Public Act 099-0182
HB3429 EnrolledLRB099 04381 JLS 29575 b
AN ACT concerning business.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Illinois Securities Law of 1953 is amended
by changing Sections 4, 8, 11, 11a, 12, 13, and 18.1 and by
adding Sections 2.34, 2.35, 2.36, and 8d as follows:
(815 ILCS 5/2.34 new)
Sec. 2.34. Accredited investor. "Accredited investor" has
the meaning given to that term in 17 CFR 230.501(a), as amended
and in effect from time to time.
(815 ILCS 5/2.35 new)
Sec. 2.35. Qualified escrowee. "Qualified escrowee" means
a person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, or
other legal entity who: (a) falls under the definition of
"title insurance company" under, and pursuant to the terms and
requirements of, the Title Insurance Act; (b) is certified as
an independent escrowee under, and pursuant to the terms and
requirements of, the Title Insurance Act; or (c) is a bank,
regulated trust company, savings bank, savings and loan
association, or credit union which is authorized to do business
in the State and which maintains at least one physical business
location within the State.
(815 ILCS 5/2.36 new)
Sec. 2.36. Registered Internet portal. "Registered
Internet portal" means an Internet portal maintained by a
corporation or other legal entity that is being used to offer
or sell securities and that meets the requirements of Section
8d of this Act.
(815 ILCS 5/4) (from Ch. 121 1/2, par. 137.4)
Sec. 4. Exempt transactions. The provisions of Sections 2a,
5, 6 and 7 of this Act shall not apply to any of the following
transactions, except where otherwise specified in this Section
4:
A. Any offer or sale, whether through a dealer or
otherwise, of securities by a person who is not an issuer,
underwriter, dealer or controlling person in respect of such
securities, and who, being the bona fide owner of such
securities, disposes thereof for his or her own account;
provided, that such offer or sale is not made directly or
indirectly for the benefit of the issuer or of an underwriter
or controlling person.
B. Any offer, sale, issuance or exchange of securities of
the issuer to or with security holders of the issuer except to
or with persons who are security holders solely by reason of
holding transferable warrants, transferable options, or
similar transferable rights of the issuer, if no commission or
other remuneration is paid or given directly or indirectly for
or on account of the procuring or soliciting of such sale or
exchange (other than a fee paid to underwriters based on their
undertaking to purchase any securities not purchased by
security holders in connection with such sale or exchange).
C. Any offer, sale or issuance of securities to any
corporation, bank, savings bank, savings institution, savings
and loan association, trust company, insurance company,
building and loan association, or dealer; to a pension fund,
pension trust, or employees' profit sharing trust, other
financial institution or institutional investor, any
government or political subdivision or instrumentality
thereof, whether the purchaser is acting for itself or in some
fiduciary capacity; to any partnership or other association
engaged as a substantial part of its business or operations in
purchasing or holding securities; to any trust in respect of
which a bank or trust company is trustee or co-trustee; to any
entity in which at least 90% of the equity is owned by persons
described under subsection C, H, or S of this Section 4; to any
employee benefit plan within the meaning of Title I of the
Federal ERISA Act if (i) the investment decision is made by a
plan fiduciary as defined in Section 3(21) of the Federal ERISA
Act and such plan fiduciary is either a bank, savings and loan
association, insurance company, registered investment adviser
or an investment adviser registered under the Federal 1940
Investment Advisers Act, or (ii) the plan has total assets in
excess of $5,000,000, or (iii) in the case of a self-directed
plan, investment decisions are made solely by persons that are
described under subsection C, D, H or S of this Section 4; to
any plan established and maintained by, and for the benefit of
the employees of, any state or political subdivision or agency
or instrumentality thereof if such plan has total assets in
excess of $5,000,000; or to any organization described in
Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, any
Massachusetts or similar business trust, or any partnership, if
such organization, trust, or partnership has total assets in
excess of $5,000,000.
D. The Secretary of State is granted authority to create by
rule or regulation a limited offering transactional exemption
that furthers the objectives of compatibility with federal
exemptions and uniformity among the states. The Secretary of
State shall prescribe by rule or regulation the amount of the
fee for filing any report required under this subsection, but
the fee shall not be less than the minimum amount nor more than
the maximum amount established under Section 11a of this Act
and shall not be returnable in any event.
E. Any offer or sale of securities by an executor,
administrator, guardian, receiver or trustee in insolvency or
bankruptcy, or at any judicial sale, or at a public sale by
auction held at an advertised time and place, or the offer or
sale of securities in good faith and not for the purpose of
avoiding the provisions of this Act by a pledgee of securities
pledged for a bona fide debt.
F. Any offer or sale by a registered dealer, either as
principal or agent, of any securities (except face amount
certificate contracts and investment fund shares) at a price
reasonably related to the current market price of such
securities, provided:
(1) (a) the securities are issued and outstanding;
(b) the issuer is required to file reports pursuant
to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Federal 1934 Act
and has been subject to such requirements during the 90
day period immediately preceding the date of the offer
or sale, or is an issuer of a security covered by
Section 12(g)(2)(B) or (G) of the Federal 1934 Act;
(c) the dealer has a reasonable basis for believing
that the issuer is current in filing the reports
required to be filed at regular intervals pursuant to
the provisions of Section 13 or Section 15(d), as the
case may be, of the Federal 1934 Act, or in the case of
insurance companies exempted from Section 12(g) of the
Federal 1934 Act by subparagraph 12(g)(2)(G) thereof,
the annual statement referred to in Section
12(g)(2)(G)(i) of the Federal 1934 Act; and
(d) the dealer has in its records, and makes
reasonably available upon request to any person
expressing an interest in a proposed transaction in the
securities, the issuer's most recent annual report
filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d), as the case may
be, of the Federal 1934 Act or the annual statement in
the case of an insurance company exempted from Section
12(g) of the Federal 1934 Act by subparagraph
12(g)(2)(G) thereof, together with any other reports
required to be filed at regular intervals under the
Federal 1934 Act by the issuer after such annual report
or annual statement; provided that the making
available of such reports pursuant to this
subparagraph, unless otherwise represented, shall not
constitute a representation by the dealer that the
information is true and correct, but shall constitute a
representation by the dealer that the information is
reasonably current; or
(2) (a) prior to any offer or sale, an application for
the authorization thereof and a report as set forth
under sub-paragraph (d) of this paragraph (2) has been
filed by any registered dealer with and approved by the
Secretary of State pursuant to such rules and
regulations as the Secretary of State may prescribe;
(b) the Secretary of State shall have the power by
order to refuse to approve any application or report
filed pursuant to this paragraph (2) if
(i) the application or report does not comply
with the provisions of this paragraph (2), or
(ii) the offer or sale of such securities would
work or tend to work a fraud or deceit, or
(iii) the issuer or the applicant has violated
any of the provisions of this Act;
(c) each application and report filed pursuant to
this paragraph (2) shall be accompanied by a filing fee
and an examination fee in the amount established
pursuant to Section 11a of this Act, which shall not be
returnable in any event;
(d) there shall be submitted to the Secretary of
State no later than 120 days following the end of the
issuer's fiscal year, each year during the period of
the authorization, one copy of a report which shall
contain a balance sheet and income statement prepared
as of the issuer's most recent fiscal year end
certified by an independent certified public
accountant, together with such current information
concerning the securities and the issuer thereof as the
Secretary of State may prescribe by rule or regulation
or order;
(e) prior to any offer or sale of securities under
the provisions of this paragraph (2), each registered
dealer participating in the offer or sale of such
securities shall provide upon request of prospective
purchasers of such securities a copy of the most recent
report required under the provisions of sub-paragraph
(d) of this paragraph (2);
(f) approval of an application filed pursuant to
this paragraph (2) of subsection F shall expire 5 years
after the date of the granting of the approval, unless
said approval is sooner terminated by (1) suspension or
revocation by the Secretary of State in the same manner
as is provided for in subsections E, F and G of Section
11 of this Act, or (2) the applicant filing with the
Secretary of State an affidavit to the effect that (i)
the subject securities have become exempt under
Section 3 of this Act or (ii) the applicant no longer
is capable of acting as the applicant and stating the
reasons therefor or (iii) the applicant no longer
desires to act as the applicant. In the event of the
filing of an affidavit under either preceding
sub-division (ii) or (iii) the Secretary of State may
authorize a substitution of applicant upon the new
applicant executing the application as originally
filed. However, the aforementioned substituted
execution shall have no effect upon the previously
determined date of expiration of approval of the
application. Notwithstanding the provisions of this
subparagraph (f), approvals granted under this
paragraph (2) of subsection F prior to the effective
date of this Act shall be governed by the provisions of
this Act in effect on such date of approval; and
(g) no person shall be considered to have violated
Section 5 of this Act by reason of any offer or sale
effected in reliance upon an approval granted under
this paragraph (2) after a termination thereof under
the foregoing subparagraph (f) if official notice of
such termination has not been circulated generally to
dealers by the Secretary of State and if such person
sustains the burden of proof that he or she did not
know, and in the exercise of reasonable care, could not
have known, of the termination; or
(3) the securities, or securities of the same class,
are the subject of an existing registration under Section 5
of this Act.
The exemption provided in this subsection F shall apply
only if the offer or sale is made in good faith and not for the
purpose of avoiding any of the provisions of this Act, and only
if the offer or sale is not made for the direct or indirect
benefit of the issuer of the securities, or the controlling
person in respect of such issuer.
G. (1) Any offer, sale or issuance of a security, whether
to residents or to non-residents of this State, where:
(a) all sales of such security to residents of this
State (including the most recent such sale) within the
immediately preceding 12-month period have been made
to not more than 35 persons or have involved an
aggregate sales price of not more than $1,000,000;
(b) such security is not offered or sold by means
of any general advertising or general solicitation in
this State; and
(c) no commission, discount, or other remuneration
exceeding 20% of the sale price of such security, if
sold to a resident of this State, is paid or given
directly or indirectly for or on account of such sales.
(2) In computing the number of resident purchasers or
the aggregate sales price under paragraph (1) (a) above,
there shall be excluded any purchaser or dollar amount of
sales price, as the case may be, with respect to any
security which at the time of its sale was exempt under
Section 3 or was registered under Section 5, 6 or 7 or was
sold in a transaction exempt under other subsections of
this Section 4.
(3) A prospectus or preliminary prospectus with
respect to a security for which a registration statement is
pending or effective under the Federal 1933 Act shall not
be deemed to constitute general advertising or general
solicitation in this State as such terms are used in
paragraph (1) (b) above, provided that such prospectus or
preliminary prospectus has not been sent or otherwise
delivered to more than 150 residents of this State.
(4) The Secretary of State shall by rule or regulation
require the filing of a report or reports of sales made in
reliance upon the exemption provided by this subsection G
and prescribe the form of such report and the time within
which such report shall be filed. Such report shall set
forth the name and address of the issuer and of the
controlling person, if the sale was for the direct or
indirect benefit of such person, and any other information
deemed necessary by the Secretary of State to enforce
compliance with this subsection G. The Secretary of State
shall prescribe by rule or regulation the amount of the fee
for filing any such report, established pursuant to Section
11a of this Act, which shall not be returnable in any
event. The Secretary of State may impose, in such cases as
he or she may deem appropriate, a penalty for failure to
file any such report in a timely manner, but no such
penalty shall exceed an amount equal to five times the
filing fee. The contents of any such report or portion
thereof may be deemed confidential by the Secretary of
State by rule or order and if so deemed shall not be
disclosed to the public except by order of court or in
court proceedings. The failure to file any such report
shall not affect the availability of such exemption, but
such failure to file any such report shall constitute a
violation of subsection D of Section 12 of this Act,
subject to the penalties enumerated in Section 14 of this
Act. The civil remedies provided for in subsection A of
Section 13 of this Act and the civil remedies of rescission
and appointment of a receiver, conservator, ancillary
receiver or ancillary conservator provided for in
subsection F of Section 13 of this Act shall not be
available against any person by reason of the failure to
file any such report or on account of the contents of any
such report.
H. Any offer, sale or issuance of a security to an
accredited investor provided that such security is not offered
or sold by means of any general advertising or general
solicitation, except as otherwise permitted in this Act. (1)
any natural person who has, or is reasonably believed by the
person relying upon this subsection H to have, a net worth or
joint net worth with that person's spouse, at the time of the
offer, sale or issuance, in excess of $1,000,000 excluding the
value of a principal residence, or (2) any natural person who
had, or is reasonably believed by the person relying upon this
subsection H to have had, an income or joint income with that
person's spouse, in excess of $200,000 in each of the two most
recent years and who reasonably expects, or is reasonably
expected to have, an income in excess of $200,000 in the
current year, or (3) any person that is not a natural person
and in which at least 90% of the equity interest is owned by
persons who meet either of the tests set forth in clauses (1)
or (2) of this subsection H; provided that such security is not
offered or sold by means of any general advertising or general
solicitation in this State.
I. Any offer, sale or issuance of securities to or for the
benefit of security holders of any person incident to a vote by
such security holders pursuant to such person's organizational
document or any applicable statute of the jurisdiction of such
person's organization, on a merger, consolidation,
reclassification of securities, or sale or transfer of assets
in consideration of or exchange for securities of the same or
another person.
J. Any offer, sale or issuance of securities in exchange
for one or more outstanding securities, claims or property
interests, or partly in such exchange and partly for cash,
where such offer, sale or issuance is incident to a
reorganization, recapitalization, readjustment, composition or
settlement of a claim, as approved by a court of competent
jurisdiction of the United States, or any state.
K. Any offer, sale or issuance of securities for patronage,
or as patronage refunds, or in connection with marketing
agreements by cooperative associations organized exclusively
for agricultural, producer, marketing, purchasing, or consumer
purposes; and the sale of subscriptions for or shares of stock
of cooperative associations organized exclusively for
agricultural, producer, marketing, purchasing, or consumer
purposes, if no commission or other remuneration is paid or
given directly or indirectly for or on account of such
subscription, sale or resale, and if any person does not own
beneficially more than 5% of the aggregate amount of issued and
outstanding capital stock of such cooperative association.
L. Offers for sale or solicitations of offers to buy (but
not the acceptance thereof), of securities which are the
subject of a pending registration statement filed under the
Federal 1933 Act and which are the subject of a pending
application for registration under this Act.
M. Any offer or sale of preorganization subscriptions for
any securities prior to the incorporation, organization or
formation of any issuer under the laws of the United States, or
any state, or the issuance by such issuer, after its
incorporation, organization or formation, of securities
pursuant to such preorganization subscriptions, provided the
number of subscribers does not exceed 25 and either (1) no
commission or other remuneration is paid or given directly or
indirectly for or on account of such sale or sales or issuance,
or (2) if any commission or other remuneration is paid or given
directly or indirectly for or on account of such sale or sales
or issuance, the securities are not offered or sold by any
means of general advertising or general solicitation in this
State.
N. The execution of orders for purchase of securities by a
registered salesperson and dealer, provided such persons act as
agent for the purchaser, have made no solicitation of the order
to purchase the securities, have no direct interest in the sale
or distribution of the securities ordered, receive no
commission, profit, or other compensation other than the
commissions involved in the purchase and sale of the securities
and deliver to the purchaser written confirmation of the order
which clearly identifies the commissions paid to the registered
dealer.
O. Any offer, sale or issuance of securities, other than
fractional undivided interests in an oil, gas or other mineral
lease, right or royalty, for the direct or indirect benefit of
the issuer thereof, or of a controlling person, whether through
a dealer (acting either as principal or agent) or otherwise, if
the securities sold, immediately following the sale or sales,
together with securities already owned by the purchaser, would
constitute 50% or more of the equity interest of any one
issuer, provided that the number of purchasers is not more than
5 and provided further that no commission, discount or other
remuneration exceeding 15% of the aggregate sale price of the
securities is paid or given directly or indirectly for or on
account of the sale or sales.
P. Any offer, sale or issuance of securities (except face
amount certificate contracts and investment fund shares)
issued by and representing an interest in an issuer which is a
business corporation incorporated under the laws of this State,
the purposes of which are to provide capital and supervision
solely for the redevelopment of blighted urban areas located in
a municipality in this State and whose assets are located
entirely within that municipality, provided: (1) no
commission, discount or other remuneration is paid or given
directly or indirectly for or on account of the sale or sales
of such securities; (2) the aggregate amount of any securities
of the issuer owned of record or beneficially by any one person
will not exceed the lesser of $5,000 or 4% of the equity
capitalization of the issuer; (3) the officers and directors of
the corporation have been bona fide residents of the
municipality not less than 3 years immediately preceding the
effectiveness of the offering sheet for the securities under
this subsection P; and (4) the issuer files with the Secretary
of State an offering sheet descriptive of the securities
setting forth:
(a) the name and address of the issuer;
(b) the title and total amount of securities to be
offered;
(c) the price at which the securities are to be
offered; and
(d) such additional information as the Secretary of
State may prescribe by rule and regulation.
The Secretary of State shall within a reasonable time
examine the offering sheet so filed and, unless the Secretary
of State shall make a determination that the offering sheet so
filed does not conform to the requirements of this subsection
P, shall declare the offering sheet to be effective, which
offering sheet shall continue effective for a period of 12
months from the date it becomes effective. The fee for
examining the offering sheet shall be as established pursuant
to Section 11a of this Act, and shall not be returnable in any
event. The Secretary of State shall by rule or regulation
require the filing of a report or reports of sales made to
residents of this State in reliance upon the exemption provided
by this subsection P and prescribe the form of such report and
the time within which such report shall be filed. The Secretary
of State shall prescribe by rule or regulation the amount of
the fee for filing any such report, but such fee shall not be
less than the minimum amount nor more than the maximum amount
established pursuant to Section 11a of this Act, and shall not
be returnable in any event. The Secretary of State may impose,
in such cases as he or she may deem appropriate, a penalty for
failure to file any such report in a timely manner, but no such
penalty shall exceed an amount equal to five times the filing
fee. The contents of any such report shall be deemed
confidential and shall not be disclosed to the public except by
order of court or in court proceedings. The failure to file any
such report shall not affect the availability of such
exemption, but such failure to file any such report shall
constitute a violation of subsection D of Section 12 of this
Act, subject to the penalties enumerated in Section 14 of this
Act. The civil remedies provided for in subsection A of Section
13 of this Act and the civil remedies of rescission and
appointment of a receiver, conservator, ancillary receiver or
ancillary conservator provided for in subsection F of Section
13 of this Act shall not be available against any person by
reason of the failure to file any such report or on account of
the contents of any such report.
Q. Any isolated transaction, whether effected by a dealer
or not.
R. Any offer, sale or issuance of a security to any person
who purchases at least $150,000 of the securities being
offered, where the purchaser's total purchase price does not,
or it is reasonably believed by the person relying upon this
subsection R that said purchase price does not, exceed 20
percent of the purchaser's net worth at the time of sale, or if
a natural person a joint net worth with that person's spouse,
for one or any combination of the following: (i) cash, (ii)
securities for which market quotations are readily available,
(iii) an unconditional obligation to pay cash or securities for
which quotations are readily available, which obligation is to
be discharged within five years of the sale of the securities
to the purchaser, or (iv) the cancellation of any indebtedness
owed by the issuer to the purchaser; provided that such
security is not offered or sold by means of any general
advertising or general solicitation in this State.
S. Any offer, sale or issuance of a security to any person
who is, or who is reasonably believed by the person relying
upon this subsection S to be, a director, executive officer, or
general partner of the issuer of the securities being offered
or sold, or any director, executive officer, or general partner
of a general partner of that issuer. For purposes of this
subsection S, "executive officer" shall mean the president, any
vice president in charge of a principal business unit, division
or function (such as sales, administration or finance), any
other officer who performs a policy making function, or any
other person who performs similar policy making functions for
the issuer. Executive officers of subsidiaries may be deemed
executive officers of the issuer if they perform such policy
making functions for the issuer.
A document being filed pursuant to this Section 4 shall be
deemed filed, and any fee paid pursuant to this Section 4 shall
be deemed paid, upon the date of actual receipt thereof by the
Secretary of State.
T. An offer or sale of a security by an issuer that is
organized and, as of the time of the offer and the time of
sale, in good standing under the laws of the State of Illinois,
made solely to persons or entities that are, as of the time of
the offer and time of sale, residents of the State of Illinois,
provided:
(1) The offering meets all of the requirements of the
federal exemption for intrastate offerings provided in
Section 3(a)(11) of the Securities Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C.
77c(a)(11)) and Rule 147 adopted under the Securities Act
of 1933 (17 CFR 230.147).
(2) The aggregate purchase price of all securities sold
by an issuer in reliance on the exemption under this
subsection, within any 12-month period, does not exceed:
(i) $1,000,000; or (ii) $4,000,000 if the issuer has
undergone and made available (directly, or through a
registered Internet portal), to each prospective purchaser
and the Secretary of State, copies of its most recent
financial statements which have been audited by an
independent auditor and certified by a senior officer of
the issuer as fairly, completely, and accurately
presenting the financial condition of the issuer, in all
material respects, as of the dates indicated therein.
Amounts received in connection with any offer or sale to
any accredited investor or any of the following shall not
count toward the calculation of the foregoing monetary
limitations:
(a) any entity (including, without limitation, any
trust) in which all of the equity interests are owned
by (or with respect to any trust, the primary
beneficiaries are) persons who are accredited
investors or who meet one or more of the criteria in
subparagraphs (b) through (d) of this paragraph (2);
(b) with respect to participating in an offering of
a particular issuer, a natural person serving as an
officer, director, partner, or trustee of, or
otherwise occupying similar status or performing
similar functions with respect to, such issuer;
(c) with respect to participating in an offering of
a particular issuer, a natural person or entity who
owns 10% or more of the then aggregate outstanding
voting capital securities of such issuer; or
(d) such other person or entity as the Secretary of
State may hereafter exempt by rule.
The Secretary of State may hereafter cumulatively
increase the dollar limitations provided in this
paragraph.
(3) The aggregate amount sold by an issuer to any
purchaser (other than an accredited investor or a person or
entity which meets one or more of the criteria in
subparagraphs (a) through (d) of paragraph (2) of this
subsection T) in an offering of securities made in reliance
on the exemption provided in this subsection T, within any
consecutive 12-month period, does not exceed $5,000.
(4) The Secretary of State shall establish by rule the
duties of the issuer including disclosure and filing
requirements, treatment of escrow funds and agreements,
production of financial statements, and other requirements
as deemed necessary.
(5) The issuer has made available, to each prospective
purchaser and the Secretary of State, copies of its most
recent financial statements personally certified by one or
more senior officers of the issuer as fairly, completely,
and accurately presenting the financial condition of the
issuer, in all material respects, as of the dates indicated
therein.
(6) No commission or other remuneration is paid or
given directly or indirectly to any person or entity
(including, without limitation, any registered Internet
portal) for soliciting any person in this State, except to
registered dealers and registered salespersons licensed in
this State.
(7) Not less than 15 days before the earlier of the
first sale of securities made in reliance on the exemption
provided in this subsection T, or the use of any general
solicitation with respect thereto (other than a general
announcement made by or on behalf of), an issuer shall file
forms, materials, and fees as required by the Secretary of
State by rule.
The Secretary of State shall prescribe by rule the
amount of the fee for filing the notice required in
subparagraph (a), established pursuant to Section 11a of
this Act. The Secretary of State may impose, in such cases
as he or she may deem appropriate, a penalty for failure to
file any such notice in a timely manner, but no such
penalty shall exceed an amount equal to 5 times the filing
fee. The contents of any such notice or portion thereof may
be deemed confidential by the Secretary of State by rule or
order and if so deemed shall not be disclosed to the public
except by order of court or in court proceedings. The
failure to file any such notice does not affect the
availability of such exemption, but such failure to file
any such report constitutes a violation of subsection D of
Section 12 of this Act and is subject to the penalties and
remedies available in this Act and under the law.
(8) All payments for purchase of securities offered
pursuant to the exemption provided under this subsection T
are made directly to, and held by, the qualified escrowee
identified in the escrow agreement required pursuant to
subparagraph (c) of paragraph (4).
(9) The issuer includes each of the following in one or
more of the offering materials delivered to a prospective
purchaser, or to which a prospective purchaser has been
granted electronic access, in connection with the
offering:
(a) a description of the issuer, its type of
entity, the address, and telephone number of its
principal office;
(b) a reasonably detailed description of the
intended use of the offering proceeds, including any
amounts to be paid, as compensation or otherwise, to
any owner, executive officer, director, managing
member, or other person occupying a similar status or
performing similar functions on behalf of the issuer;
(c) the identity of all persons owning more than
10% of the voting capital securities of the issuer;
(d) the identity of the executive officers,
directors, managing members, and other persons
occupying a similar status or performing similar
functions in the name of and on behalf of the issuer,
including their titles and a reasonably detailed
description of their prior experience;
(e) the identity of any person or entity who has
been or will be retained by the issuer to assist the
issuer in conducting the offering and sale of the
securities (including all registered Internet portals
but excluding persons acting solely as accountants or
attorneys and employees whose primary job
responsibilities involve the operating business of the
issuer rather than assisting the issuer in raising
capital) and a description of the consideration being
paid to each such person or entity for such assistance;
(f) any additional information material to the
offering, including a description of significant
factors that make the offering speculative or risky for
the purchaser;
(g) the information required pursuant to
subparagraphs (a) and (b) of paragraph (4) of this
subsection T;
(h) such other information as the Secretary of
State may hereafter require by rule.
(10) The issuer (directly or through a registered
Internet portal) requires each purchaser to certify, in
writing or electronically, that the purchaser:
(a) is a resident of the State of Illinois;
(b) understands that he or she is investing in a
high-risk, highly speculative, business venture, that
he or she may lose all of his or her investment, and
that he or she can afford such a loss of his or her
investment;
(c) understands that the securities being offered
are highly illiquid, that there is no ready market for
the sale of such securities, that it may be difficult
or impossible for purchaser to sell or otherwise
dispose of such securities, and (where applicable)
that purchaser may be required to hold the securities
for an indefinite period of time; and
(d) understands that purchaser may be subject to
the payment of certain taxes with respect to the
securities being purchased whether or not purchaser
has sold, or otherwise disposed of, such securities or
whether purchaser has received any distributions or
other amounts from the issuer.
(11) The issuer (directly or through a registered
Internet portal) obtains from each purchaser of a security
offered under this subsection T evidence that the purchaser
is a resident of this State and, if applicable, is an
accredited investor. Without limiting the generality of
the foregoing, and not to the exclusion of other reasonable
methods which may be used by the issuer in connection with
the foregoing, an issuer may rely.
(12) The issuer (and to the extent a registered
Internet portal is used, such registered Internet portal)
maintains records of all offers and sales of securities
made pursuant to the exemption granted by this subsection T
and provides ready access to such records to the Secretary
of State, upon notice from the Secretary of State.
(13) The issuer is not, either before or as a result of
the offering:
(a) an investment company, as defined in Section 3
of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C.
80a-3), as amended and in effect (unless the issuer
qualifies for exclusion from such definition pursuant
to one or more of the exceptions provided in Section
3(c) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, any other
provision of the Investment Company Act of 1940, or any
administrative rule or regulation promulgated with
respect to the Investment Company Act of 1940 or in
connection therewith); or
(b) subject to the reporting requirements of
Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 (15 U.S.C. 78m or 15 U.S.C. 78o(d).
(14) Neither the issuer, nor any person affiliated with
the issuer (either before or as a result of the offering),
nor the offering itself, nor the registered Internet portal
(to the extent used) is subject to disqualification
established by the Secretary of State by rule or contained
in the Securities Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C. 77c(a)(11)) and
Rule 147 adopted under the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR
230.147), unless both of the following are met:
(a) on a showing of good cause and without
prejudice to any other action by the Secretary of
State, the Secretary of State determines that it is not
necessary under the circumstances that an exemption is
denied; and
(b) the issuer establishes that it made a factual
inquiry into whether any disqualification existed
under this paragraph (14), but did not know, and in the
exercise of reasonable care could not have known, that
a disqualification existed under this paragraph (14);
the nature and scope of the requisite inquiry will vary
based on the circumstances of the issuer and the other
offering participants.
(Source: P.A. 90-70, eff. 7-8-97; 91-809, eff. 1-1-01.)
(815 ILCS 5/8) (from Ch. 121 1/2, par. 137.8)
Sec. 8. Registration of dealers, limited Canadian dealers,
internet portals, salespersons, investment advisers, and
investment adviser representatives.
A. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection A, every
dealer, limited Canadian dealer, salesperson, investment
adviser, and investment adviser representative shall be
registered as such with the Secretary of State. No dealer or
salesperson need be registered as such when offering or selling
securities in transactions exempted by subsection A, B, C, D,
E, G, H, I, J, K, M, O, P, Q, R or S of Section 4 of this Act,
provided that such dealer or salesperson is not regularly
engaged in the business of offering or selling securities in
reliance upon the exemption set forth in subsection G or M of
Section 4 of this Act. No dealer, issuer or controlling person
shall employ a salesperson unless such salesperson is
registered as such with the Secretary of State or is employed
for the purpose of offering or selling securities solely in
transactions exempted by subsection A, B, C, D, E, G, H, I, J,
K, L, M, O, P, Q, R or S of Section 4 of this Act; provided that
such salesperson need not be registered when effecting
transactions in this State limited to those transactions
described in Section 15(h)(2) of the Federal 1934 Act or
engaging in the offer or sale of securities in respect of which
he or she has beneficial ownership and is a controlling person.
The Secretary of State may, by rule, regulation or order and
subject to such terms, conditions, and fees as may be
prescribed in such rule, regulation or order, exempt from the
registration requirements of this Section 8 any investment
adviser, if the Secretary of State shall find that such
registration is not necessary in the public interest by reason
of the small number of clients or otherwise limited character
of operation of such investment adviser.
B. An application for registration as a dealer or limited
Canadian dealer, executed, verified, or authenticated by or on
behalf of the applicant, shall be filed with the Secretary of
State, in such form as the Secretary of State may by rule,
regulation or order prescribe, setting forth or accompanied by:
(1) The name and address of the applicant, the location
of its principal business office and all branch offices, if
any, and the date of its organization;
(2) A statement of any other Federal or state licenses
or registrations which have been granted the applicant and
whether any such licenses or registrations have ever been
refused, cancelled, suspended, revoked or withdrawn;
(3) The assets and all liabilities, including
contingent liabilities of the applicant, as of a date not
more than 60 days prior to the filing of the application;
(4) (a) A brief description of any civil or criminal
proceeding of which fraud is an essential element pending
against the applicant and whether the applicant has ever
been convicted of a felony, or of any misdemeanor of which
fraud is an essential element;
(b) A list setting forth the name, residence and
business address and a 10 year occupational statement of
each principal of the applicant and a statement describing
briefly any civil or criminal proceedings of which fraud is
an essential element pending against any such principal and
the facts concerning any conviction of any such principal
of a felony, or of any misdemeanor of which fraud is an
essential element;
(5) If the applicant is a corporation: a list of its
officers and directors setting forth the residence and
business address of each; a 10-year occupational statement
of each such officer or director; and a statement
describing briefly any civil or criminal proceedings of
which fraud is an essential element pending against each
such officer or director and the facts concerning any
conviction of any officer or director of a felony, or of
any misdemeanor of which fraud is an essential element;
(6) If the applicant is a sole proprietorship, a
partnership, limited liability company, an unincorporated
association or any similar form of business organization:
the name, residence and business address of the proprietor
or of each partner, member, officer, director, trustee or
manager; the limitations, if any, of the liability of each
such individual; a 10-year occupational statement of each
such individual; a statement describing briefly any civil
or criminal proceedings of which fraud is an essential
element pending against each such individual and the facts
concerning any conviction of any such individual of a
felony, or of any misdemeanor of which fraud is an
essential element;
(7) Such additional information as the Secretary of
State may by rule or regulation prescribe as necessary to
determine the applicant's financial responsibility,
business repute and qualification to act as a dealer.
(8) (a) No applicant shall be registered or
re-registered as a dealer or limited Canadian dealer under
this Section unless and until each principal of the dealer
has passed an examination conducted by the Secretary of
State or a self-regulatory organization of securities
dealers or similar person, which examination has been
designated by the Secretary of State by rule, regulation or
order to be satisfactory for purposes of determining
whether the applicant has sufficient knowledge of the
securities business and laws relating thereto to act as a
registered dealer. Any dealer who was registered on
September 30, 1963, and has continued to be so registered;
and any principal of any registered dealer, who was acting
in such capacity on and continuously since September 30,
1963; and any individual who has previously passed a
securities dealer examination administered by the
Secretary of State or any examination designated by the
Secretary of State to be satisfactory for purposes of
determining whether the applicant has sufficient knowledge
of the securities business and laws relating thereto to act
as a registered dealer by rule, regulation or order, shall
not be required to pass an examination in order to continue
to act in such capacity. The Secretary of State may by
order waive the examination requirement for any principal
of an applicant for registration under this subsection B
who has had such experience or education relating to the
securities business as may be determined by the Secretary
of State to be the equivalent of such examination. Any
request for such a waiver shall be filed with the Secretary
of State in such form as may be prescribed by rule or
regulation.
(b) Unless an applicant is a member of the body
corporate known as the Securities Investor Protection
Corporation established pursuant to the Act of Congress of
the United States known as the Securities Investor
Protection Act of 1970, as amended, a member of an
association of dealers registered as a national securities
association pursuant to Section 15A of the Federal 1934
Act, or a member of a self-regulatory organization or stock
exchange in Canada which the Secretary of State has
designated by rule or order, an applicant shall not be
registered or re-registered unless and until there is filed
with the Secretary of State evidence that such applicant
has in effect insurance or other equivalent protection for
each client's cash or securities held by such applicant,
and an undertaking that such applicant will continually
maintain such insurance or other protection during the
period of registration or re-registration. Such insurance
or other protection shall be in a form and amount
reasonably prescribed by the Secretary of State by rule or
regulation.
(9) The application for the registration of a dealer or
limited Canadian dealer shall be accompanied by a filing
fee and a fee for each branch office in this State, in each
case in the amount established pursuant to Section 11a of
this Act, which fees shall not be returnable in any event.
(10) The Secretary of State shall notify the dealer or
limited Canadian dealer by written notice (which may be by
electronic or facsimile transmission) of the effectiveness
of the registration as a dealer in this State.
(11) Any change which renders no longer accurate any
information contained in any application for registration
or re-registration of a dealer or limited Canadian dealer
shall be reported to the Secretary of State within 10
business days after the occurrence of such change; but in
respect to assets and liabilities only materially adverse
changes need be reported.
C. Any registered dealer, limited Canadian dealer, issuer,
or controlling person desiring to register a salesperson shall
file an application with the Secretary of State, in such form
as the Secretary of State may by rule or regulation prescribe,
which the salesperson is required by this Section to provide to
the dealer, issuer, or controlling person, executed, verified,
or authenticated by the salesperson setting forth or
accompanied by:
(1) the name, residence and business address of the
salesperson;
(2) whether any federal or State license or
registration as dealer, limited Canadian dealer, or
salesperson has ever been refused the salesperson or
cancelled, suspended, revoked, withdrawn, barred, limited,
or otherwise adversely affected in a similar manner or
whether the salesperson has ever been censured or expelled;
(3) the nature of employment with, and names and
addresses of, employers of the salesperson for the 10 years
immediately preceding the date of application;
(4) a brief description of any civil or criminal
proceedings of which fraud is an essential element pending
against the salesperson, and whether the salesperson has
ever been convicted of a felony, or of any misdemeanor of
which fraud is an essential element;
(5) such additional information as the Secretary of
State may by rule, regulation or order prescribe as
necessary to determine the salesperson's business repute
and qualification to act as a salesperson; and
(6) no individual shall be registered or re-registered
as a salesperson under this Section unless and until such
individual has passed an examination conducted by the
Secretary of State or a self-regulatory organization of
securities dealers or similar person, which examination
has been designated by the Secretary of State by rule,
regulation or order to be satisfactory for purposes of
determining whether the applicant has sufficient knowledge
of the securities business and laws relating thereto to act
as a registered salesperson.
Any salesperson who was registered prior to September
30, 1963, and has continued to be so registered, and any
individual who has passed a securities salesperson
examination administered by the Secretary of State or an
examination designated by the Secretary of State by rule,
regulation or order to be satisfactory for purposes of
determining whether the applicant has sufficient knowledge
of the securities business and laws relating thereto to act
as a registered salesperson, shall not be required to pass
an examination in order to continue to act as a
salesperson. The Secretary of State may by order waive the
examination requirement for any applicant for registration
under this subsection C who has had such experience or
education relating to the securities business as may be
determined by the Secretary of State to be the equivalent
of such examination. Any request for such a waiver shall be
filed with the Secretary of State in such form as may be
prescribed by rule, regulation or order.
(7) The application for registration of a salesperson
shall be accompanied by a filing fee and a Securities Audit
and Enforcement Fund fee, each in the amount established
pursuant to Section 11a of this Act, which shall not be
returnable in any event.
(8) Any change which renders no longer accurate any
information contained in any application for registration
or re-registration as a salesperson shall be reported to
the Secretary of State within 10 business days after the
occurrence of such change. If the activities are terminated
which rendered an individual a salesperson for the dealer,
issuer or controlling person, the dealer, issuer or
controlling person, as the case may be, shall notify the
Secretary of State, in writing, within 30 days of the
salesperson's cessation of activities, using the
appropriate termination notice form.
(9) A registered salesperson may transfer his or her
registration under this Section 8 for the unexpired term
thereof from one registered dealer or limited Canadian
dealer to another by the giving of notice of the transfer
by the new registered dealer or limited Canadian dealer to
the Secretary of State in such form and subject to such
conditions as the Secretary of State shall by rule or
regulation prescribe. The new registered dealer or limited
Canadian dealer shall promptly file an application for
registration of such salesperson as provided in this
subsection C, accompanied by the filing fee prescribed by
paragraph (7) of this subsection C.
C-5. Except with respect to federal covered investment
advisers whose only clients are investment companies as defined
in the Federal 1940 Act, other investment advisers, federal
covered investment advisers, or any similar person which the
Secretary of State may prescribe by rule or order, a federal
covered investment adviser shall file with the Secretary of
State, prior to acting as a federal covered investment adviser
in this State, such documents as have been filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission as the Secretary of State by
rule or order may prescribe. The notification of a federal
covered investment adviser shall be accompanied by a
notification filing fee established pursuant to Section 11a of
this Act, which shall not be returnable in any event. Every
person acting as a federal covered investment adviser in this
State shall file a notification filing and pay an annual
notification filing fee established pursuant to Section 11a of
this Act, which is not returnable in any event. The failure to
file any such notification shall constitute a violation of
subsection D of Section 12 of this Act, subject to the
penalties enumerated in Section 14 of this Act. Until October
10, 1999 or other date as may be legally permissible, a federal
covered investment adviser who fails to file the notification
or refuses to pay the fees as required by this subsection shall
register as an investment adviser with the Secretary of State
under Section 8 of this Act. The civil remedies provided for in
subsection A of Section 13 of this Act and the civil remedies
of rescission and appointment of receiver, conservator,
ancillary receiver, or ancillary conservator provided for in
subsection F of Section 13 of this Act shall not be available
against any person by reason of the failure to file any such
notification or to pay the notification fee or on account of
the contents of any such notification.
D. An application for registration as an investment
adviser, executed, verified, or authenticated by or on behalf
of the applicant, shall be filed with the Secretary of State,
in such form as the Secretary of State may by rule or
regulation prescribe, setting forth or accompanied by:
(1) The name and form of organization under which the
investment adviser engages or intends to engage in
business; the state or country and date of its
organization; the location of the adviser's principal
business office and branch offices, if any; the names and
addresses of the adviser's principal, partners, officers,
directors, and persons performing similar functions or, if
the investment adviser is an individual, of the individual;
and the number of the adviser's employees who perform
investment advisory functions;
(2) The education, the business affiliations for the
past 10 years, and the present business affiliations of the
investment adviser and of the adviser's principal,
partners, officers, directors, and persons performing
similar functions and of any person controlling the
investment adviser;
(3) The nature of the business of the investment
adviser, including the manner of giving advice and
rendering analyses or reports;
(4) The nature and scope of the authority of the
investment adviser with respect to clients' funds and
accounts;
(5) The basis or bases upon which the investment
adviser is compensated;
(6) Whether the investment adviser or any principal,
partner, officer, director, person performing similar
functions or person controlling the investment adviser (i)
within 10 years of the filing of the application has been
convicted of a felony, or of any misdemeanor of which fraud
is an essential element, or (ii) is permanently or
temporarily enjoined by order or judgment from acting as an
investment adviser, underwriter, dealer, principal or
salesperson, or from engaging in or continuing any conduct
or practice in connection with any such activity or in
connection with the purchase or sale of any security, and
in each case the facts relating to the conviction, order or
judgment;
(7) (a) A statement as to whether the investment
adviser is engaged or is to engage primarily in the
business of rendering investment supervisory services; and
(b) A statement that the investment adviser will
furnish his, her, or its clients with such information as
the Secretary of State deems necessary in the form
prescribed by the Secretary of State by rule or regulation;
(8) Such additional information as the Secretary of
State may, by rule, regulation or order prescribe as
necessary to determine the applicant's financial
responsibility, business repute and qualification to act
as an investment adviser.
(9) No applicant shall be registered or re-registered
as an investment adviser under this Section unless and
until each principal of the applicant who is actively
engaged in the conduct and management of the applicant's
advisory business in this State has passed an examination
or completed an educational program conducted by the
Secretary of State or an association of investment advisers
or similar person, which examination or educational
program has been designated by the Secretary of State by
rule, regulation or order to be satisfactory for purposes
of determining whether the applicant has sufficient
knowledge of the securities business and laws relating
thereto to conduct the business of a registered investment
adviser.
Any person who was a registered investment adviser
prior to September 30, 1963, and has continued to be so
registered, and any individual who has passed an investment
adviser examination administered by the Secretary of
State, or passed an examination or completed an educational
program designated by the Secretary of State by rule,
regulation or order to be satisfactory for purposes of
determining whether the applicant has sufficient knowledge
of the securities business and laws relating thereto to
conduct the business of a registered investment adviser,
shall not be required to pass an examination or complete an
educational program in order to continue to act as an
investment adviser. The Secretary of State may by order
waive the examination or educational program requirement
for any applicant for registration under this subsection D
if the principal of the applicant who is actively engaged
in the conduct and management of the applicant's advisory
business in this State has had such experience or education
relating to the securities business as may be determined by
the Secretary of State to be the equivalent of the
examination or educational program. Any request for a
waiver shall be filed with the Secretary of State in such
form as may be prescribed by rule or regulation.
(10) No applicant shall be registered or re-registered
as an investment adviser under this Section 8 unless the
application for registration or re-registration is
accompanied by an application for registration or
re-registration for each person acting as an investment
adviser representative on behalf of the adviser and a
Securities Audit and Enforcement Fund fee that shall not be
returnable in any event is paid with respect to each
investment adviser representative.
(11) The application for registration of an investment
adviser shall be accompanied by a filing fee and a fee for
each branch office in this State, in each case in the
amount established pursuant to Section 11a of this Act,
which fees shall not be returnable in any event.
(12) The Secretary of State shall notify the investment
adviser by written notice (which may be by electronic or
facsimile transmission) of the effectiveness of the
registration as an investment adviser in this State.
(13) Any change which renders no longer accurate any
information contained in any application for registration
or re-registration of an investment adviser shall be
reported to the Secretary of State within 10 business days
after the occurrence of the change. In respect to assets
and liabilities of an investment adviser that retains
custody of clients' cash or securities or accepts
pre-payment of fees in excess of $500 per client and 6 or
more months in advance only materially adverse changes need
be reported by written notice (which may be by electronic
or facsimile transmission) no later than the close of
business on the second business day following the discovery
thereof.
(14) Each application for registration as an
investment adviser shall become effective automatically on
the 45th day following the filing of the application,
required documents or information, and payment of the
required fee unless (i) the Secretary of State has
registered the investment adviser prior to that date or
(ii) an action with respect to the applicant is pending
under Section 11 of this Act.
D-5. A registered investment adviser or federal covered
investment adviser desiring to register an investment adviser
representative shall file an application with the Secretary of
State, in the form as the Secretary of State may by rule or
order prescribe, which the investment adviser representative
is required by this Section to provide to the investment
adviser, executed, verified, or authenticated by the
investment adviser representative and setting forth or
accompanied by:
(1) The name, residence, and business address of the
investment adviser representative;
(2) A statement whether any federal or state license or
registration as a dealer, salesperson, investment adviser,
or investment adviser representative has ever been
refused, canceled, suspended, revoked or withdrawn;
(3) The nature of employment with, and names and
addresses of, employers of the investment adviser
representative for the 10 years immediately preceding the
date of application;
(4) A brief description of any civil or criminal
proceedings, of which fraud is an essential element,
pending against the investment adviser representative and
whether the investment adviser representative has ever
been convicted of a felony or of any misdemeanor of which
fraud is an essential element;
(5) Such additional information as the Secretary of
State may by rule or order prescribe as necessary to
determine the investment adviser representative's business
repute or qualification to act as an investment adviser
representative;
(6) Documentation that the individual has passed an
examination conducted by the Secretary of State, an
organization of investment advisers, or similar person,
which examination has been designated by the Secretary of
State by rule or order to be satisfactory for purposes of
determining whether the applicant has sufficient knowledge
of the investment advisory or securities business and laws
relating to that business to act as a registered investment
adviser representative; and
(7) A Securities Audit and Enforcement Fund fee
established under Section 11a of this Act, which shall not
be returnable in any event.
The Secretary of State may by order waive the examination
requirement for an applicant for registration under this
subsection D-5 who has had the experience or education relating
to the investment advisory or securities business as may be
determined by the Secretary of State to be the equivalent of
the examination. A request for a waiver shall be filed with the
Secretary of State in the form as may be prescribed by rule or
order.
A change that renders no longer accurate any information
contained in any application for registration or
re-registration as an investment adviser representative must
be reported to the Secretary of State within 10 business days
after the occurrence of the change. If the activities that
rendered an individual an investment adviser representative
for the investment adviser are terminated, the investment
adviser shall notify the Secretary of State in writing (which
may be by electronic or facsimile transmission), within 30 days
of the investment adviser representative's termination, using
the appropriate termination notice form as the Secretary of
State may prescribe by rule or order.
A registered investment adviser representative may
transfer his or her registration under this Section 8 for the
unexpired term of the registration from one registered
investment adviser to another by the giving of notice of the
transfer by the new investment adviser to the Secretary of
State in the form and subject to the conditions as the
Secretary of State shall prescribe. The new registered
investment adviser shall promptly file an application for
registration of the investment adviser representative as
provided in this subsection, accompanied by the Securities
Audit and Enforcement Fund fee prescribed by paragraph (7) of
this subsection D-5.
E. (1) Subject to the provisions of subsection F of Section
11 of this Act, the registration of a dealer, limited Canadian
dealer, salesperson, investment adviser, or investment adviser
representative may be denied, suspended or revoked if the
Secretary of State finds that the dealer, limited Canadian
dealer, internet portal, salesperson, investment adviser, or
investment adviser representative or any principal officer,
director, partner, member, trustee, manager or any person who
performs a similar function of the dealer, limited Canadian
dealer, internet portal, or investment adviser:
(a) has been convicted of any felony during the 10 year
period preceding the date of filing of any application for
registration or at any time thereafter, or of any
misdemeanor of which fraud is an essential element;
(b) has engaged in any unethical practice in connection
with any security, or in any fraudulent business practice;
(c) has failed to account for any money or property, or
has failed to deliver any security, to any person entitled
thereto when due or within a reasonable time thereafter;
(d) in the case of a dealer, limited Canadian dealer,
or investment adviser, is insolvent;
(e) in the case of a dealer, limited Canadian dealer,
salesperson, or registered principal of a dealer or limited
Canadian dealer (i) has failed reasonably to supervise the
securities activities of any of its salespersons or other
employees and the failure has permitted or facilitated a
violation of Section 12 of this Act or (ii) is offering or
selling or has offered or sold securities in this State
through a salesperson other than a registered salesperson,
or, in the case of a salesperson, is selling or has sold
securities in this State for a dealer, limited Canadian
dealer, issuer or controlling person with knowledge that
the dealer, limited Canadian dealer, issuer or controlling
person has not complied with the provisions of this Act or
(iii) has failed reasonably to supervise the
implementation of compliance measures following notice by
the Secretary of State of noncompliance with the Act or
with the regulations promulgated thereunder or both or (iv)
has failed to maintain and enforce written procedures to
supervise the types of business in which it engages and to
supervise the activities of its salespersons that are
reasonably designed to achieve compliance with applicable
securities laws and regulations;
(f) in the case of an investment adviser, has failed
reasonably to supervise the advisory activities of any of
its investment adviser representatives or employees and
the failure has permitted or facilitated a violation of
Section 12 of this Act;
(g) has violated any of the provisions of this Act;
(h) has made any material misrepresentation to the
Secretary of State in connection with any information
deemed necessary by the Secretary of State to determine a
dealer's, limited Canadian dealer's, or investment
adviser's financial responsibility or a dealer's, limited
Canadian dealer's, investment adviser's, salesperson's, or
investment adviser representative's business repute or
qualifications, or has refused to furnish any such
information requested by the Secretary of State;
(i) has had a license or registration under any Federal
or State law regulating securities, commodity futures
contracts, or stock futures contracts refused, cancelled,
suspended, withdrawn, revoked, or otherwise adversely
affected in a similar manner;
(j) has had membership in or association with any
self-regulatory organization registered under the Federal
1934 Act or the Federal 1974 Act suspended, revoked,
refused, expelled, cancelled, barred, limited in any
capacity, or otherwise adversely affected in a similar
manner arising from any fraudulent or deceptive act or a
practice in violation of any rule, regulation or standard
duly promulgated by the self-regulatory organization;
(k) has had any order entered against it after notice
and opportunity for hearing by a securities agency of any
state, any foreign government or agency thereof, the
Securities and Exchange Commission, or the Federal
Commodities Futures Trading Commission arising from any
fraudulent or deceptive act or a practice in violation of
any statute, rule or regulation administered or
promulgated by the agency or commission;
(l) in the case of a dealer or limited Canadian dealer,
fails to maintain a minimum net capital in an amount which
the Secretary of State may by rule or regulation require;
(m) has conducted a continuing course of dealing of
such nature as to demonstrate an inability to properly
conduct the business of the dealer, limited Canadian
dealer, salesperson, investment adviser, or investment
adviser representative;
(n) has had, after notice and opportunity for hearing,
any injunction or order entered against it or license or
registration refused, cancelled, suspended, revoked,
withdrawn, limited, or otherwise adversely affected in a
similar manner by any state or federal body, agency or
commission regulating banking, insurance, finance or small
loan companies, real estate or mortgage brokers or
companies, if the action resulted from any act found by the
body, agency or commission to be a fraudulent or deceptive
act or practice in violation of any statute, rule or
regulation administered or promulgated by the body, agency
or commission;
(o) has failed to file a return, or to pay the tax,
penalty or interest shown in a filed return, or to pay any
final assessment of tax, penalty or interest, as required
by any tax Act administered by the Illinois Department of
Revenue, until such time as the requirements of that tax
Act are satisfied;
(p) in the case of a natural person who is a dealer,
limited Canadian dealer, salesperson, investment adviser,
or investment adviser representative, has defaulted on an
educational loan guaranteed by the Illinois Student
Assistance Commission, until the natural person has
established a satisfactory repayment record as determined
by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission;
(q) has failed to maintain the books and records
required under this Act or rules or regulations promulgated
under this Act or under any requirements established by the
Securities and Exchange Commission or a self-regulatory
organization;
(r) has refused to allow or otherwise impeded designees
of the Secretary of State from conducting an audit,
examination, inspection, or investigation provided for
under Section 8 or 11 of this Act;
(s) has failed to maintain any minimum net capital or
bond requirement set forth in this Act or any rule or
regulation promulgated under this Act;
(t) has refused the Secretary of State or his or her
designee access to any office or location within an office
to conduct an investigation, audit, examination, or
inspection;
(u) has advised or caused a public pension fund or
retirement system established under the Illinois Pension
Code to make an investment or engage in a transaction not
authorized by that Code;
(v) if a corporation, limited liability company, or
limited liability partnership has been suspended,
canceled, revoked, or has failed to register as a foreign
corporation, limited liability company, or limited
liability partnership with the Secretary of State;
(w) is permanently or temporarily enjoined by any court
of competent jurisdiction, including any state, federal,
or foreign government, from engaging in or continuing any
conduct or practice involving any aspect of the securities
or commodities business or in any other business where the
conduct or practice enjoined involved investments,
franchises, insurance, banking, or finance;
(2) If the Secretary of State finds that any registrant or
applicant for registration is no longer in existence or has
ceased to do business as a dealer, limited Canadian dealer,
internet portal, salesperson, investment adviser, or
investment adviser representative, or is subject to an
adjudication as a person under legal disability or to the
control of a guardian, or cannot be located after reasonable
search, or has failed after written notice to pay to the
Secretary of State any additional fee prescribed by this
Section or specified by rule or regulation, or if a natural
person, has defaulted on an educational loan guaranteed by the
Illinois Student Assistance Commission, the Secretary of State
may by order cancel the registration or application.
(3) Withdrawal of an application for registration or
withdrawal from registration as a dealer, limited Canadian
dealer, salesperson, investment adviser, or investment adviser
representative becomes effective 30 days after receipt of an
application to withdraw or within such shorter period of time
as the Secretary of State may determine, unless any proceeding
is pending under Section 11 of this Act when the application is
filed or a proceeding is instituted within 30 days after the
application is filed. If a proceeding is pending or instituted,
withdrawal becomes effective at such time and upon such
conditions as the Secretary of State by order determines. If no
proceeding is pending or instituted and withdrawal
automatically becomes effective, the Secretary of State may
nevertheless institute a revocation or suspension proceeding
within 2 years after withdrawal became effective and enter a
revocation or suspension order as of the last date on which
registration was effective.
F. The Secretary of State shall make available upon request
the date that each dealer, investment adviser, salesperson, or
investment adviser representative was granted registration,
together with the name and address of the dealer, limited
Canadian dealer, or issuer on whose behalf the salesperson is
registered, and all orders of the Secretary of State denying or
abandoning an application, or suspending or revoking
registration, or censuring the persons. The Secretary of State
may designate by rule, regulation or order the statements,
information or reports submitted to or filed with him or her
pursuant to this Section 8 which the Secretary of State
determines are of a sensitive nature and therefore should be
exempt from public disclosure. Any such statement, information
or report shall be deemed confidential and shall not be
disclosed to the public except upon the consent of the person
filing or submitting the statement, information or report or by
order of court or in court proceedings.
G. The registration or re-registration of a dealer or
limited Canadian dealer and of all salespersons registered upon
application of the dealer or limited Canadian dealer shall
expire on the next succeeding anniversary date of the
registration or re-registration of the dealer; and the
registration or re-registration of an investment adviser and of
all investment adviser representatives registered upon
application of the investment adviser shall expire on the next
succeeding anniversary date of the registration of the
investment adviser; provided, that the Secretary of State may
by rule or regulation prescribe an alternate date which any
dealer registered under the Federal 1934 Act or a member of any
self-regulatory association approved pursuant thereto, a
member of a self-regulatory organization or stock exchange in
Canada, or any investment adviser may elect as the expiration
date of its dealer or limited Canadian dealer and salesperson
registrations, or the expiration date of its investment adviser
registration, as the case may be. A registration of a
salesperson registered upon application of an issuer or
controlling person shall expire on the next succeeding
anniversary date of the registration, or upon termination or
expiration of the registration of the securities, if any,
designated in the application for his or her registration or
the alternative date as the Secretary may prescribe by rule or
regulation. Subject to paragraph (9) of subsection C of this
Section 8, a salesperson's registration also shall terminate
upon cessation of his or her employment, or termination of his
or her appointment or authorization, in each case by the person
who applied for the salesperson's registration, provided that
the Secretary of State may by rule or regulation prescribe an
alternate date for the expiration of the registration.
H. Applications for re-registration of dealers, limited
Canadian dealers, internet portals, salespersons, investment
advisers, and investment adviser representatives shall be
filed with the Secretary of State prior to the expiration of
the then current registration and shall contain such
information as may be required by the Secretary of State upon
initial application with such omission therefrom or addition
thereto as the Secretary of State may authorize or prescribe.
Each application for re-registration of a dealer, limited
Canadian dealer, internet portal, or investment adviser shall
be accompanied by a filing fee, each application for
re-registration as a salesperson shall be accompanied by a
filing fee and a Securities Audit and Enforcement Fund fee
established pursuant to Section 11a of this Act, and each
application for re-registration as an investment adviser
representative shall be accompanied by a Securities Audit and
Enforcement Fund fee established under Section 11a of this Act,
which shall not be returnable in any event. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, applications for re-registration of dealers,
limited Canadian dealers, internet portals, and investment
advisers may be filed within 30 days following the expiration
of the registration provided that the applicant pays the annual
registration fee together with an additional amount equal to
the annual registration fee and files any other information or
documents that the Secretary of State may prescribe by rule or
regulation or order. Any application filed within 30 days
following the expiration of the registration shall be
automatically effective as of the time of the earlier
expiration provided that the proper fee has been paid to the
Secretary of State.
Each registered dealer, limited Canadian dealer, internet
portal, or investment adviser shall continue to be registered
if the registrant changes his, her, or its form of organization
provided that the dealer or investment adviser files an
amendment to his, her, or its application not later than 30
days following the occurrence of the change and pays the
Secretary of State a fee in the amount established under
Section 11a of this Act.
I. (1) Every registered dealer, limited Canadian dealer,
internet portal, and investment adviser shall make and keep for
such periods, such accounts, correspondence, memoranda,
papers, books and records as the Secretary of State may by rule
or regulation prescribe. All records so required shall be
preserved for 3 years unless the Secretary of State by rule,
regulation or order prescribes otherwise for particular types
of records.
(2) Every registered dealer, limited Canadian dealer,
internet portal, and investment adviser shall file such
financial reports as the Secretary of State may by rule or
regulation prescribe.
(3) All the books and records referred to in paragraph (1)
of this subsection I are subject at any time or from time to
time to such reasonable periodic, special or other audits,
examinations, or inspections by representatives of the
Secretary of State, within or without this State, as the
Secretary of State deems necessary or appropriate in the public
interest or for the protection of investors.
(4) At the time of an audit, examination, or inspection,
the Secretary of State, by his or her designees, may conduct an
interview of any person employed or appointed by or affiliated
with a registered dealer, limited Canadian dealer, internet
portal, or investment advisor, provided that the dealer,
limited Canadian dealer, internet portal, or investment
advisor shall be given reasonable notice of the time and place
for the interview. At the option of the dealer, limited
Canadian dealer, internet portal, or investment advisor, a
representative of the dealer or investment advisor with
supervisory responsibility over the individual being
interviewed may be present at the interview.
J. The Secretary of State may require by rule or regulation
the payment of an additional fee for the filing of information
or documents required to be filed by this Section which have
not been filed in a timely manner. The Secretary of State may
also require by rule or regulation the payment of an
examination fee for administering any examination which it may
conduct pursuant to subsection B, C, D, or D-5 of this Section
8.
K. The Secretary of State may declare any application for
registration or limited registration under this Section 8
abandoned by order if the applicant fails to pay any fee or
file any information or document required under this Section 8
or by rule or regulation for more than 30 days after the
required payment or filing date. The applicant may petition the
Secretary of State for a hearing within 15 days after the
applicant's receipt of the order of abandonment, provided that
the petition sets forth the grounds upon which the applicant
seeks a hearing.
L. Any document being filed pursuant to this Section 8
shall be deemed filed, and any fee being paid pursuant to this
Section 8 shall be deemed paid, upon the date of actual receipt
thereof by the Secretary of State or his or her designee.
M. The Secretary of State shall provide to the Illinois
Student Assistance Commission annually or at mutually agreed
periodic intervals the names and social security numbers of
natural persons registered under subsections B, C, D, and D-5
of this Section. The Illinois Student Assistance Commission
shall determine if any student loan defaulter is registered as
a dealer, limited Canadian dealer, internet portal
salesperson, or investment adviser under this Act and report
its determination to the Secretary of State or his or her
designee.
(Source: P.A. 92-308, eff. 1-1-02; 93-580, eff. 8-21-03.)
(815 ILCS 5/8d new)
Sec. 8d. Offerings made through registered Internet
portals.
(a) An issuer shall make an offering or sale of securities
pursuant to subsection T of Section 4 of this Act through the
use of one or more registered Internet portals.
(b) The Internet portal:
(1) shall be a registered broker-dealer under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78o);
(2) shall be a funding portal registered under the
Securities Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C. 77d-1) and the Securities
and Exchange Commission has adopted rules under authority
of Section 3(h) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15
U.S.C. 78c) and Section 304 of the Jumpstart Our Business
Startups Act (P.L. 112-106) governing funding portals;
(3) shall be a dealer registered under this Act as of
the date of any offer or sale of securities made through
the Internet portal; or
(4) shall, to the extent it meets the qualifications
for exemption from registration pursuant to subsection (d)
of this Section:
(A) file, not later than 30 days before the date of
the first offer or sale of securities made within this
State, an application for registration (or renewal of
registration, as applicable) as a registered Internet
portal with the Secretary of State, in writing or in
electronic form as prescribed by the Secretary of
State, which the Secretary of State shall make
available as an electronic document on the Secretary of
State's Internet website, containing such information
and required deliveries as specified therein; and
(B) pay the application filing fee established
under Section 11a of this Act; the Secretary of State
shall, within a reasonable time, examine the filed
application and other materials filed and, approve or
deny the application.
(c) If any change occurs in the information submitted by,
or on behalf of, an Internet portal to the Secretary of State,
the Internet portal shall notify the Secretary of State within
10 days after such change occurs and shall provide the
Secretary of State with such additional information (if any)
requested by the Secretary of State in connection therewith.
(d) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act to the
contrary, neither an Internet portal nor its owning or
operating entity is required to register as a dealer or an
investment advisor under this Act if each of the following
applies with respect to the Internet portal and its owning or
operating entity:
(1) It does not solicit purchases, sales, or offers to
buy the securities offered or displayed on the Internet
portal.
(2) It does not collect or hold funds in connection
with any purchase, sale, or offer to buy any securities
offered or displayed on the Internet portal.
(3) It does not compensate employees, agents, or other
persons for the solicitation or based on the sale of
securities displayed or referenced on the Internet portal.
(4) It is not compensated based on the amount of
securities sold.
(5) The fee it charges an issuer for an offering of
securities on the Internet portal is a fixed amount for
each offering, a variable amount based on the length of
time that the securities are offered on the Internet
portal, a variable amount based on the total proposed
offering amount, or any combination of such fixed and
variable amounts.
(6) It does not offer investment advice or
recommendations; however, an Internet portal is not deemed
to be offering investment advice or recommendations simply
by virtue of:
(A) selecting transactions in which the Internet
portal shall serve as an intermediary;
(B) establishing reasonable selection criteria for
an issuer to meet in order to establish an offer or
sale of securities through the Internet portal;
(C) establishing reasonable selection criteria for
a potential purchaser to meet in order to participate
in an offer or sale of securities made through the
Internet portal; or
(D) terminating an issuer transaction at any time
before the first sale of the securities of such issuer
if the Internet portal determines such action is
appropriate, after reasonable due diligence, to
protect potential purchasers, and the Internet portal
is able to direct the qualified escrowee to return all
funds then provided by potential purchasers, if any.
(7) It does not engage in such other activities as the
Secretary of State, by rule, determines are prohibited.
(e) Upon completion of an offering made pursuant to
subsection T of Section 4, each registered Internet portal
involved with the transactions (and the issuer, to the extent
applicable) shall store any and all electronic materials
related to the completed offering (including copies of all
offering documents, all offering materials, and all purchaser
information) on a secure, non-public, server or in such other
manner as the Secretary of State may hereafter deem acceptable
by rule.
(815 ILCS 5/11) (from Ch. 121 1/2, par. 137.11)
Sec. 11. Duties and powers of the Secretary of State.
A. (1) The administration of this Act is vested in the
Secretary of State, who may from time to time make, amend and
rescind such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry
out this Act, including rules and regulations governing
procedures of registration, statements, applications and
reports for various classes of securities, persons and matters
within his or her jurisdiction and defining any terms, whether
or not used in this Act, insofar as the definitions are not
inconsistent with this Act. The rules and regulations adopted
by the Secretary of State under this Act shall be effective in
the manner provided for in the Illinois Administrative
Procedure Act.
(2) Among other things, the Secretary of State shall have
authority, for the purposes of this Act, to prescribe the form
or forms in which required information shall be set forth,
accounting practices, the items or details to be shown in
balance sheets and earning statements, and the methods to be
followed in the preparation of accounts, in the appraisal or
valuation of assets and liabilities, in the determination of
depreciation and depletion, in the differentiation of
recurring and non-recurring income, in the differentiation of
investment and operating income, and in the preparation of
consolidated balance sheets or income accounts of any person,
directly or indirectly, controlling or controlled by the
issuer, or any person under direct or indirect common control
with the issuer.
(3) No provision of this Act imposing any liability shall
apply to any act done or omitted in good faith in conformity
with any rule or regulation of the Secretary of State under
this Act, notwithstanding that the rule or regulation may,
after the act or omission, be amended or rescinded or be
determined by judicial or other authority to be invalid for any
reason.
(4) The Securities Department of the Office of the
Secretary of State shall be deemed a criminal justice agency
for purposes of all federal and state laws and regulations and,
in that capacity, shall be entitled to access to any
information available to criminal justice agencies and has the
power to appoint special agents to conduct all investigations,
searches, seizures, arrests, and other duties imposed under the
provisions of any law administered by the Department. The
special agents have and may exercise all the powers of peace
officers solely for the purpose of enforcing provisions of this
Act.
The Director must authorize to each special agent employed
under this Section a distinct badge that, on its face, (i)
clearly states that the badge is authorized by the Department
and (ii) contains a unique and identifying number.
Special agents shall comply with all training requirements
established for law enforcement officers by provisions of the
Illinois Police Training Act.
(5) The Secretary of State, by rule, may conditionally or
unconditionally exempt any person, security, or transaction,
or any class or classes of persons, securities, or transactions
from any provision of Section 5, 6, 7, 8, 8a, or 9 of this Act
or of any rule promulgated under these Sections, to the extent
that such exemption is necessary or appropriate in the public
interest, and is consistent with the protection of investors.
B. The Secretary of State may, anything in this Act to the
contrary notwithstanding, require financial statements and
reports of the issuer, dealer, internet portal, salesperson,
investment adviser, or investment adviser representative as
often as circumstances may warrant. In addition, the Secretary
of State may secure information or books and records from or
through others and may make or cause to be made investigations
respecting the business, affairs, and property of the issuer of
securities, any person involved in the sale or offer for sale,
purchase or offer to purchase of any mineral investment
contract, mineral deferred delivery contract, or security and
of dealers, internet portals, salespersons, investment
advisers, and investment adviser representatives that are
registered or are the subject of an application for
registration under this Act. The costs of an investigation
shall be borne by the registrant or the applicant, provided
that the registrant or applicant shall not be obligated to pay
the costs without his, her or its consent in advance.
C. Whenever it shall appear to the Secretary of State,
either upon complaint or otherwise, that this Act, or any rule
or regulation prescribed under authority thereof, has been or
is about to be violated, he or she may, in his or her
discretion, do one or more of the following:
(1) require or permit the person to file with the
Secretary of State a statement in writing under oath, or
otherwise, as to all the facts and circumstances concerning
the subject matter which the Secretary of State believes to
be in the public interest to investigate, audit, examine,
or inspect;
(2) conduct an investigation, audit, examination, or
inspection as necessary or advisable for the protection of
the interests of the public; and
(3) appoint investigators to conduct all
investigations, searches, seizures, arrests, and other
duties imposed under the provisions of any law administered
by the Department. The Director must authorize to each
investigator employed under this Section a distinct badge
that, on its face, (i) clearly states that the badge is
authorized by the Department and (ii) contains a unique and
identifying number.
D. (1) For the purpose of all investigations, audits,
examinations, or inspections which in the opinion of the
Secretary of State are necessary and proper for the enforcement
of this Act, the Secretary of State or a person designated by
him or her is empowered to administer oaths and affirmations,
subpoena witnesses, take evidence, and require, by subpoena or
other lawful means provided by this Act or the rules adopted by
the Secretary of State, the production of any books and
records, papers, or other documents which the Secretary of
State or a person designated by him or her deems relevant or
material to the inquiry.
(2) The Secretary of State or a person designated by him or
her is further empowered to administer oaths and affirmations,
subpoena witnesses, take evidence, and require the production
of any books and records, papers, or other documents in this
State at the request of a securities agency of another state,
if the activities constituting the alleged violation for which
the information is sought would be in violation of Section 12
of this Act if the activities had occurred in this State.
(3) The Circuit Court of any County of this State, upon
application of the Secretary of State or a person designated by
him or her may order the attendance of witnesses, the
production of books and records, papers, accounts and documents
and the giving of testimony before the Secretary of State or a
person designated by him or her; and any failure to obey the
order may be punished by the Circuit Court as a contempt
thereof.
(4) The fees of subpoenaed witnesses under this Act for
attendance and travel shall be the same as fees of witnesses
before the Circuit Courts of this State, to be paid when the
witness is excused from further attendance, provided, the
witness is subpoenaed at the instance of the Secretary of
State; and payment of the fees shall be made and audited in the
same manner as other expenses of the Secretary of State.
(5) Whenever a subpoena is issued at the request of a
complainant or respondent as the case may be, the Secretary of
State may require that the cost of service and the fee of the
witness shall be borne by the party at whose instance the
witness is summoned.
(6) The Secretary of State shall have power at his or her
discretion, to require a deposit to cover the cost of the
service and witness fees and the payment of the legal witness
fee and mileage to the witness served with subpoena.
(7) A subpoena issued under this Act shall be served in the
same manner as a subpoena issued out of a circuit court.
(8) The Secretary of State may in any investigation,
audits, examinations, or inspections cause the taking of
depositions of persons residing within or without this State in
the manner provided in civil actions under the laws of this
State.
E. Anything in this Act to the contrary notwithstanding:
(1) If the Secretary of State shall find that the offer
or sale or proposed offer or sale or method of offer or
sale of any securities by any person, whether exempt or
not, in this State, is fraudulent, or would work or tend to
work a fraud or deceit, or is being offered or sold in
violation of Section 12, or there has been a failure or
refusal to submit any notification filing or fee required
under this Act, the Secretary of State may by written order
prohibit or suspend the offer or sale of securities by that
person or deny or revoke the registration of the securities
or the exemption from registration for the securities.
(2) If the Secretary of State shall find that any
person has violated subsection C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, or K
of Section 12 of this Act, the Secretary of State may by
written order temporarily or permanently prohibit or
suspend the person from offering or selling any securities,
any mineral investment contract, or any mineral deferred
delivery contract in this State, provided that any person
who is the subject of an order of permanent prohibition may
petition the Secretary of State for a hearing to present
evidence of rehabilitation or change in circumstances
justifying the amendment or termination of the order of
permanent prohibition.
(3) If the Secretary of State shall find that any
person is engaging or has engaged in the business of
selling or offering for sale securities as a dealer,
internet portal, or salesperson or is acting or has acted
as an investment adviser, investment adviser
representative, or federal covered investment adviser,
without prior thereto and at the time thereof having
complied with the registration or notice filing
requirements of this Act, the Secretary of State may by
written order prohibit or suspend the person from engaging
in the business of selling or offering for sale securities,
or acting as an investment adviser, investment adviser
representative, or federal covered investment adviser, in
this State.
(4) In addition to any other sanction or remedy
contained in this subsection E, the Secretary of State,
after finding that any provision of this Act has been
violated, may impose a fine as provided by rule, regulation
or order not to exceed $10,000 for each violation of this
Act, may issue an order of public censure against the
violator, and may charge as costs of investigation all
reasonable expenses, including attorney's fees and witness
fees.
F. (1) The Secretary of State shall not deny, suspend or
revoke the registration of securities, suspend or revoke the
registration of a dealer, internet portal, salesperson,
investment adviser, or investment adviser representative,
prohibit or suspend the offer or sale of any securities,
prohibit or suspend any person from offering or selling any
securities in this State, prohibit or suspend a dealer or
salesperson from engaging in the business of selling or
offering for sale securities, prohibit or suspend a person from
acting as an investment adviser or federal covered investment
adviser, or investment adviser representative, impose any fine
for violation of this Act, issue an order of public censure, or
enter into an agreed settlement except after an opportunity for
hearing upon not less than 10 days notice given by personal
service or registered mail or certified mail, return receipt
requested, to the person or persons concerned. Such notice
shall state the date and time and place of the hearing and
shall contain a brief statement of the proposed action of the
Secretary of State and the grounds for the proposed action. A
failure to appear at the hearing or otherwise respond to the
allegations set forth in the notice of hearing shall constitute
an admission of any facts alleged therein and shall constitute
sufficient basis to enter an order.
(2) Anything herein contained to the contrary
notwithstanding, the Secretary of State may temporarily
prohibit or suspend, for a maximum period of 90 days, by an
order effective immediately, the offer or sale or registration
of securities, the registration of a dealer, internet portal,
salesperson, investment adviser, or investment adviser
representative, or the offer or sale of securities by any
person, or the business of rendering investment advice, without
the notice and prior hearing in this subsection prescribed, if
the Secretary of State shall in his or her opinion, based on
credible evidence, deem it necessary to prevent an imminent
violation of this Act or to prevent losses to investors which
the Secretary of State reasonably believes will occur as a
result of a prior violation of this Act. Immediately after
taking action without such notice and hearing, the Secretary of
State shall deliver a copy of the temporary order to the
respondent named therein by personal service or registered mail
or certified mail, return receipt requested. The temporary
order shall set forth the grounds for the action and shall
advise that the respondent may request a hearing, that the
request for a hearing will not stop the effectiveness of the
temporary order and that respondent's failure to request a
hearing within 30 days after the date of the entry of the
temporary order shall constitute an admission of any facts
alleged therein and shall constitute sufficient basis to make
the temporary order final. Any provision of this paragraph (2)
to the contrary notwithstanding, the Secretary of State may not
pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph (2) suspend the
registration of a dealer, limited Canadian dealer,
salesperson, investment adviser, or investment adviser
representative based upon sub-paragraph (n) of paragraph (l) of
subsection E of Section 8 of this Act or revoke the
registration of securities or revoke the registration of any
dealer, salesperson, investment adviser representative, or
investment adviser.
(3) The Secretary of State may issue a temporary order
suspending or delaying the effectiveness of any registration of
securities under subsection A or B of Section 5, 6 or 7 of this
Act subsequent to and upon the basis of the issuance of any
stop, suspension or similar order by the Securities and
Exchange Commission with respect to the securities which are
the subject of the registration under subsection A or B of
Section 5, 6 or 7 of this Act, and the order shall become
effective as of the date and time of effectiveness of the
Securities and Exchange Commission order and shall be vacated
automatically at such time as the order of the Securities and
Exchange Commission is no longer in effect.
(4) When the Secretary of State finds that an application
for registration as a dealer, internet portal, salesperson,
investment adviser, or investment adviser representative
should be denied, the Secretary of State may enter an order
denying the registration. Immediately after taking such
action, the Secretary of State shall deliver a copy of the
order to the respondent named therein by personal service or
registered mail or certified mail, return receipt requested.
The order shall state the grounds for the action and that the
matter will be set for hearing upon written request filed with
the Secretary of State within 30 days after the receipt of the
request by the respondent. The respondent's failure to request
a hearing within 30 days after receipt of the order shall
constitute an admission of any facts alleged therein and shall
make the order final. If a hearing is held, the Secretary of
State shall affirm, vacate, or modify the order.
(5) The findings and decision of the Secretary of State
upon the conclusion of each final hearing held pursuant to this
subsection shall be set forth in a written order signed on
behalf of the Secretary of State by his or her designee and
shall be filed as a public record. All hearings shall be held
before a person designated by the Secretary of State, and
appropriate records thereof shall be kept.
(6) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Secretary of State,
after notice and opportunity for hearing, may at his or her
discretion enter into an agreed settlement, stipulation or
consent order with a respondent in accordance with the
provisions of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. The
provisions of the agreed settlement, stipulation or consent
order shall have the full force and effect of an order issued
by the Secretary of State.
(7) Anything in this Act to the contrary notwithstanding,
whenever the Secretary of State finds that a person is
currently expelled from, refused membership in or association
with, or limited in any material capacity by a self-regulatory
organization registered under the Federal 1934 Act or the
Federal 1974 Act because of a fraudulent or deceptive act or a
practice in violation of a rule, regulation, or standard duly
promulgated by the self-regulatory organization, the Secretary
of State may, at his or her discretion, enter a Summary Order
of Prohibition, which shall prohibit the offer or sale of any
securities, mineral investment contract, or mineral deferred
delivery contract by the person in this State. The order shall
take effect immediately upon its entry. Immediately after
taking the action the Secretary of State shall deliver a copy
of the order to the named Respondent by personal service or
registered mail or certified mail, return receipt requested. A
person who is the subject of an Order of Prohibition may
petition the Secretary of State for a hearing to present
evidence of rehabilitation or change in circumstances
justifying the amendment or termination of the Order of
Prohibition.
G. No administrative action shall be brought by the
Secretary of State for relief under this Act or upon or because
of any of the matters for which relief is granted by this Act
after the earlier to occur of (i) 3 years from the date upon
which the Secretary of State had notice of facts which in the
exercise of reasonable diligence would lead to actual knowledge
of the alleged violation of the Act, or (ii) 5 years from the
date on which the alleged violation occurred.
H. The action of the Secretary of State in denying,
suspending, or revoking the registration of a dealer, internet
portal, limited Canadian dealer, salesperson, investment
adviser, or investment adviser representative, in prohibiting
any person from engaging in the business of offering or selling
securities as a dealer, limited Canadian dealer, or
salesperson, in prohibiting or suspending the offer or sale of
securities by any person, in prohibiting a person from acting
as an investment adviser, federal covered investment adviser,
or investment adviser representative, in denying, suspending,
or revoking the registration of securities, in prohibiting or
suspending the offer or sale or proposed offer or sale of
securities, in imposing any fine for violation of this Act, or
in issuing any order shall be subject to judicial review in the
Circuit Courts of Cook or Sangamon Counties in this State. The
Administrative Review Law shall apply to and govern every
action for the judicial review of final actions or decisions of
the Secretary of State under this Act.
I. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Act to the
contrary, whenever it shall appear to the Secretary of State
that any person is engaged or about to engage in any acts or
practices which constitute or will constitute a violation of
this Act or of any rule or regulation prescribed under
authority of this Act, the Secretary of State may at his or her
discretion, through the Attorney General take any of the
following actions:
(1) File a complaint and apply for a temporary
restraining order without notice, and upon a proper showing
the court may enter a temporary restraining order without
bond, to enforce this Act.
(2) File a complaint and apply for a preliminary or
permanent injunction, and, after notice and a hearing and
upon a proper showing, the court may grant a preliminary or
permanent injunction and may order the defendant to make an
offer of rescission with respect to any sales or purchases
of securities, mineral investment contracts, or mineral
deferred delivery contracts determined by the court to be
unlawful under this Act.
(3) Seek the seizure of assets when probable cause
exists that the assets were obtained by a defendant through
conduct in violation of Section 12, paragraph F, G, I, J,
K, or L of this Act, and thereby subject to a judicial
forfeiture hearing as required under this Act.
(a) In the event that such probable cause exists
that the subject of an investigation who is alleged to
have committed one of the relevant violations of this
Act has in his possession assets obtained as a result
of the conduct giving rise to the violation, the
Secretary of State may seek a seizure warrant in any
circuit court in Illinois.
(b) In seeking a seizure warrant, the Secretary of
State, or his or her designee, shall submit to the
court a sworn affidavit detailing the probable cause
evidence for the seizure, the location of the assets to
be seized, the relevant violation under Section 12 of
this Act, and a statement detailing any known owners or
interest holders in the assets.
(c) Seizure of the assets shall be made by any
peace officer upon process of the seizure warrant
issued by the court. Following the seizure of assets
under this Act and pursuant to a seizure warrant,
notice of seizure, including a description of the
seized assets, shall immediately be returned to the
issuing court. Seized assets shall be maintained
pending a judicial forfeiture hearing in accordance
with the instructions of the court.
(d) In the event that management of seized assets
becomes necessary to prevent the devaluation,
dissipation, or otherwise to preserve the property,
the court shall have jurisdiction to appoint a
receiver, conservator, ancillary receiver, or
ancillary conservator for that purpose, as provided in
item (2) of this subsection.
(4) Seek the forfeiture of assets obtained through
conduct in violation of Section 12, paragraph F, G, H, I,
J, K, or L when authorized by law. A forfeiture must be
ordered by a circuit court or an action brought by the
Secretary of State as provided for in this Act, under a
verified complaint for forfeiture.
(a) In the event assets have been seized pursuant
to this Act, forfeiture proceedings shall be
instituted by the Attorney General within 45 days of
seizure.
(b) Service of the complaint filed under the
provisions of this Act shall be made in the manner as
provided in civil actions in this State.
(c) Only an owner of or interest holder in the
property may file an answer asserting a claim against
the property. For purposes of this Section, the owner
or interest holder shall be referred to as claimant.
(d) The answer must be signed by the owner or
interest holder under penalty of perjury and must set
forth:
(i) the caption of the proceedings as set forth
on the notice of pending forfeiture and the name of
the claimant;
(ii) the address at which the claimant will
accept mail;
(iii) the nature and extent of the claimant's
interest in the property;
(iv) the date, identity of the transferor, and
circumstances of the claimant's acquisition of the
interest in the property;
(v) the name and address of all other persons
known to have an interest in the property;
(vi) the specific provisions of this Act
relied on in asserting that the property is not
subject to forfeiture;
(vii) all essential facts supporting each
assertion; and
(viii) the precise relief sought.
(e) The answer must be filed with the court within
45 days after service of the complaint.
(f) A property interest is exempt from forfeiture
under this Act if its owner or interest holder
establishes by a preponderance of evidence that the
owner or interest holder:
(i) is not legally accountable for the conduct
giving rise to the forfeiture, did not acquiesce in
it, and did not know and could not reasonably have
known of the conduct or that the conduct was likely
to occur;
(ii) with respect to conveyances, did not hold
the property jointly or in common with a person
whose conduct gave rise to the forfeiture;
(iii) does not hold the property for the
benefit of or as a nominee for any person whose
conduct gave rise to its forfeiture and the owner
or interest holder acquires it as a bona fide
purchaser for value without knowingly taking part
in the conduct giving rise to the forfeiture; or
(iv) acquired the interest after the
commencement of the conduct giving rise to its
forfeiture and the owner or interest holder
acquired the interest as a mortgagee, secured
creditor, lienholder, or bona fide purchaser for
value without knowledge of the conduct that gave
rise to the forfeiture.
(g) The hearing must be held within 60 days after
the answer is filed unless continued for good cause.
(h) During the probable cause portion of the
judicial in rem proceeding wherein the Secretary of
State presents its case-in-chief, the court must
receive and consider, among other things, any relevant
hearsay evidence and information. The laws of evidence
relating to civil actions shall apply to all other
portions of the judicial in rem proceeding.
(i) The Secretary of State shall show the existence
of probable cause for forfeiture of the property. If
the Secretary of State shows probable cause, the
claimant has the burden of showing by a preponderance
of the evidence that the claimant's interest in the
property is not subject to forfeiture.
(j) If the Secretary of State does not show the
existence of probable cause or a claimant has an
interest that is exempt under subdivision I (4)(d) of
this Section, the court shall order the interest in the
property returned or conveyed to the claimant and shall
order all other property forfeited to the Secretary of
State pursuant to all provisions of this Act. If the
Secretary of State does show the existence of probable
cause and the claimant does not establish by a
preponderance of the evidence that the claimant has an
interest that is exempt under subsection D herein, the
court shall order all the property forfeited to the
Secretary of State pursuant to the provisions of the
Section.
(k) A defendant convicted in any criminal
proceeding is precluded from later denying the
essential allegations of the criminal offense of which
the defendant was convicted in any proceeding for
violations of the Act giving rise to forfeiture of
property herein regardless of the pendency of an appeal
from that conviction. However, evidence of the
pendency of an appeal is admissible.
(l) An acquittal or dismissal in a criminal
proceeding for violations of the Act giving rise to the
forfeiture of property herein shall not preclude civil
proceedings under this provision; however, for good
cause shown, on a motion by the Secretary of State, the
court may stay civil forfeiture proceedings during the
criminal trial for a related criminal indictment or
information alleging violation of the provisions of
Section 12 of the Illinois Securities Law of 1953.
Property subject to forfeiture under this Section
shall not be subject to return or release by a court
exercising jurisdiction over a criminal case involving
the seizure of the property unless the return or
release is consented to by the Secretary of State.
(m) All property declared forfeited under this Act
vests in the State on the commission of the conduct
giving rise to forfeiture together with the proceeds of
the property after that time. Any such property or
proceeds subsequently transferred to any person remain
subject to forfeiture and thereafter shall be ordered
forfeited unless the transferee claims and establishes
in a hearing under the provisions of this Act that the
transferee's interest is exempt under the Act. Any
assets forfeited to the State shall be disposed of in
following manner:
(i) all forfeited property and assets shall be
liquidated by the Secretary of State in accordance
with all laws and rules governing the disposition
of such property;
(ii) the Secretary of State shall provide the
court at the time the property and assets are
declared forfeited a verified statement of
investors subject to the conduct giving rise to the
forfeiture;
(iii) after payment of any costs of sale,
receivership, storage, or expenses for
preservation of the property seized, other costs
to the State, and payment to claimants for any
amount deemed exempt from forfeiture, the proceeds
from liquidation shall be distributed pro rata to
investors subject to the conduct giving rise to the
forfeiture; and
(iv) any proceeds remaining after all verified
investors have been made whole shall be
distributed 25% to the Securities Investors
Education Fund, 25% to the Securities Audit and
Enforcement Fund, 25% to the Attorney General or
any State's Attorney bringing criminal charges for
the conduct giving rise to the forfeiture, and 25%
to other law enforcement agencies participating in
the investigation of the criminal charges for the
conduct giving rise to the forfeiture. In the event
that no other law enforcement agencies are
involved in the investigation of the conduct
giving rise to the forfeiture, then the portion to
other law enforcement agencies shall be
distributed to the Securities Investors Education
Fund.
(n) The Secretary of State shall notify by
certified mail, return receipt requested, all known
investors in the matter giving rise to the forfeiture
of the forfeiture proceeding and sale of assets
forfeited arising from the violations of this Act, and
shall further publish notice in a paper of general
circulation in the district in which the violations
were prosecuted. The notice to investors shall
identify the name, address, and other identifying
information about any defendant prosecuted for
violations of this Act that resulted in forfeiture and
sale of property, the offense for which the defendant
was convicted, and that the court has ordered
forfeiture and sale of property for claims of investors
who incurred losses or damages as a result of the
violations. Investors may then file a claim in a form
prescribed by the Secretary of State in order to share
in disbursement of the proceeds from sale of the
forfeited property. Investor claims must be filed with
the Secretary of State within 30 days after receipt of
the certified mail return receipt, or within 30 days
after the last date of publication of the general
notice in a paper of general circulation in the
district in which the violations were prosecuted,
whichever occurs last.
(o) A civil action under this subsection must be
commenced within 5 years after the last conduct giving
rise to the forfeiture became known or should have
become known or 5 years after the forfeitable property
is discovered, whichever is later, excluding time
during which either the property or claimant is out of
this State or in confinement or during which criminal
proceedings relating to the same conduct are in
progress.
(p) If property is seized for evidence and for
forfeiture, the time periods for instituting judicial
forfeiture proceedings shall not begin until the
property is no longer necessary for evidence.
(q) Notwithstanding other provisions of this Act,
the Secretary of State and a claimant of forfeitable
property may enter into an agreed-upon settlement
concerning the forfeitable property in such an amount
and upon such terms as are set out in writing in a
settlement agreement.
(r) Nothing in this Act shall apply to property
that constitutes reasonable bona fide attorney's fees
paid to an attorney for services rendered or to be
rendered in the forfeiture proceeding or criminal
proceeding relating directly thereto when the property
was paid before its seizure and before the issuance of
any seizure warrant or court order prohibiting
transfer of the property and when the attorney, at the
time he or she received the property, did not know that
it was property subject to forfeiture under this Act.
The court shall further have jurisdiction and authority, in
addition to the penalties and other remedies in this Act
provided, to enter an order for the appointment of the court or
a person as a receiver, conservator, ancillary receiver or
ancillary conservator for the defendant or the defendant's
assets located in this State, or to require restitution,
damages or disgorgement of profits on behalf of the person or
persons injured by the act or practice constituting the subject
matter of the action, and may assess costs against the
defendant for the use of the State; provided, however, that the
civil remedies of rescission and appointment of a receiver,
conservator, ancillary receiver or ancillary conservator shall
not be available against any person by reason of the failure to
file with the Secretary of State, or on account of the contents
of, any report of sale provided for in subsection G or P of
Section 4, paragraph (2) of subsection D of Sections 5 and 6,
or paragraph (2) of subsection F of Section 7 of this Act.
Appeals may be taken as in other civil cases.
J. In no case shall the Secretary of State, or any of his
or her employees or agents, in the administration of this Act,
incur any official or personal liability by instituting an
injunction or other proceeding or by denying, suspending or
revoking the registration of a dealer or salesperson, or by
denying, suspending or revoking the registration of securities
or prohibiting the offer or sale of securities, or by
suspending or prohibiting any person from acting as a dealer,
limited Canadian dealer, salesperson, investment adviser, or
investment adviser representative or from offering or selling
securities.
K. No provision of this Act shall be construed to require
or to authorize the Secretary of State to require any
investment adviser or federal covered investment adviser
engaged in rendering investment supervisory services to
disclose the identity, investments, or affairs of any client of
the investment adviser or federal covered investment adviser,
except insofar as the disclosure may be necessary or
appropriate in a particular proceeding or investigation having
as its object the enforcement of this Act.
L. Whenever, after an examination, investigation or
hearing, the Secretary of State deems it of public interest or
advantage, he or she may certify a record to the State's
Attorney of the county in which the act complained of, examined
or investigated occurred. The State's Attorney of that county
within 90 days after receipt of the record shall file a written
statement at the Office of the Secretary of State, which
statement shall set forth the action taken upon the record, or
if no action has been taken upon the record that fact, together
with the reasons therefor, shall be stated.
M. The Secretary of State may initiate, take, pursue, or
prosecute any action authorized or permitted under Section 6d
of the Federal 1974 Act.
N. (1) Notwithstanding any provision of this Act to the
contrary, to encourage uniform interpretation, administration,
and enforcement of the provisions of this Act, the Secretary of
State may cooperate with the securities agencies or
administrators of one or more states, Canadian provinces or
territories, or another country, the Securities and Exchange
Commission, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the
Securities Investor Protection Corporation, any
self-regulatory organization, and any governmental law
enforcement or regulatory agency.
(2) The cooperation authorized by paragraph (1) of this
subsection includes, but is not limited to, the following:
(a) establishing or participating in a central
depository or depositories for registration under this Act
and for documents or records required under this Act;
(b) making a joint audit, inspection, examination, or
investigation;
(c) holding a joint administrative hearing;
(d) filing and prosecuting a joint civil or criminal
proceeding;
(e) sharing and exchanging personnel;
(f) sharing and exchanging information and documents;
or
(g) issuing any joint statement or policy.
(Source: P.A. 92-308, eff. 1-1-02; 93-580, eff. 8-21-03.)
(815 ILCS 5/11a) (from Ch. 121 1/2, par. 137.11a)
Sec. 11a. Fees.
(1) The Secretary of State shall by rule or regulation
impose and shall collect reasonable fees necessary for the
administration of this Act including, but not limited to, fees
for the following purposes:
(a) filing an application pursuant to paragraph (2) of
subsection F of Section 4 of this Act;
(b) examining an application and report pursuant to
paragraph (2) of subsection F of Section 4 of this Act;
(c) filing a report pursuant to subsection G of Section
4 of this Act, determined in accordance with paragraph (4)
of subsection G of Section 4 of this Act;
(d) examining an offering sheet pursuant to subsection
P of Section 4 of this Act;
(e) filing a report pursuant to subsection P of Section
4, determined in accordance with subsection P of Section 4
of this Act;
(f) examining an application to register securities
under subsection B of Section 5 of this Act;
(g) examining an amended or supplemental prospectus
filed pursuant to the undertaking required by
sub-paragraph (i) of paragraph (2) of subsection B of
Section 5 of this Act;
(h) registering or renewing registration of securities
under Section 5, determined in accordance with subsection C
of Section 5 of this Act;
(i) registering securities in excess of the amount
initially registered, determined in accordance with
paragraph (2) of subsection C of Section 5 of this Act;
(j) failure to file timely an application for renewal
under subsection E of Section 5 of this Act;
(k) failure to file timely any document or information
required under Section 5 of this Act;
(l) examining an application to register face amount
certificate contracts under subsection B of Section 6 of
this Act;
(m) examining an amended or supplemental prospectus
filed pursuant to the undertaking required by
sub-paragraph (f) of paragraph (2) of subsection B of
Section 6 of this Act;
(n) registering or renewing registration of face
amount certificate contracts under Section 6 of this Act;
(o) amending a registration of face amount certificate
contracts pursuant to subsection E of Section 6 of this Act
to add any additional series, type or class of contract;
(p) failure to file timely an application for renewal
under subsection F of Section 6 of this Act;
(q) adding to or withdrawing from deposits with respect
to face amount certificate contracts pursuant to
subsection H of Section 6, a transaction charge payable at
the times and in the manner specified in subsection H of
Section 6 (which transaction charge shall be in addition to
the annual fee called for by subsection H of Section 6 of
this Act);
(r) failure to file timely any document or information
required under Section 6 of this Act;
(s) examining an application to register investment
fund shares under subsection B of Section 7 of this Act;
(t) examining an amended or supplemental prospectus
filed pursuant to the undertaking required by
sub-paragraph (f) of paragraph (2) of subsection B of
Section 7 of this Act;
(u) registering or renewing registration of investment
fund shares under Section 7 of this Act;
(v) amending a registration of investment fund shares
pursuant to subsection D of Section 7 of this Act to
register an additional class or classes of investment fund
shares;
(w) failure to file timely an application for renewal
under paragraph (l) of subsection G of Section 7 of this
Act;
(x) examining an application for renewal of
registration of investment fund shares under paragraph (2)
of subsection G of Section 7 of this Act;
(y) failure to file timely any document or information
required under Section 7 of this Act;
(z) filing an application for registration or
re-registration of a dealer or limited Canadian dealer
under Section 8 of this Act for each office in this State;
(aa) in connection with an application for the
registration or re-registration of a salesperson under
Section 8 of or this Act, for the following purposes:
(i) filing an application;
(ii) a Securities Audit and Enforcement Fund fee;
and
(iii) a notification filing of federal covered
investment advisers;
(bb) in connection with an application for the
registration or re-registration of an investment adviser
under Section 8 of this Act;
(cc) failure to file timely any document or information
required under Section 8 of this Act;
(dd) filing a consent to service of process under
Section 10 of this Act;
(ee) issuing a certificate pursuant to subsection B of
Section 15 of this Act;
(ff) issuing a certified copy pursuant to subsection C
of Section 15 of this Act;
(gg) issuing a non-binding statement pursuant to
Section 15a of this Act;
(hh) filings by Notification under Section 2a;
(ii) notification filing of federal Regulation D,
Section 506 offering under the Federal 1933 Act;
(jj) notification filing of securities and closed-end
investment company securities;
(kk) notification filing of face amount certificate
contracts;
(ll) notification filing of open-end investment
company securities;
(mm) filing a report pursuant to subsection D of
Section 4 of this Act;
(nn) in connection with the filing of an application
for registration or re-registration of an investment
adviser representative under subsection D of Section 8 of
this Act; .
(oo) filing a notice pursuant to paragraph (6) of
subsection T of Section 4 of this Act; and
(pp) applying for registration, or renewing
registration, as a registered Internet portal pursuant to
Section 8d of this Act.
(2) The Secretary of State may, by rule or regulation,
raise or lower any fee imposed by, and which he or she is
authorized by law to collect under, this Act.
(Source: P.A. 90-70, eff. 7-8-97; 91-357, eff. 7-29-99; revised
12-11-14.)
(815 ILCS 5/12) (from Ch. 121 1/2, par. 137.12)
Sec. 12. Violation. It shall be a violation of the
provisions of this Act for any person:
A. To offer or sell any security except in accordance with
the provisions of this Act.
B. To deliver to a purchaser any security required to be
registered under Section 5, Section 6 or Section 7 hereof
unless accompanied or preceded by a prospectus that meets the
requirements of the pertinent subsection of Section 5 or of
Section 6 or of Section 7.
C. To act as a dealer, internet portal, salesperson,
investment adviser, or investment adviser representative,
unless registered as such, where such registration is required,
under the provisions of this Act.
D. To fail to file with the Secretary of State any
application, report or document required to be filed under the
provisions of this Act or any rule or regulation made by the
Secretary of State pursuant to this Act or to fail to comply
with the terms of any order of the Secretary of State issued
pursuant to Section 11 hereof.
E. To make, or cause to be made, (1) in any application,
report or document filed under this Act or any rule or
regulation made by the Secretary of State pursuant to this Act,
any statement which was false or misleading with respect to any
material fact or (2) any statement to the effect that a
security (other than a security issued by the State of
Illinois) has been in any way endorsed or approved by the
Secretary of State or the State of Illinois.
F. To engage in any transaction, practice or course of
business in connection with the sale or purchase of securities
which works or tends to work a fraud or deceit upon the
purchaser or seller thereof.
G. To obtain money or property through the sale of
securities by means of any untrue statement of a material fact
or any omission to state a material fact necessary in order to
make the statements made, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading.
H. To sign or circulate any statement, prospectus, or other
paper or document required by any provision of this Act or
pertaining to any security knowing or having reasonable grounds
to know any material representation therein contained to be
false or untrue.
I. To employ any device, scheme or artifice to defraud in
connection with the sale or purchase of any security, directly
or indirectly.
J. When acting as an investment adviser, investment adviser
representative, or federal covered investment adviser, by any
means or instrumentality, directly or indirectly:
(1) To employ any device, scheme or artifice to defraud
any client or prospective client;
(2) To engage in any transaction, practice, or course
of business which operates as a fraud or deceit upon any
client or prospective client; or
(3) To engage in any act, practice, or course of
business which is fraudulent, deceptive or manipulative.
The Secretary of State shall for the purposes of this
paragraph (3), by rules and regulations, define and
prescribe means reasonably designed to prevent such acts,
practices, and courses of business as are fraudulent,
deceptive, or manipulative.
K. When offering or selling any mineral investment contract
or mineral deferred delivery contract:
(1) To employ any device, scheme, or artifice to
defraud any customer, prospective customer, or offeree;
(2) To engage in any transaction, practice, or course
of business that operates as a fraud or deceit upon any
customer, prospective customer, or offeree; or
(3) To engage in any act, practice, or course of
business that is fraudulent, deceptive, or manipulative.
The Secretary of State shall for the purposes of this
paragraph (3), by rules and regulations, define and
prescribe means reasonably designed to prevent acts,
practices, and courses of business as are fraudulent,
deceptive, or manipulative.
L. To knowingly influence, coerce, manipulate, or mislead
any person engaged in the preparation or audit of financial
statements or appraisals to be used in the offer or sale of
securities for the purpose of rendering such financial
statements or appraisals materially misleading.
(Source: P.A. 93-580, eff. 8-21-03.)
(815 ILCS 5/13) (from Ch. 121 1/2, par. 137.13)
Sec. 13. Private and other civil remedies; securities.
A. Every sale of a security made in violation of the
provisions of this Act shall be voidable at the election of the
purchaser exercised as provided in subsection B of this
Section; and the issuer, controlling person, underwriter,
dealer or other person by or on behalf of whom said sale was
made, and each underwriter, dealer, internet portal, or
salesperson who shall have participated or aided in any way in
making the sale, and in case the issuer, controlling person,
underwriter, or dealer, or internet portal is a corporation or
unincorporated association or organization, each of its
officers and directors (or persons performing similar
functions) who shall have participated or aided in making the
sale, shall be jointly and severally liable to the purchaser as
follows:
(1) for the full amount paid, together with interest
from the date of payment for the securities sold at the
rate of the interest or dividend stipulated in the
securities sold (or if no rate is stipulated, then at the
rate of 10% per annum) less any income or other amounts
received by the purchaser on the securities, upon offer to
tender to the seller or tender into court of the securities
sold or, where the securities were not received, of any
contract made in respect of the sale; or
(2) if the purchaser no longer owns the securities, for
the amounts set forth in clause (1) of this subsection A
less any amounts received by the purchaser for or on
account of the disposition of the securities.
If the purchaser shall prevail in any action brought to
enforce any of the remedies provided in this subsection, the
court shall assess costs together with the reasonable fees and
expenses of the purchaser's attorney against the defendant. Any
provision of this subsection A to the contrary notwithstanding,
the civil remedies provided in this subsection A shall not be
available against any person by reason of the failure to file
with the Secretary of State, or on account of the content of,
any report of sale provided for in subsection G or P of Section
4, paragraph (2) of subsection D of Sections 5 and 6, or
paragraph (2) of subsection F of Section 7 of this Act.
B. Notice of any election provided for in subsection A of
this Section shall be given by the purchaser within 6 months
after the purchaser shall have knowledge that the sale of the
securities to him or her is voidable, to each person from whom
recovery will be sought, by registered mail or certified mail,
return receipt requested, addressed to the person to be
notified at his or her last known address with proper postage
affixed, or by personal service.
C. No purchaser shall have any right or remedy under this
Section who shall fail, within 15 days from the date of receipt
thereof, to accept an offer to repurchase the securities
purchased by him or her for a price equal to the full amount
paid therefor plus interest thereon and less any income thereon
as set forth in subsection A of this Section. Every offer of
repurchase provided for in this subsection shall be in writing,
shall be delivered to the purchaser or sent by registered mail
or certified mail, return receipt requested, addressed to the
purchaser at his or her last known address, and shall offer to
repurchase the securities sold for a price equal to the full
amount paid therefor plus interest thereon and less any income
thereon as set forth in subsection A of this Section. Such
offer shall continue in force for 15 days from the date on
which it was received by the purchaser, shall advise the
purchaser of his or her rights and the period of time limited
for acceptance thereof, and shall contain such further
information, if any, as the Secretary of State may prescribe.
Any agreement not to accept or refusing or waiving any such
offer made during or prior to said 15 days shall be void.
D. No action shall be brought for relief under this Section
or upon or because of any of the matters for which relief is
granted by this Section after 3 years from the date of sale;
provided, that if the party bringing the action neither knew
nor in the exercise of reasonable diligence should have known
of any alleged violation of subsection E, F, G, H, I or J of
Section 12 of this Act which is the basis for the action, the 3
year period provided herein shall begin to run upon the earlier
of:
(1) the date upon which the party bringing the action
has actual knowledge of the alleged violation of this Act;
or
(2) the date upon which the party bringing the action
has notice of facts which in the exercise of reasonable
diligence would lead to actual knowledge of the alleged
violation of this Act.
E. The term purchaser as used in this Section shall include
the personal representative or representatives of the
purchaser.
F. Anything in this Act to the contrary notwithstanding and
in addition to all other remedies, the Secretary of State
through the Office of the Attorney General may bring an action
in any circuit court of the State of Illinois in the name and
on behalf of the State of Illinois against any person or
persons participating in or about to participate in a violation
of this Act to enjoin those persons who are continuing or doing
any act in violation of this Act or to enforce compliance with
this Act. Upon a proper showing the court may grant a permanent
or preliminary injunction or temporary restraining order
without bond, and may order the defendant to make an offer of
rescission of any sales or purchases of securities determined
by the court to be unlawful under this Act. The court shall
further have jurisdiction and authority, in addition to the
other penalties and remedies in this Act provided, to act or
appoint another person as a receiver, conservator, ancillary
receiver or ancillary conservator for the defendant or the
defendant's assets located in this State and may assess costs
against the defendant for the use of the State.
G. (1) Whenever any person has engaged or is about to
engage in any act or practice constituting a violation of this
Act, any party in interest may bring an action in the circuit
court of the county in which the party in interest resides, or
where the person has his, her or its principal office or
registered office or where any part of the transaction has or
will take place, to enjoin that person from continuing or doing
any act in violation of or to enforce compliance with this Act.
Upon a proper showing, the court shall grant a permanent or
preliminary injunction or temporary restraining order or
rescission of any sales or purchases of securities determined
to be unlawful under this Act, and may assess costs of the
proceedings against the defendant.
(2) A copy of the complaint shall be served upon the
Secretary of State within one business day of filing in the
form and manner prescribed by the Secretary of State by rule or
regulation; provided, that the failure to comply with this
provision shall not invalidate the action which is the subject
of the complaint.
H. Any provision of this Section 13 to the contrary
notwithstanding, neither the civil remedies provided in
subsection A of this Section 13 nor the remedies of rescission
and appointment of a receiver, conservator, ancillary receiver
or ancillary conservator provided in subsection I of Section 11
of this Act and in subsections F and G of this Section 13 of
this Act nor the remedies of restitution, damages or
disgorgement of profits provided in subsection I of Section 11
of this Act shall be available against any person by reason of
the failure to file with the Secretary of State, or on account
of the contents of, any notice filing under Section 2a of this
Act or subsection C-5 of Section 8 of this Act or any report of
sale provided for in subsection G or P of Section 4, paragraph
(2) of subsection D of Sections 5 and 6, or paragraph (2) of
subsection F of Section 7 of this Act.
(Source: P.A. 98-174, eff. 8-5-13.)
(815 ILCS 5/18.1)
Sec. 18.1. Additional fees. In addition to any other fee
that the Secretary of State may impose and collect pursuant to
the authority contained in Sections 4, 8, and 11a of this Act,
beginning on July 1, 2003 the Secretary of State shall also
collect the following additional fees:
Securities offered or sold under the Uniform
Limited Offering Exemption Pursuant to
Section 4.D of the Act............................$100
Securities offered or sold under the Uniform
Limited Offering Exemption pursuant to subsection
T of Section 4 of this Act. $100
Registration and renewal of a dealer..............$300
Registration and renewal of a registered Internet
portal. $300
Registration and renewal of an investment adviser.$200
Federal covered investment adviser notification
filing and annual notification filing.............$200
Registration and renewal of a salesperson.........$75
Registration and renewal of an investment adviser
representative and a federal covered
investment adviser representative.................$75
Investment fund shares notification filing and annual
notification filing: $800 plus $80 for each series, class, or
portfolio.
All fees collected by the Secretary of State pursuant to
this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly shall be
deposited into the General Revenue Fund in the State treasury.
(Source: P.A. 93-32, eff. 7-1-03.)