20 ILCS 210/ State Fair Act.

(20 ILCS 210/1) (from Ch. 127, par. 1701)

Sec. 1. This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "State Fair Act".

(Source: P.A. 81-853.)

(20 ILCS 210/2) (from Ch. 127, par. 1702)

Sec. 2. As used in this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, the term:

"Department" means the Department of Agriculture of the State of Illinois.

"Director" means the Director of Agriculture.

"State Fair" means the annual event at Springfield and DuQuoin for the exhibition and promotion of the activities of Illinois in the fields of agriculture, industry, labor, education and such other areas and activities as may be of interest to the public.

"State Fairgrounds" means all of the land and water areas known as the State Fairgrounds at Springfield and DuQuoin and includes all buildings and other facilities in relation thereto.

"Illinois resident" means (a) an individual physically present in Illinois with intent to remain; (b) a partnership, joint venture, limited partnership or other syndicate or association, provided that all of the members are residents of Illinois; or (c) a corporation, provided that all stockholders, directors and officers are residents of Illinois.

(Source: P.A. 84-1468.)

(20 ILCS 210/3) (from Ch. 127, par. 1703)

Sec. 3. It is the policy of this State that the Department operate the Illinois State Fair and the DuQuoin State Fair as a showcase for the nation and world to view Illinois agriculture, to provide for industrial, cultural, educational, trade and scientific exhibits, to promote the sport of horse racing and other competitive sports and for the entertainment and enjoyment of the people of the State of Illinois.

(Source: P.A. 84-1468.)

(20 ILCS 210/5) (from Ch. 127, par. 1705)

Sec. 5. The Department shall annually hold a State Fair at Springfield and DuQuoin to promote agriculture, the agriculture industry, and provide for exhibits and activities in the fields of industry, education, the arts and crafts, labor, entertainment and other areas of interest to the people of the State.

(Source: P.A. 84-1468.)

(20 ILCS 210/6) (from Ch. 127, par. 1706)

Sec. 6. Policies, procedures, and powers concerning the operation of fairs.

(a) Policies. The Department shall, pursuant to the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act, establish by rule:

(1) the policy for the operation of the Illinois State Fair and the DuQuoin State Fair, except those operations regarding contests as provided for in subparagraphs (b) and (c) of this Section, and

(2) the policies and procedures for the sale, barter, or exchange of tickets and for ticket refunds for cancelled events.

(b) Contests. The Department shall establish and make available, for all contestants and other interested persons, sufficient copies of a premium book or other publication that establishes the kinds and classes of events or exhibits for contests at the fairs, the conditions under which contestants shall be entered into contests, the qualification and disqualification requirements of contests, the drug testing requirements for contests (if applicable), the premiums to be offered to contest winners, the manner in which certificates of award shall be distributed and premiums paid to contest winners, the penalty for violations of a rule, condition, instruction, or directive, and requirements of contests, including but not limited to the return of all premiums paid, the forfeiture of awards, and the prohibition of participating in future contests, and all other rules and requirements for contests. These rules, conditions, instructions, directives, and requirements shall be exempt from the rulemaking procedures of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. All such publications issued by the Department that relate to a contest, event, or exhibit shall be maintained as a public record at the Department's principal office in Springfield, Illinois, and made available for public inspection and copying during regular business hours.

(c) Fees. The Department shall establish and publish for the Illinois State Fair and the DuQuoin State Fair a schedule of admission fees, entry fees, concession fees, space rentals and other fees for activities offered or provided at each State Fair. These schedules of fees shall be maintained as a public record at the Department's principal office in Springfield, Illinois, and made available for public inspection and copying during regular business, but shall be exempt from the rulemaking procedures of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act.

(d) Facilities. The Department may negotiate and enter into contracts for activities and use of facilities for which there is not an established or published schedule. The contract criteria shall be established by rule, pursuant to the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. The Department may lease any of its facilities for activities during the State Fair.

(e) Advertising. The Illinois State Fair in Springfield and the DuQuoin State Fair shall have the power and authority to sell or exchange advertising rights in all of its publications and printed materials. The sale of advertising shall be subject to the rules promulgated by the Department, pursuant to the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act.

(f) Veterans. On the day set aside as Veterans Day, honorably discharged veterans and members of their families shall be admitted without admission charge upon presentation of identification of any of the following: honorable discharge certificate, or photostatic copy thereof, or a paid up membership card in any recognized veterans organization.

(g) Government functions. The Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Comptroller, President and Minority Leader of the Senate, and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives shall be afforded space for official governmental functions, without charge, during the State Fair and the DuQuoin State Fair.

(Source: P.A. 102-278, eff. 8-6-21; 102-1085, eff. 1-1-23.)

(20 ILCS 210/7) (from Ch. 127, par. 1707)

Sec. 7. During the period when each State Fairgrounds is not used for the annual State Fair, the Department shall make all efforts to promote its use by the public for purposes that the facilities can accommodate. The Department may charge and collect for the use of each State Fairgrounds and its facilities. The Department may negotiate and enter into contracts for activities and use of facilities. The criteria for such contracts shall be established by rule.

The Department may establish locally held funds to receive and disburse security deposits for the rental of facilities at each State fairground during non-fair time periods.

The Department also shall have the authority to arrange, organize, and hold events on each State Fairgrounds and in any facilities on each State Fairgrounds for any purpose that the facilities and State Fairgrounds can accommodate. The Department may charge and collect fees associated with the events.

(Source: P.A. 100-325, eff. 8-24-17.)

(20 ILCS 210/7.1)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2028)

Sec. 7.1. Procurement for artistic or musical services, performances, events, or productions on the State Fairgrounds.

(a) Procurement expenditures necessary to provide artistic or musical services, performances, events, or productions under this Act at the State Fairgrounds in Springfield and DuQuoin are exempt from the requirements of the Illinois Procurement Code. The expenditures may include, but are not limited to, entertainment, advertising, concessions, space rentals, sponsorships, and other services necessary to provide such events.

(b) Notice of each contract with an annual value of more than $100,000 entered into by the Department that is related to the procurement of goods and services identified in this Section shall be published in the Illinois Procurement Bulletin within 30 calendar days after contract execution. The Department shall provide the chief procurement officer, on a monthly basis, a report of contracts that are related to the procurement of supplies and services identified in this Section. At a minimum, this report shall include the name of the contractor, a description of the supply or service provided, the total amount of the contract, the term of the contract, and reference to the exception in this Section. A copy of any or all of these contracts shall be made available to the chief procurement officer immediately upon request.

(c) This Section is repealed on July 1, 2028.

(Source: P.A. 103-570, eff. 1-1-24.)

(20 ILCS 210/8) (from Ch. 127, par. 1708)

Sec. 8. There is created a Board of State Fair Advisors consisting of the Director, 4 ex-officio members as hereafter named, and up to 15 persons appointed by the Governor. The Chairman and minority spokesman of the House Agriculture and Conservation Committee and the Chairman and minority spokesman of the Senate Agriculture Committee of the General Assembly shall serve as ex-officio members. No more than 3 of the Board members shall be appointed from any one county. The terms of members of the State Fair Advisory Board appointed before the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly shall expire on January 21, 2019. Initial appointments made on and after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly shall be for terms of one, 2, and 3 years staggered to provide for the selection of 5 members each year. All subsequent appointments shall be for terms of 3 years. All terms shall commence on the 3rd Monday in January. The Governor shall in making appointments to the Board provide for a representation of the operational interests of the State Fair and this State. Members of the Board shall receive no compensation, but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. An appointed member's office becomes vacant upon his or her absence from 2 consecutive regularly scheduled meetings. The Director or his or her authorized representative from the Department shall act as chairman of the Board. The duties of the Board are to advise the Director and the Department on matters concerning the operation of each State Fair and State Fairgrounds as they pertain to varied interests in the State Fairs and the people of this State.

(Source: P.A. 100-845, eff. 1-1-19.)

(20 ILCS 210/9) (from Ch. 127, par. 1709)

Sec. 9. The Department shall provide for the protection of the State Fairgrounds, maintain and preserve order and protect the facilities and contents from destruction by fire. The Department is authorized to regulate vehicle traffic as well as pedestrians within the State Fairgrounds. Persons designated by the Department to provide protection to the State Fairgrounds shall have full police powers.

(Source: P.A. 84-1468.)

(20 ILCS 210/10) (from Ch. 127, par. 1710)

Sec. 10. The Department may enter into contracts with other government agencies to assist them in the operation of each State Fair and the State Fairgrounds as well as the requirements set forth in Section 9 of this Act.

The Department may cooperate with any other local, State or federal agency in the furtherance of the intent of this Act.

The Department may receive and use any donation either from the private or public sectors which is for betterment of each State Fair and the State Fairgrounds.

All revenues from the operation and use of any facilities of the Illinois State Fair at Springfield, the Springfield State Fairgrounds, the DuQuoin State Fair, and the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds shall be deposited in the Illinois State Fair Fund. All funds in the Illinois State Fair Fund shall be used by the Department of Agriculture in accordance with appropriation by the General Assembly for operation of the Illinois State Fair.

(Source: P.A. 102-1085, eff. 1-1-23.)

(20 ILCS 210/11) (from Ch. 127, par. 1711)

Sec. 11. The Department shall develop and adopt a plan for the operation of each State Fair and the State Fairgrounds and its facilities. This plan shall include operational factors as well as an evaluation of present structures, the maintenance of present structures and the razing of those structures no longer safe to the public or not functional. A long range operational and building use program shall be developed. The general operational and building plan shall be presented to the public at a public hearing and adopted as the official plan for the State Fairgrounds. This operational and building plan is not to be construed as a restriction on day-to-day operations or minor use changes.

(Source: P.A. 84-1468.)

(20 ILCS 210/11.1) (from Ch. 127, par. 1711.1)

Sec. 11.1. The Department shall establish and promote contests and exhibitions of various classes of livestock to be known as the "Land of Lincoln Breeders Awards for Purebred or Registered Livestock" and to be conducted at the State Fair at Springfield. Only animals bred, born and maintained in Illinois and owned and exhibited by Illinois residents shall be eligible to participate in such contests and exhibitions; however, such animals shall be permitted out of this State for a reasonable period of time for showings, exhibitions, breeding or reproductive purposes, or medical treatment.

An annual appropriation from the Agricultural Premium Fund or the Illinois State Fair Fund shall be made for the "Land of Lincoln Breeders Awards for Purebred or Registered Livestock". The percentage of the appropriation for each class or show of livestock shall be set by the Department in premium books. These premium books shall be maintained as a public record at the Department's principal office in Springfield, Illinois, and made available for public inspection and copying during regular business hours, but shall be exempt from the rulemaking procedures of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act.

(Source: P.A. 102-1085, eff. 1-1-23.)

(20 ILCS 210/11.2)

Sec. 11.2. Farm Safety Course. The General Assembly finds that numerous agricultural related accidents occur each year and that often a family member is the only person able to help in these crises until professional help arrives. The Department may establish, by January 1, 1996, a one-year pilot program for a Farm Safety Course to be offered at the Illinois State Fair, to the extent that moneys become available to the Department for that purpose. The course content may include, but not be limited to, the following:

(1) Procedures useful for prevention of the more typical agricultural related accidents.

(2) Instruction about the operation of farm equipment, including how to disengage a piece of equipment.

(3) Basic first aid, especially those procedures most useful for the temporary treatment of typical agricultural related injuries.

The Director, in consultation with the Board of State Fair Advisors, may continue the program beyond one year.

(Source: P.A. 89-311, eff. 8-11-95.)

(20 ILCS 210/12) (from Ch. 127, par. 1712)

Sec. 12. The Department shall have the power to promulgate rules and regulations, pursuant to the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act, governing the holding of each State Fair, the operation of the State Fairgrounds, the conditions under which racing shall be permitted on the State Fairgrounds, the policy for policing the grounds and such other reasonable rules and regulations as are necessary to carry out the intent of the Act. However, the Department shall not be required to promulgate rules and regulations pursuant to the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act concerning those operations stated in subsections (b) and (c) of Section 6 of this Act. Instead, the requirements set forth in subsections (b) and (c) of Section 6 must be followed.

(Source: P.A. 93-1055, eff. 11-23-04.)

(20 ILCS 210/13) (from Ch. 127, par. 1713)

Sec. 13. Vendors, concessionaires, and persons renting space or using facilities at the State Fairgrounds who violate this Act, or any provision of any rule of the Department issued under this Act, may be prohibited from utilizing the State Fairgrounds or participating in activities conducted upon the State Fairgrounds.

(Source: P.A. 93-1055, eff. 11-23-04.)

(20 ILCS 210/13.5)

Sec. 13.5. Hearings. The Illinois Administrative Procedure Act, the Illinois Department of Agriculture rules adopted under the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act, and the rules and regulations adopted under this Act apply to hearings under this Act.

(Source: P.A. 89-96, eff. 7-7-96.)

(20 ILCS 210/13.10)

Sec. 13.10. Subpoena. The Department, over the signature of the Director, is authorized to subpoena and bring before the Department any person or persons in this State and to take testimony either orally or by deposition or by exhibit, with the same fees and mileage and in the same manner as prescribed by law in judicial proceedings in civil cases in circuit courts of this State. The Director may issue subpoenas duces tecum to command the production of any or all records relating to the person.

(Source: P.A. 89-96, eff. 7-7-95.)

(20 ILCS 210/13.15)

Sec. 13.15. Judicial review. All final administrative decisions of the Department are subject to judicial review under Article III of the Code of Civil Procedure and its rules. The term "administrative decision" is defined as in Section 3-101 of the Code of Civil Procedure. Proceedings for judicial review shall be commenced in the circuit court of any county permitted by Section 3-104 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

(Source: P.A. 89-96, eff. 7-7-96.)