235 ILCS 5/ Liquor Control Act of 1934.

(235 ILCS 5/7-6) (from Ch. 43, par. 150)

Sec. 7-6. All proceedings for the revocation or suspension of licenses of manufacturers, distributors, importing distributors, non-resident dealers, foreign importers, non-beverage users, railroads, airplanes and boats shall be before the State Commission. All such proceedings and all proceedings for the revocation or suspension of a retailer's license before the State commission shall be in accordance with rules and regulations established by it not inconsistent with law. However, no such license shall be so revoked or suspended except after a hearing by the State commission with reasonable notice to the licensee served by registered or certified mail with return receipt requested at least 10 days prior to the hearings at the last known place of business of the licensee and after an opportunity to appear and defend. Such notice shall specify the time and place of the hearing, the nature of the charges, the specific provisions of the Act and rules violated, and the specific facts supporting the charges or violation. The findings of the Commission shall be predicated upon competent evidence. The revocation of a local license shall automatically result in the revocation of a State license. Upon notification by the Illinois Department of Revenue, the State Commission, in accordance with Section 3-12, may refuse the issuance or renewal of a license, fine a licensee, or suspend or revoke any license issued by the State Commission if the licensee or license applicant has violated the provisions of Section 3 of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. All procedures for the suspension or revocation of a license, as enumerated above, are applicable to the levying of fines for violations of this Act or any rule or regulation issued pursuant thereto.

(Source: P.A. 95-331, eff. 8-21-07.)

(235 ILCS 5/7-7) (from Ch. 43, par. 151)

Sec. 7-7. Any five residents of the city, village or county shall have the right to file a complaint with the local commission stating that any retailer licensee, subject to the jurisdiction of the local commission, has been or is violating the provisions of this Act or the rules or regulations issued pursuant hereto. Such complaint shall be in writing in the form prescribed by the local commission and shall be signed and sworn to by the parties complaining. The complaint shall state the particular provision, rule or regulation believed to have been violated and the facts in detail upon which belief is based. If the local commission is satisfied that the complaint substantially charges a violation and that from the facts alleged there is reasonable cause for such belief, it shall set the matter for hearing and shall serve notice upon the licensee of the time and place of such hearing and of the particular charge in the complaint.

(Source: P.A. 82-783.)

(235 ILCS 5/7-8) (from Ch. 43, par. 152)

Sec. 7-8. For each city, village or incorporated town having a population of 500,000 or more inhabitants, there is established a license appeal commission consisting of the chairman of the Illinois Liquor Control Commission, the most senior member of the Illinois Liquor Control Commission who is not of the same political party as the chairman, and one person who is a resident of the particular city, village or incorporated town selected by the council or president and board of trustees, as the case may be, who shall serve for a term of 4 years and until his successor is selected and takes office. Neither the mayor, president of the board of trustees, nor any member of the council or board of trustees shall be eligible for membership on a license appeal commission. Each of the 2 members of the Illinois Liquor Control Commission shall receive a $200 per diem for their work on the license appeal commission, and the other member shall receive an annual salary which shall be paid by the particular city, village or incorporated town. The secretary of the Illinois Liquor Control Commission shall be ex-officio the secretary for each license appeal commission.

(Source: P.A. 91-798, eff. 7-9-00; 91-922, eff. 7-7-00.)

(235 ILCS 5/7-9) (from Ch. 43, par. 153)

Sec. 7-9. Except as provided in this Section, any order or action of a local liquor control commissioner levying a fine or refusing to levy a fine on a licensee, granting or refusing to grant a license, revoking or suspending or refusing to revoke or suspend a license or refusing for more than 30 days to grant a hearing upon a complaint to revoke or suspend a license may, within 20 days after notice of such order or action, be appealed by any resident of the political subdivision under the jurisdiction of the local liquor control commissioner or any person interested, to the State Commission.

In any case where a licensee appeals to the State Commission from an order or action of the local liquor control commission having the effect of suspending or revoking a license, denying a renewal application, or refusing to grant a license, the licensee shall resume the operation of the licensed business pending the decision of the State Commission and the expiration of the time allowed for an application for rehearing. If an application for rehearing is filed, the licensee shall continue the operation of the licensed business until the denial of the application or, if the rehearing is granted, until the decision on rehearing.

In any case in which a licensee appeals to the State Commission a suspension or revocation by a local liquor control commissioner that is the second or subsequent such suspension or revocation placed on that licensee within the preceding 12 month period, the licensee shall consider the suspension or revocation to be in effect until a reversal of the local liquor control commissioner's action has been issued by the State Commission and shall cease all activity otherwise authorized by the license. The State Commission shall expedite, to the greatest extent possible, its consideration of any appeal that is an appeal of a second or subsequent suspension or revocation within the past 12 month period.

The appeal shall be limited to a review of the official record of the proceedings of such local liquor control commissioner if the county board, city council or board of trustees, as the case may be, has adopted a resolution requiring that such review be on the record. If such resolution is adopted, a certified official record of the proceedings taken and prepared by a certified court reporter or certified shorthand reporter shall be filed by the local liquor control commissioner within 5 days after notice of the filing of such appeal, if the appellant licensee pays for the cost of the transcript. The State Commission shall review the propriety of the order or action of the local liquor control commissioner and shall consider the following questions:

(a) whether the local liquor control commissioner has proceeded in the manner provided by law;

(b) whether the order is supported by the findings;

(c) whether the findings are supported by substantial evidence in the light of the whole record.

The only evidence which may be considered in the review, shall be the evidence found in the certified official record of the proceedings of the local liquor control commissioner. No new or additional evidence shall be admitted or considered. The State Commission shall render a decision affirming, reversing or modifying the order or action reviewed within 30 days after the appeal was heard.

In the event such appeal is from an order of a local liquor control commissioner of a city, village or incorporated town of 500,000 or more inhabitants, granting or refusing to grant a license or refusing for more than 30 days to grant a hearing upon a complaint to revoke or suspend a license, the matter of the propriety of such order or action shall be tried de novo by the license appeal commission as expeditiously as circumstances permit.

In the event such appeal is from an order or action of a local liquor control commissioner of a city, village or incorporated town of 500,000 or more inhabitants, imposing a fine or refusing to impose a fine on a licensee, revoking or suspending or refusing to revoke or suspend a license, the license appeal commission shall determine the appeal by a review of the official record of the proceedings of such local liquor control commissioner. A certified record of the proceedings shall be promptly filed with the license appeal commission by such local liquor control commissioner after notice of the filing of such appeal if the appellant licensee pays for the cost of the transcript and promptly delivers the transcript to the local liquor control commission or its attorney. The review by the license appeal commission shall be limited to the questions:

(a) whether the local liquor control commissioner has proceeded in the manner provided by law;

(b) whether the order is supported by the findings;

(c) whether the findings are supported by substantial evidence in the light of the whole record.

No new or additional evidence in support of or in opposition to such order or action under appeal shall be received other than that contained in such record of the proceedings. Within 30 days after such appeal was heard, the license appeal commission shall render its decision in accordance with the provisions of Section 7-5.

In cities, villages and incorporated towns having a population of 500,000 or more inhabitants, appeals from any order or action shall lie to the license appeal commission of such city, village or incorporated town. All of the provisions of this Section and Section 7-10 relative to proceedings upon appeals before the State Commission and relative to appeals from the decisions of the State Commission shall apply also to proceedings upon appeals before any license appeal commission and appeals from the decisions of license appeal commission.

In any trial de novo hearing before the State Commission or license appeal commission, the local liquor control commissioner shall be entitled to 10 days notice and to be heard. All such trial de novo hearings shall be open to the public and the Illinois Liquor Control Commission and the license appeal commission shall reduce all evidence offered thereto to writing.

If after trial de novo hearing or review as provided herein, the State Commission or the license appeal commission (as the case may be) shall decide that the license has been improperly issued, denied, revoked, suspended or refused to be revoked or suspended or a hearing to revoke or suspend has been improperly refused or that the licensee has been improperly fined or not fined, it shall enter an order in conformity with such findings, which order shall be in writing.

A certified copy of the order shall be transmitted to the particular local liquor control commissioner and it shall be the duty of the local liquor control commissioner to take such action as may be necessary to conform with the order.

In any trial de novo hearing before the State Commission or the license appeal commission, the licensee shall submit to examination and produce books and records material to the business conducted under the license in like manner as before the local liquor control commissioner, and the failure of the licensee to submit to such an examination or to produce such books and records, or to appear at the hearing on such appeal, shall constitute an admission that he has violated the provisions of this Act. In the event the appeal is from an order of the local liquor control commissioner denying a renewal application, the licensee shall have on deposit with the local liquor control commissioner an amount sufficient to cover the license fee for the renewal period and any bond that may be required.

(Source: P.A. 88-613, eff. 1-1-95.)

(235 ILCS 5/7-10) (from Ch. 43, par. 154)

Sec. 7-10. A copy of the rule, regulation, order or decision of the State commission or the license appeal commission, in any proceeding before it, certified under the seal of said commission, shall be served upon each party of record to the proceeding before the commission and service upon any attorney of record for any such party shall be deemed service upon such party. Each party appearing before said commission shall enter his appearance and indicate to the commission his address for the service of a copy of any rule, regulation, order, decision or notice and the mailing of a copy of any rule, regulation or order of said commission or of any notice by said commission, in said proceeding, to said party at such address shall be deemed service thereof upon such party.

Within 20 days after the service of any rule, regulation, order or decision of said commission upon any party to the proceeding, such party may apply for a rehearing in respect to any matters determined by said commission. If a rehearing is granted, the commission shall hold the rehearing and render a decision within 20 days from the filing of the application for rehearing with the secretary of the commission. The time for holding such rehearing and rendering a decision may be extended for a period not to exceed 30 days, for good cause shown, and by notice in writing to all parties of interest. No action for the judicial review of any decision of said commission shall be allowed unless the party commencing such action has first filed an application for a rehearing and the commission has acted upon said application. Only one rehearing may be granted by the commission on application of any one party.

(Source: P.A. 82-783.)

(235 ILCS 5/7-11) (from Ch. 43, par. 154a)

Sec. 7-11. Judicial review. All final administrative decisions of the State Commission under this Act shall be subject to judicial review pursuant to the provisions of the Administrative Review Law and the rules adopted pursuant thereto. Judicial review may be requested by any party in interest, including but not limited to the local liquor control commissioner. The term "administrative decision" is defined as in Section 3-101 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

(Source: P.A. 86-1279.)

(235 ILCS 5/7-12) (from Ch. 43, par. 155)

Sec. 7-12. Whenever any licensee shall have been convicted by any court of a wilful violation of any of the provisions of this Act, he shall, in addition to the penalties for such offense, incur a forfeiture of his state and local license and all moneys that have been paid therefor; the local commission shall thereupon revoke his license or the State commission shall revoke his license as the case may be.

(Source: P.A. 82-783.)