103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
HB4493

 

Introduced 1/17/2024, by Rep. Travis Weaver

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
625 ILCS 5/3-699.23 new
625 ILCS 5/12-215
625 ILCS 5/12-601  from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 12-601

    Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the Secretary of State may issue special registration plates to an Emergency Medical Service (EMS) chief. Provides that the fee for the plates shall be the same as the fee prescribed for standard plates for first division vehicles. Provides for the issuance of permanent license plates for EMS vehicles owned by a municipality or fire protection district. Allows EMS chiefs to equip their privately owned vehicles with emergency flashing lights if EMS chief special registration plates are affixed to the vehicle. Allows EMS chiefs to equip their privately owned vehicle with sirens.


LRB103 36374 MXP 66473 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB4493LRB103 36374 MXP 66473 b

1    AN ACT concerning transportation.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Illinois Vehicle Code is amended by adding
5Section 3-699.23 and changing Section 12-215 and 12-601 as
6follows:
 
7    (625 ILCS 5/3-699.23 new)
8    Sec. 3-699.23. EMS chief license plates.
9    (a) The Secretary, upon receipt of a request from a
10municipality that operates a fire department or a fire
11protection district, accompanied by an application and the
12appropriate fee, may issue to an emergency medical services
13chief of the municipality or fire protection district, special
14registration plates designated as EMS chief license plates.
15The special plates issued under this Section shall be affixed
16only to passenger vehicles of the first division or motor
17vehicles of the second division weighing not more than 8,000
18pounds that are owned by an EMS chief, a municipality, or a
19fire protection district. Plates issued under this Section
20shall expire according to the multiyear procedure established
21by Section 3-414.1.
22    (b) The design and color of the special plates shall be
23wholly within the discretion of the Secretary. The plates are

 

 

HB4493- 2 -LRB103 36374 MXP 66473 b

1not required to designate "Land of Lincoln" as prescribed in
2subsection (b) of Section 3-412. The Secretary may prescribe
3rules governing the requirements and approval of the special
4plates. The fee for this plate for a vehicle owned by an EMS
5chief shall be the same as the fee prescribed for first
6division vehicles under Section 3-806. Permanent license
7plates for EMS vehicles owned by a municipality or fire
8protection district shall be issued at the fee prescribed in
9subsection (b) of Section 3-808.1.
 
10    (625 ILCS 5/12-215)
11    Sec. 12-215. Oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights on
12motor vehicles. Except as otherwise provided in this Code:
13    (a) The use of red or white oscillating, rotating, or
14flashing lights, whether lighted or unlighted, is prohibited
15except on:
16        1. Law enforcement vehicles of State, federal, or
17    local authorities;
18        2. A vehicle operated by a police officer or county
19    coroner and designated or authorized by local authorities,
20    in writing, as a law enforcement vehicle; however, such
21    designation or authorization must be carried in the
22    vehicle;
23        2.1. A vehicle operated by a fire chief, deputy fire
24    chief, or assistant fire chief who has completed an
25    emergency vehicle operation training course approved by

 

 

HB4493- 3 -LRB103 36374 MXP 66473 b

1    the Office of the State Fire Marshal and designated or
2    authorized by local authorities, fire departments, or fire
3    protection districts, in writing, as a fire department,
4    fire protection district, or township fire department
5    vehicle; however, the designation or authorization must be
6    carried in the vehicle, and the lights may be visible or
7    activated only when responding to a bona fide emergency;
8        3. Vehicles of local fire departments and State or
9    federal firefighting vehicles;
10        4. Vehicles which are designed and used exclusively as
11    ambulances or rescue vehicles; furthermore, such lights
12    shall not be lighted except when responding to an
13    emergency call for and while actually conveying the sick
14    or injured;
15        4.5. Vehicles operated by an EMS chief that are
16    affixed with EMS chief special registration plates or
17    vehicles which are occasionally used as rescue vehicles
18    that have been authorized for use as rescue vehicles by a
19    volunteer EMS provider, provided that the operator of the
20    vehicle has successfully completed an emergency vehicle
21    operation training course recognized by the Department of
22    Public Health; furthermore, the lights shall not be
23    lighted except when responding to an emergency call for
24    the sick or injured;
25        5. Tow trucks licensed in a state that requires such
26    lights; furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted on

 

 

HB4493- 4 -LRB103 36374 MXP 66473 b

1    any such tow truck while the tow truck is operating in the
2    State of Illinois;
3        6. Vehicles of the Illinois Emergency Management
4    Agency, vehicles of the Office of the Illinois State Fire
5    Marshal, vehicles of the Illinois Department of Public
6    Health, vehicles of the Illinois Department of
7    Corrections, and vehicles of the Illinois Department of
8    Juvenile Justice;
9        7. Vehicles operated by a local or county emergency
10    management services agency as defined in the Illinois
11    Emergency Management Agency Act;
12        8. School buses operating alternately flashing head
13    lamps as permitted under Section 12-805 of this Code;
14        9. Vehicles that are equipped and used exclusively as
15    organ transplant vehicles when used in combination with
16    blue oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights;
17    furthermore, these lights shall be lighted only when the
18    transportation is declared an emergency by a member of the
19    transplant team or a representative of the organ
20    procurement organization;
21        10. Vehicles of the Illinois Department of Natural
22    Resources that are used for mine rescue and explosives
23    emergency response;
24        11. Vehicles of the Illinois Department of
25    Transportation identified as Emergency Traffic Patrol; the
26    lights shall not be lighted except when responding to an

 

 

HB4493- 5 -LRB103 36374 MXP 66473 b

1    emergency call or when parked or stationary while engaged
2    in motor vehicle assistance or at the scene of the
3    emergency; and
4        12. Vehicles of the Illinois State Toll Highway
5    Authority with a gross vehicle weight rating of 9,000
6    pounds or more and those identified as Highway Emergency
7    Lane Patrol; the lights shall not be lighted except when
8    responding to an emergency call or when parked or
9    stationary while engaged in motor vehicle assistance or at
10    the scene of the emergency.
11    (b) The use of amber oscillating, rotating, or flashing
12lights, whether lighted or unlighted, is prohibited except on:
13        1. Second division vehicles designed and used for
14    towing or hoisting vehicles; furthermore, such lights
15    shall not be lighted except as required in this paragraph
16    1; such lights shall be lighted when such vehicles are
17    actually being used at the scene of a crash or
18    disablement; if the towing vehicle is equipped with a flat
19    bed that supports all wheels of the vehicle being
20    transported, the lights shall not be lighted while the
21    vehicle is engaged in towing on a highway; if the towing
22    vehicle is not equipped with a flat bed that supports all
23    wheels of a vehicle being transported, the lights shall be
24    lighted while the towing vehicle is engaged in towing on a
25    highway during all times when the use of headlights is
26    required under Section 12-201 of this Code; in addition,

 

 

HB4493- 6 -LRB103 36374 MXP 66473 b

1    these vehicles may use white oscillating, rotating, or
2    flashing lights in combination with amber oscillating,
3    rotating, or flashing lights as provided in this
4    paragraph;
5        2. Motor vehicles or equipment of the State of
6    Illinois, the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, local
7    authorities, and contractors; furthermore, such lights
8    shall not be lighted except while such vehicles are
9    engaged in maintenance or construction operations within
10    the limits of construction projects;
11        3. Vehicles or equipment used by engineering or survey
12    crews; furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted
13    except while such vehicles are actually engaged in work on
14    a highway;
15        4. Vehicles of public utilities, municipalities, or
16    other construction, maintenance, or automotive service
17    vehicles except that such lights shall be lighted only as
18    a means for indicating the presence of a vehicular traffic
19    hazard requiring unusual care in approaching, overtaking,
20    or passing while such vehicles are engaged in maintenance,
21    service, or construction on a highway;
22        5. Oversized vehicle or load; however, such lights
23    shall only be lighted when moving under permit issued by
24    the Department under Section 15-301 of this Code;
25        6. The front and rear of motorized equipment owned and
26    operated by the State of Illinois or any political

 

 

HB4493- 7 -LRB103 36374 MXP 66473 b

1    subdivision thereof, which is designed and used for
2    removal of snow and ice from highways;
3        6.1. The front and rear of motorized equipment or
4    vehicles that (i) are not owned by the State of Illinois or
5    any political subdivision of the State, (ii) are designed
6    and used for removal of snow and ice from highways and
7    parking lots, and (iii) are equipped with a snow plow that
8    is 12 feet in width; these lights may not be lighted except
9    when the motorized equipment or vehicle is actually being
10    used for those purposes on behalf of a unit of government;
11        7. Fleet safety vehicles registered in another state,
12    furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted except as
13    provided for in Section 12-212 of this Code;
14        8. Such other vehicles as may be authorized by local
15    authorities;
16        9. Law enforcement vehicles of State or local
17    authorities when used in combination with red oscillating,
18    rotating, or flashing lights;
19        9.5. Propane delivery trucks;
20        10. Vehicles used for collecting or delivering mail
21    for the United States Postal Service provided that such
22    lights shall not be lighted except when such vehicles are
23    actually being used for such purposes;
24        10.5. Vehicles of the Office of the Illinois State
25    Fire Marshal, provided that such lights shall not be
26    lighted except for when such vehicles are engaged in work

 

 

HB4493- 8 -LRB103 36374 MXP 66473 b

1    for the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal;
2        11. Any vehicle displaying a slow-moving vehicle
3    emblem as provided in Section 12-205.1;
4        12. All trucks equipped with self-compactors or
5    roll-off hoists and roll-on containers for garbage,
6    recycling, or refuse hauling. Such lights shall not be
7    lighted except when such vehicles are actually being used
8    for such purposes;
9        13. Vehicles used by a security company, alarm
10    responder, control agency, or the Illinois Department of
11    Corrections;
12        14. Security vehicles of the Department of Human
13    Services; however, the lights shall not be lighted except
14    when being used for security related purposes under the
15    direction of the superintendent of the facility where the
16    vehicle is located; and
17        15. Vehicles of union representatives, except that the
18    lights shall be lighted only while the vehicle is within
19    the limits of a construction project.
20    (c) The use of blue oscillating, rotating, or flashing
21lights, whether lighted or unlighted, is prohibited except on:
22        1. Rescue squad vehicles not owned by a fire
23    department or fire protection district and vehicles owned
24    or operated by an EMS chief as provided in subsection (a);
25    a: voluntary firefighter; a paid firefighter; a part-paid
26    firefighter; a call firefighter; a member of the board of

 

 

HB4493- 9 -LRB103 36374 MXP 66473 b

1    trustees of a fire protection district; a paid or unpaid
2    member of a rescue squad; a paid or unpaid member of a
3    voluntary ambulance unit; or a paid or unpaid members of a
4    local or county emergency management services agency as
5    defined in the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act,
6    designated or authorized by local authorities, in writing,
7    and carrying that designation or authorization in the
8    vehicle.
9        However, such lights are not to be lighted except when
10    responding to a bona fide emergency or when parked or
11    stationary at the scene of a fire, rescue call, ambulance
12    call, or motor vehicle crash.
13        Any person using these lights in accordance with this
14    subdivision (c)1 must carry on his or her person an
15    identification card or letter identifying the bona fide
16    member of a fire department, fire protection district,
17    rescue squad, ambulance unit, or emergency management
18    services agency that owns or operates that vehicle. The
19    card or letter must include:
20            (A) the name of the fire department, fire
21        protection district, rescue squad, ambulance unit, or
22        emergency management services agency;
23            (B) the member's position within the fire
24        department, fire protection district, rescue squad,
25        ambulance unit, or emergency management services
26        agency;

 

 

HB4493- 10 -LRB103 36374 MXP 66473 b

1            (C) the member's term of service; and
2            (D) the name of a person within the fire
3        department, fire protection district, rescue squad,
4        ambulance unit, or emergency management services
5        agency to contact to verify the information provided.
6        2. Police department vehicles in cities having a
7    population of 500,000 or more inhabitants.
8        3. Law enforcement vehicles of State or local
9    authorities when used in combination with red oscillating,
10    rotating, or flashing lights.
11        4. Vehicles of local fire departments and State or
12    federal firefighting vehicles when used in combination
13    with red oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights.
14        5. Vehicles which are designed and used exclusively as
15    ambulances or rescue vehicles when used in combination
16    with red oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights;
17    furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted except when
18    responding to an emergency call.
19        6. Vehicles that are equipped and used exclusively as
20    organ transport vehicles when used in combination with red
21    oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights; furthermore,
22    these lights shall only be lighted when the transportation
23    is declared an emergency by a member of the transplant
24    team or a representative of the organ procurement
25    organization.
26        7. Vehicles of the Illinois Emergency Management

 

 

HB4493- 11 -LRB103 36374 MXP 66473 b

1    Agency, vehicles of the Office of the Illinois State Fire
2    Marshal, vehicles of the Illinois Department of Public
3    Health, vehicles of the Illinois Department of
4    Corrections, and vehicles of the Illinois Department of
5    Juvenile Justice, when used in combination with red
6    oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights.
7        8. Vehicles operated by a local or county emergency
8    management services agency as defined in the Illinois
9    Emergency Management Agency Act, when used in combination
10    with red oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights.
11        9. Vehicles of the Illinois Department of Natural
12    Resources that are used for mine rescue and explosives
13    emergency response, when used in combination with red
14    oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights.
15    (c-1) In addition to the blue oscillating, rotating, or
16flashing lights permitted under subsection (c), and
17notwithstanding subsection (a), a vehicle operated by a
18voluntary firefighter, a voluntary member of a rescue squad,
19or a member of a voluntary ambulance unit may be equipped with
20flashing white headlights and blue grill lights, which may be
21used only in responding to an emergency call or when parked or
22stationary at the scene of a fire, rescue call, ambulance
23call, or motor vehicle crash.
24    (c-2) In addition to the blue oscillating, rotating, or
25flashing lights permitted under subsection (c), and
26notwithstanding subsection (a), a vehicle operated by a paid

 

 

HB4493- 12 -LRB103 36374 MXP 66473 b

1or unpaid member of a local or county emergency management
2services agency as defined in the Illinois Emergency
3Management Agency Act, may be equipped with white oscillating,
4rotating, or flashing lights to be used in combination with
5blue oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights, if
6authorization by local authorities is in writing and carried
7in the vehicle.
8    (d) The use of a combination of amber and white
9oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights, whether lighted or
10unlighted, is prohibited except on second division vehicles
11designed and used for towing or hoisting vehicles or motor
12vehicles or equipment of the State of Illinois, local
13authorities, contractors, and union representatives;
14furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted on second
15division vehicles designed and used for towing or hoisting
16vehicles or vehicles of the State of Illinois, local
17authorities, and contractors except while such vehicles are
18engaged in a tow operation, highway maintenance, or
19construction operations within the limits of highway
20construction projects, and shall not be lighted on the
21vehicles of union representatives except when those vehicles
22are within the limits of a construction project.
23    (e) All oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights referred
24to in this Section shall be of sufficient intensity, when
25illuminated, to be visible at 500 feet in normal sunlight.
26    (f) Nothing in this Section shall prohibit a manufacturer

 

 

HB4493- 13 -LRB103 36374 MXP 66473 b

1of oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights or his
2representative or authorized vendor from temporarily mounting
3such lights on a vehicle for demonstration purposes only. If
4the lights are not covered while the vehicle is operated upon a
5highway, the vehicle shall display signage indicating that the
6vehicle is out of service or not an emergency vehicle. The
7signage shall be displayed on all sides of the vehicle in
8letters at least 2 inches tall and one-half inch wide. A
9vehicle authorized to have oscillating, rotating, or flashing
10lights mounted for demonstration purposes may not activate the
11lights while the vehicle is operated upon a highway.
12    (g) Any person violating the provisions of subsection (a),
13(b), (c), or (d) of this Section who without lawful authority
14stops or detains or attempts to stop or detain another person
15shall be guilty of a Class 2 felony.
16    (h) Except as provided in subsection (g) above, any person
17violating the provisions of subsection (a) or (c) of this
18Section shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
19(Source: P.A. 102-842, eff. 1-1-23; 102-982, eff. 7-1-23;
20103-154, eff. 6-30-23.)
 
21    (625 ILCS 5/12-601)  (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 12-601)
22    Sec. 12-601. Horns and warning devices.
23    (a) Every motor vehicle when operated upon a highway shall
24be equipped with a horn in good working order and capable of
25emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance

 

 

HB4493- 14 -LRB103 36374 MXP 66473 b

1of not less than 200 feet, but no horn or other warning device
2shall emit an unreasonable loud or harsh sound or a whistle.
3The driver of a motor vehicle shall when reasonably necessary
4to insure safe operation give audible warning with his horn
5but shall not otherwise use such horn when upon a highway.
6    (b) No vehicle shall be equipped with nor shall any person
7use upon a vehicle any siren, whistle, or bell, except as
8otherwise permitted in this Section. Any authorized emergency
9vehicle or organ transport vehicle as defined in Chapter 1 of
10this Code or a vehicle operated by a fire chief, deputy fire
11chief, assistant fire chief, EMS chief, or the Director or
12Coordinator of a municipal or county emergency services and
13disaster agency may be equipped with a siren, whistle, or bell
14capable of emitting sound audible under normal conditions from
15a distance of not less than 500 feet, but such siren, whistle,
16or bell shall not be used except when such vehicle is operated
17in response to an emergency call or in the immediate pursuit of
18an actual or suspected violator of the law in either of which
19events the driver of such vehicle shall sound such siren,
20whistle, or bell when necessary to warn pedestrians and other
21drivers of the approach thereof.
22    (c) Trackless trolley coaches, as defined by Section 1-206
23of this Code, and replica trolleys, as defined by Section
241-171.04 of this Code, may be equipped with a bell or bells in
25lieu of a horn, and may, in addition to the requirements of
26subsection (a) of this Section, use a bell or bells for the

 

 

HB4493- 15 -LRB103 36374 MXP 66473 b

1purpose of indicating arrival or departure at designated stops
2during the hours of scheduled operation.
3(Source: P.A. 102-448, eff. 1-1-22.)