State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

   [ Search ]   [ Legislation ]   [ Bill Summary ]
[ Home ]   [ Back ]   [ Bottom ]


[ Introduced ][ Engrossed ][ House Amendment 001 ]
[ Senate Amendment 001 ]

90_SB0599enr

      30 ILCS 105/5.449 new
      815 ILCS 505/7            from Ch. 121 1/2, par. 267
          Amends the State Finance Act and the Consumer  Fraud  and
      Deceptive  Business Practices Act.  Provides that if a person
      engages in an unlawful practice under the Consumer Fraud  and
      Deceptive  Business  Practices Act and the victim is at least
      65 years of age, the court may  impose  an  additional  civil
      penalty not to exceed $5,000 for each violation.  Creates the
      Elderly Victim Fund in the State treasury administered by the
      Attorney  General.  Provides that moneys in the Fund shall be
      used for the investigation and prosecution of frauds  against
      persons  at least 65 years of age.  Provides that an award of
      restitution has priority over the additional civil penalty.
                                                     LRB9002834RCks
SB599 Enrolled                                 LRB9002834RCks
 1        AN ACT in relation to consumer fraud.
 2        Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
 3    represented in the General Assembly:
 4        Section  5.  The  State  Finance Act is amended by adding
 5    Sections 5.449 and 5.450 as follows:
 6        (30 ILCS 105/5.449 new)
 7        Sec. 5.449.  The Elderly Victim Fund.
 8        (30 ILCS 105/5.450 new)
 9        Sec.  5.450.  The  Attorney  General  Court  Ordered  and
10    Voluntary Compliance Payment Projects Fund.
11        Section 10.  The Consumer Fraud  and  Deceptive  Business
12    Practices Act is amended by changing Section 7 as follows:
13        (815 ILCS 505/7) (from Ch. 121 1/2, par. 267)
14        Sec.   7.  Injunctive   relief;  restitution;  and  civil
15    penalties.
16        (a)  Whenever the Attorney General or a State's  Attorney
17    has  reason to believe that any person is using, has used, or
18    is about to use any method, act or practice declared by  this
19    Act  to  be  unlawful,  and  that proceedings would be in the
20    public interest, he or she may bring an action in the name of
21    the People of the State against such person  to  restrain  by
22    preliminary  or  permanent injunction the use of such method,
23    act or practice.  The Court, in its discretion, may  exercise
24    all   powers   necessary,   including  but  not  limited  to:
25    injunction;  revocation,  forfeiture  or  suspension  of  any
26    license, charter, franchise, certificate or other evidence of
27    authority of  any  person  to  do  business  in  this  State;
28    appointment   of   a   receiver;   dissolution   of  domestic
SB599 Enrolled             -2-                 LRB9002834RCks
 1    corporations or association suspension or termination of  the
 2    right  of foreign corporations or associations to do business
 3    in this State; and restitution.
 4        (b)  In addition to the  remedies  provided  herein,  the
 5    Attorney  General  or  State's  Attorney  may request and the
 6    Court may impose a civil penalty  in  a  sum  not  to  exceed
 7    $50,000 against any person found by the Court to have engaged
 8    in  any  method, act or practice declared unlawful under this
 9    Act.  In the  event  the  court  finds  the  method,  act  or
10    practice  to  have  been  entered  into  with  the  intent to
11    defraud, the court  has  the  authority  to  impose  a  civil
12    penalty in a sum not to exceed $50,000 per violation.
13        (c)  In  addition  to any other civil penalty provided in
14    this Section, if a person is  found  by  the  court  to  have
15    engaged  in  any  method,  act, or practice declared unlawful
16    under this Act, and the violation  was  committed  against  a
17    person  65  years  of  age  or older, the court may impose an
18    additional civil penalty  not  to  exceed  $10,000  for  each
19    violation.
20        A  civil  penalty imposed under this subsection (c) shall
21    be paid to the State treasurer who shall deposit the money in
22    the State treasury in a special fund designated  the  Elderly
23    Victim  Fund.   Fifty  percent of all moneys deposited in the
24    Fund shall be appropriated to the Attorney  General  for  the
25    investigation  and  prosecution  of frauds against persons 65
26    years of age or older and 50% of all moneys in the Fund shall
27    be appropriated  to  the  Attorney  General  to  develop  and
28    implement  State-wide education initiatives to inform persons
29    65 years of age  or  older,  law  enforcement  agencies,  the
30    judicial   system,  social  service  professionals,  and  the
31    general public about prevention of  consumer  crimes  against
32    persons 65 years of age or older, and about the provisions of
33    this  Section,  the penalties for violations of this Section,
34    and the remedies available for victims of those violations.
SB599 Enrolled             -3-                 LRB9002834RCks
 1        An award of restitution under subsection (a) has priority
 2    over  a  civil  penalty  imposed  by  the  court  under  this
 3    subsection.
 4        In determining whether to impose a  civil  penalty  under
 5    this  subsection  and  the  amount  of any penalty, the court
 6    shall consider the following:
 7             (1)  Whether the defendant's conduct was in  willful
 8        disregard  of the rights of the person 65 years of age or
 9        older.
10             (2)  Whether the defendant knew or should have known
11        that the defendant's conduct was directed to a person  65
12        years of age or older.
13             (3)  Whether the person 65 years of age or older was
14        substantially  more vulnerable to the defendant's conduct
15        because  of  age,  poor   health,   infirmity,   impaired
16        understanding,  restricted  mobility, or disability, than
17        other persons.
18             (4)  Any other factors the court deems appropriate.
19        (d)  This Section applies if: (i) a court orders a  party
20    to make payments to the Attorney General and the payments are
21    to  be  used for the operations of the Office of the Attorney
22    General or (ii) a party agrees, in an Assurance of  Voluntary
23    Compliance  under  this Act, to make payments to the Attorney
24    General for the operations of  the  Office  of  the  Attorney
25    General.
26        (e)  Moneys paid under any of the conditions described in
27    subsection  (d)  shall be deposited into the Attorney General
28    Court Ordered and Voluntary Compliance Payment Projects Fund,
29    which is created as a special fund  in  the  State  Treasury.
30    Moneys  in  the Fund shall be used, subject to appropriation,
31    for  the  performance  of  any  function  pertaining  to  the
32    exercise of the duties of the Attorney General including  but
33    not  limited  to  enforcement  of  any  law of this State and
34    conducting public education programs; however, any moneys  in
SB599 Enrolled             -4-                 LRB9002834RCks
 1    the Fund that are required by the court or by an agreement to
 2    be  used  for  a  particular  purpose  shall be used for that
 3    purpose.
 4    (Source: P.A. 85-1209.)

[ Top ]