State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
Legislation

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[ Introduced ][ Enrolled ][ House Amendment 001 ]
[ Senate Amendment 001 ]

91_HB2355eng

 
HB2355 Engrossed                               LRB9102413KSsb

 1        AN  ACT  to  amend  the Illinois Vehicle Code by changing
 2    Section 15-301 and adding Section 15-308.2.

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

 5        Section  5.  The  Illinois  Vehicle  Code  is  amended by
 6    changing  Section  15-301  and  adding  Section  15-308.2  as
 7    follows:

 8        (625 ILCS 5/15-301) (from Ch. 95 1/2,  par.  15-301)  `tf
 9         Sec. 15-301.  Permits for excess size and weight.
10        (a)  The  Department  with  respect to highways under its
11    jurisdiction and local authorities with respect  to  highways
12    under  their  jurisdiction  may,  in  their  discretion, upon
13    application and good cause  being  shown  therefor,  issue  a
14    special permit authorizing the applicant to operate or move a
15    vehicle  or  combination  of  vehicles of a size or weight of
16    vehicle or load exceeding the maximum specified in  this  Act
17    or otherwise not in conformity with this Act upon any highway
18    under  the jurisdiction of the party granting such permit and
19    for the  maintenance  of  which  the  party  is  responsible.
20    Applications  and  permits  other  than  those  in written or
21    printed form may only be accepted  from  and  issued  to  the
22    company  or  individual  making  the  movement. Except for an
23    application to move directly across a highway,  it  shall  be
24    the  duty  of  the  applicant to establish in the application
25    that the load to be moved by such vehicle or  combination  is
26    composed   of   a  single  nondivisible  object  that  cannot
27    reasonably be dismantled or disassembled.  For the purpose of
28    over length movements, more than one object  may  be  carried
29    side  by  side  as long as the height, width, and weight laws
30    are not exceeded and the cause for the over length is not due
31    to  multiple  objects.  For  the  purpose  of   over   height
 
HB2355 Engrossed            -2-                LRB9102413KSsb
 1    movements, more than one object may be carried as long as the
 2    cause  for the over height is not due to multiple objects and
 3    the length, width, and weight laws are not exceeded.  For the
 4    purpose of an over width movement, more than one  object  may
 5    be carried as long as the cause for the over width is not due
 6    to  multiple  objects and length, height, and weight laws are
 7    not exceeded.  No state or local agency shall  authorize  the
 8    issuance  of  excess  size or weight permits for vehicles and
 9    loads that are  divisible  and  that  can  be  carried,  when
10    divided,   within   the  existing  size  or  weight  maximums
11    specified in this Chapter.  Any excess size or weight  permit
12    issued  in  violation of the provisions of this Section shall
13    be void at issue and any movement made thereunder  shall  not
14    be  authorized  under  the  terms of the void permit.  In any
15    prosecution  for  a  violation  of  this  Chapter  when   the
16    authorization of an excess size or weight permit is at issue,
17    it  is  the  burden  of  the  defendant to establish that the
18    permit was valid because the  load  to  be  moved  could  not
19    reasonably  be  dismantled  or disassembled, or was otherwise
20    nondivisible.
21        (b)  The application for any such permit shall: (1) state
22    whether such permit is requested for a  single  trip  or  for
23    limited  continuous  operation; (2) state if the applicant is
24    an authorized carrier under the  Illinois  Motor  Carrier  of
25    Property  Law, if so, his certificate, registration or permit
26    number  issued  by  the  Illinois  Commerce  Commission;  (3)
27    specifically describe and identify the  vehicle  or  vehicles
28    and  load to be operated or moved except that for vehicles or
29    vehicle combinations registered by the Department as provided
30    in  Section  15-319  of  this  Chapter,  only  the   Illinois
31    Department  of  Transportation's (IDT) registration number or
32    classification need be given; (4) state the routing requested
33    including the points  of  origin  and  destination,  and  may
34    identify  and  include  a  request for routing to the nearest
 
HB2355 Engrossed            -3-                LRB9102413KSsb
 1    certified scale in accordance with the Department's rules and
 2    regulations, provided the applicant has approval to travel on
 3    local roads; and (5) state if the vehicles or loads are being
 4    transported for hire.  No  permits  for  the  movement  of  a
 5    vehicle or load for hire shall be issued to any applicant who
 6    is  required under the Illinois Motor Carrier of Property Law
 7    to have a certificate, registration or permit  and  does  not
 8    have such certificate, registration or permit.
 9        (c)  The   Department   or   local   authority  when  not
10    inconsistent with traffic safety is authorized  to  issue  or
11    withhold such permit at its discretion; or, if such permit is
12    issued  at its discretion to prescribe the route or routes to
13    be traveled, to limit  the  number  of  trips,  to  establish
14    seasonal  or other time limitations within which the vehicles
15    described may be  operated  on  the  highways  indicated,  or
16    otherwise  to  limit or prescribe conditions of operations of
17    such vehicle or vehicles, when necessary  to  assure  against
18    undue damage to the road foundations, surfaces or structures,
19    and  may require such undertaking or other security as may be
20    deemed necessary to compensate for any injury to any  roadway
21    or  road  structure.  The  Department  shall maintain a daily
22    record of each permit issued  along  with  the  fee  and  the
23    stipulated  dimensions,  weights, conditions and restrictions
24    authorized and this record shall be presumed correct  in  any
25    case of questions or dispute. The Department shall install an
26    automatic  device  for  recording  applications  received and
27    permits  issued  by  telephone.  In  making  application   by
28    telephone,  the Department and applicant waive all objections
29    to the recording of the conversation.
30        (d)  The Department shall, upon  application  in  writing
31    from  any local authority, issue an annual permit authorizing
32    the local authority to move  oversize  highway  construction,
33    transportation,  utility and maintenance equipment over roads
34    under the jurisdiction of the Department. The permit shall be
 
HB2355 Engrossed            -4-                LRB9102413KSsb
 1    applicable  only  to  equipment  and  vehicles  owned  by  or
 2    registered in the name of the local  authority,  and  no  fee
 3    shall be charged for the issuance of such permits.
 4        (e)  As  an  exception  to paragraph (a) of this Section,
 5    the  Department  and  local  authorities,  with  respect   to
 6    highways  under  their  respective  jurisdictions,  in  their
 7    discretion  and  upon  application  in  writing  may  issue a
 8    special permit for limited continuous operation,  authorizing
 9    the  applicant  to  move loads of sweet corn, soybeans, corn,
10    wheat, milo, other  small  grains  and  ensilage  during  the
11    harvest  season only on a 2 axle single vehicle registered by
12    the Secretary of State with axle  loads  not  to  exceed  35%
13    above those provided in Section 15-111. Permits may be issued
14    for a period not to exceed 40 days and moves may be made of a
15    distance  not  to exceed 25 miles from a field to a specified
16    processing plant over any highway except the National  System
17    of  Interstate  and Defense Highways. All such vehicles shall
18    be operated in  the  daytime  except  when  weather  or  crop
19    conditions  require  emergency  operation  at night, but with
20    respect to such night operation, every such vehicle with load
21    shall be equipped with flashing  amber  lights  as  specified
22    under Section 12-215. Upon a declaration by the Governor that
23    an  emergency  harvest  situation  exists,  a  special permit
24    issued by the Department under  this  Section  shall  not  be
25    required  from September 1 through December 31 during harvest
26    season emergencies, provided that the weight does not  exceed
27    20%  above  the limits provided in Section 15-111.  All other
28    restrictions that apply to permits issued under this  Section
29    shall apply during the declared time period.  With respect to
30    highways  under  the  jurisdiction  of local authorities, the
31    local authorities may, at  their  discretion,  waive  special
32    permit  requirements during harvest season emergencies.  This
33    permit exemption shall apply  to  all  vehicles  eligible  to
34    obtain  permits  under  this  Section,  including  commercial
 
HB2355 Engrossed            -5-                LRB9102413KSsb
 1    vehicles in use during the declared time period.
 2        (f)  The   form  and  content  of  the  permit  shall  be
 3    determined by the Department with respect to  highways  under
 4    its  jurisdiction  and  by  local authorities with respect to
 5    highways under their jurisdiction. Every permit shall  be  in
 6    written  form  and  carried  in the vehicle or combination of
 7    vehicles to which it refers and shall be open  to  inspection
 8    by  any  police  officer or authorized agent of any authority
 9    granting the permit and no person shall violate  any  of  the
10    terms  or conditions of such special permit. Violation of the
11    terms and conditions of the permit  shall  not  be  deemed  a
12    revocation of the permit; however, any vehicle and load found
13    to be off the route prescribed in the permit shall be held to
14    be  operating  without  a  permit.  Any off route vehicle and
15    load shall be required to obtain a new permit or permits,  as
16    necessary,  to  authorize the movement back onto the original
17    permit routing. No rule or regulation,  nor  anything  herein
18    shall be construed to authorize any police officer, court, or
19    authorized  agent  of  any  authority  granting the permit to
20    remove the permit from the possession of the permittee unless
21    the permittee is charged with a fraudulent  permit  violation
22    as  provided  in  paragraph  (i). However, upon arrest for an
23    offense of violation of permit, operating  without  a  permit
24    when  the vehicle is off route, or any size or weight offense
25    under this Chapter when the  permittee  plans  to  raise  the
26    issuance  of  the  permit as a defense, the permittee, or his
27    agent,  must  produce  the  permit  at  any   court   hearing
28    concerning the alleged offense.
29        If  the  permit  designates  and  includes a routing to a
30    certified  scale,  the  permitee,  while   enroute   to   the
31    designated  scale,  shall  be  deemed  in compliance with the
32    weight provisions of the permit provided the  axle  or  gross
33    weights  do  not  exceed  any of the permitted limits by more
34    than the following amounts:
 
HB2355 Engrossed            -6-                LRB9102413KSsb
 1             Single axle               2000 pounds
 2             Tandem axle               3000 pounds
 3             Gross                     5000 pounds
 4        (g)  The Department is authorized to adopt, amend, and to
 5    make available to  interested  persons  a  policy  concerning
 6    reasonable rules, limitations and conditions or provisions of
 7    operation upon highways under its jurisdiction in addition to
 8    those  contained  in this Section for the movement by special
 9    permit of  vehicles,  combinations,  or  loads  which  cannot
10    reasonably   be   dismantled   or   disassembled,   including
11    manufactured  and modular home sections and portions thereof.
12    All rules, limitations and conditions or  provisions  adopted
13    in  the  policy  shall  have due regard for the safety of the
14    traveling public and the protection of the highway system and
15    shall have been promulgated in conformity with the provisions
16    of   the   Illinois   Administrative   Procedure   Act.   The
17    requirements of the policy for flagmen  and  escort  vehicles
18    shall  be  the  same  for  all  moves  of comparable size and
19    weight. When escort vehicles are required,  they  shall  meet
20    the following requirements:
21             (1)  All  operators shall be 18 years of age or over
22        and properly licensed to operate the vehicle.
23             (2)  Vehicles escorting oversized  loads  more  than
24        12-feet wide must be equipped with a rotating or flashing
25        amber  light  mounted  on  top as specified under Section
26        12-215.
27        The  Department  shall  establish  reasonable  rules  and
28    regulations regarding liability insurance or  self  insurance
29    for  vehicles  with  oversized  loads  promulgated  under The
30    Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Police vehicles may be
31    required for escort under circumstances as required by  rules
32    and regulations of the Department.
33        (h)  Violation  of  any  rule, limitation or condition or
34    provision  of  any  permit  issued  in  accordance  with  the
 
HB2355 Engrossed            -7-                LRB9102413KSsb
 1    provisions of this Section shall not render the entire permit
 2    null and void but the violator  shall  be  deemed  guilty  of
 3    violation  of permit and guilty of exceeding any size, weight
 4    or load limitations in excess  of  those  authorized  by  the
 5    permit.  The prescribed route or routes on the permit are not
 6    mere rules, limitations, conditions,  or  provisions  of  the
 7    permit,  but  are  also  the sole extent of the authorization
 8    granted by the permit.  If a vehicle and load are found to be
 9    off the route or routes prescribed by any permit  authorizing
10    movement,  the  vehicle  and  load  are  operating  without a
11    permit.  Any off route movement shall be subject to the  size
12    and  weight maximums, under the applicable provisions of this
13    Chapter, as determined by the  type  or  class  highway  upon
14    which the vehicle and load are being operated.
15        (i)  Whenever  any  vehicle  is operated or movement made
16    under a fraudulent permit the permit shall be void,  and  the
17    person, firm, or corporation to whom such permit was granted,
18    the  driver  of  such  vehicle  in addition to the person who
19    issued such permit and any  accessory,  shall  be  guilty  of
20    fraud  and  either  one  or all persons may be prosecuted for
21    such violation. Any person, firm, or  corporation  committing
22    such  violation  shall  be guilty of a Class 4 felony and the
23    Department shall not issue permits to  the  person,  firm  or
24    corporation  convicted  of such violation for a period of one
25    year after the date of conviction. Penalties  for  violations
26    of this Section shall be in addition to any penalties imposed
27    for violation of other Sections of this Act.
28        (j)  Whenever any vehicle is operated or movement made in
29    violation of a permit issued in accordance with this Section,
30    the  person to whom such permit was granted, or the driver of
31    such vehicle, is guilty of such violation and either, but not
32    both, persons may be prosecuted for such violation as  stated
33    in  this  subsection  (j).  Any  person,  firm or corporation
34    convicted of such  violation  shall  be  guilty  of  a  petty
 
HB2355 Engrossed            -8-                LRB9102413KSsb
 1    offense  and  shall  be fined for the first offense, not less
 2    than $50 nor more than $200 and, for the  second  offense  by
 3    the  same  person, firm or corporation within a period of one
 4    year, not less than $200 nor more  than  $300  and,  for  the
 5    third  offense by the same person, firm or corporation within
 6    a period of one year after the date of the first offense, not
 7    less than $300 nor more than $500 and  the  Department  shall
 8    not   issue  permits  to  the  person,  firm  or  corporation
 9    convicted of a third offense during  a  period  of  one  year
10    after the date of conviction for such third offense.
11        (k)  Whenever  any  vehicle  is  operated  on local roads
12    under permits for excess width  or  length  issued  by  local
13    authorities,  such  vehicle may be moved upon a State highway
14    for a distance not to exceed one-half mile without  a  permit
15    for the purpose of crossing the State highway.
16        (l)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section,
17    the   Department,   with   respect   to  highways  under  its
18    jurisdiction, and local authorities, with respect to highways
19    under their jurisdiction, may at their  discretion  authorize
20    the  movement of a vehicle in violation of any size or weight
21    requirement, or both, that would not ordinarily  be  eligible
22    for  a  permit,  when there is a showing of extreme necessity
23    that the vehicle and load should be moved without unnecessary
24    delay.
25        For the purpose of this subsection,  showing  of  extreme
26    necessity  shall  be  limited to the following:  shipments of
27    livestock, hazardous materials, liquid concrete being  hauled
28    in a mobile cement mixer, or hot asphalt.
29        (m)  Penalties for violations of this Section shall be in
30    addition  to  any  penalties  imposed for violating any other
31    Section of this Code.
32        (n)  The Department with respect to  highways  under  its
33    jurisdiction  and  local authorities with respect to highways
34    under  their  jurisdiction,  in  their  discretion  and  upon
 
HB2355 Engrossed            -9-                LRB9102413KSsb
 1    application in  writing,  may  issue  a  special  permit  for
 2    continuous  limited  operation,  authorizing the applicant to
 3    operate a tow-truck that exceeds the weight  limits  provided
 4    for in subsection (d) of Section 15-111, provided:
 5             (1)  no  rear  single  axle of the tow-truck exceeds
 6        26,000 pounds;
 7             (2)  no rear tandem axle of  the  tow-truck  exceeds
 8        50,000 pounds;
 9             (3)  neither  the  disabled vehicle nor the disabled
10        combination of vehicles exceed  the  weight  restrictions
11        imposed  by this Chapter 15, or the weight limits imposed
12        under a permit issued by the Department prior to hookup;
13             (4)  the tow-truck prior to hookup does  not  exceed
14        the weight restrictions imposed by this Chapter 15;
15             (5)  during the tow operation the tow-truck does not
16        violate any weight restriction sign;
17             (6)  the   tow-truck   is  equipped  with  flashing,
18        rotating, or oscillating amber  lights,  visible  for  at
19        least 500 feet in all directions;
20             (7)  the  tow-truck  is  specifically  designed  and
21        licensed as a tow-truck;
22             (8)  the tow-truck has a gross vehicle weight rating
23        of  sufficient capacity to safely handle the load;
24             (9)  the tow-truck is equipped with air brakes;
25             (10)  the  tow-truck  is  capable  of  utilizing the
26        lighting and braking systems of the disabled  vehicle  or
27        combination of vehicles;
28             (11)  the tow distance of the tow does not exceed 50
29        miles  from the point of disablement to a place of repair
30        or safekeeping; and
31             (12)  the permit issued to the tow-truck is  carried
32        in  the  tow-truck  and  exhibited  on demand by a police
33        officer.
34    (Source: P.A.  90-89,  eff.  1-1-98;  90-228,  eff.  7-25-97;
 
HB2355 Engrossed            -10-               LRB9102413KSsb
 1    90-655, eff. 7-30-98; 90-676, eff. 7-31-98.)

 2        (625 ILCS 5/15-308.2 new)
 3        Sec.15-308.2.   Fees  for special permits for tow-trucks.
 4    The fee for a special permit to operate a tow-truck  pursuant
 5    to  subsection  (n)  of  Section 15-301 is $500 quarterly and
 6    $2,000  annually.

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