Public Act 0500 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB3741 Enrolled LRB100 11064 JLS 21305 b

Public Act 100-0500

AN ACT concerning business.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Bedbug Inspection Act.

Section 5. Definitions. In this Act:

"Merchant" means a person who, in the ordinary course of business, regularly rents or leases furniture or electronic equipment to customers, but does not include a person who offers any lease that is automatically renewable with each payment after the initial period and that permits the consumer to become the owner of the merchandise.

"Pest" means undesirable insects including, but not limited to, bedbugs and roaches.

"Rent" means the transfer of possession property or right of possession property for consideration.

Section 10. Inspection. A merchant must inspect any previously rented furniture and equipment before renting the furniture or equipment to a subsequent customer.

Section 15. Treatment required. If an inspection reveals the presence of pests, the merchant must treat the furniture or equipment to eradicate the pests before renting the furniture or equipment to a subsequent customer.

Section 20. Action for damages. A person who suffers damages caused by a merchant's violation of this Act and reports the presence of a pest to the merchant within 45 days after the beginning of the rental may bring an action pursuant to Section 10a of the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act under the standards applicable to the holder of a retail installment contract.