215 ILCS 5/403A

(215 ILCS 5/403A) (from Ch. 73, par. 1015A)

Sec. 403A. Violations; Notice of Apparent Liability; Limitation of Forfeiture Liability.

(1) Any company or person, agent or broker, officer or director and any other person subject to this Code and as may be defined in Section 2 of this Code, who willfully or repeatedly fails to observe or who otherwise violates any of the provisions of this Code or any rule or regulation promulgated by the Director under authority of this Code or any final order of the Director entered under the authority of this Code shall by civil penalty forfeit to the State of Illinois a sum not to exceed $2,000. Each day during which a violation occurs constitutes a separate offense. The civil penalty provided for in this Section shall apply only to those Sections of this Code or administrative regulations thereunder that do not otherwise provide for a monetary civil penalty.

(2) No forfeiture liability under paragraph (1) of this Section may attach unless a written notice of apparent liability has been issued by the Director and received by the respondent, or the Director sends written notice of apparent liability by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, to the last known address of the respondent. Any respondent so notified must be granted an opportunity to request a hearing within 10 days from receipt of notice, or to show in writing, why he should not be held liable. A notice issued under this Section must set forth the date, facts and nature of the act or omission with which the respondent is charged and must specifically identify the particular provision of the Code, rule, regulation or order of which a violation is charged.

(3) No forfeiture liability under paragraph (1) of this Section may attach for any violation occurring more than 2 years prior to the date of issuance of the notice of apparent liability and in no event may the total civil penalty forfeiture imposed for the acts or omissions set forth in any one notice of apparent liability exceed $500,000.

(4) The civil penalty forfeitures provided for in this Section are payable to the General Revenue Fund of the State of Illinois, and may be recovered in a civil suit in the name of the State of Illinois brought in the Circuit Court in Sangamon County, or in the Circuit Court of the county where the respondent is domiciled or has its principal operating office.

(5) In any case where the Director issues a notice of apparent liability looking toward the imposition of a civil penalty forfeiture under this Section, that fact may not be used in any other proceeding before the Director to the prejudice of the respondent to whom the notice was issued, unless (a) the civil penalty forfeiture has been paid, or (b) a court has ordered payment of the civil penalty forfeiture and that order has become final.

(Source: P.A. 93-32, eff. 7-1-03.)