97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
SB2863

 

Introduced 1/24/2012, by Sen. Dan Duffy

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
625 ILCS 5/11-208.6

    Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that a county or municipality may not use an automated traffic law enforcement system to provide recorded images of a motor vehicle for the purpose of issuing violations to persons driving a motor vehicle who enter an intersection to turn right against a red signal indication. Effective immediately.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
HOME RULE NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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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 changing
5Section 11-208.6 as follows:
 
6    (625 ILCS 5/11-208.6)
7    Sec. 11-208.6. Automated traffic law enforcement system.
8    (a) As used in this Section, "automated traffic law
9enforcement system" means a device with one or more motor
10vehicle sensors working in conjunction with a red light signal
11to produce recorded images of motor vehicles entering an
12intersection against a red signal indication in violation of
13Section 11-306 of this Code or a similar provision of a local
14ordinance.
15    An automated traffic law enforcement system is a system, in
16a municipality or county operated by a governmental agency,
17that produces a recorded image of a motor vehicle's violation
18of a provision of this Code or a local ordinance and is
19designed to obtain a clear recorded image of the vehicle and
20the vehicle's license plate. The recorded image must also
21display the time, date, and location of the violation.
22    (b) As used in this Section, "recorded images" means images
23recorded by an automated traffic law enforcement system on:

 

 

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1        (1) 2 or more photographs;
2        (2) 2 or more microphotographs;
3        (3) 2 or more electronic images; or
4        (4) a video recording showing the motor vehicle and, on
5    at least one image or portion of the recording, clearly
6    identifying the registration plate number of the motor
7    vehicle.
8    (b-5) A municipality or county that produces a recorded
9image of a motor vehicle's violation of a provision of this
10Code or a local ordinance must make the recorded images of a
11violation accessible to the alleged violator by providing the
12alleged violator with a website address, accessible through the
13Internet.
14    (c) A county or municipality, including a home rule county
15or municipality, may not use an automated traffic law
16enforcement system to provide recorded images of a motor
17vehicle for the purpose of recording its speed. The regulation
18of the use of automated traffic law enforcement systems to
19record vehicle speeds is an exclusive power and function of the
20State. This subsection (c) is a denial and limitation of home
21rule powers and functions under subsection (h) of Section 6 of
22Article VII of the Illinois Constitution.
23    (c-5) A county or municipality, including a home rule
24county or municipality, may not use an automated traffic law
25enforcement system to issue violations in instances where the
26motor vehicle comes to a complete stop and does not enter the

 

 

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1intersection, as defined by Section 1-132 of this Code, during
2the cycle of the red signal indication unless one or more
3pedestrians or bicyclists are present, even if the motor
4vehicle stops at a point past a stop line or crosswalk where a
5driver is required to stop, as specified in subsection (c) of
6Section 11-306 of this Code or a similar provision of a local
7ordinance.
8    (c-6) A county, or a municipality with less than 2,000,000
9inhabitants, including a home rule county or municipality, may
10not use an automated traffic law enforcement system to issue
11violations in instances where a motorcyclist enters an
12intersection against a red signal indication when the red
13signal fails to change to a green signal within a reasonable
14period of time because of a signal malfunction or because the
15signal has failed to detect the arrival of the motorcycle due
16to the motorcycle's size or weight.
17    (c-10) A county or municipality, including a home rule
18county or municipality, may not use an automated traffic law
19enforcement system to provide recorded images of a motor
20vehicle for the purpose of issuing violations to persons
21driving a motor vehicle who enter an intersection to turn right
22against a red signal indication as described in paragraph 3 of
23subsection (c) of Section 11-306 of this Code or a similar
24provision of a local ordinance.
25    (d) For each violation of a provision of this Code or a
26local ordinance recorded by an automatic traffic law

 

 

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1enforcement system, the county or municipality having
2jurisdiction shall issue a written notice of the violation to
3the registered owner of the vehicle as the alleged violator.
4The notice shall be delivered to the registered owner of the
5vehicle, by mail, within 30 days after the Secretary of State
6notifies the municipality or county of the identity of the
7owner of the vehicle, but in no event later than 90 days after
8the violation.
9    The notice shall include:
10        (1) the name and address of the registered owner of the
11    vehicle;
12        (2) the registration number of the motor vehicle
13    involved in the violation;
14        (3) the violation charged;
15        (4) the location where the violation occurred;
16        (5) the date and time of the violation;
17        (6) a copy of the recorded images;
18        (7) the amount of the civil penalty imposed and the
19    requirements of any traffic education program imposed and
20    the date by which the civil penalty should be paid and the
21    traffic education program should be completed;
22        (8) a statement that recorded images are evidence of a
23    violation of a red light signal;
24        (9) a warning that failure to pay the civil penalty, to
25    complete a required traffic education program, or to
26    contest liability in a timely manner is an admission of

 

 

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1    liability and may result in a suspension of the driving
2    privileges of the registered owner of the vehicle;
3        (10) a statement that the person may elect to proceed
4    by:
5            (A) paying the fine, completing a required traffic
6        education program, or both; or
7            (B) challenging the charge in court, by mail, or by
8        administrative hearing; and
9        (11) a website address, accessible through the
10    Internet, where the person may view the recorded images of
11    the violation.
12    (e) If a person charged with a traffic violation, as a
13result of an automated traffic law enforcement system, does not
14pay the fine or complete a required traffic education program,
15or both, or successfully contest the civil penalty resulting
16from that violation, the Secretary of State shall suspend the
17driving privileges of the registered owner of the vehicle under
18Section 6-306.5 of this Code for failing to complete a required
19traffic education program or to pay any fine or penalty due and
20owing, or both, as a result of 5 violations of the automated
21traffic law enforcement system.
22    (f) Based on inspection of recorded images produced by an
23automated traffic law enforcement system, a notice alleging
24that the violation occurred shall be evidence of the facts
25contained in the notice and admissible in any proceeding
26alleging a violation under this Section.

 

 

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1    (g) Recorded images made by an automatic traffic law
2enforcement system are confidential and shall be made available
3only to the alleged violator and governmental and law
4enforcement agencies for purposes of adjudicating a violation
5of this Section, for statistical purposes, or for other
6governmental purposes. Any recorded image evidencing a
7violation of this Section, however, may be admissible in any
8proceeding resulting from the issuance of the citation.
9    (h) The court or hearing officer may consider in defense of
10a violation:
11        (1) that the motor vehicle or registration plates of
12    the motor vehicle were stolen before the violation occurred
13    and not under the control of or in the possession of the
14    owner at the time of the violation;
15        (2) that the driver of the vehicle passed through the
16    intersection when the light was red either (i) in order to
17    yield the right-of-way to an emergency vehicle or (ii) as
18    part of a funeral procession; and
19        (3) any other evidence or issues provided by municipal
20    or county ordinance.
21    (i) To demonstrate that the motor vehicle or the
22registration plates were stolen before the violation occurred
23and were not under the control or possession of the owner at
24the time of the violation, the owner must submit proof that a
25report concerning the stolen motor vehicle or registration
26plates was filed with a law enforcement agency in a timely

 

 

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1manner.
2    (j) Unless the driver of the motor vehicle received a
3Uniform Traffic Citation from a police officer at the time of
4the violation, the motor vehicle owner is subject to a civil
5penalty not exceeding $100 or the completion of a traffic
6education program, or both, plus an additional penalty of not
7more than $100 for failure to pay the original penalty or to
8complete a required traffic education program, or both, in a
9timely manner, if the motor vehicle is recorded by an automated
10traffic law enforcement system. A violation for which a civil
11penalty is imposed under this Section is not a violation of a
12traffic regulation governing the movement of vehicles and may
13not be recorded on the driving record of the owner of the
14vehicle.
15    (j-3) A registered owner who is a holder of a valid
16commercial driver's license is not required to complete a
17traffic education program.
18    (j-5) For purposes of the required traffic education
19program only, a registered owner may submit an affidavit to the
20court or hearing officer swearing that at the time of the
21alleged violation, the vehicle was in the custody and control
22of another person. The affidavit must identify the person in
23custody and control of the vehicle, including the person's name
24and current address. The person in custody and control of the
25vehicle at the time of the violation is required to complete
26the required traffic education program. If the person in

 

 

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1custody and control of the vehicle at the time of the violation
2completes the required traffic education program, the
3registered owner of the vehicle is not required to complete a
4traffic education program.
5    (k) An intersection equipped with an automated traffic law
6enforcement system must be posted with a sign visible to
7approaching traffic indicating that the intersection is being
8monitored by an automated traffic law enforcement system.
9    (k-3) A municipality or county that has one or more
10intersections equipped with an automated traffic law
11enforcement system must provide notice to drivers by posting
12the locations of automated traffic law systems on the
13municipality or county website.
14    (k-5) An intersection equipped with an automated traffic
15law enforcement system must have a yellow change interval that
16conforms with the Illinois Manual on Uniform Traffic Control
17Devices (IMUTCD) published by the Illinois Department of
18Transportation.
19    (k-7) A municipality or county operating an automated
20traffic law enforcement system shall conduct a statistical
21analysis to assess the safety impact of each automated traffic
22law enforcement system at an intersection following
23installation of the system. The statistical analysis shall be
24based upon the best available crash, traffic, and other data,
25and shall cover a period of time before and after installation
26of the system sufficient to provide a statistically valid

 

 

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1comparison of safety impact. The statistical analysis shall be
2consistent with professional judgment and acceptable industry
3practice. The statistical analysis also shall be consistent
4with the data required for valid comparisons of before and
5after conditions and shall be conducted within a reasonable
6period following the installation of the automated traffic law
7enforcement system. The statistical analysis required by this
8subsection (k-7) shall be made available to the public and
9shall be published on the website of the municipality or
10county. If the statistical analysis for the 36 month period
11following installation of the system indicates that there has
12been an increase in the rate of accidents at the approach to
13the intersection monitored by the system, the municipality or
14county shall undertake additional studies to determine the
15cause and severity of the accidents, and may take any action
16that it determines is necessary or appropriate to reduce the
17number or severity of the accidents at that intersection.
18    (l) The compensation paid for an automated traffic law
19enforcement system must be based on the value of the equipment
20or the services provided and may not be based on the number of
21traffic citations issued or the revenue generated by the
22system.
23    (m) This Section applies only to the counties of Cook,
24DuPage, Kane, Lake, Madison, McHenry, St. Clair, and Will and
25to municipalities located within those counties.
26    (n) The fee for participating in a traffic education

 

 

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1program under this Section shall not exceed $25.
2    A low-income individual required to complete a traffic
3education program under this Section who provides proof of
4eligibility for the federal earned income tax credit under
5Section 32 of the Internal Revenue Code or the Illinois earned
6income tax credit under Section 212 of the Illinois Income Tax
7Act shall not be required to pay any fee for participating in a
8required traffic education program.
9    (o) A municipality or county shall make a certified report
10to the Secretary of State pursuant to Section 6-306.5 of this
11Code whenever a registered owner of a vehicle has failed to pay
12any fine or penalty due and owing as a result of 5 offenses for
13automated traffic law violations.
14    (p) No person who is the lessor of a motor vehicle pursuant
15to a written lease agreement shall be liable for an automated
16traffic law enforcement system violation involving such motor
17vehicle during the period of the lease; provided that upon the
18request of the appropriate authority received within 120 days
19after the violation occurred, the lessor provides within 60
20days after such receipt the name and address of the lessee. The
21drivers license number of a lessee may be subsequently
22individually requested by the appropriate authority if needed
23for enforcement of this Section.
24    Upon the provision of information by the lessor pursuant to
25this subsection, the county or municipality may issue the
26violation to the lessee of the vehicle in the same manner as it

 

 

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1would issue a violation to a registered owner of a vehicle
2pursuant to this Section, and the lessee may be held liable for
3the violation.
4(Source: P.A. 96-288, eff. 8-11-09; 96-1016, eff. 1-1-11;
597-29, eff. 1-1-12; 97-627, eff. 1-1-12; revised 1-19-12.)
 
6    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
7becoming law.