HB4815 Summary

• Department of Agriculture must conduct background checks through Illinois State Police on all persons seeking employment, performance opportunities, or vendor status at the State Fair in Springfield or DuQuoin to determine sex offender status.

• Applicants must authorize the investigation as a condition of employment or participation; Department absorbs the cost while Illinois State Police charges a fee deposited into the State Police Services Fund.

• Persons identified as sex offenders under the Sex Offender Management Board Act cannot be employed, perform, or act as vendors at either State Fair location.

• Creates new criminal offense making it unlawful for any sex offender to be present, employed, performing, or a vendor at the State Fair in Springfield or DuQuoin, punishable as a Class 4 felony.

• Also amends existing child sex offender statutes to prohibit child sex offenders from operating, managing, or being employed at county fairs when minors are present, and adds State Fair prohibitions regardless of minor presence.