HB3874eng 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB3874 Engrossed LRB100 11057 AXK 21296 b

AN ACT concerning transportation.

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

Section 5. The Illinois Vehicle Code is amended by changing Sections 3-707 and 7-601 as follows:

(625 ILCS 5/3-707) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-707)

Sec. 3-707. Operation of uninsured motor vehicle - penalty.

(a) No person shall operate a motor vehicle in this State unless the motor vehicle is covered by a liability insurance policy in accordance with Section 7-601 of this Code.

(a-5) A person commits the offense of operation of uninsured motor vehicle causing bodily harm when the person:

(1) operates a motor vehicle in violation of Section 7-601 of this Code; and

(2) causes, as a proximate result of the person's operation of the motor vehicle, bodily harm to another person.

(a-6) Uninsured operation of a motor vehicle under subsection (a-5) is a Class A misdemeanor. If a person convicted of the offense of operation of a motor vehicle under subsection (a-5) has previously been convicted of 2 or more violations of subsection (a-5) of this Section or of Section 7-601 of this Code, a fine of $2,500, in addition to any sentence of incarceration, must be imposed.

(b) Any person who fails to comply with a request by a law enforcement officer for display of evidence of insurance, as required under Section 7-602 of this Code, shall be deemed to be operating an uninsured motor vehicle.

(c) Except as provided in subsections (a-6) and (c-5), any operator of a motor vehicle subject to registration under this Code who is convicted of violating this Section is guilty of a petty offense and shall be required to pay a fine in excess of $500, but not more than $1,000, except a person convicted of a third or subsequent violation of this Section shall be guilty of a business offense and shall be required to pay a fine of $1,000. However, no person charged with violating this Section shall be convicted if such person produces in court satisfactory evidence that at the time of the arrest the motor vehicle was covered by a liability insurance policy in accordance with Section 7-601 of this Code. The chief judge of each circuit may designate an officer of the court to review the documentation demonstrating that at the time of arrest the motor vehicle was covered by a liability insurance policy in accordance with Section 7-601 of this Code.

(c-1) A person convicted of violating this Section shall also have his or her driver's license, permit, or privileges suspended for 3 months. After the expiration of the 3 months, the person's driver's license, permit, or privileges shall not be reinstated until he or she has paid a reinstatement fee of $100. If a person violates this Section while his or her driver's license, permit, or privileges are suspended under this subsection (c-1), his or her driver's license, permit, or privileges shall be suspended for an additional 6 months and until he or she pays the reinstatement fee.

(c-5) A person who (i) has not previously been convicted of or received a disposition of court supervision for violating this Section and (ii) produces at his or her court appearance satisfactory evidence that the motor vehicle is covered, as of the date of the court appearance, by a liability insurance policy in accordance with Section 7-601 of this Code shall, for a violation of this Section, other than a violation of subsection (a-5), pay a fine of $100 and receive a disposition of court supervision. The person must, on the date that the period of court supervision is scheduled to terminate, produce satisfactory evidence that the vehicle was covered by the required liability insurance policy during the entire period of court supervision.

An officer of the court designated under subsection (c) may also review liability insurance documentation under this subsection (c-5) to determine if the motor vehicle is, as of the date of the court appearance, covered by a liability insurance policy in accordance with Section 7-601 of this Code. The officer of the court shall also determine, on the date the period of court supervision is scheduled to terminate, whether the vehicle was covered by the required policy during the entire period of court supervision.

(d) A person convicted a third or subsequent time of violating this Section or a similar provision of a local ordinance must give proof to the Secretary of State of the person's financial responsibility as defined in Section 7-315. The person must maintain the proof in a manner satisfactory to the Secretary for a minimum period of 3 years after the date the proof is first filed. The Secretary must suspend the driver's license of any person determined by the Secretary not to have provided adequate proof of financial responsibility as required by this subsection.

(Source: P.A. 99-613, eff. 1-1-17.)

(625 ILCS 5/7-601) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 7-601)

Sec. 7-601. Required liability insurance policy.

(a) No person shall operate, register or maintain registration of, and no owner shall permit another person to operate, register or maintain registration of, a motor vehicle designed to be used on a public highway in this State unless the motor vehicle is covered by a liability insurance policy.

The insurance policy shall be issued in amounts no less than the minimum amounts set for bodily injury or death and for destruction of property under Section 7-203 of this Code, and shall be issued in accordance with the requirements of Sections 143a and 143a-2 of the Illinois Insurance Code, as amended. No insurer other than an insurer authorized to do business in this State shall issue a policy pursuant to this Section for any vehicle subject to registration under this Code. Nothing herein shall deprive an insurer of any policy defense available at common law.

(b) The following vehicles are exempt from the requirements of this Section:

(1) vehicles subject to the provisions of Chapters 8 or 18a, Article III or Section 7-609 of Chapter 7, or Sections 12-606 or 12-707.01 of Chapter 12 of this Code;

(2) vehicles required to file proof of liability insurance with the Illinois Commerce Commission;

(3) vehicles covered by a certificate of self-insurance under Section 7-502 of this Code;

(4) vehicles owned by the United States, the State of Illinois, or any political subdivision, municipality or local mass transit district;

(5) implements of husbandry;

(6) other vehicles complying with laws which require them to be insured in amounts meeting or exceeding the minimum amounts required under this Section; and

(7) inoperable or stored vehicles that are not operated, as defined by rules and regulations of the Secretary.

(c) Every employee of a State agency, as that term is defined in the Illinois State Auditing Act, who is assigned a specific vehicle owned or leased by the State on an ongoing basis shall provide the certification described in this Section annually to the director or chief executive officer of his or her agency.

The certification shall affirm that the employee is duly licensed to drive the assigned vehicle and that (i) the employee has liability insurance coverage extending to the employee when the assigned vehicle is used for other than official State business, or (ii) the employee has filed a bond with the Secretary of State as proof of financial responsibility, in an amount equal to, or in excess of the requirements stated within this Section. Upon request of the agency director or chief executive officer, the employee shall present evidence to support the certification.

The certification shall be provided during the period July 1 through July 31 of each calendar year, or within 30 days of any new assignment of a vehicle on an ongoing basis, whichever is later.

The employee's authorization to use the assigned vehicle shall automatically be rescinded upon:

(1) the revocation or suspension of the license required to drive the assigned vehicle;

(2) the cancellation or termination for any reason of the automobile liability insurance coverage as required in item (c) (i); or

(3) the termination of the bond filed with the Secretary of State.

All State employees providing the required certification shall immediately notify the agency director or chief executive officer in the event any of these actions occur.

All peace officers employed by a State agency who are primarily responsible for prevention and detection of crime and the enforcement of the criminal, traffic, or highway laws of this State, and prohibited by agency rule or policy to use an assigned vehicle owned or leased by the State for regular personal or off-duty use, are exempt from the requirements of this Section.

(Source: P.A. 91-661, eff. 12-22-99.)