HB1230 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB097 06061 HEP 46134 b

97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
HB1230

Introduced 02/08/11, by Rep. Rita Mayfield

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

625 ILCS 5/6-601	from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 6-601
625 ILCS 5/7-602	from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 7-602

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that no unit of government, including a home rule unit of government, may tow a vehicle solely for the failure or refusal of a driver of a vehicle to display a valid insurance card or driver's license upon request. Limits home rule powers.

HOME RULE NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

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 6-601 and 7-602 as follows:

(625 ILCS 5/6-601) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 6-601)

Sec. 6-601. Penalties.

(a) It is a petty offense for any person to violate any of the provisions of this Chapter unless such violation is by this Code or other law of this State declared to be a misdemeanor or a felony.

(b) General penalties. Unless another penalty is in this Code or other laws of this State, every person convicted of a petty offense for the violation of any provision of this Chapter shall be punished by a fine of not more than $500.

(c) Unlicensed driving. Except as hereinafter provided a violation of Section 6-101 shall be:

1. A Class A misdemeanor if the person failed to obtain a driver's license or permit after expiration of a period of revocation.

2. A Class B misdemeanor if the person has been issued a driver's license or permit, which has expired, and if the period of expiration is greater than one year; or if the person has never been issued a driver's license or permit, or is not qualified to obtain a driver's license or permit because of his age.

If a licensee under this Code is convicted of violating Section 6-303 for operating a motor vehicle during a time when such licensee's driver's license was suspended under the provisions of Section 6-306.3, then such act shall be a petty offense (provided the licensee has answered the charge which was the basis of the suspension under Section 6-306.3), and there shall be imposed no additional like period of suspension as provided in paragraph (b) of Section 6-303.

(d) No unit of government, including a home rule unit of government, may authorize the towing of a vehicle solely for failure or refusal to display a driver's license upon request of a law enforcement officer. This subsection is a denial and limitation of home rule powers and functions under subsection (h) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution.

(Source: P.A. 96-607, eff. 8-24-09.)

(625 ILCS 5/7-602) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 7-602)

Sec. 7-602. Insurance card. Every operator of a motor vehicle subject to Section 7-601 of this Code shall carry within the vehicle evidence of insurance. The evidence shall be legible and sufficient to demonstrate that the motor vehicle currently is covered by a liability insurance policy as required under Section 7-601 of this Code and may include, but is not limited to, the following:

(a) an insurance card provided by the insurer under this Section;

(b) the combination of proof of purchase of the motor vehicle within the previous 60 days and a current insurance card issued for the motor vehicle replaced by such purchase;

(c) the current declarations page of a liability insurance policy;

(d) a liability insurance binder, certificate of liability insurance or receipt for payment to an insurer or its authorized representative for a liability insurance premium, provided such document contains all information the Secretary of State by rule and regulation may require;

(e) a current rental agreement;

(f) registration plates, registration sticker or other evidence of registration issued by the Secretary only upon submission of proof of liability insurance pursuant to this Code;

(g) a certificate, decal, or other document or device issued by a governmental agency for a motor vehicle indicating the vehicle is insured for liability pursuant to law.

An insurance card shall be provided for each motor vehicle insured by the insurer issuing the liability insurance policy.

The form, contents and manner of issuance of the insurance card shall be prescribed by rules and regulations of the Secretary of State. The Secretary shall adopt rules requiring that reasonable measures be taken to prevent the fraudulent production of insurance cards. The insurance card shall display an effective date and an expiration date covering a period of time not to exceed 12 months. The insurance card shall contain the following disclaimer: "Examine policy exclusions carefully. This form does not constitute any part of your insurance policy." If the insurance policy represented by the insurance card does not cover any driver operating the motor vehicle with the owner's permission, or the owner when operating a motor vehicle other than the vehicle for which the policy is issued, the insurance card shall contain a warning of such limitations in the coverage provided by the policy.

No insurer shall issue a card, similar in appearance, form and content to the insurance card required under this Section, in connection with an insurance policy that does not provide the liability insurance coverage required under Section 7-601 of this Code.

The evidence of insurance shall be displayed upon request made by any law enforcement officer wearing a uniform or displaying a badge or other sign of authority. Any person who fails or refuses to comply with such request is in violation of Section 3-707 of this Code. Any person who displays evidence of insurance, knowing there is no valid liability insurance in effect on the motor vehicle as required under Section 7-601 of this Code or knowing the evidence of insurance is illegally altered, counterfeit or otherwise invalid, is in violation of Section 3-710 of this Code.

"Display" means the manual surrender of the evidence of insurance into the hands of the law enforcement officer, court, or officer of the court making the request for the officer's, court's, or officer of the court's inspection thereof.

No unit of government, including a home rule unit of government, may authorize the towing of a vehicle solely for failure to display evidence of insurance upon request. This is a denial and limitation of home rule powers and functions under subsection (h) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution.

(Source: P.A. 93-719, eff. 1-1-05.)