Illinois § 30

§ 30.

Enforcement. (a) The Attorney General, or a State's Attorney in the county in which a violation of this Act occurred, may bring an action in the name of the People of the State of Illinois to enforce the provisions of this Act. (b) When (i) it appears to the Attorney General that a commercial dealer, manufacturer, importer, distributor, wholesaler, or retailer has engaged in or is engaging in any practice declared to be in violation of this Act, or (ii) the Attorney General receives a written complaint from a consumer of the commission of a practice declared to be in violation of this Act, or (iii) the Attorney General believes it to be in the public interest that an investigation should be made to ascertain whether a person in fact has engaged in or is engaging in any practice declared to be in violation of this Act, the Attorney General may: (1) Require that person to file, on terms that the Attorney General prescribes, a statement or report in writing under oath or otherwise, as to all information the Attorney General considers necessary. (2) Examine under oath any person in connection with the conduct of any trade or commerce. (3) Examine any merchandise or sample thereof, record, book, document, account, or paper the Attorney General considers necessary. (4) Pursuant to an order of the circuit court, impound any record, book, document, account, paper, or sample of merchandise that is produced in accordance with this Act, and retain it in the Attorney General's possession until the completion of all proceedings in connection with which it is produced. (c) In the administration of this Act, the Attorney General may accept an assurance of voluntary compliance with respect to any practice deemed to be a violation of this Act from any commercial dealer, manufacturer, importer, distributor, wholesaler, or retailer who has engaged in or is engaging in that practice. Evidence of the violation of an assurance of voluntary compliance shall be prima facie evidence of a violation of this Act in any subsequent proceeding brought by the Attorney General against the alleged violator with regard to the specific violation or violations addressed in the assurance of voluntary compliance. (d) Whenever the Attorney General or a State's Attorney has reason to believe that any commercial dealer, manufacturer, importer, distributor, wholesaler, or retailer has engaged in or is engaging in any practice in violation of this Act and that proceedings would be in the public interest, he or she may bring an action in the name of the People of the State against that commercial dealer, manufacturer, importer, distributor, wholesaler, or retailer to restrain by preliminary or permanent injunction the use of that practice. (e) Civil penalties paid under Section 25 shall be deposited into the Attorney General Court Ordered and Voluntary Compliance Payment Projects Fund. Moneys in the Fund shall be used, subject to appropriation, for the performance of any function pertaining to the exercise of the duties of the Attorney General, including, but not limited to, enforcement of any law of this State and conducting public education programs. Any moneys in the Fund that are required by the court or by an agreement to be used for a particular purpose must be used for that purpose, however. (Source: P.A. 94-11, eff. 1-1-06.)