HB6156 Summary

• Amends the Use Tax Act, Service Use Tax Act, Service Occupation Tax Act, and Retailers' Occupation Tax Act to criminalize the sale, purchase, installation, transfer, possession, use, or access of automated sales suppression devices ("zappers") or phantom-ware as a Class 3 felony.

• Defines "zapper" as software that falsifies electronic records of cash registers or point-of-sale systems, including transaction data and reports, encompassing the software program, any device carrying it, or internet links to it.

• Defines "phantom-ware" as hidden programming embedded in or hardwired into electronic cash registers that creates duplicate records or eliminates/manipulates transaction records.

• Establishes a 3-year statute of limitations for prosecution of violations related to automated sales devices.

• Does not apply if the violation constitutes a separate criminal violation of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act, Use Tax Act, or Service Occupation Tax Act.