HB0259 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB102 02582 HEP 12585 b

102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB0259

Introduced 1/29/2021, by Rep. Kambium Buckner

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

625 ILCS 5/6-101

from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 6-101

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that a person may drive a motor vehicle if in possession of a digitized driver's license. Defines "digitized driver's license". Provides that a person shall not be issued a citation for driving a motor vehicle without a physical driver's license in his or her possession if the person presents a digitized driver's license to a law enforcement officer in connection with a traffic stop or checkpoint. Provides that the display of a digitized driver's license shall not serve as consent or authorization for a law enforcement officer, or any other person, to search, view, or access any other data or application on the mobile device, and that the fee to install the application to display a digitized driver's license shall not exceed $6. Effective immediately.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

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 Section 6-101 as follows:

(625 ILCS 5/6-101) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 6-101)

Sec. 6-101. Drivers must have licenses or permits.

(a) No person, except those expressly exempted by Section 6-102, shall drive any motor vehicle upon a highway in this State unless such person has a valid license or permit, a digitized driver's license as provided in this Section, or a restricted driving permit, issued under the provisions of this Act.

(b) No person shall drive a motor vehicle unless the person he holds a valid license or permit, a digitized driver's license as provided in this Section, or a restricted driving permit issued under the provisions of Section 6-205, 6-206, or 6-113 of this Act. Any person to whom a license is issued under the provisions of this Act must surrender to the Secretary of State all valid licenses or permits, except that an applicant for a non-domiciled commercial learner's permit or commercial driver's license shall not be required to surrender a license or permit issued by the applicant's state or country of domicile. No driver's drivers license or instruction permit shall be issued to any person who holds a valid Foreign State license, identification card, or permit unless such person first surrenders to the Secretary of State any such valid Foreign State license, identification card, or permit.

(b-5) Any person who commits a violation of subsection (a) or (b) of this Section is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor, if at the time of the violation the person's driver's license or permit was cancelled under clause (a)9 of Section 6-201 of this Code.

(c) Any person licensed as a driver hereunder shall not be required by any city, village, incorporated town or other municipal corporation to obtain any other license to exercise the privilege thereby granted.

(d) In addition to other penalties imposed under this Section, any person in violation of this Section who is also in violation of Section 7-601 of this Code relating to mandatory insurance requirements shall have his or her motor vehicle immediately impounded by the arresting law enforcement officer. The motor vehicle may be released to any licensed driver upon a showing of proof of insurance for the motor vehicle that was impounded and the notarized written consent for the release by the vehicle owner.

(e) In addition to other penalties imposed under this Section, the vehicle of any person in violation of this Section who is also in violation of Section 7-601 of this Code relating to mandatory insurance requirements and who, in violating this Section, has caused death or personal injury to another person is subject to forfeiture under Sections 36-1 and 36-2 of the Criminal Code of 2012. For the purposes of this Section, a personal injury shall include any type A injury as indicated on the traffic accident report completed by a law enforcement officer that requires immediate professional attention in either a doctor's office or a medical facility. A type A injury shall include severely bleeding wounds, distorted extremities, and injuries that require the injured party to be carried from the scene.

(f) As used in this Section:

"Digitized driver's license" means a data file available on any mobile device that has connectivity to the Internet through an application that allows the mobile device to download the data file from the Secretary of State, contains all of the data elements visible on the face and back of a driver's license, and displays the current status of the license. "Digitized driver's license" does not include a digital copy, photograph, or image of a driver's license that is not downloaded through the application on a mobile device.

"Current status" includes, but is not limited to, a status designation of valid, expired, canceled, suspended, disqualified, hardship, or interlock device.

A person shall not be issued a citation for driving a motor vehicle without a physical driver's license in his or her possession if the person presents a digitized driver's license to a law enforcement officer in connection with a traffic stop or checkpoint in this State. However, in connection with requests for identification not associated with traffic stops or checkpoints, a person may be required to produce a physical driver's license to a law enforcement officer, a representative of a State or federal department or agency, or a private entity when so requested and is subject to all applicable laws and consequences for failure to produce such a license.

The Secretary of State shall adopt such rules as are necessary to implement a digitized driver's license. No digitized driver's license shall be valid until the Secretary has adopted such rules.

The display of a digitized driver's license shall not serve as consent or authorization for a law enforcement officer, or any other person, to search, view, or access any other data or application on the mobile device. If a person presents his or her mobile device to a law enforcement officer for purposes of displaying a digitized driver's license, the law enforcement officer shall promptly return the mobile device to the person once the officer has had an opportunity to verify the identity and license status of the person.

The fee to install the application to display a digitized driver's license as defined in this subsection shall not exceed $6.

(Source: P.A. 97-229, eff. 7-28-11; 97-1150, eff. 1-25-13; 98-176 (see Section 10 of P.A. 98-722 and Section 10 of P.A. 99-414 for the effective date of changes made by P.A. 98-176).)

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