Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of Public Act 097-0569
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Public Act 097-0569


 

Public Act 0569 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

  
  
  

 


 
Public Act 097-0569
 
HB3012 EnrolledLRB097 09872 AJO 50030 b

    AN ACT concerning civil law.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Innkeepers Lien Act is amended by changing
Section 49 as follows:
 
    (770 ILCS 40/49)  (from Ch. 82, par. 58)
    Sec. 49. Stable keepers.
    (a) As used in this Section:
        "Boarding or stabling agreement" means any agreement,
    written or oral, that establishes or modifies the terms,
    conditions, rules, or any other provisions concerning the
    boarding or stabling of a horse.
        "Horse owner" or "owner" means a person who owns a
    horse or the person's agent, successor, or assign.
        "Keeping", "boarding", or "stabling" means boarding
    and training services at a stable provided at the horse
    owner's request including but not limited to: services
    under a written boarding or stabling agreement; services
    provided in response to a written request by the horse
    owner; administering the horse owner's requested
    supplements or medications to the horse; trailering the
    horse to a designated location; and assistance in
    conjunction with veterinary, breeding, farrier,
    chiropractic, dental, or other professional services for a
    horse.
        "Last known address" means that address provided by the
    horse owner in the latest boarding or stabling agreement or
    any other writing, or the address provided by the horse
    owner in a subsequent written notice of a change of
    address.
        "Personal property left on the premises" means any
    carriage, harness, tack, equipment, supplements,
    medications, or other personal property stored by the owner
    at the stable or boarding facility.
        "Stable" or "horse boarding facility" means any real
    property used for the purpose of stabling, boarding, or
    keeping a horse.
        "Stable keeper" or "keeper" means the owner, operator,
    lessor, or sublessor of a stable or horse boarding
    facility, or his, her, or its agent, or any other person or
    entity authorized by him, her, or it to manage the horse
    boarding facility or to receive rent from a horse owner
    under a boarding or stabling agreement.
    (b) Stable keepers and any persons shall have a lien upon
the horses, carriages, and harness, tack and equipment, and any
other personal property stored by the owner at the stable or
boarding facility in the amount of kept by them for the proper
charges due for the keeping thereof and expenses bestowed
thereon at the request of the owner, or the person having the
possession thereof, plus other charges, present or future, in
relation to the horse boarded, plus all fees and expenses,
including legal fees, incurred by the keeper to enforce the
lien, whether by public or private sale, to the extent
permitted under this Section.
    (c) The lien provided under this Section is a possessory
lien which entitles the keeper to restrict the subject horse's
movement from the keeper's facility, except for emergency
veterinary care. Local law enforcement authorities notified of
the keeper's right to a possessory lien on the horse shall have
the authority, without a court order, to restrict the removal
of the horse from the keeper's facility despite the horse
owner's request or demand, until the keeper confirms to the
local law enforcement authorities that the lien has been
satisfied. Evidence of a possessory lien that constitutes
notice to law enforcement authorities includes, but is not
limited to, a written boarding agreement signed by the horse
owner acknowledging that the keeper shall have an automatic
lien on the horse for the amount owed or the unpaid invoices
for the keeping of the horse and fees and expenses, including
attorney's fees, incurred in connection with the enforcement of
the lien.
    (d) Enforcement of the lien must be by public sale of the
horse or any personal property left on the premises, unless the
written boarding agreement provides a clear authorization that
the horse and any personal property left on the premises may be
sold through a private sale or provides a clear authorization
that the keeper may take ownership of the horse and any
personal property left on the premises to satisfy the lien.
    (e) Prior to enforcement of the lien through a public or
private sale, the keeper must make a written demand for payment
from the owner of the horse and include notice that the horse
and any personal property left on the premises will be sold at
a date certain not less than 30 days after service of the
demand for payment if payment of all amounts due is not made by
the day set for the sale.
    (f) In the event of enforcement of the lien through a
public sale, the sale shall be conducted by the local sheriff
or other authorized individual, at which cash shall be paid by
the highest bidder. The date, time, and place of the sale shall
be advertised by posting a written notice of the sale at 3 of
the most public places in the township or municipality where
the horse is boarded or if the horse is not boarded in a
township or municipality, by posting a written notice of the
sale at 3 of the most public places in the county. The posting
may be done at any time, but shall not be done less than 21 days
before the sale. Alternatively, the sale may be advertised by
placing a sale notice stating the date, time, and place of the
sale for 3 consecutive weeks in a weekly or daily newspaper of
general circulation distributed in the township or
municipality where the horse is boarded. After the amount due
for keeping the horse and any unpaid invoices and any and all
fees and costs incurred in connection with the enforcement of
the lien, including, but not limited to, the auctioneer and
sheriff's fees, advertising costs, and any legal fees and costs
are paid, the balance shall be paid to the owner. At the time
that the surplus funds are received by the horse owner, the
ownership papers to the horse shall be forwarded by the horse
owner to the public sale buyer within 7 days after the horse
owner's receipt of the surplus funds. In the event the horse
owner cannot be found after reasonable attempts to locate the
owner have been made, any surplus funds shall be paid to the
keeper's chosen equine rescue, rehabilitation, or retirement
facility or organization. At the time of the sale conducted
pursuant to this Section, the sheriff or other authorized
person conducting the sale shall, upon payment of the sale
price, provide a public sale certificate of purchase of the
horse to the highest bidder showing that the highest bidder is
the new legal owner of the horse. As of the time of the
delivery of the public sale certificate of purchase, the
original horse owner shall have no claim of right, title, or
interest in the horse.
    (g) In the event of enforcement of the lien through a
private sale pursuant to the terms of this Section, written
notice shall be considered satisfactory under this Section when
sent at least 3 weeks prior to the date of any private sale to
the horse owner's last known mailing address by first class
certified or registered mail or by e-mail or facsimile. At the
time of the private sale conducted pursuant to the requirements
of this subsection, the keeper shall, upon payment of the sale
price, provide a private sale certificate for the horse to the
buyer certifying that the requirements of this subsection were
met and that the buyer is the legal owner of the horse. As of
the time of the delivery of the private sale certificate, the
original horse owner shall have no claim of right, title, or
interest in the horse. The application of the sale proceeds
shall be as provided in subsection (f).
    (h) In the event of enforcement of the lien through the
keeper obtaining ownership of the horse and any personal
property left on the premises, the keeper shall provide a
demand for payment to the owner pursuant to subsection (e) and
shall include an appraisal of the value of the horse and any
personal property left on the premises showing that the value
of the horse and the personal property left on the premises is
at least equal to the amount due and owing to the keeper.
    (i) A lien created pursuant to this Section attaches as of
the date the horse is brought to the stable and shall be
superior to any other lien or security interest except for a
statutory lien or security interest which is perfected through
a proper filing pursuant to Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial
Code prior to the beginning of the boarding.
(Source: R.S. 1874, p. 665.)

Effective Date: 1/1/2012