SB1787enr 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB1787 Enrolled LRB098 07430 HLH 37498 b

AN ACT concerning State government.

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

bSection 5. The Illinois Funeral or Burial Funds Act is amended by changing Section 3a as follows:

(225 ILCS 45/3a) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 73.103a)

Sec. 3a. Denial, suspension, or revocation of license.

(a) The Comptroller may refuse to issue or may suspend or revoke a license on any of the following grounds:

(1) The applicant or licensee has made any misrepresentations or false statements or concealed any material fact.

(2) The applicant or licensee is insolvent.

(3) The applicant or licensee has been engaged in business practices that work a fraud.

(4) The applicant or licensee has refused to give pertinent data to the Comptroller.

(5) The applicant or licensee has failed to satisfy any enforceable judgment or decree rendered by any court of competent jurisdiction against the applicant.

(6) The applicant or licensee has conducted or is about to conduct business in a fraudulent manner.

(7) The trust agreement is not in compliance with State or federal law.

(8) The fidelity bond is not satisfactory to the Comptroller.

(9) As to any individual required to be listed in the license application, the individual has conducted or is about to conduct any business on behalf of the applicant in a fraudulent manner; has been convicted of any felony or misdemeanor, an essential element of which is fraud; has had a judgment rendered against him or her based on fraud in any civil litigation; has failed to satisfy any enforceable judgment or decree rendered against him or her by any court of competent jurisdiction; or has been convicted of any felony or any theft-related offense.

(10) The applicant or licensee, including any member, officer, or director thereof if the applicant or licensee is a firm, partnership, association or corporation and any shareholder holding more than 10% of the corporate stock, has violated any provision of this Act or any regulation, decision, order, or finding made by the Comptroller under this Act.

(11) The Comptroller finds any fact or condition existing which, if it had existed at the time of the original application for such license, would have warranted the Comptroller in refusing the issuance of the license.

(12) If an applicant or licensee engages in a lockout, as defined in the Employment of Strikebreakers Act, and the Comptroller has reason to believe the lockout is negatively impacting the consumer.

(b) Before refusal to issue or renew and before suspension or revocation of a license, the Comptroller shall hold a hearing to determine whether the applicant or licensee, hereinafter referred to as the respondent, is entitled to hold such a license. At least 10 days prior to the date set for such hearing, the Comptroller shall notify the respondent in writing that on the date designated a hearing will be held to determine his eligibility for a license and that he may appear in person or by counsel. Such written notice may be served on the respondent personally, or by registered or certified mail sent to the respondent's business address as shown in his latest notification to the Comptroller. At the hearing, both the respondent and the complainant shall be accorded ample opportunity to present in person or by counsel such statements, testimony, evidence and argument as may be pertinent to the charges or to any defense thereto. The Comptroller may reasonably continue such hearing from time to time.

The Comptroller may subpoena any person or persons in this State and take testimony orally, by deposition or by exhibit, in the same manner and with the same fees and mileage allowances as prescribed in judicial proceedings in civil cases.

Any authorized agent of the Comptroller may administer oaths to witnesses at any hearing which the Comptroller is authorized to conduct.

(Source: P.A. 92-419, eff. 1-1-02.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.