Illinois § 8

§ 8.

Funds; Grants. (a) There is hereby created the State Whistleblower Reward and Protection Fund to be held outside of the State Treasury with the State Treasurer as custodian. All proceeds of an action or settlement of a claim brought under this Act shall be deposited in the Fund. Any attorneys' fees, expenses, and costs paid by or awarded against any defendant pursuant to Section 4 of this Act shall not be considered part of the proceeds to be deposited in the Fund. (b) For all cases resolved before October 1, 2023, monies in the Fund shall be allocated as follows: One-sixth of the monies shall be paid to the Attorney General Whistleblower Reward and Protection Fund, which is hereby created as a special fund in the State Treasury, and one-sixth of the monies shall be paid to the State Police Whistleblower Reward and Protection Fund, which is hereby created as a special fund in the State Treasury, for State law enforcement purposes. The remaining two-thirds of the monies in the Fund shall be used for payment of awards to Qui Tam plaintiffs and as otherwise specified in this Act, with any remainder to the General Revenue Fund. The Attorney General shall direct the State Treasurer to make disbursement of funds. (c) For all cases resolved on or after October 1, 2023, monies in the Fund shall be allocated as follows: One-third of the monies shall be paid to the Attorney General Whistleblower Reward and Protection Fund. The remaining two-thirds of the monies in the Fund shall be used for payment of awards to Qui Tam plaintiffs and as otherwise specified in this Act, with any remainder to the General Revenue Fund. The Attorney General shall direct the State Treasurer to make disbursement of funds. (Source: P.A. 103-145, eff. 10-1-23.) (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 104-131) Sec. 8. Funds; Grants. (a) There is hereby created the State Whistleblower Reward and Protection Fund to be held outside of the State Treasury with the State Treasurer as custodian. All proceeds of an action or settlement of a claim brought under this Act shall be deposited in the Fund. Any attorneys' fees, expenses, and costs paid by or awarded against any defendant pursuant to Section 4 of this Act shall not be considered part of the proceeds to be deposited in the Fund. (b) For all cases resolved before October 1, 2023, monies in the Fund shall be allocated as follows: One-sixth of the monies shall be paid to the Attorney General Whistleblower Reward and Protection Fund, which is hereby created as a special fund in the State Treasury, and one-sixth of the monies shall be paid to the State Police Operations Assistance Fund, which is hereby created as a special fund in the State Treasury, for State law enforcement purposes. The remaining two-thirds of the monies in the Fund shall be used for payment of awards to Qui Tam plaintiffs and as otherwise specified in this Act, with any remainder to the General Revenue Fund. The Attorney General shall direct the State Treasurer to make disbursement of funds. (c) For all cases resolved on or after October 1, 2023, monies in the Fund shall be allocated as follows: One-third of the monies shall be paid to the Attorney General Whistleblower Reward and Protection Fund. The remaining two-thirds of the monies in the Fund shall be used for payment of awards to Qui Tam plaintiffs and as otherwise specified in this Act, with any remainder to the General Revenue Fund. The Attorney General shall direct the State Treasurer to make disbursement of funds. (d) The State Police Whistleblower Reward and Protection Fund is dissolved upon the transfer of the remaining balance from the State Police Whistleblower Reward and Protection Fund to the State Police Operations Assistance Fund as provided under subsection (l) of Section 6z-82 of the State Finance Act. (Source: P.A. 103-145, eff. 10-1-23; 104-131, eff. 9-1-26.)