HB2348eng 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB2348 Engrossed LRB094 10121 DRH 40382 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 6-306.7 and 13B-55 as follows:

(625 ILCS 5/6-306.7)

Sec. 6-306.7. Failure to satisfy fines or penalties for toll violations or evasions; suspension of driving privileges.

(a) Upon receipt of a certified report, as prescribed by subsection (c) of this Section, from the Authority stating that the owner of a registered vehicle has failed to satisfy any fine or penalty resulting from a final order issued by the Authority relating directly or indirectly to 5 or more toll violations, toll evasions, or both, the Secretary of State shall suspend the driving privileges of the person in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section.

(b) Following receipt of the certified report of the Authority as specified in the Section, the Secretary of State shall notify the person whose name appears on the certified report that the person's driver's license will be suspended at the end of a specified period unless the Secretary of State is presented with a notice from the Authority certifying that the fines or penalties owing the Authority have been satisfied or that inclusion of that person's name on the certified report was in error. The Secretary's notice shall state in substance the information contained in the Authority's certified report to the Secretary, and shall be effective as specified by subsection (c) of Section 6-211 of this Code, except as to those drivers who also have been issued a CDL. If a person also has been issued a CDL, notice of suspension of that person's driver's license must be given in writing by certified mail and is effective on the date listed in the notice of suspension, except that the notice is not effective until 4 days after the date on which the notice was deposited into the United States mail. The notice becomes effective 4 days after its deposit into the United States mail regardless of whether the Secretary of State receives the return receipt and regardless of whether the written notification is returned for any reason to the Secretary of State as undeliverable.

(c) The report from the Authority notifying the Secretary of unsatisfied fines or penalties pursuant to this Section shall be certified and shall contain the following:

(1) The name, last known address, and driver's license number of the person who failed to satisfy the fines or penalties and the registration number of any vehicle known to be registered in this State to that person.

(2) A statement that the Authority sent a notice of impending suspension of the person's driver's license, vehicle registration, or both, as prescribed by rules enacted pursuant to subsection (a-5) of Section 10 of the Toll Highway Act, to the person named in the report at the address recorded with the Secretary of State; the date on which the notice was sent; and the address to which the notice was sent.

(d) The Authority, after making a certified report to the Secretary pursuant to this Section, shall notify the Secretary, on a form prescribed by the Secretary, whenever a person named in the certified report has satisfied the previously reported fines or penalties or whenever the Authority determines that the original report was in error. A certified copy of the notification shall also be given upon request and at no additional charge to the person named therein. Upon receipt of the Authority's notification or presentation of a certified copy of the notification, the Secretary shall terminate the suspension.

(e) The Authority shall, by rule, establish procedures for persons to challenge the accuracy of the certified report made pursuant to this Section. The rule shall also provide the grounds for a challenge, which may be limited to:

(1) the person not having been the owner or lessee of the vehicle or vehicles receiving 5 or more toll violations or toll evasion notices on the date or dates the notices were issued; or

(2) the person having already satisfied the fines or penalties for the 5 or more toll violations or toll evasions indicated on the certified report.

(f) All notices sent by the Authority to persons involved in administrative adjudications, hearings, and final orders issued pursuant to rules implementing subsection (a-5) of Section 10 of the Toll Highway Act shall state that failure to satisfy any fine or penalty imposed by the Authority shall result in the Secretary of State suspending the driving privileges, vehicle registration, or both, of the person failing to satisfy the fines or penalties imposed by the Authority.

(g) A person may request an administrative hearing to contest an impending suspension or a suspension made pursuant to this Section upon filing a written request with the Secretary. The filing fee for this hearing is $20, to be paid at the time of the request. The Authority shall reimburse the Secretary for all reasonable costs incurred by the Secretary as a result of the filing of a certified report pursuant to this Section, including, but not limited to, the costs of providing notice required pursuant to subsection (b) and the costs incurred by the Secretary in any hearing conducted with respect to the report pursuant to this subsection and any appeal from that hearing.

(h) The Secretary and the Authority may promulgate rules to enable them to carry out their duties under this Section.

(i) The Authority shall cooperate with the Secretary in the administration of this Section and shall provide the Secretary with any information the Secretary may deem necessary for these purposes, including regular and timely access to toll violation enforcement records.

The Secretary shall cooperate with the Authority in the administration of this Section and shall provide the Authority with any information the Authority may deem necessary for the purposes of this Section, including regular and timely access to vehicle registration records. Section 2-123 of this Code shall not apply to the provision of this information, but the Secretary shall be reimbursed for the cost of providing this information.

(j) For purposes of this Section, the term "Authority" means the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority.

(Source: P.A. 91-277, eff. 1-1-00.)

(625 ILCS 5/13B-55)

Sec. 13B-55. Enforcement.

(a) The Agency shall cooperate in the enforcement of this Chapter by (i) identifying probable violations through computer matching of vehicle registration records and inspection records; (ii) sending one notice to each suspected violator identified through such matching, stating that registration and inspection records indicate that the vehicle owner has not complied with this Chapter; (iii) directing the vehicle owner to notify the Agency or the Secretary of State if he or she has ceased to own the vehicle or has changed residence; and (iv) advising the vehicle owner of the consequences of violating this Chapter.

The Agency shall cooperate with the Secretary of State in the administration of this Chapter and the related provisions of Chapter 3, and shall provide the Secretary of State with such information as the Secretary of State may deem necessary for these purposes, including regular and timely access to vehicle inspection records. The Agency shall be reimbursed for the cost of providing this information.

The Secretary of State shall cooperate with the Agency in the administration of this Chapter and shall provide the Agency with such information as the Agency may deem necessary for the purposes of this Chapter, including regular and timely access to vehicle registration records. Section 2-123 of this Code shall not apply to the provision of this information, but the Secretary of State shall be reimbursed for the cost of providing the information.

(b) The Secretary of State shall suspend either the driving privileges or the vehicle registration, or both, of any vehicle owner who has not complied with this Chapter, if (i) the vehicle owner failed to satisfactorily respond to the one notice sent by the Agency under subsection (a), and (ii) the Secretary of State has mailed the vehicle owner a notice that the suspension will be imposed if the owner does not comply within a stated period, and the Secretary of State has not received satisfactory evidence of compliance within that period. The Secretary of State shall send this notice only after receiving a statement from the Agency that the vehicle owner has failed to comply with this Section. Notice shall be effective as specified in subsection (c) of Section 6-211 of this Code, except as to those drivers who also have been issued a CDL. If a person also has been issued a CDL, notice of suspension of that person's driver's license must be given in writing by certified mail and is effective on the date listed in the notice of suspension, except that the notice is not effective until 4 days after the date on which the notice was deposited into the United States mail. The notice becomes effective 4 days after its deposit into the United States mail regardless of whether the Secretary of State receives the return receipt and regardless of whether the written notification is returned for any reason to the Secretary of State as undeliverable.

A suspension under this subsection shall not be terminated until satisfactory proof of compliance has been submitted to the Secretary of State. No driver's license or permit, or renewal of a license or permit, may be issued to a person whose driving privileges have been suspended under this Section until the suspension has been terminated. No vehicle registration or registration plate that has been suspended under this Section may be reinstated or renewed, or transferred by the owner to any other vehicle, until the suspension has been terminated.

The filing fee for an administrative hearing to contest a suspension made under this Section shall be $20, to be paid by the vehicle owner at the time written request for the hearing is made to the Secretary of State.

The Secretary of State may promulgate rules to enable him or her to carry out his or her duties under this Chapter.

(Source: P.A. 88-533.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, 2006.