§ 31 — Powers of the Administrator

(a) Investigations. The Administrator may in his discretion: (1) make such public or private investigations inside or outside this State as he deems necessary (i) to determine whether any person has violated, is violating, or is about to violate any provision of this Act or any rule or order prescribed or issued under this Act or (ii) to aid in the enforcement of this Act or in the prescribing of rules under this Act; and (2) publish information concerning the violation of this Act or any rule or order prescribed or issued under this Act. No actions taken or orders issued by the Administrator shall be binding on, nor in any way preclude the Administrator from conducting any investigation or commencing any action authorized under this Act. The Administrator or any of his assistants may participate in any hearings conducted by the Administrator under this Act and the Administrator may provide such assistance as the Administrator believes necessary to effectively fulfill the purposes of this Act. (b) Subpoenas. For the purpose of any investigation or proceeding under this Act and prior to the commencement of any civil or criminal action as provided for in this Act, the Administrator has the authority to subpoena witnesses, compel their attendance, examine them under oath, or require the production of any books, documents, records or tangible things, hereafter referred to as "documentary material", which the Administrator deems relevant or material to his investigation, for inspection, reproducing or copying under such terms and conditions as are hereafter set forth. Any subpoena issued by the Administrator shall contain the following information: (1) the statute and section thereof, the alleged violation of which is under investigation; (2) the date, place and time at which the person is required to appear or produce documentary material in his possession, custody or control at a designated office of the Administrator, which date shall not be less than 10 days from date of service of the subpoena; and (3) where documentary material is required to be produced, the same shall be prescribed by class so as to clearly indicate the material demanded. (c) Production of documentary material. The Administrator is hereby authorized, and may so elect to require the production, pursuant to this Section of documentary material prior to the taking of any testimony of the person subpoenaed, in which event such documentary material shall be made available for inspection and copying during normal business hours at the principal place of business of the person served, or at such other time and place as may be agreed upon by the person served and the Administrator. When documentary material is demanded by subpoena, said subpoena shall not (1) contain any requirement which would be unreasonable or improper if contained in a subpoena duces tecum issued by a court of this State; or (2) require the disclosure of any documentary material which would be privileged, or which for any other reason would not be required by a subpoena duces tecum issued by a court of this State. (d) Service of subpoenas. Service of a subpoena of the Administrator as provided herein may be made by (1) delivery of a duly executed copy thereof to the person served or if a person is not a natural person, to the principal place of business of the person to be served, or (2) mailing by certified mail, return receipt requested, a duly executed copy thereof addressed to the person to be served at his principal place of business in this State, or, if said person has no place of business in this State, to his principal office. (e) Examination of witnesses. The examination of all witnesses under this Section shall be conducted by the Administrator, or by his deputy designated by him, before an officer authorized to administer oaths in this State. The testimony shall be taken stenographically or by a sound recording device and shall be transcribed. (f) Fees. All persons served with a subpoena by the Administrator under this Act shall be paid the same fees and mileage as are paid to witnesses in the courts of this State. (g) Judicial enforcement of subpoenas. In the event a witness served with a subpoena by the Administrator under this Act fails or refuses to obey same or to produce documentary material as provided herein or to give testimony relevant or material to the investigation being conducted, the Administrator may petition any circuit court for an order requiring said witness to attend and testify or produce the documentary material demanded. Thereafter, any failure or refusal on the part of the witness to obey such order of court may be punishable by the court as a contempt thereof. (h) Immunity from prosecution. No person is excused from attending and testifying or from producing any document or records before the Administrator in obedience to the subpoena of the Administrator, in any proceeding instituted by the Administrator and authorized by this Act, on the ground that the testimony or evidence, documentary or otherwise, required of him may tend to incriminate him or subject him to a penalty or forfeiture. No individual may be prosecuted or subjected to any penalty or forfeiture for or on account of any transaction, matter, or thing concerning which he is compelled, after validly claiming his privilege against self-incrimination, to testify or produce evidence, documentary or otherwise, except that the individual testifying is not exempt from prosecution and punishment for perjury or contempt committed in testifying. (i) Administrator entitled to recover costs. In any action brought under the provisions of this Act, the Administrator is entitled to recover costs for the use of this State. (j) In the administration of this Act, the Attorney General may accept an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance with respect to any method, act, or practice deemed to be violative of the Act from any person who has engaged in, is engaging in, or was about to engage in such method, act, or practice. Evidence of a violation of an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance shall be prima facie evidence of a violation of this Act in any subsequent proceeding brought by the Attorney General against the alleged violator. The Administrator may require that an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance be disclosed in the disclosure statement.

Legislative History

(Source: P.A. 96-648, eff. 10-1-09.)