SB2855 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB103 36049 MXP 66136 b

103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB2855

Introduced 1/19/2024, by Sen. Andrew S. Chesney

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

625 ILCS 5/6-103	from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 6-103
625 ILCS 5/6-109
625 ILCS 5/6-115	from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 6-115
15 ILCS 305/37 rep.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Repeals a provision that disallows any persons, as a driver, who is 69 years of age or older, from obtaining a driver's license or permit. Removes language providing that examination of an applicant 75 years of age or older for a driver's license or permit shall include an actual demonstration of the applicant's ability to exercise ordinary and reasonable control of the operation of a motor vehicle. Repeals a provision that requires the Secretary of State to provide that each original or renewal driver's license issued to a licensee 81 years of age through age 86 shall expire 2 years from the date of issuance, or at such later date as the Secretary may by rule and regulation designate, not to exceed an additional 12 calendar months. Repeals a provision that requires the Secretary to provide that each original or renewal driver's license issued to a licensee 87 years of age or older shall expire 12 months from the date of issuance, or at such later date as the Secretary may by rule and regulation designate, not to exceed an additional 12 calendar months. Amends the Secretary of State Act. Repeals a Section requiring the study on age-related changes that affect driving abilities. Effective immediately.

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 Sections 6-103, 6-109, and 6-115 as follows:

(625 ILCS 5/6-103) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 6-103)

Sec. 6-103. What persons shall not be licensed as drivers or granted permits. The Secretary of State shall not issue, renew, or allow the retention of any driver's license nor issue any permit under this Code:

1. To any person, as a driver, who is under the age of 18 years except as provided in Section 6-107, and except that an instruction permit may be issued under Section 6-107.1 to a child who is not less than 15 years of age if the child is enrolled in an approved driver education course as defined in Section 1-103 of this Code and requires an instruction permit to participate therein, except that an instruction permit may be issued under the provisions of Section 6-107.1 to a child who is 17 years and 3 months of age without the child having enrolled in an approved driver education course and except that an instruction permit may be issued to a child who is at least 15 years and 3 months of age, is enrolled in school, meets the educational requirements of the Driver Education Act, and has passed examinations the Secretary of State in his or her discretion may prescribe;

1.5. To any person at least 18 years of age but less than 21 years of age unless the person has, in addition to any other requirements of this Code, successfully completed an adult driver education course as provided in Section 6-107.5 of this Code;

2. To any person who is under the age of 18 as an operator of a motorcycle other than a motor driven cycle unless the person has, in addition to meeting the provisions of Section 6-107 of this Code, successfully completed a motorcycle training course approved by the Illinois Department of Transportation;

3. To any person, as a driver, whose driver's license or permit has been suspended, during the suspension, nor to any person whose driver's license or permit has been revoked, except as provided in Sections 6-205, 6-206, and 6-208;

4. To any person, as a driver, who is a user of alcohol or any other drug to a degree that renders the person incapable of safely driving a motor vehicle;

5. To any person, as a driver, who has previously been adjudged to be afflicted with or suffering from any mental or physical disability or disease and who has not at the time of application been restored to competency by the methods provided by law;

6. To any person, as a driver, who is required by the Secretary of State to submit an alcohol and drug evaluation or take an examination provided for in this Code unless the person has successfully passed the examination and submitted any required evaluation;

7. To any person who is required under the provisions of the laws of this State to deposit security or proof of financial responsibility and who has not deposited the security or proof;

8. To any person when the Secretary of State has good cause to believe that the person by reason of physical or mental disability would not be able to safely operate a motor vehicle upon the highways, unless the person shall furnish to the Secretary of State a verified written statement, acceptable to the Secretary of State, from a competent medical specialist, a licensed physician assistant, or a licensed advanced practice registered nurse, to the effect that the operation of a motor vehicle by the person would not be inimical to the public safety;

9. (Blank) To any person, as a driver, who is 69 years of age or older, unless the person has successfully complied with the provisions of Section 6-109;

10. To any person convicted, within 12 months of application for a license, of any of the sexual offenses enumerated in paragraph 2 of subsection (b) of Section 6-205;

11. To any person who is under the age of 21 years with a classification prohibited in paragraph (b) of Section 6-104 and to any person who is under the age of 18 years with a classification prohibited in paragraph (c) of Section 6-104;

12. To any person who has been either convicted of or adjudicated under the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 based upon a violation of the Cannabis Control Act, the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, or the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act while that person was in actual physical control of a motor vehicle. For purposes of this Section, any person placed on probation under Section 10 of the Cannabis Control Act, Section 410 of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, or Section 70 of the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act shall not be considered convicted. Any person found guilty of this offense, while in actual physical control of a motor vehicle, shall have an entry made in the court record by the judge that this offense did occur while the person was in actual physical control of a motor vehicle and order the clerk of the court to report the violation to the Secretary of State as such. The Secretary of State shall not issue a new license or permit for a period of one year;

13. To any person who is under the age of 18 years and who has committed the offense of operating a motor vehicle without a valid license or permit in violation of Section 6-101 or a similar out-of-state out of state offense;

14. To any person who is 90 days or more delinquent in court ordered child support payments or has been adjudicated in arrears in an amount equal to 90 days' obligation or more and who has been found in contempt of court for failure to pay the support, subject to the requirements and procedures of Article VII of Chapter 7 of the Illinois Vehicle Code;

14.5. To any person certified by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services as being 90 days or more delinquent in payment of support under an order of support entered by a court or administrative body of this or any other State, subject to the requirements and procedures of Article VII of Chapter 7 of this Code regarding those certifications;

15. To any person released from a term of imprisonment for violating Section 9-3 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012, or a similar provision of a law of another state relating to reckless homicide or for violating subparagraph (F) of paragraph (1) of subsection (d) of Section 11-501 of this Code relating to aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol, other drug or drugs, intoxicating compound or compounds, or any combination thereof, if the violation was the proximate cause of a death, within 24 months of release from a term of imprisonment;

16. To any person who, with intent to influence any act related to the issuance of any driver's license or permit, by an employee of the Secretary of State's Office, or the owner or employee of any commercial driver training school licensed by the Secretary of State, or any other individual authorized by the laws of this State to give driving instructions or administer all or part of a driver's license examination, promises or tenders to that person any property or personal advantage which that person is not authorized by law to accept. Any persons promising or tendering such property or personal advantage shall be disqualified from holding any class of driver's license or permit for 120 consecutive days. The Secretary of State shall establish by rule the procedures for implementing this period of disqualification and the procedures by which persons so disqualified may obtain administrative review of the decision to disqualify;

17. To any person for whom the Secretary of State cannot verify the accuracy of any information or documentation submitted in application for a driver's license;

18. To any person who has been adjudicated under the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 based upon an offense that is determined by the court to have been committed in furtherance of the criminal activities of an organized gang, as provided in Section 5-710 of that Act, and that involved the operation or use of a motor vehicle or the use of a driver's license or permit. The person shall be denied a license or permit for the period determined by the court; or

19. To any person who holds a REAL ID compliant identification card or REAL ID compliant Person with a Disability Identification Card issued under the Illinois Identification Card Act. Any such person may, at his or her discretion, surrender the REAL ID compliant identification card or REAL ID compliant Person with a Disability Identification Card in order to become eligible to obtain a REAL ID compliant driver's license.

The Secretary of State shall retain all conviction information, if the information is required to be held confidential under the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.

(Source: P.A. 103-162, eff. 1-1-24; revised 1-2-24.)

(625 ILCS 5/6-109)

Sec. 6-109. Examination of applicants.

(a) The Secretary of State shall examine every applicant for a driver's license or permit who has not been previously licensed as a driver under the laws of this State or any other state or country, or any applicant for renewal of such driver's license or permit when such license or permit has been expired for more than one year. The Secretary of State shall, subject to the provisions of paragraph (c), examine every licensed driver at least every 8 years, and may examine or re-examine any other applicant or licensed driver, provided that during the years 1984 through 1991 those drivers issued a license for 3 years may be re-examined not less than every 7 years or more than every 10 years.

The Secretary of State shall require the testing of the eyesight of any driver's license or permit applicant who has not been previously licensed as a driver under the laws of this State and shall promulgate rules and regulations to provide for the orderly administration of all the provisions of this Section.

The Secretary of State shall include at least one test question that concerns the provisions of the Pedestrians with Disabilities Safety Act in the question pool used for the written portion of the driver's license examination within one year after July 22, 2010 (the effective date of Public Act 96-1167).

The Secretary of State shall include, in the question pool used for the written portion of the driver's license examination, test questions concerning safe driving in the presence of bicycles, of which one may be concerning the Dutch Reach method as described in Section 2-112.

The Secretary of State shall include, in the question pool used for the written portion of the driver's license examination, at least one test question concerning driver responsibilities when approaching a stationary emergency vehicle as described in Section 11-907.

(b) Except as provided for those applicants in paragraph (c), such examination shall include a test of the applicant's eyesight, his or her ability to read and understand official traffic control devices, his or her knowledge of safe driving practices and the traffic laws of this State, and may include an actual demonstration of the applicant's ability to exercise ordinary and reasonable control of the operation of a motor vehicle, and such further physical and mental examination as the Secretary of State finds necessary to determine the applicant's fitness to operate a motor vehicle safely on the highways, except the examination of an applicant 75 years of age or older or, if the Secretary adopts rules under Section 37 of the Secretary of State Act to raise the age requirement for actual demonstrations, the examination of an applicant who has attained that increased age or is older shall include an actual demonstration of the applicant's ability to exercise ordinary and reasonable control of the operation of a motor vehicle. All portions of written and verbal examinations under this Section, excepting where the English language appears on facsimiles of road signs, may be given in the Spanish language and, at the discretion of the Secretary of State, in any other language as well as in English upon request of the examinee. Deaf persons who are otherwise qualified are not prohibited from being issued a license, other than a commercial driver's license, under this Code.

(c) Re-examination for those applicants who at the time of renewing their driver's license possess a driving record devoid of any convictions of traffic violations or evidence of committing an offense for which mandatory revocation would be required upon conviction pursuant to Section 6-205 at the time of renewal shall be in a manner prescribed by the Secretary in order to determine an applicant's ability to safely operate a motor vehicle, except that every applicant for the renewal of a driver's license who is 75 years of age or older or, if the Secretary adopts rules under Section 37 of the Secretary of State Act to raise the age requirement for actual demonstrations, every applicant for the renewal of a driver's license who has attained that increased age or is older must prove, by an actual demonstration, the applicant's ability to exercise reasonable care in the safe operation of a motor vehicle.

(d) In the event the applicant is not ineligible under the provisions of Section 6-103 to receive a driver's license, the Secretary of State shall make provision for giving an examination, either in the county where the applicant resides or at a place adjacent thereto reasonably convenient to the applicant, within not more than 30 days from the date said application is received.

(e) The Secretary of State may adopt rules regarding the use of foreign language interpreters during the application and examination process.

(Source: P.A. 103-140, eff. 6-30-23.)

(625 ILCS 5/6-115) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 6-115)

Sec. 6-115. Expiration of driver's license.

(a) Except as provided elsewhere in this Section, every driver's license issued under the provisions of this Code shall expire 4 years from the date of its issuance, or at such later date, as the Secretary of State may by proper rule and regulation designate, not to exceed 12 calendar months; in the event that an applicant for renewal of a driver's license fails to apply prior to the expiration date of the previous driver's license, the renewal driver's license shall expire 4 years from the expiration date of the previous driver's license, or at such later date as the Secretary of State may by proper rule and regulation designate, not to exceed 12 calendar months.

The Secretary of State may, however, issue to a person not previously licensed as a driver in Illinois a driver's license which will expire not less than 4 years nor more than 5 years from date of issuance, except as provided elsewhere in this Section.

(a-5) Every driver's license issued under this Code to an applicant who is not a United States citizen or permanent resident, or an individual who has an approved application for asylum in the United States or has entered the United States in refugee status, shall expire on whichever is the earlier date of the following:

(1) as provided under subsection (a), (f), (g), or (i) of this Section;

(2) on the date the applicant's authorized stay in the United States terminates; or

(3) if the applicant's authorized stay is indefinite and the applicant is applying for a Limited Term REAL ID compliant driver's license, one year from the date of issuance of the license.

(a-10) Every REAL ID compliant driver's license issued under this Code to an applicant who is not a United States citizen or permanent resident, or an individual who has an approved application for asylum in the United States or has entered the United States in refugee status, shall be marked "Limited Term".

(b) Before the expiration of a driver's license, except those licenses expiring on the individual's 21st birthday, or 3 months after the individual's 21st birthday, the holder thereof may apply for a renewal thereof, subject to all the provisions of Section 6-103, and the Secretary of State may require an examination of the applicant. A licensee whose driver's license expires on his 21st birthday, or 3 months after his 21st birthday, may not apply for a renewal of his driving privileges until he reaches the age of 21.

(c) The Secretary of State shall, 30 days prior to the expiration of a driver's license, forward to each person whose license is to expire a notification of the expiration of said license which may be presented at the time of renewal of said license.

There may be included with such notification information explaining the anatomical gift and Emergency Medical Information Card provisions of Section 6-110. The format and text of such information shall be prescribed by the Secretary.

There shall be included with such notification, for a period of 4 years beginning January 1, 2000 information regarding the Illinois Adoption Registry and Medical Information Exchange established in Section 18.1 of the Adoption Act.

(d) The Secretary may defer the expiration of the driver's license of a licensee, spouse, and dependent children who are living with such licensee while on active duty, serving in the Armed Forces of the United States outside of the State of Illinois, and 120 days thereafter, upon such terms and conditions as the Secretary may prescribe.

(d-5) The Secretary may defer the expiration of the driver's license of a licensee, or of a spouse or dependent children living with the licensee, serving as a civilian employee of the United States Armed Forces or the United States Department of Defense, outside of the State of Illinois, and 120 days thereafter, upon such terms and conditions as the Secretary may prescribe.

(e) The Secretary of State may decline to process a renewal of a driver's license of any person who has not paid any fee or tax due under this Code and is not paid upon reasonable notice and demand.

(f) The Secretary shall provide that each original or renewal driver's license issued to a licensee under 21 years of age shall expire 3 months after the licensee's 21st birthday. Persons whose current driver's licenses expire on their 21st birthday on or after January 1, 1986 shall not renew their driver's license before their 21st birthday, and their current driver's license will be extended for an additional term of 3 months beyond their 21st birthday. Thereafter, the expiration and term of the driver's license shall be governed by subsection (a) hereof.

(g) (Blank). The Secretary shall provide that each original or renewal driver's license issued to a licensee 81 years of age through age 86 shall expire 2 years from the date of issuance, or at such later date as the Secretary may by rule and regulation designate, not to exceed an additional 12 calendar months. The Secretary shall also provide that each original or renewal driver's license issued to a licensee 87 years of age or older shall expire 12 months from the date of issuance, or at such later date as the Secretary may by rule and regulation designate, not to exceed an additional 12 calendar months.

(h) The Secretary of State shall provide that each special restricted driver's license issued under subsection (g) of Section 6-113 of this Code shall expire 12 months from the date of issuance. The Secretary shall adopt rules defining renewal requirements.

(i) The Secretary of State shall provide that each driver's license issued to a person convicted of a sex offense as defined in Section 2 of the Sex Offender Registration Act shall expire 12 months from the date of issuance or at such date as the Secretary may by rule designate, not to exceed an additional 12 calendar months. The Secretary may adopt rules defining renewal requirements.

(Source: P.A. 101-185, eff. 1-1-20; 102-659, eff. 1-1-22.)

(15 ILCS 305/37 rep.)

Section 10. The Secretary of State Act is amended by repealing Section 37.

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