Public Act 0280 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB4050 Enrolled LRB094 11549 MKM 42525 b

Public Act 094-0280

AN ACT concerning lending practices.

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

Section 5. The Freedom of Information Act is amended by changing Section 7 as follows:

(5 ILCS 140/7) (from Ch. 116, par. 207)

Sec. 7. Exemptions.

(1) The following shall be exempt from inspection and copying:

(a) Information specifically prohibited from disclosure by federal or State law or rules and regulations adopted under federal or State law.

(b) Information that, if disclosed, would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, unless the disclosure is consented to in writing by the individual subjects of the information. The disclosure of information that bears on the public duties of public employees and officials shall not be considered an invasion of personal privacy. Information exempted under this subsection (b) shall include but is not limited to:

(i) files and personal information maintained with respect to clients, patients, residents, students or other individuals receiving social, medical, educational, vocational, financial, supervisory or custodial care or services directly or indirectly from federal agencies or public bodies;

(ii) personnel files and personal information maintained with respect to employees, appointees or elected officials of any public body or applicants for those positions;

(iii) files and personal information maintained with respect to any applicant, registrant or licensee by any public body cooperating with or engaged in professional or occupational registration, licensure or discipline;

(iv) information required of any taxpayer in connection with the assessment or collection of any tax unless disclosure is otherwise required by State statute;

(v) information revealing the identity of persons who file complaints with or provide information to administrative, investigative, law enforcement or penal agencies; provided, however, that identification of witnesses to traffic accidents, traffic accident reports, and rescue reports may be provided by agencies of local government, except in a case for which a criminal investigation is ongoing, without constituting a clearly unwarranted per se invasion of personal privacy under this subsection; and

(vi) the names, addresses, or other personal information of participants and registrants in park district, forest preserve district, and conservation district programs.

(c) Records compiled by any public body for administrative enforcement proceedings and any law enforcement or correctional agency for law enforcement purposes or for internal matters of a public body, but only to the extent that disclosure would:

(i) interfere with pending or actually and reasonably contemplated law enforcement proceedings conducted by any law enforcement or correctional agency;

(ii) interfere with pending administrative enforcement proceedings conducted by any public body;

(iii) deprive a person of a fair trial or an impartial hearing;

(iv) unavoidably disclose the identity of a confidential source or confidential information furnished only by the confidential source;

(v) disclose unique or specialized investigative techniques other than those generally used and known or disclose internal documents of correctional agencies related to detection, observation or investigation of incidents of crime or misconduct;

(vi) constitute an invasion of personal privacy under subsection (b) of this Section;

(vii) endanger the life or physical safety of law enforcement personnel or any other person; or

(viii) obstruct an ongoing criminal investigation.

(d) Criminal history record information maintained by State or local criminal justice agencies, except the following which shall be open for public inspection and copying:

(i) chronologically maintained arrest information, such as traditional arrest logs or blotters;

(ii) the name of a person in the custody of a law enforcement agency and the charges for which that person is being held;

(iii) court records that are public;

(iv) records that are otherwise available under State or local law; or

(v) records in which the requesting party is the individual identified, except as provided under part (vii) of paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of this Section.

"Criminal history record information" means data identifiable to an individual and consisting of descriptions or notations of arrests, detentions, indictments, informations, pre-trial proceedings, trials, or other formal events in the criminal justice system or descriptions or notations of criminal charges (including criminal violations of local municipal ordinances) and the nature of any disposition arising therefrom, including sentencing, court or correctional supervision, rehabilitation and release. The term does not apply to statistical records and reports in which individuals are not identified and from which their identities are not ascertainable, or to information that is for criminal investigative or intelligence purposes.

(e) Records that relate to or affect the security of correctional institutions and detention facilities.

(f) Preliminary drafts, notes, recommendations, memoranda and other records in which opinions are expressed, or policies or actions are formulated, except that a specific record or relevant portion of a record shall not be exempt when the record is publicly cited and identified by the head of the public body. The exemption provided in this paragraph (f) extends to all those records of officers and agencies of the General Assembly that pertain to the preparation of legislative documents.

(g) Trade secrets and commercial or financial information obtained from a person or business where the trade secrets or information are proprietary, privileged or confidential, or where disclosure of the trade secrets or information may cause competitive harm, including all information determined to be confidential under Section 4002 of the Technology Advancement and Development Act. Nothing contained in this paragraph (g) shall be construed to prevent a person or business from consenting to disclosure.

(h) Proposals and bids for any contract, grant, or agreement, including information which if it were disclosed would frustrate procurement or give an advantage to any person proposing to enter into a contractor agreement with the body, until an award or final selection is made. Information prepared by or for the body in preparation of a bid solicitation shall be exempt until an award or final selection is made.

(i) Valuable formulae, computer geographic systems, designs, drawings and research data obtained or produced by any public body when disclosure could reasonably be expected to produce private gain or public loss. The exemption for "computer geographic systems" provided in this paragraph (i) does not extend to requests made by news media as defined in Section 2 of this Act when the requested information is not otherwise exempt and the only purpose of the request is to access and disseminate information regarding the health, safety, welfare, or legal rights of the general public.

(j) Test questions, scoring keys and other examination data used to administer an academic examination or determined the qualifications of an applicant for a license or employment.

(k) Architects' plans, engineers' technical submissions, and other construction related technical documents for projects not constructed or developed in whole or in part with public funds and the same for projects constructed or developed with public funds, but only to the extent that disclosure would compromise security, including but not limited to water treatment facilities, airport facilities, sport stadiums, convention centers, and all government owned, operated, or occupied buildings.

(l) Library circulation and order records identifying library users with specific materials.

(m) Minutes of meetings of public bodies closed to the public as provided in the Open Meetings Act until the public body makes the minutes available to the public under Section 2.06 of the Open Meetings Act.

(n) Communications between a public body and an attorney or auditor representing the public body that would not be subject to discovery in litigation, and materials prepared or compiled by or for a public body in anticipation of a criminal, civil or administrative proceeding upon the request of an attorney advising the public body, and materials prepared or compiled with respect to internal audits of public bodies.

(o) Information received by a primary or secondary school, college or university under its procedures for the evaluation of faculty members by their academic peers.

(p) Administrative or technical information associated with automated data processing operations, including but not limited to software, operating protocols, computer program abstracts, file layouts, source listings, object modules, load modules, user guides, documentation pertaining to all logical and physical design of computerized systems, employee manuals, and any other information that, if disclosed, would jeopardize the security of the system or its data or the security of materials exempt under this Section.

(q) Documents or materials relating to collective negotiating matters between public bodies and their employees or representatives, except that any final contract or agreement shall be subject to inspection and copying.

(r) Drafts, notes, recommendations and memoranda pertaining to the financing and marketing transactions of the public body. The records of ownership, registration, transfer, and exchange of municipal debt obligations, and of persons to whom payment with respect to these obligations is made.

(s) The records, documents and information relating to real estate purchase negotiations until those negotiations have been completed or otherwise terminated. With regard to a parcel involved in a pending or actually and reasonably contemplated eminent domain proceeding under Article VII of the Code of Civil Procedure, records, documents and information relating to that parcel shall be exempt except as may be allowed under discovery rules adopted by the Illinois Supreme Court. The records, documents and information relating to a real estate sale shall be exempt until a sale is consummated.

(t) Any and all proprietary information and records related to the operation of an intergovernmental risk management association or self-insurance pool or jointly self-administered health and accident cooperative or pool.

(u) Information concerning a university's adjudication of student or employee grievance or disciplinary cases, to the extent that disclosure would reveal the identity of the student or employee and information concerning any public body's adjudication of student or employee grievances or disciplinary cases, except for the final outcome of the cases.

(v) Course materials or research materials used by faculty members.

(w) Information related solely to the internal personnel rules and practices of a public body.

(x) Information contained in or related to examination, operating, or condition reports prepared by, on behalf of, or for the use of a public body responsible for the regulation or supervision of financial institutions or insurance companies, unless disclosure is otherwise required by State law.

(y) Information the disclosure of which is restricted under Section 5-108 of the Public Utilities Act.

(z) Manuals or instruction to staff that relate to establishment or collection of liability for any State tax or that relate to investigations by a public body to determine violation of any criminal law.

(aa) Applications, related documents, and medical records received by the Experimental Organ Transplantation Procedures Board and any and all documents or other records prepared by the Experimental Organ Transplantation Procedures Board or its staff relating to applications it has received.

(bb) Insurance or self insurance (including any intergovernmental risk management association or self insurance pool) claims, loss or risk management information, records, data, advice or communications.

(cc) Information and records held by the Department of Public Health and its authorized representatives relating to known or suspected cases of sexually transmissible disease or any information the disclosure of which is restricted under the Illinois Sexually Transmissible Disease Control Act.

(dd) Information the disclosure of which is exempted under Section 30 of the Radon Industry Licensing Act.

(ee) Firm performance evaluations under Section 55 of the Architectural, Engineering, and Land Surveying Qualifications Based Selection Act.

(ff) Security portions of system safety program plans, investigation reports, surveys, schedules, lists, data, or information compiled, collected, or prepared by or for the Regional Transportation Authority under Section 2.11 of the Regional Transportation Authority Act or the St. Clair County Transit District under the Bi-State Transit Safety Act.

(gg) Information the disclosure of which is restricted and exempted under Section 50 of the Illinois Prepaid Tuition Act.

(hh) Information the disclosure of which is exempted under the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act.

(ii) Beginning July 1, 1999, information that would disclose or might lead to the disclosure of secret or confidential information, codes, algorithms, programs, or private keys intended to be used to create electronic or digital signatures under the Electronic Commerce Security Act.

(jj) Information contained in a local emergency energy plan submitted to a municipality in accordance with a local emergency energy plan ordinance that is adopted under Section 11-21.5-5 of the Illinois Municipal Code.

(kk) Information and data concerning the distribution of surcharge moneys collected and remitted by wireless carriers under the Wireless Emergency Telephone Safety Act.

(ll) Vulnerability assessments, security measures, and response policies or plans that are designed to identify, prevent, or respond to potential attacks upon a community's population or systems, facilities, or installations, the destruction or contamination of which would constitute a clear and present danger to the health or safety of the community, but only to the extent that disclosure could reasonably be expected to jeopardize the effectiveness of the measures or the safety of the personnel who implement them or the public. Information exempt under this item may include such things as details pertaining to the mobilization or deployment of personnel or equipment, to the operation of communication systems or protocols, or to tactical operations.

(mm) Maps and other records regarding the location or security of a utility's generation, transmission, distribution, storage, gathering, treatment, or switching facilities.

(nn) Law enforcement officer identification information or driver identification information compiled by a law enforcement agency or the Department of Transportation under Section 11-212 of the Illinois Vehicle Code.

(oo) Records and information provided to a residential health care facility resident sexual assault and death review team or the Residential Health Care Facility Resident Sexual Assault and Death Review Teams Executive Council under the Residential Health Care Facility Resident Sexual Assault and Death Review Team Act.

(pp) Information provided to the predatory lending database created pursuant to Article 3 of the Residential Real Property Disclosure Act, except to the extent authorized under that Article.

(2) This Section does not authorize withholding of information or limit the availability of records to the public, except as stated in this Section or otherwise provided in this Act.

(Source: P.A. 92-16, eff. 6-28-01; 92-241, eff. 8-3-01; 92-281, eff. 8-7-01; 92-645, eff. 7-11-02; 92-651, eff. 7-11-02; 93-43, eff. 7-1-03; 93-209, eff. 7-18-03; 93-237, eff. 7-22-03; 93-325, eff. 7-23-03, 93-422, eff. 8-5-03; 93-577, eff. 8-21-03; 93-617, eff. 12-9-03.)

Section 10. The Residential Real Property Disclosure Act is amended by adding an Article caption immediately before Section 1 as follows:

ARTICLE 1

SHORT TITLE

Section 15. The Residential Real Property Disclosure Act is amended by adding an Article caption immediately before Section 5 as follows:

ARTICLE 2

DISCLOSURES

Section 20. The Residential Real Property Disclosure Act is amended by adding an Article caption and by adding Sections 70, 72, 74, and 76 immediately after Section 65 as follows:

ARTICLE 3

PREDATORY LENDING DATABASE

(765 ILCS 77/70 new)

Sec. 70. Predatory lending database pilot program.

(a) As used in this Article:

"Borrower" means a person seeking a mortgage loan.

"Broker" means a "broker" or "loan broker", as defined in subsection (p) of Section 1-4 of the Residential Mortgage License Act of 1987.

"Closing agent" means an individual assigned by a title insurance company or a broker or originator to ensure that the execution of documents related to the closing of a real estate sale or the refinancing of a real estate loan and the disbursement of closing funds are in conformity with the instructions of the entity financing the transaction.

"Department" means the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

"Exempt person" means that term as it is defined in subsections (d)(1) and (d)(1.5) of Section 1-4 of the Residential Mortgage License Act of 1987.

"Lender" means that term as it is defined in subsection (g) of Section 1-4 of the Residential Mortgage License Act.

"Licensee" means that term as it is defined in subsection (e) of Section 1-4 of the Residential Mortgage License Act of 1987.

"Mortgage loan" means that term as it is defined in subsection (f) of Section 1-4 of the Residential Mortgage License Act of 1987.

"Originator" means a "loan originator" as defined in subsection (hh) of Section 1-4 of the Residential Mortgage License Act of 1987, except an exempt person.

"Pilot program area" means all areas within Cook County designated as such by the Department due to the high rate of foreclosure on residential home mortgages that is primarily the result of predatory lending practices. The Department shall designate the pilot program area within 30 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly.

"Title insurance company" means any domestic company organized under the laws of this State for the purpose of conducting the business of guaranteeing or insuring titles to real estate and any title insurance company organized under the laws of another State, the District of Columbia, or a foreign government and authorized to transact the business of guaranteeing or insuring titles to real estate in this State.

(b) A predatory lending database pilot program is established within the pilot program area. The pilot program shall continue for 4 years after its creation and shall be administered in accordance with Article 3 of this Act. The database created under this program shall be maintained and administered by the Department. The database shall be designed to allow brokers, originators, credit counselors, title insurance companies, and closing agents to submit information to the database online. The database shall not be designed to allow those entities to retrieve information from the database, except as otherwise provided in this Article. Information submitted by the broker or originator to the Department may be used to populate the online form submitted by a credit counselor, title insurance company, or closing agent.

(c) Within 10 days after taking a mortgage application, the broker or originator for any mortgage on residential property within the pilot program area must submit to the predatory lending database all of the information required under Section 72 and any other information required by the Department by rule. Within 7 days after receipt of the information, the Department shall compare that information to credit counseling standards developed by the Department by rule and issue to the borrower and the broker or originator a determination of whether credit counseling is recommended for the borrower. The borrower may not waive credit counseling. If at any time after submitting the information required under Section 72 the broker or originator (i) changes the terms of the loan or (ii) issues a new commitment to the borrower, then, within 5 days thereafter, the broker or originator shall re-submit all of the information required under Section 72 and, within 4 days after receipt of the information re-submitted by the broker or originator, the Department shall compare that information to credit counseling standards developed by the Department by rule and shall issue to the borrower and the broker or originator a new determination of whether credit counseling is recommended for the borrower based on the information re-submitted by the broker or originator.

(d) If the Department recommends credit counseling for the borrower under subsection (c), then the Department shall notify the borrower of all HUD-certified counseling agencies located within the State and direct the borrower to interview with a counselor associated with one of those agencies. Within 10 days after receipt of the notice of HUD-certified counseling agencies, the borrower shall select one of those agencies and shall engage in an interview with a counselor associated with that agency. Within 7 days after interviewing the borrower, the credit counselor must submit to the predatory lending database all of the information required under Section 74 and any other information required by the Department by rule. Any costs associated with credit counseling provided under the pilot program shall be paid by the broker or originator.

(e) The broker or originator and the borrower may not take any legally binding action concerning the loan transaction until the later of the following:

(1) the Department issues a determination not to recommend credit counseling for the borrower in accordance with subsection (c); or

(2) the Department issues a determination that credit counseling is recommended for the borrower and the credit counselor submits all required information to the database in accordance with subsection (d).

(f) Within 10 days after closing, the title insurance company or closing agent must submit to the predatory lending database all of the information required under Section 76 and any other information required by the Department by rule.

(g) Upon recording the mortgage, the title insurance company or closing agent must simultaneously file with the recorder a certificate of its compliance with the requirements of this Article, as generated by the database. If the title insurance company or closing agent fails to file the certificate of compliance, then the mortgage is not recordable. In addition, if any lis pendens for a residential mortgage foreclosure is recorded on the property within the pilot program area, a certificate of service must be simultaneously recorded that affirms that a copy of the lis pendens was filed with the Department. If the certificate of service is not recorded, then the lis pendens pertaining to the residential mortgage foreclosure in question is not recordable and is of no force and effect.

(h) All information provided to the predatory lending database under the program is confidential and is not subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, except as otherwise provided in this Article. Any borrower may authorize in writing the release of database information. The Department may use the information in the database without the consent of the borrower: (i) for the purposes of administering and enforcing the pilot program; (ii) to provide relevant information to a credit counselor providing credit counseling to a borrower under the pilot program; or (iii) to the appropriate law enforcement agency or the applicable administrative agency if the database information demonstrates criminal, fraudulent, or otherwise illegal activity.

(i) Nothing in this Article is intended to prevent a borrower from making his or her own decision as to whether to proceed with a transaction.

(j) Any person who violates any provision of this Article commits an unlawful practice within the meaning of the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act.

(k) Not later than one year after the Department designates the pilot program area and annually thereafter during the existence of the pilot program, the Department shall report to the Governor and to the General Assembly concerning its administration and the effectiveness of the pilot program.

(765 ILCS 77/72 new)

Sec. 72. Originator; required information. As part of the predatory lending database pilot program, the broker or originator must submit all of the following information for inclusion in the predatory lending database for each loan for which the originator takes an application:

(1) The borrower's name, address, social security number or taxpayer identification number, date of birth, and income and expense information contained in the mortgage application.

(2) The address, permanent index number, and a description of the collateral and information about the loan or loans being applied for and the loan terms, including the amount of the loan, the rate and whether the rate is fixed or adjustable, amortization or loan period terms, and any other material terms.

(3) The borrower's credit score at the time of application.

(4) Information about the originator and the company the originator works for, including the originator's license number and address, fees being charged, whether the fees are being charged as points up front, the yield spread premium payable outside closing, and other charges made or remuneration required by the broker or originator or its affiliates or the broker's or originator's employer or its affiliates for the mortgage loans.

(5) Information about affiliated or third party service providers, including the names and addresses of appraisers, title insurance companies, closing agents, attorneys, and realtors who are involved with the transaction and the broker or originator and any moneys received from the broker or originator in connection with the transaction.

(6) All information indicated on the Good Faith Estimate and Truth in Lending statement disclosures given to the borrower by the broker or originator.

(7) Annual real estate taxes for the property, together with any assessments payable in connection with the property to be secured by the collateral and the proposed monthly principal and interest charge of all loans to be taken by the borrower and secured by the property of the borrower.

(8) Information concerning how the broker or originator obtained the client and the name of its referral source, if any.

(9) Information concerning the notices provided by the broker or originator to the borrower as required by law and the date those notices were given.

(10) Information concerning whether a sale and leaseback is contemplated and the names of the lessor and lessee, seller, and purchaser.

(765 ILCS 77/74 new)

Sec. 74. Credit counselor; required information. As part of the predatory lending database pilot program, a credit counselor must submit all of the following information for inclusion in the predatory lending database:

(1) The information called for in Section 72.

(2) Any information from the borrower that confirms or contradicts the information called for under item (1) of this Section.

(3) The name and address of the credit counselor.

(4) Information pertaining to the borrower's monthly expenses that assists the credit counselor in determining whether the borrower can afford the loans or loans for which the borrower is applying.

(5) A list of the disclosures furnished to the borrower, as seen and reviewed by the credit counselor, and a comparison of that list to all disclosures required by law.

(6) Whether the borrower provided tax returns to the broker or originator or to the credit counselor, and, if so, who prepared the tax returns.

(7) The date the loan commitment expires and whether a written commitment has been given, together with the proposed date of closing.

(8) A statement of the recommendations of the credit counselor that indicates the counselor's response to each of the following statements:

(A) The loan should not be approved due to indicia of fraud.

(B) The loan should be approved; no material problems noted.

(C) The borrower cannot afford the loan.

(D) The borrower does not understand the transaction.

(E) The borrower does not understand the costs associated with the transaction.

(F) The borrower's monthly income and expenses have been reviewed and disclosed.

(G) The rate of the loan is above market rate.

(H) The borrower should seek a competitive bid from another broker or originator.

(I) There are discrepancies between the borrower's verbal understanding and the originator's completed form.

(J) The borrower is precipitously close to not being able to afford the loan.

(K) The borrower understands the true cost of debt consolidation and the need for credit card discipline.

(L) The information that the borrower provided the originator has been amended by the originator.

(765 ILCS 77/76 new)

Sec. 76. Title insurance company or closing agent; required information. As part of the predatory lending database pilot program, a title insurance company or closing agent must submit all of the following information for inclusion in the predatory lending database:

(1) The borrower's name, address, social security number or taxpayer identification number, date of birth, and income and expense information contained in the mortgage application.

(2) The address, permanent index number, and a description of the collateral and information about the loan or loans being applied for and the loan terms, including the amount of the loan, the rate and whether the rate is fixed or adjustable, amortization or loan period terms, and any other material terms.

(3) Annual real estate taxes for the property, together with any assessments payable in connection with the property to be secured by the collateral and the proposed monthly principal and interest charge of all loans to be taken by the borrower and secured by the property of the borrower as well as any required escrows and the amounts paid monthly for those escrows.

(4) All itemizations and descriptions set forth in the RESPA settlement statement including items to be disbursed, payable outside closing "POC" items noted on the statement, and a list of payees and the amounts of their checks.

(5) The name and license number of the title insurance company or closing agent together with the name of the agent actually conducting the closing.

(6) The names and addresses of all originators, brokers, appraisers, sales persons, attorneys, and surveyors that are present at the closing.

(7) The date of closing, a detailed list of all notices provided to the borrower at closing and the date of those notices, and all information indicated on the Truth in Lending statement and Good Faith Estimate disclosures.

Section 25. The Residential Real Property Disclosure Act is amended by adding an Article caption immediately before Section 99 as follows:

ARTICLE 4

EFFECTIVE DATE

Section 30. The Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Practices Act is amended by changing Section 2Z as follows:

(815 ILCS 505/2Z) (from Ch. 121 1/2, par. 262Z)

Sec. 2Z. Violations of other Acts. Any person who knowingly violates the Automotive Repair Act, the Home Repair and Remodeling Act, the Dance Studio Act, the Physical Fitness Services Act, the Hearing Instrument Consumer Protection Act, the Illinois Union Label Act, the Job Referral and Job Listing Services Consumer Protection Act, the Travel Promotion Consumer Protection Act, the Credit Services Organizations Act, the Automatic Telephone Dialers Act, the Pay-Per-Call Services Consumer Protection Act, the Telephone Solicitations Act, the Illinois Funeral or Burial Funds Act, the Cemetery Care Act, the Safe and Hygienic Bed Act, the Pre-Need Cemetery Sales Act, the High Risk Home Loan Act, subsection (a) or (b) of Section 3-10 of the Cigarette Tax Act, subsection (a) or (b) of Section 3-10 of the Cigarette Use Tax Act, the Electronic Mail Act, paragraph (6) of subsection (k) of Section 6-305 of the Illinois Vehicle Code, Article 3 of the Residential Real Property Disclosure Act, or the Automatic Contract Renewal Act commits an unlawful practice within the meaning of this Act.

(Source: P.A. 92-426, eff. 1-1-02; 93-561, eff. 1-1-04; 93-950, eff. 1-1-05.)