Sen. Pamela J. Althoff

Filed: 3/9/2007

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 435

2     AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 435, AS AMENDED,
3 with reference to page and line numbers of Senate Amendment No.
4 1, on page 1, line 5, by replacing "Sections 18a-100, 18a-101,
5 18a-200" with "Sections 4-203, 18a-100, 18a-101, 18a-105,
6 18a-200"; and
 
7 on page 1, below line 7, by inserting the following:
 
8     "(625 ILCS 5/4-203)  (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 4-203)
9     Sec. 4-203. Removal of motor vehicles or other vehicles;
10 Towing or hauling away.
11     (a) When a vehicle is abandoned, or left unattended, on a
12 toll highway, interstate highway, or expressway for 2 hours or
13 more, its removal by a towing service may be authorized by a
14 law enforcement agency having jurisdiction.
15     (b) When a vehicle is abandoned on a highway in an urban
16 district 10 hours or more, its removal by a towing service may

 

 

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1 be authorized by a law enforcement agency having jurisdiction.
2     (c) When a vehicle is abandoned or left unattended on a
3 highway other than a toll highway, interstate highway, or
4 expressway, outside of an urban district for 24 hours or more,
5 its removal by a towing service may be authorized by a law
6 enforcement agency having jurisdiction.
7     (d) When an abandoned, unattended, wrecked, burned or
8 partially dismantled vehicle is creating a traffic hazard
9 because of its position in relation to the highway or its
10 physical appearance is causing the impeding of traffic, its
11 immediate removal from the highway or private property adjacent
12 to the highway by a towing service may be authorized by a law
13 enforcement agency having jurisdiction.
14     (e) Whenever a peace officer reasonably believes that a
15 person under arrest for a violation of Section 11-501 of this
16 Code or a similar provision of a local ordinance is likely,
17 upon release, to commit a subsequent violation of Section
18 11-501, or a similar provision of a local ordinance, the
19 arresting officer shall have the vehicle which the person was
20 operating at the time of the arrest impounded for a period of
21 not more than 12 hours after the time of arrest. However, such
22 vehicle may be released by the arresting law enforcement agency
23 prior to the end of the impoundment period if:
24         (1) the vehicle was not owned by the person under
25     arrest, and the lawful owner requesting such release
26     possesses a valid operator's license, proof of ownership,

 

 

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1     and would not, as determined by the arresting law
2     enforcement agency, indicate a lack of ability to operate a
3     motor vehicle in a safe manner, or who would otherwise, by
4     operating such motor vehicle, be in violation of this Code;
5     or
6         (2) the vehicle is owned by the person under arrest,
7     and the person under arrest gives permission to another
8     person to operate such vehicle, provided however, that the
9     other person possesses a valid operator's license and would
10     not, as determined by the arresting law enforcement agency,
11     indicate a lack of ability to operate a motor vehicle in a
12     safe manner or who would otherwise, by operating such motor
13     vehicle, be in violation of this Code.
14     (e-5) Whenever a registered owner of a vehicle is taken
15 into custody for operating the vehicle in violation of Section
16 11-501 of this Code or a similar provision of a local ordinance
17 or Section 6-303 of this Code, a law enforcement officer may
18 have the vehicle immediately impounded for a period not less
19 than:
20         (1) 24 hours for a second violation of Section 11-501
21     of this Code or a similar provision of a local ordinance or
22     Section 6-303 of this Code or a combination of these
23     offenses; or
24         (2) 48 hours for a third violation of Section 11-501 of
25     this Code or a similar provision of a local ordinance or
26     Section 6-303 of this Code or a combination of these

 

 

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1     offenses.
2     The vehicle may be released sooner if the vehicle is owned
3 by the person under arrest and the person under arrest gives
4 permission to another person to operate the vehicle and that
5 other person possesses a valid operator's license and would
6 not, as determined by the arresting law enforcement agency,
7 indicate a lack of ability to operate a motor vehicle in a safe
8 manner or would otherwise, by operating the motor vehicle, be
9 in violation of this Code.
10     (f) Except as provided in Chapter 18a of this Code, the
11 owner or lessor of privately owned real property within this
12 State, or any person authorized by such owner or lessor, or any
13 law enforcement agency in the case of publicly owned real
14 property may cause any motor vehicle abandoned or left
15 unattended upon such property without permission to be removed
16 by a towing service without liability for the costs of removal,
17 transportation or storage or damage caused by such removal,
18 transportation or storage. The towing or removal of any vehicle
19 from private property without the consent of the registered
20 owner or other legally authorized person in control of the
21 vehicle is subject to compliance with the following conditions
22 and restrictions:
23         1. Any towed or removed vehicle must be stored at the
24     site of the towing service's place of business. The site
25     must be open during business hours, and for the purpose of
26     redemption of vehicles, during the time that the person or

 

 

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1     firm towing such vehicle is open for towing purposes.
2         2. The towing service shall within 30 minutes of
3     completion of such towing or removal, notify the law
4     enforcement agency having jurisdiction of such towing or
5     removal, and the make, model, color and license plate
6     number of the vehicle, and shall obtain and record the name
7     of the person at the law enforcement agency to whom such
8     information was reported.
9         3. If the registered owner or legally authorized person
10     entitled to possession of the vehicle shall arrive at the
11     scene prior to actual removal or towing of the vehicle, the
12     vehicle shall be disconnected from the tow truck and that
13     person shall be allowed to remove the vehicle without
14     interference, upon the payment of a reasonable service fee
15     of not more than one half the posted rate of the towing
16     service as provided in paragraph 6 of this subsection, for
17     which a receipt shall be given.
18         4. The rebate or payment of money or any other valuable
19     consideration from the towing service or its owners,
20     managers or employees to the owners or operators of the
21     premises from which the vehicles are towed or removed, for
22     the privilege of removing or towing those vehicles, is
23     prohibited. Any individual who violates this paragraph
24     shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
25         5. Except for property appurtenant to and obviously a
26     part of a single family residence, and except for instances

 

 

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1     where notice is personally given to the owner or other
2     legally authorized person in control of the vehicle that
3     the area in which that vehicle is parked is reserved or
4     otherwise unavailable to unauthorized vehicles and they
5     are subject to being removed at the owner or operator's
6     expense, any property owner or lessor, prior to towing or
7     removing any vehicle from private property without the
8     consent of the owner or other legally authorized person in
9     control of that vehicle, must post a notice meeting the
10     following requirements:
11             a. Except as otherwise provided in subparagraph
12         a.1 of this subdivision (f)5, the notice must be
13         prominently placed at each driveway access or curb cut
14         allowing vehicular access to the property within 5 feet
15         from the public right-of-way line. If there are no
16         curbs or access barriers, the sign must be posted not
17         less than one sign each 100 feet of lot frontage.
18             a.1. In a municipality with a population of less
19         than 250,000, as an alternative to the requirement of
20         subparagraph a of this subdivision (f)5, the notice for
21         a parking lot contained within property used solely for
22         a 2-family, 3-family, or 4-family residence may be
23         prominently placed at the perimeter of the parking lot,
24         in a position where the notice is visible to the
25         occupants of vehicles entering the lot.
26             b. The notice must indicate clearly, in not less

 

 

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1         than 2 inch high light-reflective letters on a
2         contrasting background, that unauthorized vehicles
3         will be towed away at the owner's expense.
4             c. The notice must also provide the name and
5         current telephone number of the towing service towing
6         or removing the vehicle.
7             d. The sign structure containing the required
8         notices must be permanently installed with the bottom
9         of the sign not less than 4 feet above ground level,
10         and must be continuously maintained on the property for
11         not less than 24 hours prior to the towing or removing
12         of any vehicle.
13         6. Any towing service that tows or removes vehicles and
14     proposes to require the owner, operator, or person in
15     control of the vehicle to pay the costs of towing and
16     storage prior to redemption of the vehicle must file and
17     keep on record with the local law enforcement agency a
18     complete copy of the current rates to be charged for such
19     services, and post at the storage site an identical rate
20     schedule and any written contracts with property owners,
21     lessors, or persons in control of property which authorize
22     them to remove vehicles as provided in this Section. The
23     towing and storage charges, however, shall not exceed the
24     maximum allowed by the Illinois Commerce Commission under
25     Section 18a-200.
26         7. No person shall engage in the removal of vehicles

 

 

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1     from private property as described in this Section without
2     filing a notice of intent in each community where he
3     intends to do such removal, and such notice shall be filed
4     at least 7 days before commencing such towing.
5         8. No removal of a vehicle from private property shall
6     be done except upon express written instructions of the
7     owners or persons in charge of the private property upon
8     which the vehicle is said to be trespassing.
9         9. Vehicle entry for the purpose of removal shall be
10     allowed with reasonable care on the part of the person or
11     firm towing the vehicle. Such person or firm shall be
12     liable for any damages occasioned to the vehicle if such
13     entry is not in accordance with the standards of reasonable
14     care.
15         10. When a vehicle has been towed or removed pursuant
16     to this Section, it must be released to its owner or
17     custodian within one half hour after requested, if such
18     request is made during business hours. Any vehicle owner or
19     custodian or agent shall have the right to inspect the
20     vehicle before accepting its return, and no release or
21     waiver of any kind which would release the towing service
22     from liability for damages incurred during the towing and
23     storage may be required from any vehicle owner or other
24     legally authorized person as a condition of release of the
25     vehicle. A detailed, signed receipt showing the legal name
26     of the towing service must be given to the person paying

 

 

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1     towing or storage charges at the time of payment, whether
2     requested or not.
3     This Section shall not apply to law enforcement,
4 firefighting, rescue, ambulance, or other emergency vehicles
5 which are marked as such or to property owned by any
6 governmental entity.
7     When an authorized person improperly causes a motor vehicle
8 to be removed, such person shall be liable to the owner or
9 lessee of the vehicle for the cost or removal, transportation
10 and storage, any damages resulting from the removal,
11 transportation and storage, attorney's fee and court costs.
12     Any towing or storage charges accrued shall be payable by
13 the use of any major credit card, in addition to being payable
14 in cash.
15         11. Towing companies shall also provide insurance
16     coverage for areas where vehicles towed under the
17     provisions of this Chapter will be impounded or otherwise
18     stored, and shall adequately cover loss by fire, theft or
19     other risks.
20     Any person who fails to comply with the conditions and
21 restrictions of this subsection shall be guilty of a Class C
22 misdemeanor and shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than
23 $500.
24     (g) When a vehicle is determined to be a hazardous
25 dilapidated motor vehicle pursuant to Section 11-40-3.1 of the
26 Illinois Municipal Code, its removal and impoundment by a

 

 

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1 towing service may be authorized by a law enforcement agency
2 with appropriate jurisdiction.
3     When a vehicle removal from either public or private
4 property is authorized by a law enforcement agency, the owner
5 of the vehicle shall be responsible for all towing and storage
6 charges.
7     Vehicles removed from public or private property and stored
8 by a commercial vehicle relocator or any other towing service
9 in compliance with this Section and Sections 4-201 and 4-202 of
10 this Code, or at the request of the vehicle owner or operator,
11 shall be subject to a possessor lien for services pursuant to
12 the Labor and Storage Lien (Small Amount) Act. The provisions
13 of Section 1 of that Act relating to notice and implied consent
14 shall be deemed satisfied by compliance with Section 18a-302
15 and subsection (6) of Section 18a-300. In no event shall such
16 lien be greater than the rate or rates established in
17 accordance with subsection (6) of Section 18a-200 of this Code.
18 In no event shall such lien be increased or altered to reflect
19 any charge for services or materials rendered in addition to
20 those authorized by this Act. Every such lien shall be payable
21 by use of any major credit card, in addition to being payable
22 in cash.
23     Any personal property belonging to the vehicle owner in a
24 vehicle subject to a lien under this subsection (g) shall
25 likewise be subject to that lien, excepting only: food;
26 medicine; perishable property; any operator's licenses; any

 

 

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1 cash, credit cards, or checks or checkbooks; and any wallet,
2 purse, or other property containing any operator's license or
3 other identifying documents or materials, cash, credit cards,
4 checks, or checkbooks.
5     No lien under this subsection (g) shall: exceed $2,000 in
6 its total amount; or be increased or altered to reflect any
7 charge for services or materials rendered in addition to those
8 authorized by this Act.
9 (Source: P.A. 94-522, eff. 8-10-05; 94-784, eff. 1-1-07.)"; and
 
10 on page 3, below line 10, by inserting the following:
 
11     "(625 ILCS 5/18a-105)  (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 18a-105)
12     Sec. 18a-105. Exemptions. This Chapter shall not apply to
13 the relocation of motorcycles. :
14     (1) Vehicles registered for a gross weight in excess of
15 10,000 pounds, or if the vehicle is not registered, with a
16 gross weight in excess of 10,000 pounds including vehicle
17 weight and maximum load; or
18     (2) Motorcycles.
19     Such relocation shall be governed by the provisions of
20 Section 4-203 of this Code.
21 (Source: P.A. 85-923.)"; and
 
22 on page 4, line 18, after the period, by inserting the
23 following: "The maximum rates allowed for towing, storage, and

 

 

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1 other services shall be posted on the Illinois Commerce
2 Commission website.".