaired, or who
15have been abducted.
16    (b) If a person is reported missing or abducted to a law
17enforcement agency and that agency determines that factors
18considered under subsection (f) justify an Ebony Alert, the
19law enforcement agency may request the Illinois State Police
20to activate an Ebony Alert in a system created and maintained
21by the Illinois State Police. If the Director of the Illinois
22State Police, or an individual or division designated by the
23Director, concurs that the factors considered under subsection

 

 

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1(f) justify an Ebony Alert, the Illinois State Police may
2activate an Ebony Alert within the appropriate geographical
3area requested by the investigating law enforcement agency.
4    (c) Radio, television, cable, satellite, and social media
5systems are encouraged, but not required, to cooperate with
6disseminating the Ebony Alert or the information contained in
7an Ebony Alert.
8    (d) Upon activation of an Ebony Alert, the Illinois State
9Police may assist the investigating law enforcement agency by
10issuing other alerts, an electronic flyer, or changeable
11message signs in compliance with subsection (e).
12    (e) Upon activation of an Ebony Alert, the Illinois State
13Police may use a changeable message sign if both of the
14following conditions are met:
15        (1) a law enforcement agency determines that a vehicle
16    may be involved in the missing person incident; and
17        (2) specific identifying information about the vehicle
18    is available for public dissemination.
19    (f) A law enforcement agency may request that an Ebony
20Alert be activated if that agency determines that an Ebony
21Alert would be an effective tool in the investigation of
22missing or abducted Black youth, including young women or
23girls. The law enforcement agency may consider the following
24factors to make that determination:
25        (1) The missing person is age 12 to 25 years of age.
26        (2) The missing person suffers from a mental or

 

 

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1    physical disability.
2        (3) The person is missing under circumstances that
3    indicate any of the following:
4            (A) The missing person's physical safety may be
5        endangered. The missing person's physical safety is
6        presumed to be endangered, unless there is evidence to
7        the contrary, if the person is 18 or under.
8            (B) The missing person may be subject to
9        trafficking.
10        (4) The person has gone missing under unexplained or
11    suspicious circumstances.
12        (5) The person is in danger because of age, health,
13    mental or physical disability, or environment or weather
14    conditions, that the person is in the company of a
15    potentially dangerous person, or that there are other
16    factors indicating that the person may be in peril.
17        (6) If the investigating law enforcement agency has
18    utilized available local resources.
19        (7) If there is information available that, if
20    disseminated to the public, could assist in the safe
21    recovery of the missing person.
 
22    Section 10. The Video Gaming Act is amended by changing
23Section 15 as follows:
 
24    (230 ILCS 40/15)

 

 

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1    Sec. 15. Minimum requirements for licensing and
2registration. Every video gaming terminal offered for play
3shall first be tested and approved pursuant to the rules of the
4Board, and each video gaming terminal offered in this State
5for play shall conform to an approved model. For the
6examination of video gaming machines and associated equipment
7as required by this Section, the Board shall utilize the
8services of independent outside testing laboratories that have
9been accredited in accordance with ISO/IEC 17025 by an
10accreditation body that is a signatory to the International
11Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation Mutual Recognition
12Agreement signifying they are qualified to perform such
13examinations. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the
14Board shall consider the licensing of independent outside
15testing laboratory applicants in accordance with procedures
16established by the Board by rule. The Board shall not withhold
17its approval of an independent outside testing laboratory
18license applicant that has been accredited as required by this
19Section and is licensed in gaming jurisdictions comparable to
20Illinois. Upon the finalization of required rules, the Board
21shall license independent testing laboratories and accept the
22test reports of any licensed testing laboratory of the video
23gaming machine's or associated equipment manufacturer's
24choice, notwithstanding the existence of contracts between the
25Board and any independent testing laboratory. Every video
26gaming terminal offered in this State for play must meet

 

 

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1minimum standards approved by the Board. Each approved model
2shall, at a minimum, meet the following criteria:
3        (1) It must conform to all requirements of federal law
4    and regulations, including FCC Class A Emissions
5    Standards.
6        (2) It must theoretically pay out a mathematically
7    demonstrable percentage during the expected lifetime of
8    the machine of all amounts played, which must not be less
9    than 80%. The Board shall establish a maximum payout
10    percentage for approved models by rule. Video gaming
11    terminals that may be affected by skill must meet this
12    standard when using a method of play that will provide the
13    greatest return to the player over a period of continuous
14    play.
15        (3) It must use a random selection process to
16    determine the outcome of each play of a game. The random
17    selection process must meet 99% confidence limits using a
18    standard chi-squared test for (randomness) goodness of
19    fit.
20        (4) It must display an accurate representation of the
21    game outcome.
22        (5) It must not automatically alter pay tables or any
23    function of the video gaming terminal based on internal
24    computation of hold percentage or have any means of
25    manipulation that affects the random selection process or
26    probabilities of winning a game.

 

 

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1        (6) It must not be adversely affected by static
2    discharge or other electromagnetic interference.
3        (7) It must be capable of detecting and displaying the
4    following conditions during idle states or on demand:
5    power reset; door open; and door just closed.
6        (8) It must have the capacity to display complete play
7    history (outcome, intermediate play steps, credits
8    available, bets placed, credits paid, and credits cashed
9    out) for the most recent game played and 10 games prior
10    thereto.
11        (9) The theoretical payback percentage of a video
12    gaming terminal must not be capable of being changed
13    without making a hardware or software change in the video
14    gaming terminal, either on site or via the central
15    communications system.
16        (10) Video gaming terminals must be designed so that
17    replacement of parts or modules required for normal
18    maintenance does not necessitate replacement of the
19    electromechanical meters.
20        (11) It must have nonresettable meters housed in a
21    locked area of the terminal that keep a permanent record
22    of all cash inserted into the machine, all winnings made
23    by the terminal printer, credits played in for video
24    gaming terminals, and credits won by video gaming players.
25    The video gaming terminal must provide the means for
26    on-demand display of stored information as determined by

 

 

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1    the Board.
2        (12) Electronically stored meter information required
3    by this Section must be preserved for a minimum of 180 days
4    after a power loss to the service.
5        (13) It must have one or more mechanisms that accept
6    cash in the form of bills. The mechanisms shall be
7    designed to prevent obtaining credits without paying by
8    stringing, slamming, drilling, or other means. If such
9    attempts at physical tampering are made, the video gaming
10    terminal shall suspend itself from operating until reset.
11        (14) It shall have accounting software that keeps an
12    electronic record which includes, but is not limited to,
13    the following: total cash inserted into the video gaming
14    terminal; the value of winning tickets claimed by players;
15    the total credits played; the total credits awarded by a
16    video gaming terminal; and pay back percentage credited to
17    players of each video game.
18        (15) It shall be linked by a central communications
19    system to provide auditing program information as approved
20    by the Board. The central communications system shall use
21    a standard industry protocol, as defined by the Gaming
22    Standards Association, and shall have the functionality to
23    enable the Board or its designee to activate or deactivate
24    individual gaming devices from the central communications
25    system. In no event may the communications system approved
26    by the Board limit participation to only one manufacturer

 

 

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1    of video gaming terminals by either the cost in
2    implementing the necessary program modifications to
3    communicate or the inability to communicate with the
4    central communications system.
5        (16) The Board, in its discretion, may require video
6    gaming terminals to display Amber Alert or Ebony Alert
7    messages if the Board makes a finding that it would be
8    economically and technically feasible and pose no risk to
9    the integrity and security of the central communications
10    system and video gaming terminals.
11    Licensed terminal handlers shall have access to video
12gaming terminals, including, but not limited to, logic door
13access, without the physical presence or supervision of the
14Board or its agent to perform, in coordination with and with
15project approval from the central communication system
16provider:
17        (i) the clearing of the random access memory and
18    reprogramming of the video gaming terminal;
19        (ii) the installation of new video gaming terminal
20    software and software upgrades that have been approved by
21    the Board;
22        (iii) the placement, connection to the central
23    communication system, and go-live operation of video
24    gaming terminals at a licensed establishment, licensed
25    truck stop establishment, licensed large truck stop
26    establishment, licensed fraternal establishment, or

 

 

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1    licensed veterans establishment;
2        (iv) the repair and maintenance of a video gaming
3    terminal located at a licensed establishment, licensed
4    truck stop establishment, licensed large truck stop
5    establishment, licensed fraternal establishment, or
6    licensed veterans establishment, including, but not
7    limited to, the replacement of the video gaming terminal
8    with a new video gaming terminal;
9        (v) the temporary movement, disconnection,
10    replacement, and reconnection of video gaming terminals to
11    allow for physical improvements and repairs at a licensed
12    establishment, licensed truck stop establishment, licensed
13    large truck stop establishment, licensed fraternal
14    establishment, or licensed veterans establishment, such as
15    replacement of flooring, interior repairs, and other
16    similar activities; and
17        (vi) such other functions as the Board may otherwise
18    authorize.
19    The Board shall, at a licensed terminal operator's
20expense, cause all keys and other required devices to be
21provided to a terminal operator necessary to allow the
22licensed terminal handler access to the logic door to the
23terminal operator's video gaming terminals.
24    The Board may adopt rules to establish additional criteria
25to preserve the integrity and security of video gaming in this
26State. The central communications system vendor may be

 

 

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1licensed as a video gaming terminal manufacturer or a video
2gaming terminal distributor, or both, but in no event shall
3the central communications system vendor be licensed as a
4video gaming terminal operator.
5    The Board shall not permit the development of information
6or the use by any licensee of gaming device or individual game
7performance data. Nothing in this Act shall inhibit or
8prohibit the Board from the use of gaming device or individual
9game performance data in its regulatory duties. The Board
10shall adopt rules to ensure that all licensees are treated and
11all licensees act in a non-discriminatory manner and develop
12processes and penalties to enforce those rules.
13(Source: P.A. 101-31, eff. 6-28-19.)