430 ILCS 140/30

(430 ILCS 140/30)

Sec. 30. Enforcement and penalties.

(a) The Attorney General is responsible for administering and ensuring compliance with this Act, including the development and adoption of any rules, if necessary, for the implementation and enforcement of this Act.

(b) The Attorney General shall develop and implement a process for receiving and handling complaints from individuals regarding possible violations of this Act.

(c) The Attorney General may conduct any investigation deemed necessary regarding possible violations of this Act including, without limitation, the issuance of subpoenas to: (i) require the filing of a statement or report or answer interrogatories in writing as to all information relevant to the alleged violations; (ii) examine under oath any person who possesses knowledge or information directly related to the alleged violations; and (iii) examine any record, book, document, account, or paper necessary to investigate the alleged violation.

(d) Service by the Attorney General of any notice requiring a person to file a statement or report, or of a subpoena upon any person, shall be made:

(1) personally by delivery of a duly executed copy thereof to the person to be served or, if a person is not a natural person, in the manner provided in the Code of Civil Procedure when a complaint is filed; or

(2) by mailing by certified mail a duly executed copy thereof to the person to be served at his or her last known abode or principal place of business within this State.

(e) If the Attorney General determines that there is a reason to believe that a violation of the Act has occurred, then the Attorney General may bring an action in the name of the People of the State to obtain temporary, preliminary, or permanent injunctive relief for any act, policy, or practice that violates this Act.

(f) If any person fails or refuses to file any statement or report, or obey any subpoena, issued pursuant to subsection (c) of this Section, then the Attorney General may proceed to initiate a civil action pursuant to subsection (e) of this Section, or file a complaint in the circuit court for the granting of injunctive relief, including restraining the conduct that is alleged to violate this Act until the person files the statement or report, or obeys the subpoena.

(g) Relief that may be granted.

(1) In any civil action brought pursuant to subsection (e) of this Section, the Attorney General may obtain as a remedy, equitable relief (including any permanent or preliminary injunction, temporary restraining order, or other order, including an order enjoining the defendant from engaging in a violation or ordering any action as may be appropriate). In addition, the Attorney General may request and the Court may impose a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed $50,000 for each violation. For purposes of this subsection, each item and each standard constitutes a separate violation.

(2) A civil penalty imposed or a settlement or other payment made pursuant to this Act shall be made payable to the Attorney General's State Projects and Court Ordered Distribution Fund, which is created as a special fund in the State Treasury. This paragraph shall constitute a continuing appropriation of the amounts received by this Fund from any source. Moneys in the Fund shall be used for the performance of any function pertaining to the exercise of the duties of the Attorney General.

(3) Any funds collected under this Section in an action in which the State's Attorney has prevailed shall be retained by the county in which he or she serves.

(h) The penalties and injunctions provided in this Act are in addition to any penalties, injunctions, or other relief provided under any other law. Nothing in this Act shall bar a cause of action by the State for any other penalty, injunction, or relief provided by any other law.

(Source: P.A. 102-16, eff. 6-17-21.)