(230 ILCS 15/8.1) (from Ch. 85, par. 2308.1)

Sec. 8.1. Political committees.

(a) For the purposes of this Section, the terms defined in this subsection have the meanings given them.

"Net proceeds" means the gross receipts from the conduct of raffles, less reasonable sums expended for prizes, license fees, and other reasonable operating expenses incurred as a result of operating a raffle.

"Raffle" means a form of lottery, as defined in Section 28-2(b) of the Criminal Code of 2012, conducted by a political committee licensed under this Section, in which:

(1) the player pays or agrees to pay something of value for a chance, represented and differentiated by a number or by a combination of numbers or by some other medium, one or more of which chances are to be designated the winning chance; and

(2) the winning chance is to be determined through a drawing or by some other method based on an element of chance by an act or set of acts on the part of persons conducting or connected with the lottery, except that the winning chance shall not be determined by the outcome of a publicly exhibited sporting contest.

"Unresolved claim" means a claim for a civil penalty under Sections 9-3, 9-10, and 9-23 of the Election Code which has been begun by the State Board of Elections, has been disputed by the political committee under the applicable rules of the State Board of Elections, and has not been finally decided either by the State Board of Elections, or, where application for review has been made to the courts of Illinois, remains finally undecided by the courts.

"Owes" means that a political committee has been finally determined under applicable rules of the State Board of Elections to be liable for a civil penalty under Sections 9-3, 9-10, and 9-23 of the Election Code.

(b) Licenses issued pursuant to this Section shall be valid for one raffle or for a specified number of raffles to be conducted during a specified period not to exceed one year and may be suspended or revoked for any violation of this Section. The State Board of Elections shall act on a license application within 30 days from the date of application.

(c) Licenses issued by the State Board of Elections are subject to the following restrictions:

(1) No political committee shall conduct raffles or chances without having first obtained a license therefor pursuant to this Section.

(2) The application for license shall be prepared in accordance with regulations of the State Board of Elections and must specify the area or areas within the State in which raffle chances will be sold or issued, the time period during which raffle chances will be sold or issued, the time of determination of winning chances, and the location or locations at which winning chances will be determined.

(3) A license authorizes the licensee to conduct raffles as defined in this Section.

The following are ineligible for any license under this Section:

(i) any political committee which has an officer who has been convicted of a felony;

(ii) any political committee which has an officer who is or has been a professional gambler or gambling promoter;

(iii) any political committee which has an officer who is not of good moral character;

(iv) any political committee which has an officer who is also an officer of a firm or corporation in which a person defined in item (i), (ii), or (iii) has a proprietary, equitable, or credit interest, or in which such a person is active or employed;

(v) any political committee in which a person defined in item (i), (ii), or (iii) is an officer, director, or employee, whether compensated or not;

(vi) any political committee in which a person defined in item (i), (ii), or (iii) is to participate in the management or operation of a raffle as defined in this Section;

(vii) any committee which, at the time of its application for a license to conduct a raffle, owes the State Board of Elections any unpaid civil penalty authorized by Sections 9-3, 9-10, and 9-23 of the Election Code, or is the subject of an unresolved claim for a civil penalty under Sections 9-3, 9-10, and 9-23 of the Election Code;

(viii) any political committee which, at the time of its application to conduct a raffle, has not submitted any report or document required to be filed by Article 9 of the Election Code and such report or document is more than 10 days overdue.

(d)(1) The conducting of raffles is subject to the following restrictions:

(i) The entire net proceeds of any raffle must be exclusively devoted to the lawful purposes of the political committee permitted to conduct that game.

(ii) No person except a bona fide member of the political committee may participate in the management or operation of the raffle.

(iii) No person may receive any remuneration or profit for participating in the management or operation of the raffle.

(iv) Raffle chances may be sold or issued only within the area specified on the license and winning chances may be determined only at those locations specified on the license.

(v) A person under the age of 18 years may participate in the conducting of raffles or chances only with the permission of a parent or guardian. A person under the age of 18 years may be within the area where winning chances are being determined only when accompanied by his or her parent or guardian.

(2) If a lessor rents a premises where a winning chance or chances on a raffle are determined, the lessor shall not be criminally liable if the person who uses the premises for the determining of winning chances does not hold a license issued under the provisions of this Section.

(e)(1) Each political committee licensed to conduct raffles and chances shall keep records of its gross receipts, expenses, and net proceeds for each single gathering or occasion at which winning chances are determined. All deductions from gross receipts for each single gathering or occasion shall be documented with receipts or other records indicating the amount, a description of the purchased item or service or other reason for the deduction, and the recipient. The distribution of net proceeds shall be itemized as to payee, purpose, amount, and date of payment.

(2) Each political committee licensed to conduct raffles shall report on the next report due to be filed under Article 9 of the Election Code its gross receipts, expenses, and net proceeds from raffles, and the distribution of net proceeds itemized as required in this subsection.

Such reports shall be included in the regular reports required of political committees by Article 9 of the Election Code.

(3) Records required by this subsection shall be preserved for 3 years, and political committees shall make available their records relating to the operation of raffles for public inspection at reasonable times and places.

(f) Violation of any provision of this Section is a Class C misdemeanor.

(g) Nothing in this Section shall be construed to authorize the conducting or operating of any gambling scheme, enterprise, activity, or device other than raffles as provided for herein.

(Source: P.A. 101-109, eff. 7-19-19; 102-558, eff. 8-20-21.)