Motography (Jan-Jun 1917)

March 31, 1917. MOTOGRAPHY 683 "Best Censor Bill Yet Drawn" THE COMPLETE GUERNSEY BILL, LIKELY TO BECOME LAW IN ILLINOIS (Note: An interesting discussion of this bill will be found on page 661 of this issue of Motography,) AN ACT regulating the censorship and exhibition of motion pictures. Section 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly: That the director of education and registration upon the taking effect of this Act shall, from time to time, employ a competent person who is well qualified by education and experience to act as censor of motion pictures under this Act. Such employe shall be known as the official motion picture censor. The censor shall be paid a salary to be fixed by the director of education and registration, with the approval of the governor, not to exceed three thousand five hundred dollars ($3,500) per annum, and shall execute a bond in the penal sum of five thousand dollars ($5,000) for the faithful performance of the duties of censors. The director of education and registration, with the approval of the governor, shall also employ such assistants and clerical help as shall, from time to time, be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act, and fix their compensation. Office Maintained in Chicago Section 2. An office for the transaction of the business of the motion picture censorship shall be maintained in Chicago and at such other points in the state as shall be deemed necessary. Such office shall consist of suitable rooms and equipment for office and projection purposes. Section 3. All motion picture films intended to be exhibited or displayed in the state of Illinois shall be submitted to the official censor and shall be publicly exhibited or displayed only upon the approval of the official censor, except where the decision of the official censor is reversed or modified upon appeal as provided herein, and in such other cases as are herein expressly excepted. Only such films as are, in the judgment and discretion of the official censor, of a moral, educational or amusing or harmless character, shall be approved by the official censor. Section 4. When a film has been censored, a certificate showing the approval or rejection of such film shall be issued to the party submitting the same. When a film is approved by the official censor such a film shall be given an approval number which shall be shown on the certificate issued by the official censor, to the person submitting the film. Such certificate shall also show the title of such film and all eliminations, if any, ordered from such film. For each film so approved there shall be issued by the official censor an official leader or stamp of approval of not less than five (5) feet in length, bearing the words "approved by the official motion picture censor of the state of Illinois," and the number as assigned to such film, in the certificate of approval, together with such design engraved thereon as the official censor may prescribe. The official censor is authorized to recall any film for recensoring or to revoke any certificate permitting the exhibition of any film in the state of Illinois, whenever in his judgment the public welfare requires it. Before any motion picture film shall be publicly exhibited, all eliminations ordered by the official censor shall have been made by the person or persons loan ing, renting or leasing such film or films to the exhibitor for exhibition. There shall be projected upon the screen, before the exhibition of any film, the design of the official leader or stamp of approval of not less than five (5) feet in length issued by the official censor. Section 5. The official censor shall procure and use an official seal which shall contain the words "Illinois Motion Picture Censor," together with such design engrossed thereon as the official censor may prescribe. Section 6. From and after ninety (90) days after this act shall take effect, no film may be publicly shown or exhibited within the state of Illinois unless approved by the official censor and numbered and endorsed as herein provided. No fee shall be charged for examining any film which has been given an unrestricted and unconditional permit by any municipal board of censors existing in Illinois prior to July 1, 1917, if in the discretion of the official censor hereby created it shall become necessary or desirable to again examine such film, and when any film is given an unrestricted and unqualified approval by the official censor, such film shall not be subject to any further censorship in any county, city, village or town in this state. Fee of One Dollar Per Reel Section 7. A fee of one dollar ($1.00) for each reel of film to be censored, which does not exceed one thousand (1,000) lineal feet and one dollar ($1.00) for each additional one thousand (1,000) lineal feet or fractional part thereof, shall be collected by the official censor for censoring each original film, and for copies or duplicates thereof twenty-five cents (25c) for each reel of film to be censored which does not exceed one thousand (1,000) lineal feet, and twenty-five cents (25c) for each additional one thousand (1,000) lineal feet or fractional part thereof. The fees so collected shall be paid each week into the state treasury. Section 8. In carrying out the provisions of this act the official censor, with the approval of the director of education and registration shall adopt such reasonable rules and regulations not inconsistent with the laws of the state as shall be deemed necessary. Section 9. The official censor and any assistant or employe of the censorship office may enter any place where films, reels or views are exhibited and shall have power to prevent the display or exhibition of any film, reel or view which has not been duly approved by the official censor. It shall be unlawful for any person to hinder or interfere in any manner with the official censor or any assistant or employe of the censorship office while performing any duty under the provisions of this act. Section 10. The official censor shall keep a record of all examinations of films, reels or views and note on the record all films, reels or views which have been approved and all such films, reels or views as have been disapproved, together with the reason for such disapproval. Section 11. The official censor may work in conjunction with any censor board or boards of legal