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Full Text of HB0264  93rd General Assembly

HB0264 93rd General Assembly


093_HB0264

 
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 1        AN ACT to create the Agriculture Producer Protection Act.

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

 4        Section  1.  Short  title.  This  Act may be cited as the
 5    Agriculture Producer Protection Act.

 6        Section 5. Definitions. As used in this Act,  unless  the
 7    context otherwise requires:
 8        "Capital  investment"  means  a  purchase  of  any of the
 9    following:
10             (1)  A  structure  associated   with   producing   a
11        commodity,   including,  but  not  limited  to,  a  swine
12        farrowing building, a grain storage facility, or a manure
13        storage lagoon.
14             (2)  Machinery   or   equipment   associated    with
15        producing  a commodity, if the machinery or equipment has
16        a useful life in excess of one year.
17        "Commodity" means livestock, raw milk, or a crop.
18        "Contractor" means a person who enters into a  production
19    contract  with  a producer for the production by the producer
20    of commodities in this State.
21        "Crop" means a plant used for food, animal  feed,  fiber,
22    oil, pharmaceuticals, nutriceuticals, or seed, including, but
23    not  limited  to,  alfalfa,  barley,  buckwheat,  corn, flax,
24    forage, millet,  oats,  popcorn,  rye,  sorghum,  sunflowers,
25    tobacco, wheat, and grasses used for forage or silage.
26        "Department" means the Department of Agriculture.
27        "Director" means the Director of Agriculture.
28        "Investment  requirement"  means  any  capital investment
29    made by a producer to produce a commodity in accordance  with
30    a  production  contract that the producer has executed if (i)
31    the production contract specifically  requires  that  capital
 
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 1    investment  or  (ii)  the  producer reasonably concludes that
 2    investment is either necessary or important in  enabling  the
 3    producer to efficiently and effectively produce the commodity
 4    required under the production contract.
 5        "Livestock"  means  beef  cattle,  dairy cattle, poultry,
 6    sheep, or swine.
 7    "Produce" means to do any of the following:
 8             (1)  Provide feed or services relating to  the  care
 9        and  feeding  of  livestock.  If  the  livestock is dairy
10        cattle, then "produce" includes milking the dairy  cattle
11        and storing raw milk.
12             (2)  Provide  for  planting, raising, harvesting, or
13        storing a crop. "Produce" includes preparing the soil for
14        planting  and  nurturing  the  crop  by  application   of
15        fertilizers   or   soil   conditioners,  including  those
16        substances regulated under the Illinois Fertilizer Act of
17        1961 or pesticides as defined in the  Illinois  Pesticide
18        Act.
19        "Producer"   means  a  person  who  has  entered  into  a
20    production contract whereby that person produces a  commodity
21    for  a  contractor.  "Producer"  does  not  mean a commercial
22    fertilizer  applicator  or  pesticide  applicator,   a   feed
23    supplier, or a veterinarian when acting in that capacity.
24        "Production  contract"  means  (1) an agreement between a
25    producer and a contractor in which (i) the producer agrees to
26    produce and  sell  to  the  contractor  or  the  contractor's
27    designee  an identified commodity or commodities and (ii) the
28    contractor has or exercises some control  or  direction  over
29    the  production  process;  or  (2)  an  agreement  between  a
30    producer  and  a  contractor  in which the producer agrees to
31    care for and raise a commodity or commodities  that  are  not
32    owned  by  the producer, using land, equipment, or facilities
33    owned or leased by the producer, in exchange for payment. For
34    purposes of this definition, "control or direction  over  the
 
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 1    production  process"  includes,  but  is  not limited to, the
 2    contractor's     designation     of     special     commodity
 3    characteristics, such as oil  content  for  corn  or  special
 4    genetics  for  livestock;  the  contractor's designation of a
 5    seed variety or varieties to be used by  the  producer  under
 6    the  contract;  or  the contractor's right, or that of his or
 7    her designee,  to  review,  check,  sample,  or  analyze  the
 8    commodity during the production process.

 9        Section  10. Written production contracts. All production
10    contracts must be in writing.

11        Section 15. Summary of material terms and conditions.
12        (a)  Summary sheet. A production contract  entered  into,
13    amended, or renewed after the effective date of this Act must
14    contain as the first page, or as the first page of text if it
15    is  preceded  by  a  title  page or pages, a summary sheet as
16    provided in this Section. The summary sheet  shall  have  the
17    following   heading:   "SUMMARY   OF   MATERIAL   TERMS   AND
18    CONDITIONS".  It shall list the material terms and conditions
19    of the production contract; provide a summary explanation  of
20    each  material  term  and  condition;  include  an example or
21    examples for those provisions relating to the calculation  of
22    the  amounts to be received by the producer for the commodity
23    produced under the production  contract;  and  designate  the
24    page  or  pages where these material terms and conditions are
25    found within the text of the  document.  This  summary  shall
26    meet  the  readability requirements of this Section and shall
27    accurately reflect the text of the production contract.
28        In  this  Section,  "material   terms   and   conditions"
29    includes, but is not limited to:
30             (1)  the type of commodity to be produced;
31             (2)  the   particular   quality  characteristics  or
32        specifications  for  the  commodity   to   be   produced,
 
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 1        including,  but  not limited to, the type of genetics for
 2        livestock or percentage of non-GMO content for grain;
 3             (3)  the quantity or acreage of the commodity to  be
 4        produced;
 5             (4)  any special production or handling requirements
 6        for the commodity, including, but not limited to, disease
 7        protocols  for  livestock  and  segregation  or  identity
 8        preservation for grain;
 9             (5)  the   time   or   times  for  delivery  of  the
10        commodity;
11             (6)  the delivery locations for the commodity;
12             (7)  provisions for the calculation of the price  or
13        other  compensation  to be received by the producer under
14        the production contract;
15             (8)  the circumstances under which the amount to  be
16        received   by   the   producer  might  be  discounted  or
17        increased;
18             (9)  the circumstances  under  which  the  commodity
19        produced  under the production contract might be rejected
20        by the contractor;
21             (10)  the  duration  of  the  production   contract,
22        including any renewal provisions; and
23             (11)  any  cancellation  or termination clauses, and
24        specific causes for cancellation and termination.
25        (b)  Readability. A production contract must (i) be in  a
26    typeface  at  least  as  large  as 10-point modern, one-point
27    leaded;  (ii)  be  divided  and  captioned  by  its   various
28    sections;  (iii)  be  written in clear and coherent language;
29    (iv) use words and  grammar  that  are  understandable  by  a
30    person  of  average  intelligence,  education, and experience
31    within the industry; and (v) use clear definitions.
32        (c)  Review by Director of Agriculture.
33             (1)  Process of review. A contractor  may  submit  a
34        production   contract  to  the  Director  for  review  to
 
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 1        determine whether it  complies  with  this  Section.  The
 2        Director shall do one of the following:
 3                  (A)  certify   that   the  production  contract
 4             complies with this Section;
 5                  (B)  decline to  certify  that  the  production
 6             contract   complies   with  this  Section  and  note
 7             objections;
 8                  (C)  decline to review the production  contract
 9             because  the contract's compliance with this Section
10             is subject to pending litigation; or
11                  (D)  decline to review the production  contract
12             because it is not subject to this Section.
13             (2)  Factors to consider in determining readability.
14        In  determining whether a production contract is readable
15        within the meaning of subsection (b), the Director  shall
16        consider   the  provisions  of  subsection  (b)  and  the
17        following:
18                  (A)  the simplicity of the sentence structure;
19                  (B) the  extent  to  which  commonly  used  and
20             understood words and terms are employed;
21                  (C)  the  extent  to which esoteric legal terms
22             are avoided, although the Director shall permit  the
23             use  of  particular  words,  phrases, provisions, or
24             forms   of    agreement    specifically    required,
25             recommended,  or  endorsed  by  a  state  or federal
26             statute, rule, regulation, or case law;
27                  (D)  the extent to which  references  to  other
28             sections or provisions are minimized;
29                  (E)  the  extent  to  which  clear  and  easily
30             understood definitions are used; and
31                  (F)  any   additional  factors  deemed  by  the
32             Director  to  be  relevant  to  the  readability  or
33             understandability of the production contract.
34             (3)  Actions of the Director under this Section  are
 
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 1        subject  to  judicial  review under the provisions of the
 2        Administrative Review Law.
 3             (4)  Limited effect of certification.  A  production
 4        contract  certified  under  this  subsection is deemed to
 5        comply with subsections (a) and (b). Certification  of  a
 6        production   contract  under  this  subsection  does  not
 7        constitute approval of the production contract's legality
 8        or legal effect. If the Director certifies  a  production
 9        contract,  then  the  contractor  will have complied with
10        subsections (a) and  (b),  and  the  remedies  stated  in
11        paragraph  (6) are not available. If, during the first 90
12        days after the effective date of this Act,  the  Director
13        receives  a  production  contract  and  fails  to respond
14        within 60 days after receipt, then  the  contractor  will
15        have  complied  with  subsections  (a)  and  (b), and the
16        remedies stated in subsection (6) are not available.  If,
17        after  the first 90 days after the effective date of this
18        Act, the Director  receives  a  production  contract  and
19        fails  to  respond within 30 days after receipt, then the
20        contractor will have complied with  subsections  (a)  and
21        (b),  and  the  remedies  stated in paragraph (6) are not
22        available.
23             (5)  Review  not  required.  Failure  to  submit   a
24        production contract to the Director for review under this
25        subsection  does not show a lack of good faith or raise a
26        presumption that the production  contract  violates  this
27        Section.
28             (6)  Reformation by court.
29                  (A)  Change  terms. In addition to the remedies
30             provided  in  Section  45,  a  court   reviewing   a
31             production  contract  may  change  the  terms of the
32             production contract or limit a provision to avoid an
33             unfair  result  if  the  court  finds  all  of   the
34             following:
 
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 1                       (i)  a    material    provision   of   the
 2                  production contract violates subsection (a)  or
 3                  (b);
 4                       (ii)  the violation caused the producer to
 5                  be  substantially  confused  about  any  of the
 6                  rights,  obligations,  or   remedies   of   the
 7                  production contract; and
 8                       (iii)  the  violation  has  caused  or  is
 9                  likely  to  cause  financial  detriment  to the
10                  producer.
11                  (B)  Avoid  unjust  enrichment.  If  the  court
12             reforms  or  limits  a  provision  of  a  production
13             contract, the court shall also make orders necessary
14             to avoid unjust enrichment.  Bringing  a  claim  for
15             relief  under  this  paragraph  does  not  entitle a
16             producer to withhold  performance  of  an  otherwise
17             valid  contractual  obligation.  No  relief  may  be
18             granted  under  this  paragraph  unless the claim is
19             brought before the  obligations  of  the  production
20             contract have been fully performed by all parties to
21             the production contract.
22             (7)  Limits  on  producer  actions.  A  producer may
23        recover actual damages caused  by  a  violation  of  this
24        Section  only if the violation caused the producer to not
25        fully understand the rights, obligations, or remedies  of
26        the production contract.
27             (8)  Statute   of   limitations.   A  claim  that  a
28        production contract violates this Section must be  raised
29        within 4 years after the date on which the party alleging
30        the  violation knew or should have known of the existence
31        of the violation.

32        Section 20. Limitation on application of  confidentiality
33    provisions.   After  the  effective  date  of  this  Act,  no
 
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 1    confidentiality provision  of  a  production  contract  shall
 2    prohibit,  or  be  construed  or  interpreted  to prohibit, a
 3    producer from discussing any and all terms and details  of  a
 4    production   contract  with  the  producer's  legal  advisor,
 5    lender,  accountant,  financial  advisor,  business  advisor,
 6    immediate family members, or actual or anticipated production
 7    association colleagues.  This  Section  does  not  require  a
 8    party  to a production contract to divulge information in the
 9    production contract to another person.

10        Section 25. Investment requirements.
11        (a)  Applicability.   This   Section   applies   to   all
12    production contracts that have investment  requirements.  The
13    value  of  the  capital investments shall be deemed to be the
14    total dollar amount spent or committed to by the producer  in
15    satisfying the investment requirements.
16        (b)  Breach.  Except  as provided in subsection (c), if a
17    producer  materially  breaches  a  production   contract,   a
18    contractor   may  not  terminate  or  cancel  the  production
19    contract until the following have occurred:
20             (1) The contractor has provided a written notice  of
21        termination or cancellation to the producer that has been
22        received  by  the  producer  at  least 15 days before the
23        effective date of the termination  or  cancellation;  the
24        notice must provide a comprehensive listing of the causes
25        for the material breach.
26             (2)  The producer has failed to remedy each cause of
27        the breach, as alleged in the  listing  provided  in  the
28        notice,  within  15 days following receipt of the notice.
29        An effort by a producer to remedy a cause of  an  alleged
30        breach shall not be construed as an admission of a breach
31        in a civil cause of action.
32        (c)  Exceptions.  A  contractor may terminate or cancel a
33    production contract  without  regard  to  the  provisions  of
 
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 1    subsection   (b)   if   the  basis  for  the  termination  or
 2    cancellation is either of the following:
 3             (1)  A  voluntary  abandonment  of  the  contractual
 4        relationship by the producer. A  complete  failure  of  a
 5        producer's  performance under a production contract shall
 6        be deemed to be abandonment.
 7             (2) The conviction of a producer of  an  offense  of
 8        fraud or theft committed against the contractor.
 9        (d)  Penalty.  If  a  contractor  terminates or cancels a
10    production contract other than as provided in  this  Section,
11    the  contractor  shall  pay  the  producer  the  value of the
12    remaining useful life of the capital investments, taking into
13    account the producer's ability to use the capital investments
14    in  the    producer's  other  business  enterprises  and  the
15    opportunity to recoup the cost of the capital investments  by
16    selling  or  leasing  them, plus any other damages allowed by
17    law.

18        Section 30. Unfair practices.
19        (a)  Definitions. As used in this Section:
20             (1)  "Contract  input"  means  a  commodity  or   an
21        organic  or  synthetic substance or compound that is used
22        to produce a commodity, including but not limited to  any
23        of the following:
24                  (A)  Livestock or plants.
25                  (B)  Agricultural seeds.
26                  (C)  Semen or eggs for breeding livestock.
27                  (D)  Fertilizer,   pesticides,   or   petroleum
28             products.
29             (2)  "Producer  right"  means  one  of the following
30        legal rights and protections:
31                  (A)  Right to join association. The right of  a
32             producer  to  join  or belong to, or to refrain from
33             joining  or  belonging   to,   an   association   of
 
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 1             producers.
 2                  (B)  Right to contract. The right of a producer
 3             to  enter  into  a membership agreement or marketing
 4             contract  with  an  association  of   producers,   a
 5             processor,  or another producer and the right of the
 6             producer to exercise contractual rights under such a
 7             membership agreement or marketing contract.
 8                  (C)  Right to be a whistleblower. The right  of
 9             a   producer   to  lawfully  provide  statements  or
10             information,  including   to   the   United   States
11             Secretary  of  Agriculture  or  to a law enforcement
12             agency,  regarding  alleged  improper   actions   or
13             violations of law by a contractor or processor. This
14             right  does not include the right to make statements
15             or  provide  information  if   the   statements   or
16             information   are   determined  to  be  libelous  or
17             slanderous.
18                  (D)  Right to disclose contractual  terms.  The
19             right  of  a  producer  to  disclose  the  terms  of
20             agricultural contracts under Section 20.
21                  (E)  Right  to  exercise other protections. The
22             right of a producer  to  enforce  other  protections
23             afforded by this Act or other laws or regulations.
24        (b)  Unfair  practices.  It  shall  be  unlawful  for any
25    contractor to knowingly do or permit any employee or agent to
26    do  any  of  the  following  in  connection  with  production
27    contracts:
28             (1)  Retaliation.  To  take   actions   to   coerce,
29        intimidate,    disadvantage,    retaliate   against,   or
30        discriminate against any producer  because  the  producer
31        exercises,  or  attempts to exercise, any producer right,
32        or to diminish or deny a reward,  or  impose  a  penalty,
33        without a reasonable basis for doing so.
34             (2)  False information. To provide false information
 
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 1        to  the  producer,  which  may  include false information
 2        relating to any of the following:
 3                  (A)  A  producer   with   whom   the   producer
 4             associates  or  an  association  of  producers or an
 5             agricultural organization with which the producer is
 6             affiliated, including but not  limited  to  (i)  the
 7             character  of  the producer or (ii) the condition of
 8             the finances or the management of the association of
 9             producers or agricultural organization.
10                  (B)  Producer rights provided by  this  Act  or
11             other provisions of law.
12             (3)  Compensation  information. To refuse to provide
13        to a producer in a timely manner the statistical data and
14        other data used to determine  compensation  paid  to  the
15        producer  under a production contract, including, but not
16        limited to, feed conversion  rates,  feed  analyses,  and
17        origination and breeder history.
18             (4)  Observation  of  weighing. To refuse to allow a
19        producer or the producer's designated  representative  to
20        observe,  at  the  time  of  weighing,  the  weights  and
21        measures  used  to  determine the producer's compensation
22        under a production contract.
23             (5)  Additional capital investments.  To  require  a
24        producer  to  make  new or additional capital investments
25        that  are  beyond  the  investment  requirements   of   a
26        production contract.
27             (6)  Disclosure   of   risks   and  readability.  To
28        provide, offer,  or  execute  a  production  contract  in
29        violation   of  the  disclosure  of  material  terms  and
30        conditions and readability requirements of Section 15.
31             (7)  Confidentiality provisions. To provide,  offer,
32        or   execute   a  production  contract  that  includes  a
33        confidentiality provision in violation of Section 20.
34             (8)  Waivers.  To  provide,  offer,  or  execute   a
 
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 1        production   contract  that  includes  a  waiver  of  any
 2        producer right or  any  obligation  of  a  contractor  or
 3        processor established under this Act.
 4             (9)  Forum.   To   execute   a  production  contract
 5        requiring a cause of action to be brought in  a  location
 6        other  than  the  state in which the commodity subject to
 7        the production contract is grown or produced.
 8             (10)  Limitation on damages. To provide,  offer,  or
 9        execute  a  production  contract  that  contains language
10        limiting the producer's damages in the event of a  breach
11        or  other  failure  to perform the production contract by
12        the contractor.
13             (11)  Contract inputs. To provide, offer, or execute
14        a production contract in which  the  contractor  requires
15        the  use  of certain contract inputs but also attempts to
16        limit its liability for a failure of the contract  inputs
17        to  perform  in accordance with the producer's reasonable
18        expectations.
19             (12)  Use of certain undefined  terms.  To  provide,
20        offer,  or  execute  a  production  contract requiring or
21        suggesting  that  the  producer  "segregate",   "identity
22        preserve",   or   "channel"   the   commodity,  or  using
23        variations  or  derivatives  of  these   terms,   without
24        providing  definitions  of  these  terms  and  guidelines
25        describing    how    producers   should   satisfy   these
26        requirements.
27             (13)  Alter the quality, quantity, or delivery times
28        of contract inputs provided to the producer.

29        Section 35. Waivers unenforceable.  Any  provision  of  a
30    production  contract  that  waives  a  producer  right  or an
31    obligation of a contractor established by this  Act  is  void
32    and   unenforceable.  This  Section  does  not  affect  other
33    provisions of a production contract or  a  related  document,
 
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 1    policy,  or  agreement  that  can be given effect without the
 2    voided provision.

 3        Section  40.  Choice  of  law;  forum.   Any   condition,
 4    stipulation,  or  provision  requiring the application of the
 5    law of a state other than the State of Illinois, or requiring
 6    a cause of action to be brought in a  state  other  than  the
 7    State of Illinois, is void and unenforceable.

 8        Section 45. Penalties and enforcement.
 9        (a)  Civil  penalties.  A contractor committing an unfair
10    practice under Section 30 is subject to a civil penalty of up
11    to $1000 per violation per day.
12        (b)  Criminal  penalties.  A  contractor  committing   an
13    unfair  practice  under  Section  30  is  guilty of a Class C
14    misdemeanor.
15        (c)  Private cause of  action.  A  producer  who  suffers
16    damages  because  of a contractor's violation of this Act may
17    bring a private  civil  action  against  the  contractor  and
18    obtain  appropriate  legal  and  equitable  relief, including
19    damages.
20             (1)  Attorneys fees. In a civil action  against  the
21        contractor, the court shall award any producer who is the
22        prevailing  party  reasonable  attorney  fees  and  other
23        litigation expenses.
24             (2)  Injunctive   relief.   In   order   to   obtain
25        injunctive relief, the producer is not required to post a
26        bond,  prove the absence of an adequate remedy at law, or
27        show the existence of special circumstances,  unless  the
28        court  for  good  cause  otherwise  orders. The court may
29        order any form of prohibitory or mandatory relief that is
30        appropriate under principles of equity, including but not
31        limited to issuing a temporary or  permanent  restraining
32        order.
 
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 1        (d)  Enforcement   by   Attorney  General.  The  Attorney
 2    General's office is  the  agency  primarily  responsible  for
 3    enforcing  this Act. In enforcing the provisions of this Act,
 4    the Attorney General may do all of the following:
 5             (1)  Injunctions. Apply to the circuit court for  an
 6        injunction to do any of the following:
 7                  (A)  Restrain  a  contractor  from  engaging in
 8             conduct or practices in violation of this Act.
 9                  (B)  Require a  contractor  to  comply  with  a
10             provision of this Act.
11             (2)  Subpoenas.  Apply  to the circuit court for the
12        issuance of a subpoena to obtain a production contract or
13        material related to actions undertaken in  entering  into
14        the  production  contract  or  related to the intent with
15        which those actions were taken, for purposes of enforcing
16        this Act.
17             (3)  Penalties. Bring an action in the circuit court
18        to enforce penalties provided in subsections (a) and (b).

19        Section 50. Rulemaking. The  Director  must  adopt  rules
20    necessary  to  implement  this  Act not later than January 1,
21    2004.

22        Section 55. Applicability.
23        (a)  General Rule. Except as provided in subsection  (b),
24    this Act applies to production contracts in force on or after
25    the  effective  date  of this Act, regardless of the date the
26    production contract is executed.
27        (b)  Exceptions. Section 15, relating  to  disclosure  of
28    material  terms  and  conditions,  Section  25,  relating  to
29    production  contracts  involving investment requirements, and
30    Section 40, relating to choice of law and forum, shall  apply
31    to  production  contracts  executed  or substantively amended
32    after the effective date of this Act.
 
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 1        Section 90.  The Freedom of Information Act is amended by
 2    changing Section 7 as follows:

 3        (5 ILCS 140/7) (from Ch. 116, par. 207)
 4        Sec. 7.  Exemptions.
 5        (1)  The following shall be exempt  from  inspection  and
 6    copying:
 7             (a)  Information    specifically   prohibited   from
 8        disclosure  by  federal  or  State  law  or   rules   and
 9        regulations adopted under federal or State law.
10             (b)  Information    that,    if   disclosed,   would
11        constitute a clearly  unwarranted  invasion  of  personal
12        privacy, unless the disclosure is consented to in writing
13        by  the  individual  subjects  of  the  information.  The
14        disclosure of information that bears on the public duties
15        of public employees and officials shall not be considered
16        an invasion of personal  privacy.   Information  exempted
17        under  this  subsection  (b)  shall  include  but  is not
18        limited to:
19                  (i)  files and personal information  maintained
20             with   respect   to  clients,  patients,  residents,
21             students  or  other  individuals  receiving  social,
22             medical,   educational,    vocational,    financial,
23             supervisory  or  custodial care or services directly
24             or  indirectly  from  federal  agencies  or   public
25             bodies;
26                  (ii)  personnel  files and personal information
27             maintained with respect to employees, appointees  or
28             elected  officials  of any public body or applicants
29             for those positions;
30                  (iii)  files    and    personal     information
31             maintained with respect to any applicant, registrant
32             or  licensee  by any public body cooperating with or
33             engaged    in    professional    or     occupational
 
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 1             registration, licensure or discipline;
 2                  (iv)  information  required  of any taxpayer in
 3             connection with the assessment or collection of  any
 4             tax unless disclosure is otherwise required by State
 5             statute; and
 6                  (v)  information   revealing  the  identity  of
 7             persons  who  file  complaints   with   or   provide
 8             information  to  administrative,  investigative, law
 9             enforcement or penal  agencies;  provided,  however,
10             that   identification   of   witnesses   to  traffic
11             accidents,  traffic  accident  reports,  and  rescue
12             reports  may  be  provided  by  agencies  of   local
13             government,  except  in  a case for which a criminal
14             investigation is  ongoing,  without  constituting  a
15             clearly  unwarranted   per  se  invasion of personal
16             privacy under this subsection.
17             (c)  Records  compiled  by  any  public   body   for
18        administrative   enforcement   proceedings  and  any  law
19        enforcement or correctional agency  for  law  enforcement
20        purposes  or  for  internal matters of a public body, but
21        only to the extent that disclosure would:
22                  (i)  interfere with  pending  or  actually  and
23             reasonably  contemplated law enforcement proceedings
24             conducted by any  law  enforcement  or  correctional
25             agency;
26                  (ii)  interfere   with  pending  administrative
27             enforcement  proceedings  conducted  by  any  public
28             body;
29                  (iii)  deprive a person of a fair trial  or  an
30             impartial hearing;
31                  (iv)  unavoidably  disclose  the  identity of a
32             confidential  source  or  confidential   information
33             furnished only by the confidential source;
34                  (v)  disclose     unique     or     specialized
 
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 1             investigative  techniques other than those generally
 2             used and known or  disclose  internal  documents  of
 3             correctional    agencies   related   to   detection,
 4             observation or investigation of incidents  of  crime
 5             or misconduct;
 6                  (vi)  constitute   an   invasion   of  personal
 7             privacy under subsection (b) of this Section;
 8                  (vii)  endanger the life or physical safety  of
 9             law enforcement personnel or any other person; or
10                  (viii)  obstruct     an     ongoing    criminal
11             investigation.
12             (d)  Criminal history record information  maintained
13        by  State  or local criminal justice agencies, except the
14        following which shall be open for public  inspection  and
15        copying:
16                  (i)  chronologically      maintained     arrest
17             information, such  as  traditional  arrest  logs  or
18             blotters;
19                  (ii)  the  name of a person in the custody of a
20             law enforcement agency and  the  charges  for  which
21             that person is being held;
22                  (iii)  court records that are public;
23                  (iv)  records   that  are  otherwise  available
24             under State or local law; or
25                  (v)  records in which the requesting  party  is
26             the  individual identified, except as provided under
27             part (vii) of paragraph (c)  of  subsection  (1)  of
28             this Section.
29             "Criminal  history  record  information"  means data
30        identifiable  to  an   individual   and   consisting   of
31        descriptions   or   notations   of  arrests,  detentions,
32        indictments, informations, pre-trial proceedings, trials,
33        or other formal events in the criminal justice system  or
34        descriptions  or notations of criminal charges (including
 
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 1        criminal violations of local  municipal  ordinances)  and
 2        the   nature   of   any  disposition  arising  therefrom,
 3        including sentencing, court or correctional  supervision,
 4        rehabilitation  and  release.  The term does not apply to
 5        statistical records and reports in which individuals  are
 6        not  identified  and  from which their identities are not
 7        ascertainable, or to information  that  is  for  criminal
 8        investigative or intelligence purposes.
 9             (e)  Records  that  relate to or affect the security
10        of correctional institutions and detention facilities.
11             (f)  Preliminary  drafts,  notes,   recommendations,
12        memoranda   and  other  records  in  which  opinions  are
13        expressed, or policies or actions are formulated,  except
14        that  a  specific  record or relevant portion of a record
15        shall not be exempt when the record is publicly cited and
16        identified by the head of the public body. The  exemption
17        provided  in  this  paragraph  (f)  extends  to all those
18        records of officers and agencies of the General  Assembly
19        that pertain to the preparation of legislative documents.
20             (g)  Trade   secrets  and  commercial  or  financial
21        information obtained from a person or business where  the
22        trade  secrets or information are proprietary, privileged
23        or confidential, or where disclosure of the trade secrets
24        or information may cause competitive harm, including  all
25        information  determined  to be confidential under Section
26        4002 of the Technology Advancement and  Development  Act.
27        Nothing   contained   in  this  paragraph  (g)  shall  be
28        construed to prevent a person or business from consenting
29        to disclosure.
30             (h)  Proposals and bids for any contract, grant,  or
31        agreement,   including   information  which  if  it  were
32        disclosed  would  frustrate  procurement   or   give   an
33        advantage  to  any  person  proposing  to  enter  into  a
34        contractor  agreement  with  the  body, until an award or
 
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 1        final selection is made.  Information prepared by or  for
 2        the  body  in  preparation of a bid solicitation shall be
 3        exempt until an award or final selection is made.
 4             (i)  Valuable formulae, computer geographic systems,
 5        designs, drawings and research data obtained or  produced
 6        by  any  public  body when disclosure could reasonably be
 7        expected to produce private gain or public loss.
 8             (j)  Test  questions,   scoring   keys   and   other
 9        examination   data   used   to   administer  an  academic
10        examination  or  determined  the  qualifications  of   an
11        applicant for a license or employment.
12             (k)  Architects'   plans  and  engineers'  technical
13        submissions for projects not constructed or developed  in
14        whole  or  in  part  with  public  funds and for projects
15        constructed or developed with public funds, to the extent
16        that disclosure would compromise security.
17             (l)  Library   circulation   and    order    records
18        identifying library users with specific materials.
19             (m)  Minutes  of meetings of public bodies closed to
20        the public as provided in the Open Meetings Act until the
21        public body makes the minutes  available  to  the  public
22        under Section 2.06 of the Open Meetings Act.
23             (n)  Communications  between  a  public  body and an
24        attorney or auditor representing  the  public  body  that
25        would  not  be  subject  to  discovery in litigation, and
26        materials prepared or compiled by or for a public body in
27        anticipation  of  a  criminal,  civil  or  administrative
28        proceeding upon the request of an attorney  advising  the
29        public  body,  and  materials  prepared  or compiled with
30        respect to internal audits of public bodies.
31             (o)  Information received by a primary or  secondary
32        school,  college  or  university under its procedures for
33        the evaluation  of  faculty  members  by  their  academic
34        peers.
 
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 1             (p)  Administrative    or    technical   information
 2        associated with  automated  data  processing  operations,
 3        including   but   not   limited  to  software,  operating
 4        protocols,  computer  program  abstracts,  file  layouts,
 5        source  listings,  object  modules,  load  modules,  user
 6        guides,  documentation  pertaining  to  all  logical  and
 7        physical  design  of   computerized   systems,   employee
 8        manuals,  and  any  other information that, if disclosed,
 9        would jeopardize the security of the system or  its  data
10        or the security of materials exempt under this Section.
11             (q)  Documents  or  materials relating to collective
12        negotiating  matters  between  public  bodies  and  their
13        employees  or  representatives,  except  that  any  final
14        contract or agreement shall be subject to inspection  and
15        copying.
16             (r)  Drafts,  notes,  recommendations  and memoranda
17        pertaining to the financing and marketing transactions of
18        the public body. The records of ownership,  registration,
19        transfer, and exchange of municipal debt obligations, and
20        of   persons  to  whom  payment  with  respect  to  these
21        obligations is made.
22             (s)  The records, documents and information relating
23        to  real  estate  purchase   negotiations   until   those
24        negotiations have been completed or otherwise terminated.
25        With regard to a parcel involved in a pending or actually
26        and  reasonably  contemplated  eminent  domain proceeding
27        under  Article  VII  of  the  Code  of  Civil  Procedure,
28        records,  documents  and  information  relating  to  that
29        parcel shall be exempt except as  may  be  allowed  under
30        discovery  rules  adopted  by the Illinois Supreme Court.
31        The records, documents and information relating to a real
32        estate sale shall be exempt until a sale is consummated.
33             (t)  Any and all proprietary information and records
34        related to the operation  of  an  intergovernmental  risk
 
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 1        management  association or self-insurance pool or jointly
 2        self-administered  health  and  accident  cooperative  or
 3        pool.
 4             (u)  Information    concerning    a     university's
 5        adjudication   of   student   or  employee  grievance  or
 6        disciplinary cases, to the extent that  disclosure  would
 7        reveal  the  identity  of  the  student  or  employee and
 8        information concerning any public body's adjudication  of
 9        student  or  employee  grievances  or disciplinary cases,
10        except for the final outcome of the cases.
11             (v)  Course materials or research materials used  by
12        faculty members.
13             (w)  Information  related  solely  to  the  internal
14        personnel rules and practices of a public body.
15             (x)  Information   contained   in   or   related  to
16        examination, operating, or condition reports prepared by,
17        on behalf of, or for the use of a public body responsible
18        for  the   regulation   or   supervision   of   financial
19        institutions or insurance companies, unless disclosure is
20        otherwise required by State law.
21             (y)  Information   the   disclosure   of   which  is
22        restricted under Section 5-108 of  the  Public  Utilities
23        Act.
24             (z)  Manuals  or instruction to staff that relate to
25        establishment or collection of liability  for  any  State
26        tax  or that relate to investigations by a public body to
27        determine violation of any criminal law.
28             (aa)  Applications, related documents,  and  medical
29        records    received    by    the    Experimental    Organ
30        Transplantation   Procedures   Board   and  any  and  all
31        documents or other records prepared by  the  Experimental
32        Organ  Transplantation  Procedures  Board  or  its  staff
33        relating to applications it has received.
34             (bb)  Insurance  or  self  insurance  (including any
 
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 1        intergovernmental risk  management  association  or  self
 2        insurance   pool)   claims,   loss   or  risk  management
 3        information, records, data, advice or communications.
 4             (cc)  Information and records held by the Department
 5        of  Public  Health  and  its  authorized  representatives
 6        relating  to  known  or  suspected  cases   of   sexually
 7        transmissible  disease  or any information the disclosure
 8        of  which  is  restricted  under  the  Illinois  Sexually
 9        Transmissible Disease Control Act.
10             (dd)  Information  the  disclosure   of   which   is
11        exempted under Section 30 of the Radon Industry Licensing
12        Act.
13             (ee)  Firm  performance evaluations under Section 55
14        of the Architectural,  Engineering,  and  Land  Surveying
15        Qualifications Based Selection Act.
16             (ff)  Security  portions  of  system  safety program
17        plans, investigation reports, surveys, schedules,  lists,
18        data,  or information compiled, collected, or prepared by
19        or  for  the  Regional  Transportation  Authority   under
20        Section 2.11 of the Regional Transportation Authority Act
21        or  the  St.  Clair  County  Transit  District  under the
22        Bi-State Transit Safety Act.
23             (gg)  Information  the  disclosure   of   which   is
24        restricted  and exempted under Section 50 of the Illinois
25        Prepaid Tuition Act.
26             (hh)  Information  the  disclosure   of   which   is
27        exempted under Section 80 of the State Gift Ban Act.
28             (ii)  Beginning July 1, 1999, information that would
29        disclose  or  might  lead  to the disclosure of secret or
30        confidential information, codes, algorithms, programs, or
31        private keys intended to be used to create electronic  or
32        digital signatures under the Electronic Commerce Security
33        Act.
34             (jj)  Information  contained  in  a  local emergency
 
                            -23-     LRB093 06232 BDD 06343 b
 1        energy plan submitted to  a  municipality  in  accordance
 2        with  a  local  emergency  energy  plan ordinance that is
 3        adopted under Section 11-21.5-5 of the Illinois Municipal
 4        Code.
 5             (kk)  Information   and    data    concerning    the
 6        distribution  of  surcharge moneys collected and remitted
 7        by  wireless  carriers  under  the   Wireless   Emergency
 8        Telephone Safety Act.
 9             (ll)  Production  contracts  submitted for review to
10        the Director of  Agriculture  under  Section  15  of  the
11        Agriculture Producer Protection Act.
12        (2)  This  Section  does  not  authorize  withholding  of
13    information  or  limit  the  availability  of  records to the
14    public,  except  as  stated  in  this  Section  or  otherwise
15    provided in this Act.
16    (Source: P.A. 91-137, eff.  7-16-99;  91-357,  eff.  7-29-99;
17    91-660,  eff.  12-22-99;  92-16,  eff.  6-28-01; 92-241, eff.
18    8-3-01; 92-281, eff. 8-7-01; 92-645,  eff.  7-11-02;  92-651,
19    eff. 7-11-02.)

20        Section 99.  Effective date.  This Section and Section 50
21    take  effect  upon  becoming  law.  The remainder of this Act
22    takes effect on January 1, 2004.