Public Act 094-0056
 
SB0459 Enrolled LRB094 09297 DRH 39536 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
Section 2-123 as follows:
 
    (625 ILCS 5/2-123)  (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 2-123)
    Sec. 2-123. Sale and Distribution of Information.
    (a) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, the
Secretary may make the driver's license, vehicle and title
registration lists, in part or in whole, and any statistical
information derived from these lists available to local
governments, elected state officials, state educational
institutions, and all other governmental units of the State and
Federal Government requesting them for governmental purposes.
The Secretary shall require any such applicant for services to
pay for the costs of furnishing such services and the use of
the equipment involved, and in addition is empowered to
establish prices and charges for the services so furnished and
for the use of the electronic equipment utilized.
    (b) The Secretary is further empowered to and he may, in
his discretion, furnish to any applicant, other than listed in
subsection (a) of this Section, vehicle or driver data on a
computer tape, disk, other electronic format or computer
processable medium, or printout at a fixed fee of $250 for
orders received before October 1, 2003 and $500 for orders
received on or after October 1, 2003, in advance, and require
in addition a further sufficient deposit based upon the
Secretary of State's estimate of the total cost of the
information requested and a charge of $25 for orders received
before October 1, 2003 and $50 for orders received on or after
October 1, 2003, per 1,000 units or part thereof identified or
the actual cost, whichever is greater. The Secretary is
authorized to refund any difference between the additional
deposit and the actual cost of the request. This service shall
not be in lieu of an abstract of a driver's record nor of a
title or registration search. This service may be limited to
entities purchasing a minimum number of records as required by
administrative rule. The information sold pursuant to this
subsection shall be the entire vehicle or driver data list, or
part thereof. The information sold pursuant to this subsection
shall not contain personally identifying information unless
the information is to be used for one of the purposes
identified in subsection (f-5) of this Section. Commercial
purchasers of driver and vehicle record databases shall enter
into a written agreement with the Secretary of State that
includes disclosure of the commercial use of the information to
be purchased.
    (b-1) The Secretary is further empowered to and may, in his
or her discretion, furnish vehicle or driver data on a computer
tape, disk, or other electronic format or computer processible
medium, at no fee, to any State or local governmental agency
that uses the information provided by the Secretary to transmit
data back to the Secretary that enables the Secretary to
maintain accurate driving records, including dispositions of
traffic cases. This information may be provided without fee not
more often than once every 6 months.
    (c) Secretary of State may issue registration lists. The
Secretary of State shall compile and publish, at least
annually, a list of all registered vehicles. Each list of
registered vehicles shall be arranged serially according to the
registration numbers assigned to registered vehicles and shall
contain in addition the names and addresses of registered
owners and a brief description of each vehicle including the
serial or other identifying number thereof. Such compilation
may be in such form as in the discretion of the Secretary of
State may seem best for the purposes intended.
    (d) The Secretary of State shall furnish no more than 2
current available lists of such registrations to the sheriffs
of all counties and to the chiefs of police of all cities and
villages and towns of 2,000 population and over in this State
at no cost. Additional copies may be purchased by the sheriffs
or chiefs of police at the fee of $500 each or at the cost of
producing the list as determined by the Secretary of State.
Such lists are to be used for governmental purposes only.
    (e) (Blank).
    (e-1) (Blank).
    (f) The Secretary of State shall make a title or
registration search of the records of his office and a written
report on the same for any person, upon written application of
such person, accompanied by a fee of $5 for each registration
or title search. The written application shall set forth the
intended use of the requested information. No fee shall be
charged for a title or registration search, or for the
certification thereof requested by a government agency. The
report of the title or registration search shall not contain
personally identifying information unless the request for a
search was made for one of the purposes identified in
subsection (f-5) of this Section. The report of the title or
registration search shall not contain highly restricted
personal information unless specifically authorized by this
Code.
    The Secretary of State shall certify a title or
registration record upon written request. The fee for
certification shall be $5 in addition to the fee required for a
title or registration search. Certification shall be made under
the signature of the Secretary of State and shall be
authenticated by Seal of the Secretary of State.
    The Secretary of State may notify the vehicle owner or
registrant of the request for purchase of his title or
registration information as the Secretary deems appropriate.
    No information shall be released to the requestor until
expiration of a 10 day period. This 10 day period shall not
apply to requests for information made by law enforcement
officials, government agencies, financial institutions,
attorneys, insurers, employers, automobile associated
businesses, persons licensed as a private detective or firms
licensed as a private detective agency under the Private
Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, and Locksmith Act
of 2004, who are employed by or are acting on behalf of law
enforcement officials, government agencies, financial
institutions, attorneys, insurers, employers, automobile
associated businesses, and other business entities for
purposes consistent with the Illinois Vehicle Code, the vehicle
owner or registrant or other entities as the Secretary may
exempt by rule and regulation.
    Any misrepresentation made by a requestor of title or
vehicle information shall be punishable as a petty offense,
except in the case of persons licensed as a private detective
or firms licensed as a private detective agency which shall be
subject to disciplinary sanctions under Section 40-10 of the
Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, and
Locksmith Act of 2004.
    (f-5) The Secretary of State shall not disclose or
otherwise make available to any person or entity any personally
identifying information obtained by the Secretary of State in
connection with a driver's license, vehicle, or title
registration record unless the information is disclosed for one
of the following purposes:
        (1) For use by any government agency, including any
    court or law enforcement agency, in carrying out its
    functions, or any private person or entity acting on behalf
    of a federal, State, or local agency in carrying out its
    functions.
        (2) For use in connection with matters of motor vehicle
    or driver safety and theft; motor vehicle emissions; motor
    vehicle product alterations, recalls, or advisories;
    performance monitoring of motor vehicles, motor vehicle
    parts, and dealers; and removal of non-owner records from
    the original owner records of motor vehicle manufacturers.
        (3) For use in the normal course of business by a
    legitimate business or its agents, employees, or
    contractors, but only:
            (A) to verify the accuracy of personal information
        submitted by an individual to the business or its
        agents, employees, or contractors; and
            (B) if such information as so submitted is not
        correct or is no longer correct, to obtain the correct
        information, but only for the purposes of preventing
        fraud by, pursuing legal remedies against, or
        recovering on a debt or security interest against, the
        individual.
        (4) For use in research activities and for use in
    producing statistical reports, if the personally
    identifying information is not published, redisclosed, or
    used to contact individuals.
        (5) For use in connection with any civil, criminal,
    administrative, or arbitral proceeding in any federal,
    State, or local court or agency or before any
    self-regulatory body, including the service of process,
    investigation in anticipation of litigation, and the
    execution or enforcement of judgments and orders, or
    pursuant to an order of a federal, State, or local court.
        (6) For use by any insurer or insurance support
    organization or by a self-insured entity or its agents,
    employees, or contractors in connection with claims
    investigation activities, antifraud activities, rating, or
    underwriting.
        (7) For use in providing notice to the owners of towed
    or impounded vehicles.
        (8) For use by any person licensed as a private
    detective or firm licensed as a private detective agency
    under the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private
    Security, and Locksmith Act of 1993, private investigative
    agency or security service licensed in Illinois for any
    purpose permitted under this subsection.
        (9) For use by an employer or its agent or insurer to
    obtain or verify information relating to a holder of a
    commercial driver's license that is required under chapter
    313 of title 49 of the United States Code.
        (10) For use in connection with the operation of
    private toll transportation facilities.
        (11) For use by any requester, if the requester
    demonstrates it has obtained the written consent of the
    individual to whom the information pertains.
        (12) For use by members of the news media, as defined
    in Section 1-148.5, for the purpose of newsgathering when
    the request relates to the operation of a motor vehicle or
    public safety.
        (13) For any other use specifically authorized by law,
    if that use is related to the operation of a motor vehicle
    or public safety.
    (f-6) The Secretary of State shall not disclose or
otherwise make available to any person or entity any highly
restricted personal information obtained by the Secretary of
State in connection with a driver's license, vehicle, or title
registration record unless specifically authorized by this
Code.
    (g) 1. The Secretary of State may, upon receipt of a
    written request and a fee of $6 before October 1, 2003 and
    a fee of $12 on and after October 1, 2003, furnish to the
    person or agency so requesting a driver's record. Such
    document may include a record of: current driver's license
    issuance information, except that the information on
    judicial driving permits shall be available only as
    otherwise provided by this Code; convictions; orders
    entered revoking, suspending or cancelling a driver's
    license or privilege; and notations of accident
    involvement. All other information, unless otherwise
    permitted by this Code, shall remain confidential.
    Information released pursuant to a request for a driver's
    record shall not contain personally identifying
    information, unless the request for the driver's record was
    made for one of the purposes set forth in subsection (f-5)
    of this Section.
        2. The Secretary of State shall not disclose or
    otherwise make available to any person or entity any highly
    restricted personal information obtained by the Secretary
    of State in connection with a driver's license, vehicle, or
    title registration record unless specifically authorized
    by this Code. The Secretary of State may certify an
    abstract of a driver's record upon written request
    therefor. Such certification shall be made under the
    signature of the Secretary of State and shall be
    authenticated by the Seal of his office.
        3. All requests for driving record information shall be
    made in a manner prescribed by the Secretary and shall set
    forth the intended use of the requested information.
        The Secretary of State may notify the affected driver
    of the request for purchase of his driver's record as the
    Secretary deems appropriate.
        No information shall be released to the requester until
    expiration of a 10 day period. This 10 day period shall not
    apply to requests for information made by law enforcement
    officials, government agencies, financial institutions,
    attorneys, insurers, employers, automobile associated
    businesses, persons licensed as a private detective or
    firms licensed as a private detective agency under the
    Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, and
    Locksmith Act of 2004, who are employed by or are acting on
    behalf of law enforcement officials, government agencies,
    financial institutions, attorneys, insurers, employers,
    automobile associated businesses, and other business
    entities for purposes consistent with the Illinois Vehicle
    Code, the affected driver or other entities as the
    Secretary may exempt by rule and regulation.
        Any misrepresentation made by a requestor of driver
    information shall be punishable as a petty offense, except
    in the case of persons licensed as a private detective or
    firms licensed as a private detective agency which shall be
    subject to disciplinary sanctions under Section 40-10 of
    the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security,
    and Locksmith Act of 2004.
        4. The Secretary of State may furnish without fee, upon
    the written request of a law enforcement agency, any
    information from a driver's record on file with the
    Secretary of State when such information is required in the
    enforcement of this Code or any other law relating to the
    operation of motor vehicles, including records of
    dispositions; documented information involving the use of
    a motor vehicle; whether such individual has, or previously
    had, a driver's license; and the address and personal
    description as reflected on said driver's record.
        5. Except as otherwise provided in this Section, the
    Secretary of State may furnish, without fee, information
    from an individual driver's record on file, if a written
    request therefor is submitted by any public transit system
    or authority, public defender, law enforcement agency, a
    state or federal agency, or an Illinois local
    intergovernmental association, if the request is for the
    purpose of a background check of applicants for employment
    with the requesting agency, or for the purpose of an
    official investigation conducted by the agency, or to
    determine a current address for the driver so public funds
    can be recovered or paid to the driver, or for any other
    purpose set forth in subsection (f-5) of this Section.
        The Secretary may also furnish the courts a copy of an
    abstract of a driver's record, without fee, subsequent to
    an arrest for a violation of Section 11-501 or a similar
    provision of a local ordinance. Such abstract may include
    records of dispositions; documented information involving
    the use of a motor vehicle as contained in the current
    file; whether such individual has, or previously had, a
    driver's license; and the address and personal description
    as reflected on said driver's record.
        6. Any certified abstract issued by the Secretary of
    State or transmitted electronically by the Secretary of
    State pursuant to this Section, to a court or on request of
    a law enforcement agency, for the record of a named person
    as to the status of the person's driver's license shall be
    prima facie evidence of the facts therein stated and if the
    name appearing in such abstract is the same as that of a
    person named in an information or warrant, such abstract
    shall be prima facie evidence that the person named in such
    information or warrant is the same person as the person
    named in such abstract and shall be admissible for any
    prosecution under this Code and be admitted as proof of any
    prior conviction or proof of records, notices, or orders
    recorded on individual driving records maintained by the
    Secretary of State.
        7. Subject to any restrictions contained in the
    Juvenile Court Act of 1987, and upon receipt of a proper
    request and a fee of $6 before October 1, 2003 and a fee of
    $12 on or after October 1, 2003, the Secretary of State
    shall provide a driver's record to the affected driver, or
    the affected driver's attorney, upon verification. Such
    record shall contain all the information referred to in
    paragraph 1 of this subsection (g) plus: any recorded
    accident involvement as a driver; information recorded
    pursuant to subsection (e) of Section 6-117 and paragraph
    (4) of subsection (a) of Section 6-204 of this Code. All
    other information, unless otherwise permitted by this
    Code, shall remain confidential.
    (h) The Secretary shall not disclose social security
numbers or any associated information obtained from the Social
Security Administration except pursuant to a written request
by, or with the prior written consent of, the individual
except: (1) to officers and employees of the Secretary who have
a need to know the social security numbers in performance of
their official duties, (2) to law enforcement officials for a
lawful, civil or criminal law enforcement investigation, and if
the head of the law enforcement agency has made a written
request to the Secretary specifying the law enforcement
investigation for which the social security numbers are being
sought, (3) to the United States Department of Transportation,
or any other State, pursuant to the administration and
enforcement of the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986,
(4) pursuant to the order of a court of competent jurisdiction,
or (5) to the Department of Public Aid for utilization in the
child support enforcement duties assigned to that Department
under provisions of the Public Aid Code after the individual
has received advanced meaningful notification of what
redisclosure is sought by the Secretary in accordance with the
federal Privacy Act.
    (i) (Blank).
    (j) Medical statements or medical reports received in the
Secretary of State's Office shall be confidential. No
confidential information may be open to public inspection or
the contents disclosed to anyone, except officers and employees
of the Secretary who have a need to know the information
contained in the medical reports and the Driver License Medical
Advisory Board, unless so directed by an order of a court of
competent jurisdiction.
    (k) All fees collected under this Section shall be paid
into the Road Fund of the State Treasury, except that (i) for
fees collected before October 1, 2003, $3 of the $6 fee for a
driver's record shall be paid into the Secretary of State
Special Services Fund, (ii) for fees collected on and after
October 1, 2003, of the $12 fee for a driver's record, $3 shall
be paid into the Secretary of State Special Services Fund and
$6 shall be paid into the General Revenue Fund, and (iii) for
fees collected on and after October 1, 2003, 50% of the amounts
collected pursuant to subsection (b) shall be paid into the
General Revenue Fund.
    (l) (Blank).
    (m) Notations of accident involvement that may be disclosed
under this Section shall not include notations relating to
damage to a vehicle or other property being transported by a
tow truck. This information shall remain confidential,
provided that nothing in this subsection (m) shall limit
disclosure of any notification of accident involvement to any
law enforcement agency or official.
    (n) Requests made by the news media for driver's license,
vehicle, or title registration information may be furnished
without charge or at a reduced charge, as determined by the
Secretary, when the specific purpose for requesting the
documents is deemed to be in the public interest. Waiver or
reduction of the fee is in the public interest if the principal
purpose of the request is to access and disseminate information
regarding the health, safety, and welfare or the legal rights
of the general public and is not for the principal purpose of
gaining a personal or commercial benefit. The information
provided pursuant to this subsection shall not contain
personally identifying information unless the information is
to be used for one of the purposes identified in subsection
(f-5) of this Section.
    (o) The redisclosure of personally identifying information
obtained pursuant to this Section is prohibited, except to the
extent necessary to effectuate the purpose for which the
original disclosure of the information was permitted.
    (p) The Secretary of State is empowered to adopt rules to
effectuate this Section.
(Source: P.A. 92-32, eff. 7-1-01; 92-651, eff. 7-11-02; 93-32,
eff. 7-1-03; 93-438, eff. 8-5-03; 93-895, eff. 1-1-05.)
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.