Illinois Code § 4-203

§ 4-203.

Action to recover penalties. (a) All civil penalties established under this Act shall be assessed and collected by the Commission. Except for the penalties provided under Section 2-202, civil penalties may be assessed only after notice and opportunity to be heard. In determining the amount of the penalty, the Commission shall consider the appropriateness of the penalty to the size of the business of the public utility, corporation other than a public utility, or person acting as a public utility charged, the gravity of the violation, such other mitigating or aggravating factors as the Commission may find to exist, and the good faith of the public utility, corporation other than a public utility, or person acting as a public utility charged in attempting to achieve compliance after notification of a violation. Nothing in this Section, however, increases or decreases any minimum or maximum penalty prescribed elsewhere in this Act. (b) If timely judicial review of a Commission order that imposes a civil penalty is taken by the public utility, corporation other than a public utility, or person acting as a public utility on which the civil penalty has been imposed, the reviewing court shall enter a judgment on all amounts upon affirmance of the Commission order. If timely judicial review is not taken and the civil penalty remains unpaid for 60 days after service of the order, the Commission in its discretion may either begin revocation proceedings or bring suit to recover the penalties. Unless stayed by a reviewing court, interest at the post-judgment rate set forth in Section 2-1303 of the Code of Civil Procedure shall accrue from 60 days after the date of service of the Commission order. (c) Actions to recover delinquent civil penalties under this Act shall be brought in the name of the People of the State of Illinois in the circuit court in and for the county in which the cause, or some part thereof, arose, or in which the corporation complained of, if any, has its principal place of business, or in which the person, if any, complained of, resides. The action shall be commenced and prosecuted to final judgment by the Commission. In any such action, all interest incurred up to the time of final court judgment may be sued for and recovered in that action. In all such actions, the procedure and rules of evidence shall be the same as in ordinary civil actions, except as otherwise herein provided. All fines and penalties recovered by the State in any such action shall be paid into the State treasury to the credit of the General Revenue Fund. Any such action may be compromised or discontinued on application of the Commission upon such terms as the court shall approve and order. (d) Civil penalties related to the late filing of reports, taxes, or other filings shall be paid into the State treasury to the credit of the Public Utility Fund. Except as otherwise provided in this Act, all other fines and civil penalties shall be paid into the State treasury to the credit of the General Revenue Fund. (Source: P.A. 93-457, eff. 8-8-03.)