A Wood River man is suing the Illinois state treasurer in a class-action case, alleging a surcharge on a state E-pay program is unlawful.
Gary Patrick Sterr, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated, filed a lawsuit in Madison County Circuit Court against Jessica Trame, chief of the Firearms Services Bureau and Michael W. Brerichs, treasurer of the State of Illinois, alleging a $1 convenience fee on a state E-pay program is unlawful.
According to the complaint, on Oct. 6, Sterr payed a $10 required fee for a firearms owners identification (FOID) card over the Internet and was levied an additional $1 charge for using the E-pay system. The suit says the E-pay form on the FOID card site did not properly notify him of this additional charge.
The suit also alleges it is impossible to avoid this $1 fee, as the state no longer accepts paper applications.
Sterr seeks damages of more than $50,000, litigation costs and other relief deemed appropriate by the court. He is represented by attorney Thomas G. Maag of Maag Law Firm LLC in Wood River.
Madison County Circuit Court case number 15-L-1337