HB2351eng 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB2351 Engrossed LRB094 09725 DRH 39981 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 3-412 and 12-503 and adding Section 3-663 as follows:

(625 ILCS 5/3-412) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-412)

Sec. 3-412. Registration plates and registration stickers to be furnished by the Secretary of State.

(a) The Secretary of State upon registering a vehicle subject to annual registration for the first time shall issue or shall cause to be issued to the owner one registration plate for a motorcycle, trailer, semitrailer, motorized pedalcycle or truck-tractor, 2 registration plates for other motor vehicles and, where applicable, current registration stickers for motor vehicles of the first division. The provisions of this Section may be made applicable to such vehicles of the second division, as the Secretary of State may, from time to time, in his discretion designate. On subsequent annual registrations during the term of the registration plate as provided in Section 3-414.1, the Secretary shall issue or cause to be issued registration stickers as evidence of current registration. However, the issuance of annual registration stickers to vehicles registered under the provisions of Sections 3-402.1 and 3-405.3 of this Code may not be required if the Secretary deems the issuance unnecessary.

(b) Every registration plate shall have displayed upon it the registration number assigned to the vehicle for which it is issued, the name of this State, which may be abbreviated, the year number for which it was issued, which may be abbreviated, the phrase "Land of Lincoln" (except as otherwise provided in this Code Chapter 3), and such other letters or numbers as the Secretary may prescribe. However, for apportionment plates issued to vehicles registered under Section 3-402.1 and fleet plates issued to vehicles registered under Section 3-405.3, the phrase "Land of Lincoln" may be omitted to allow for the word "apportioned", the word "fleet", or other similar language to be displayed. Registration plates issued to a vehicle registered as a fleet vehicle may display a designation determined by the Secretary.

The Secretary may in his discretion prescribe that letters be used as prefixes only on registration plates issued to vehicles of the first division which are registered under this Code and only as suffixes on registration plates issued to other vehicles. Every registration sticker issued as evidence of current registration shall designate the year number for which it is issued and such other letters or numbers as the Secretary may prescribe and shall be of a contrasting color with the registration plates and registration stickers of the previous year.

(c) Each registration plate and the required letters and numerals thereon, except the year number for which issued, shall be of sufficient size to be plainly readable from a distance of 100 feet during daylight, and shall be coated with reflectorizing material. The dimensions of the plate issued to vehicles of the first division shall be 6 by 12 inches.

(d) The Secretary of State shall issue for every passenger motor vehicle rented without a driver the same type of registration plates as the type of plates issued for a private passenger vehicle.

(e) The Secretary of State shall issue for every passenger car used as a taxicab or livery, distinctive registration plates.

(f) The Secretary of State shall issue for every motorcycle distinctive registration plates distinguishing between motorcycles having 150 or more cubic centimeters piston displacement, or having less than 150 cubic centimeter piston displacement.

(g) Registration plates issued to vehicles for-hire may display a designation as determined by the Secretary that such vehicles are for-hire.

(h) The Secretary of State shall issue for each electric vehicle distinctive registration plates which shall distinguish between electric vehicles having a maximum operating speed of 45 miles per hour or more and those having a maximum operating speed of less than 45 miles per hour.

(i) The Secretary of State shall issue for every public and private ambulance registration plates identifying the vehicle as an ambulance. The Secretary shall forward to the Department of Public Aid registration information for the purpose of verification of claims filed with the Department by ambulance owners for payment for services to public assistance recipients.

(j) The Secretary of State shall issue for every public and private medical carrier or rescue vehicle livery registration plates displaying numbers within ranges of numbers reserved respectively for medical carriers and rescue vehicles. The Secretary shall forward to the Department of Public Aid registration information for the purpose of verification of claims filed with the Department by owners of medical carriers or rescue vehicles for payment for services to public assistance recipients.

(k) The Secretary of State shall issue distinctive license plates for every vehicle exempted from subsection (a) of Section 12-503 by subsection (g-5) of that Section.

(Source: P.A. 92-629, eff. 7-1-03; 92-651, eff. 7-11-02; revised 9-27-03.)

(625 ILCS 5/3-663 new)

Sec. 3-663. Medically Required Tinted Window plates. The Secretary, upon receipt of an application made in the form prescribed by the Secretary, may issue special registration plates designated as Medically Required Tinted Window license plates. The special plates issued under this Section shall be affixed only to passenger vehicles of the first division and motor vehicles of the second division weighing not more than 8,000 pounds. Plates issued under this Section shall expire according to the multi-year procedure established by Section 3-414.1 of this Code. The design and color of the plates shall be wholly within the discretion of the Secretary of State.

(625 ILCS 5/12-503) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 12-503)

Sec. 12-503. Windshields must be unobstructed and equipped with wipers.

(a) No person shall drive a motor vehicle with any sign, poster, window application, reflective material, nonreflective material or tinted film upon the front windshield, sidewings or side windows immediately adjacent to each side of the driver. A nonreflective tinted film may be used along the uppermost portion of the windshield if such material does not extend more than 6 inches down from the top of the windshield. Nothing in this Section shall create a cause of action on behalf of a buyer against a dealer or manufacturer who sells a motor vehicle with a window which is in violation of this Section.

(b) Nothing contained in this Section shall prohibit the use of nonreflective, smoked or tinted glass, nonreflective film, perforated window screen or other decorative window application on windows to the rear of the driver's seat, except that any motor vehicle with a window to the rear of the driver's seat treated in this manner shall be equipped with a side mirror on each side of the motor vehicle which are in conformance with Section 12-502.

(c) No person shall drive a motor vehicle with any objects placed or suspended between the driver and the front windshield, rear window, side wings or side windows immediately adjacent to each side of the driver which materially obstructs the driver's view.

(d) Every motor vehicle, except motorcycles, shall be equipped with a device, controlled by the driver, for cleaning rain, snow, moisture or other obstructions from the windshield; and no person shall drive a motor vehicle with snow, ice, moisture or other material on any of the windows or mirrors, which materially obstructs the driver's clear view of the highway.

(e) No person shall drive a motor vehicle when the windshield, side or rear windows are in such defective condition or repair as to materially impair the driver's view to the front, side or rear. A vehicle equipped with a side mirror on each side of the vehicle which are in conformance with Section 12-502 will be deemed to be in compliance in the event the rear window of the vehicle is materially obscured.

(f) Paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section shall not apply to:

(1) motor vehicles manufactured prior to January 1, 1982; or

(2) to those motor vehicles properly registered in another jurisdiction.

(g) Paragraph (a) of this Section shall not apply to any motor vehicle with a window treatment, including but not limited to a window application, reflective material, nonreflective material, or tinted film, applied or affixed to the motor vehicle for the purposes set forth in item (1) or (2) before the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997 and:

(1) that is owned and operated by a person afflicted with or suffering from a medical illness, ailment, or disease which would require that person to be shielded from the direct rays of the sun; or

(2) that is used in transporting a person when the person resides at the same address as the registered owner of the vehicle and the person is afflicted with or suffering from a medical illness, ailment or disease which would require the person to be shielded from the direct rays of the sun;

It must be certified by a physician licensed to practice medicine in Illinois that such person owning and operating or being transported in a motor vehicle is afflicted with or suffers from such illness, ailment, or disease and such certification must be carried in the motor vehicle at all times. The certification shall be legible and shall contain the date of issuance, the name, address and signature of the attending physician, and the name, address, and medical condition of the person requiring exemption. The information on the certificate for a window treatment applied or affixed before the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997 must remain current and shall be renewed annually by the attending physician, but in no event shall a certificate issued for purposes of this subsection be valid on or after January 1, 2008. The person shall also submit a copy of the certification to the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State may forward notice of certification to law enforcement agencies.

This subsection shall not be construed to authorize window treatments applied or affixed on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997.

The exemption provided by this subsection (g) shall not apply to any motor vehicle on and after January 1, 2008.

This subsection (g) does not apply to the exemption set forth in subsection (g-5).

(g-5) Paragraph (a) of this Section does not apply to any motor vehicle with a window treatment, including but not limited to a window application, reflective material, nonreflective material, or tinted film, applied or affixed to a motor vehicle that:

(i) is owned and operated by a person afflicted with or suffering from systemic or discoid lupus erythematosus; or

(ii) is used in transporting a person who resides at the same address as the registered owner and is afflicted with or suffers from systemic or discoid lupus erythematosus.

It must be certified by a physician licensed to practice medicine in Illinois that the person owning and operating or being transported in a motor vehicle is afflicted with or suffers from systemic or discoid lupus erythematosus and the certification must be carried in the motor vehicle at all times. The certification shall be legible and shall contain the date of issuance, the name, address, and signature of the attending physician, and the name, address, and medical condition of the person requiring exemption. The information on the certificate for a window treatment must remain current and shall be renewed annually by the attending physician. The owner of the vehicle shall also submit a copy of the certification to the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State may forward notice of certification to law enforcement agencies.

(h) Paragraph (a) of this Section shall not apply to motor vehicle stickers or other certificates issued by State or local authorities which are required to be displayed upon motor vehicle windows to evidence compliance with requirements concerning motor vehicles.

(i) Those motor vehicles exempted under paragraph (f)(1) of this Section shall not cause their windows to be treated as described in paragraph (a) after January 1, 1993.

(j) A person found guilty of violating paragraphs (a), (b), or (i) of this Section shall be guilty of a petty offense and fined no less than $50 nor more than $500. A second or subsequent violation of paragraphs (a), (b), or (i) of this Section shall be treated as a Class C misdemeanor and the violator fined no less than $100 nor more than $500. Any person convicted under paragraphs (a), (b), or (i) of this Section shall be ordered to alter any nonconforming windows into compliance with this Section.

(Source: P.A. 90-389, eff. 1-1-98.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.