102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB2940

 

Introduced 2/19/2021, by Rep. Charles Meier

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
230 ILCS 15/2  from Ch. 85, par. 2302
230 ILCS 15/3  from Ch. 85, par. 2303

    Amends the Raffles and Poker Runs Act. Provides that a county may, by a vote of two-thirds of the members of the governing board, pass an ordinance prohibiting a poker run key location from being located within the county's boundaries. Provides that a county that has prohibited poker runs is not required to establish a system for the licensing of organizations to operate poker runs. Provides that a license for a poker run authorizes the licensee to conduct the poker run at locations within the county with jurisdiction over the key location and at locations within any other county that licenses poker runs. Provides that a poker run conducted at locations in multiple counties is only required to be licensed by the county with jurisdiction over the key location. Removes provisions providing that the governing bodies of 2 or more adjacent counties may contract to jointly establish a licensing system for organizations to operate poker runs. Effective immediately.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB2940LRB102 05108 SMS 15128 b

1    AN ACT concerning gaming.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Raffles and Poker Runs Act is amended by
5changing Sections 2 and 3 as follows:
 
6    (230 ILCS 15/2)  (from Ch. 85, par. 2302)
7    Sec. 2. Licensing.
8    (a) The governing body of any county or municipality
9within this State may establish a system for the licensing of
10organizations to operate raffles. The governing bodies of a
11county and one or more municipalities may, pursuant to a
12written contract, jointly establish a system for the licensing
13of organizations to operate raffles within any area of
14contiguous territory not contained within the corporate limits
15of a municipality which is not a party to such contract. The
16governing bodies of two or more adjacent counties or two or
17more adjacent municipalities located within a county may,
18pursuant to a written contract, jointly establish a system for
19the licensing of organizations to operate raffles within the
20corporate limits of such counties or municipalities. The
21licensing authority may establish special categories of
22licenses and promulgate rules relating to the various
23categories. The licensing system shall provide for limitations

 

 

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1upon (1) the aggregate retail value of all prizes or
2merchandise awarded by a licensee in a single raffle, if any,
3(2) the maximum retail value of each prize awarded by a
4licensee in a single raffle, if any, (3) the maximum price
5which may be charged for each raffle chance issued or sold, if
6any, and (4) the maximum number of days during which chances
7may be issued or sold, if any. The licensing system may include
8a fee for each license in an amount to be determined by the
9local governing body. Licenses issued pursuant to this Act
10shall be valid for one raffle or for a specified number of
11raffles to be conducted during a specified period not to
12exceed one year and may be suspended or revoked for any
13violation of this Act. A local governing body shall act on a
14license application within 30 days from the date of
15application. A county or municipality may adopt rules or
16ordinances for the operation of raffles that are consistent
17with this Act. Raffles shall be licensed by the governing body
18of the municipality with jurisdiction over the key location
19or, if no municipality has jurisdiction over the key location,
20then by the governing body of the county with jurisdiction
21over the key location. A license shall authorize the holder of
22such license to sell raffle chances throughout the State,
23including beyond the borders of the licensing municipality or
24county.
25    (a-5) The governing body of Cook County may and any other
26county within this State shall establish a system for the

 

 

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1licensing of organizations to operate poker runs, unless the
2county has prohibited a poker run key location from being
3located within the county's boundaries under this subsection.
4The governing bodies of 2 or more adjacent counties may,
5pursuant to a written contract, jointly establish a system for
6the licensing of organizations to operate poker runs within
7the corporate limits of such counties. The licensing authority
8may establish special categories of licenses and adopt rules
9relating to the various categories. The licensing system may
10include a fee not to exceed $25 for each license. Licenses
11issued pursuant to this Act shall be valid for one poker run or
12for a specified number of poker runs to be conducted during a
13specified period not to exceed one year and may be suspended or
14revoked for any violation of this Act. A local governing body
15shall act on a license application within 30 days after the
16date of application. A county may, by a vote of two-thirds of
17the members of the governing board, pass an ordinance
18prohibiting a poker run key location from being located within
19the county's boundaries.
20    (b) Raffle licenses shall be issued only to bona fide
21religious, charitable, labor, business, fraternal,
22educational, veterans', or other bona fide not-for-profit
23organizations that operate without profit to their members and
24which have been in existence continuously for a period of 5
25years immediately before making application for a raffle
26license and which have during that entire 5-year period been

 

 

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1engaged in carrying out their objects, or to a non-profit
2fundraising organization that the licensing authority
3determines is organized for the sole purpose of providing
4financial assistance to an identified individual or group of
5individuals suffering extreme financial hardship as the result
6of an illness, disability, accident, or disaster, or to any
7law enforcement agencies and associations that represent law
8enforcement officials. Poker run licenses shall be issued only
9to bona fide religious, charitable, labor, business,
10fraternal, educational, veterans', or other bona fide
11not-for-profit organizations that operate without profit to
12their members and which have been in existence continuously
13for a period of 5 years immediately before making application
14for a poker run license and which have during that entire
155-year period been engaged in carrying out their objects.
16Licenses for poker runs shall be issued for the following
17purposes: (i) providing financial assistance to an identified
18individual or group of individuals suffering extreme financial
19hardship as the result of an illness, disability, accident, or
20disaster or (ii) to maintain the financial stability of the
21organization. A licensing authority may waive the 5-year
22requirement under this subsection (b) for a bona fide
23religious, charitable, labor, business, fraternal,
24educational, or veterans' organization that applies for a
25license to conduct a raffle or a poker run if the organization
26is a local organization that is affiliated with and chartered

 

 

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1by a national or State organization that meets the 5-year
2requirement.
3    For purposes of this Act, the following definitions apply.
4Non-profit: An organization or institution organized and
5conducted on a not-for-profit basis with no personal profit
6inuring to any one as a result of the operation. Charitable: An
7organization or institution organized and operated to benefit
8an indefinite number of the public. The service rendered to
9those eligible for benefits must also confer some benefit on
10the public. Educational: An organization or institution
11organized and operated to provide systematic instruction in
12useful branches of learning by methods common to schools and
13institutions of learning which compare favorably in their
14scope and intensity with the course of study presented in
15tax-supported schools. Religious: Any church, congregation,
16society, or organization founded for the purpose of religious
17worship. Fraternal: An organization of persons having a common
18interest, the primary interest of which is to both promote the
19welfare of its members and to provide assistance to the
20general public in such a way as to lessen the burdens of
21government by caring for those that otherwise would be cared
22for by the government. Veterans: An organization or
23association comprised of members of which substantially all
24are individuals who are veterans or spouses, widows, or
25widowers of veterans, the primary purpose of which is to
26promote the welfare of its members and to provide assistance

 

 

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1to the general public in such a way as to confer a public
2benefit. Labor: An organization composed of workers organized
3with the objective of betterment of the conditions of those
4engaged in such pursuit and the development of a higher degree
5of efficiency in their respective occupations. Business: A
6voluntary organization composed of individuals and businesses
7who have joined together to advance the commercial, financial,
8industrial and civic interests of a community.
9    (c) A poker run conducted at locations in multiple
10counties is only required to be licensed by the county with
11jurisdiction over the key location.
12(Source: P.A. 100-201, eff. 8-18-17; 101-109, eff. 7-19-19;
13101-360, eff. 1-1-20; revised 9-9-19.)
 
14    (230 ILCS 15/3)  (from Ch. 85, par. 2303)
15    Sec. 3. License; application; issuance; restrictions;
16persons ineligible. Licenses issued by the governing body of
17any county or municipality are subject to the following
18restrictions:
19        (1) No person, firm, or corporation shall conduct
20    raffles or chances or poker runs without having first
21    obtained a license therefor pursuant to this Act.
22        (2) The license and application for license must
23    specify the location or locations at which winning chances
24    in the raffle will be determined, the time period during
25    which raffle chances will be sold or issued or a poker run

 

 

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1    will be conducted, the time or times of determination of
2    winning chances, and the location or locations at which
3    winning chances will be determined.
4        (3) The license application must contain a sworn
5    statement attesting to the not-for-profit character of the
6    prospective licensee organization, signed by the presiding
7    officer and the secretary of that organization.
8        (4) The application for license shall be prepared in
9    accordance with the ordinance of the local governmental
10    unit.
11        (5) A license authorizes the licensee to conduct
12    raffles or poker runs as defined in this Act.
13    The following are ineligible for any license under this
14Act:
15        (a) any person whose felony conviction will impair the
16    person's ability to engage in the licensed position;
17        (b) any person who is or has been a professional
18    gambler or professional gambling promoter;
19        (c) any person who is not of good moral character;
20        (d) any organization in which a person defined in item
21    (a), (b), or (c) has a proprietary, equitable, or credit
22    interest, or in which such a person is active or employed;
23        (e) any organization in which a person defined in item
24    (a), (b), or (c) is an officer, director, or employee,
25    whether compensated or not; and
26        (f) any organization in which a person defined in item

 

 

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1    (a), (b), or (c) is to participate in the management or
2    operation of a raffle as defined in this Act.
3        (6) A license for a poker run authorizes the licensee
4    to conduct the poker run at locations within the county
5    with jurisdiction over the key location and at locations
6    within any other county that licenses poker runs.
7(Source: P.A. 100-286, eff. 1-1-18; 101-109, eff. 7-19-19;
8revised 9-20-19.)
 
9    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
10becoming law.