SB2741 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB094 16230 RSP 51474 b

94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2005 and 2006
SB2741

Introduced 1/20/2006, by Sen. Terry Link

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

30 ILCS 540/3-2	from Ch. 127, par. 132.403-2
30 ILCS 540/3-5 new
30 ILCS 540/3-6 new
30 ILCS 540/7	from Ch. 127, par. 132.407

Amends the State Prompt Payment Act to provide that notification to a vendor that a bill or invoice contains a defect must be given not later than 45 days after the bill was first submitted or not later than 30 days after the receipt of the goods or services, whichever is later. Sets forth that if the State official or agency whose approval is required for any invoice fails to approve or disapprove that invoice within this notification period, the interest for late payment of that invoice shall be computed from the date 60 days after the receipt of that invoice or the date 60 days after the goods or services are received, whichever is later. Provides that if the State fails to pay any invoice within 30 days of approval or fails to approve or disapprove the invoice within the period at which interest may accrue, plus an additional 30 days, the contractor and subcontractors not paid may suspend performance under the construction contract or subcontracts without penalty, until the overdue payment or payments are made. Authorizes contractors, subcontractors, and material suppliers to recover the interest payable under this Act in any action pursuant to Section 23 of the Mechanics Lien Act or pursuant to the Public Construction Bond Act.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning finance.

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

Section 5. The State Prompt Payment Act is amended by changing Sections 3-2 and 7 and by adding Sections 3-5 and 3-6 as follows:

(30 ILCS 540/3-2) (from Ch. 127, par. 132.403-2)

Sec. 3-2. Beginning July 1, 1993, in any instance where a State official or agency is late in payment of a vendor's bill or invoice for goods or services furnished to the State, as defined in Section 1, properly approved in accordance with rules promulgated under Section 3-3, the State official or agency shall pay interest to the vendor in accordance with the following:

(1) Any bill approved for payment under this Section must be paid or the payment issued to the payee within 60 days of receipt of a proper bill or invoice. If payment is not issued to the payee within this 60 day period, an interest penalty of 1.0% of any amount approved and unpaid shall be added for each month or fraction thereof after the end of this 60 day period, until final payment is made.

(1.1) A State agency shall review in a timely manner each bill or invoice after its receipt. If the State agency determines that the bill or invoice contains a defect making it unable to process the payment request, the agency shall notify the vendor requesting payment as soon as possible after discovering the defect pursuant to rules promulgated under Section 3-3, provided that the notice must be given not later than 45 days after the bill was first submitted or not later than 30 days after the receipt of the goods or services, whichever is later. The notice shall identify the defect and any additional information necessary to correct the defect.

(2) Where a State official or agency is late in payment of a vendor's bill or invoice properly approved in accordance with this Act, and different late payment terms are not reduced to writing as a contractual agreement, the State official or agency shall automatically pay interest penalties required by this Section amounting to $50 or more to the appropriate vendor. Each agency shall be responsible for determining whether an interest penalty is owed and for paying the interest to the vendor. For interest of at least $5 but less than $50, the vendor must initiate a written request for the interest penalty when such interest is due and payable. The Department of Central Management Services and the State Comptroller shall jointly promulgate rules establishing the conditions under which interest of less than $5 may be claimed and paid. In the event an individual has paid a vendor for services in advance, the provisions of this Section shall apply until payment is made to that individual.

(Source: P.A. 92-384, eff. 7-1-02.)

(30 ILCS 540/3-5 new)

Sec. 3-5. Interest for late payment. If the State official or agency whose approval is required for any invoice fails to approve or disapprove that invoice within the period provided for approval by Section 3-2 of this Act, the interest for late payment of that invoice shall be computed from the date 60 days after the receipt of that invoice or the date 60 days after the goods or services are received, whichever is later.

(30 ILCS 540/3-6 new)

Sec. 3-6. Cessation of work for nonpayment. If the State fails to pay any invoice within 30 days of approval or fails to approve or disapprove the invoice within the time set forth in Section 3-5 of this Act, plus an additional 30 days, the contractor and subcontractors not paid may suspend performance under the construction contract or subcontracts without penalty, until the overdue payment or payments are made.

(30 ILCS 540/7) (from Ch. 127, par. 132.407)

Sec. 7. Payments to subcontractors and material suppliers.

(a) When a State official or agency responsible for administering a contract submits a voucher to the Comptroller for payment to a contractor, that State official or agency shall promptly make available electronically the voucher number, the date of the voucher, and the amount of the voucher. The State official or agency responsible for administering the contract shall provide subcontractors and material suppliers, known to the State official or agency, with instructions on how to access the electronic information. When a contractor receives any payment, the contractor shall pay each subcontractor and material supplier in proportion to the work completed by each subcontractor and material supplier their application, plus any interest received under this Act, less any retention. If the contractor receives less than the full payment due under the public construction contract, the contractor shall be obligated to disburse on a pro rata basis those funds received, plus any interest received under this Act, with the contractor, subcontractors and material suppliers each receiving a prorated portion based on the amount of payment. When, however, the public owner does not release the full payment due under the contract because there are specific areas of work or materials the contractor is rejecting or because the contractor has otherwise determined such areas are not suitable for payment, then those specific subcontractors or suppliers involved shall not be paid for that portion of work rejected or deemed not suitable for payment and all other subcontractors and suppliers shall be paid in full, plus any interest received under this Act.

Contractors, subcontractors, and material suppliers shall be entitled to recover interest payable under this Act in any action pursuant to Section 23 of the Mechanics Lien Act (770 ILCS 60/23) or pursuant to the Public Construction Bond Act (30 ILCS 550/).

(b) If the contractor, without reasonable cause, fails to make full payment of amounts due under subsection (a) to his subcontractors and material suppliers within 15 days after receipt of payment under the public construction contract, the contractor shall pay to his subcontractors and material suppliers, in addition to the payment due them, interest in the amount of 2% per month, calculated from the expiration of the 15-day period until fully paid. This subsection shall also apply to any payments made by subcontractors and material suppliers to their subcontractors and material suppliers and to all payments made to lower tier subcontractors and material suppliers throughout the contracting chain.

(1) If a contractor, without reasonable cause, fails to make payment in full as provided in subsection (a) within 15 days after receipt of payment under the public construction contract, any subcontractor or material supplier to whom payments are owed may file a written notice with the State official or agency setting forth the amount owed by the contractor and the contractor's failure to timely pay the amount owed.

(2) The State official or agency, within 15 days after receipt of a subcontractor's or material supplier's written notice of the failure to receive payment from the contractor, shall hold a hearing convened by an administrative law judge to determine whether the contractor withheld payment, without reasonable cause, from the subcontractors and material suppliers and what amount, if any, is due to the subcontractors and material suppliers. The State official or agency shall provide appropriate notice to the parties of the date, time, and location of the hearing. Each contractor, subcontractor, and material supplier has the right to be represented by counsel at the hearing and to cross-examine witnesses and challenge documents.

(3) If there is a finding by the administrative law judge that the contractor failed to make payment in full, without reasonable cause, as provided in subsection (a), then the administrative law judge shall, in writing, direct the contractor to pay the amount owed to the subcontractors and material suppliers plus interest within 15 days after the finding.

(4) If a contractor fails to make full payment within 15 days after the administrative law judge's finding, then the contractor shall be barred from entering into a State public construction contract for a period of one year beginning on the date of the administrative law judge's finding.

(Source: P.A. 94-672, eff. 1-1-06.)