State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

   [ Search ]   [ Legislation ]   [ Bill Summary ]
[ Home ]   [ Back ]   [ Bottom ]



90_HB1484

      625 ILCS 5/2-111          from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 2-111
      625 ILCS 5/3-707          from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-707
      625 ILCS 5/7-601          from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 7-601
      625 ILCS 5/7-602          from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 7-602
      625 ILCS 5/7-606          from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 7-606
      625 ILCS 5/7-606.5 new
          Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code.   Provides  that  if  a
      vehicle  owner  is in an accident and cannot provide proof of
      coverage  of  the  minimum  liability  insurance,   the   law
      enforcement agency shall immediately confiscate that person's
      registration  plates.    Provides  a 7 business day period to
      provide proof of coverage at the time of the accident without
      being subject to a penalty.  Provides  that  if  that  person
      does  not provide the required proof within the grace period,
      the  registration  plates  and  other  information  shall  be
      forwarded to the Secretary  of  State.    Provides  that  the
      plates,  upon  receipt  by the Secretary, shall be destroyed,
      and the uninsured vehicle registration file shall  be  tagged
      to  prohibit  issuance of new plates until the qualifications
      for registration plate  reinstatement  have  been  satisfied.
      Provides  that  an operator of a vehicle may produce proof of
      his or her own liability  insurance,  if  separate  from  the
      coverage   required   for   the  vehicle.   Exempts  vehicles
      registered  in  another  jurisdiction   from   the   required
      liability  insurance  policy provisions.  Generally effective
      January 1, 1998, except that the Section  regarding  required
      liability insurance policy takes effect July 1, 1998.
                                                     LRB9004136NTsb
                                               LRB9004136NTsb
 1        AN  ACT  to  amend  the Illinois Vehicle Code by changing
 2    Sections 2-111, 3-707, 7-601, 7-602,  and  7-606  and  adding
 3    Section 7-606.5.
 4        Be  it  enacted  by  the People of the State of Illinois,
 5    represented in the General Assembly:
 6        Section 5.  The  Illinois  Vehicle  Code  is  amended  by
 7    changing  Sections  2-111, 3-707, 7-601, 7-602, and 7-606 and
 8    adding Section 7-606.5 as follows:
 9        (625 ILCS 5/2-111) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 2-111)
10        Sec. 2-111.  Seizure of documents and plates.
11        (a)  The  Secretary  of  State  is  authorized  to   take
12    possession  of  any  certificate of title, registration card,
13    permit, license, registration plate, plates, or  registration
14    sticker  issued  by  him  or her upon expiration, revocation,
15    cancellation or suspension thereof, or which  is  fictitious,
16    or  which  has been unlawfully or erroneously issued.  Police
17    officers who have reasonable grounds to believe that any item
18    or items listed  in  this  section  should  be  seized  shall
19    request  the  Secretary  of  State to take possession of such
20    item or items.
21        (b)  If a vehicle owner involved  in  a  accident  cannot
22    prove  that  the  vehicle is covered by the minimum liability
23    insurance as required under Section 7-601 of this  Code,  the
24    law enforcement agency at the accident site shall immediately
25    confiscate   the  vehicle's  registration  plates.   The  law
26    enforcement agency shall maintain these  registration  plates
27    for  a  period  of 7 business days.  If within the 7 business
28    day period the owner can prove the vehicle  in  question  was
29    properly   insured   at   the   time  of  the  accident,  the
30    registration plates can be released to the vehicle owner with
31    no further penalty.  After the  7  business  day  period  has
                            -2-                LRB9004136NTsb
 1    expired  and the owner has not successfully proven compliance
 2    with the minimum liability insurance requirements  set  forth
 3    under  Section  7-601  of this Code, the registration plates,
 4    vehicle name, owner address, a copy of the CRASH report,  and
 5    a  copy  of  any  citation  issued  shall be forwarded to the
 6    Secretary of State.
 7    (Source: P.A. 82-433.)
 8        (625 ILCS 5/3-707) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-707)
 9        Sec. 3-707.   Operation  of  uninsured  motor  vehicle  -
10    penalty.   No person shall operate a motor vehicle unless the
11    motor vehicle is covered by a liability insurance  policy  in
12    accordance with Section 7-601 of this Code.
13        Any  person  who  fails to comply with a request by a law
14    enforcement officer for display of evidence of insurance,  as
15    required under Section 7-602 of this Code, shall be deemed to
16    be operating an uninsured motor vehicle.
17        Any  operator  of a motor vehicle subject to registration
18    under this Code who is convicted of violating this Section is
19    guilty of a business offense and shall be required to  pay  a
20    fine  in  excess of $500, but not more than $1,000.  However,
21    no person  charged  with  violating  this  Section  shall  be
22    convicted  if  such  person  produces  in  court satisfactory
23    evidence, including  the  vehicle  operator's  own  liability
24    insurance  documentation, barring any policy exclusions, that
25    at the time of the arrest the motor vehicle was covered by  a
26    liability  insurance  policy in accordance with Section 7-601
27    of this Code. The chief judge of each circuit  may  designate
28    an   officer   of  the  court  to  review  the  documentation
29    demonstrating that at the time of arrest  the  motor  vehicle
30    was  covered  by  a  liability insurance policy in accordance
31    with Section 7-601 of this Code.
32    (Source: P.A. 88-315.)
                            -3-                LRB9004136NTsb
 1        (625 ILCS 5/7-601) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 7-601)
 2        Sec. 7-601.  Required liability insurance policy.
 3        (a)  No  person  shall  operate,  register  or   maintain
 4    registration  of, and no owner shall permit another person to
 5    operate,  register  or  maintain  registration  of,  a  motor
 6    vehicle designed to be used on a public  highway  unless  the
 7    motor vehicle is covered by a liability insurance policy.
 8        The  insurance  policy shall be issued in amounts no less
 9    than the minimum amounts set for bodily injury or  death  and
10    for destruction of property under Section 7-203 of this Code,
11    and  shall  be  issued in accordance with the requirements of
12    Sections 143a and 143a-2 of the Illinois Insurance  Code,  as
13    amended.   No  insurer other than an insurer authorized to do
14    business in this State shall issue a policy pursuant to  this
15    Section  for  any  vehicle subject to registration under this
16    Code.  Nothing herein shall deprive an insurer of any  policy
17    defense available at common law.
18        (b)  The   following   vehicles   are   exempt  from  the
19    requirements of this Section:
20             (1)  vehicles subject to the provisions of  Chapters
21        8  or  18a, Article III or Section 7-609 of Chapter 7, or
22        Sections 12-606 or 12-707.01 of Chapter 12 of this Code;
23             (2)  vehicles required to file  proof  of  liability
24        insurance with the Illinois Commerce Commission;
25             (3)  vehicles    covered   by   a   certificate   of
26        self-insurance under Section 7-502 of this Code;
27             (4)  vehicles owned by the United States, the  State
28        of  Illinois,  or any political subdivision, municipality
29        or local mass transit district;
30             (5)  implements of husbandry;
31             (6)  other  vehicles  complying  with   laws   which
32        require   them  to  be  insured  in  amounts  meeting  or
33        exceeding  the  minimum  amounts  required   under   this
34        Section; and
                            -4-                LRB9004136NTsb
 1             (7)  inoperable  or  stored  vehicles  that  are not
 2        operated, as defined by  rules  and  regulations  of  the
 3        Secretary.
 4             (8)  Vehicles registered in another jurisdiction.
 5    (Source: P.A. 88-315; 89-669, eff. 1-1-97.)
 6        (625 ILCS 5/7-602) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 7-602)
 7        Sec.  7-602.   Insurance card.  Every operator of a motor
 8    vehicle subject to Section 7-601 of  this  Code  shall  carry
 9    within the vehicle evidence of insurance.  The evidence shall
10    be  legible  and  sufficient  to  demonstrate  that the motor
11    vehicle currently is covered by a liability insurance  policy
12    as required under Section 7-601 of this Code and may include,
13    but is not limited to, the following:
14             (a)  an  insurance  card provided by the insurer for
15        the owner or operator under this Section;
16             (b)  the combination of proof  of  purchase  of  the
17        motor  vehicle  within the previous 60 days and a current
18        insurance card issued for the motor vehicle  replaced  by
19        such purchase;
20             (c)  the  current  declarations  page of a liability
21        insurance policy;
22             (d)  a liability insurance  binder,  certificate  of
23        liability  insurance or receipt for payment to an insurer
24        or  its  authorized  representative   for   a   liability
25        insurance  premium,  provided  such document contains all
26        information the Secretary of State by rule and regulation
27        may require;
28             (e)  a current rental agreement;
29             (f)  registration plates,  registration  sticker  or
30        other  evidence  of  registration issued by the Secretary
31        only upon submission  of  proof  of  liability  insurance
32        pursuant to this Code;
33             (g)  a  certificate,  decal,  or  other  document or
                            -5-                LRB9004136NTsb
 1        device issued  by  a  governmental  agency  for  a  motor
 2        vehicle  indicating  the vehicle is insured for liability
 3        pursuant to law.
 4        An insurance  card  shall  be  provided  for  each  motor
 5    vehicle   insured   by  the  insurer  issuing  the  liability
 6    insurance policy.
 7        The  form,  contents  and  manner  of  issuance  of   the
 8    insurance  card  shall be prescribed by rules and regulations
 9    of the Secretary of State.  The insurance card shall  display
10    an effective date and an expiration date covering a period of
11    time  not  to  exceed  12  months.   The insurance card shall
12    contain the following disclaimer: "Examine policy  exclusions
13    carefully.   This  form  does not constitute any part of your
14    insurance policy." If the insurance policy represented by the
15    insurance card does not cover any driver operating the  motor
16    vehicle  with  the  owner's  permission,  or  the  owner when
17    operating a motor vehicle other than the  vehicle  for  which
18    the  policy  is  issued,  the  insurance card shall contain a
19    warning of such limitations in the coverage provided  by  the
20    policy.
21        No  insurer  shall  issue  a card, similar in appearance,
22    form and content to the insurance card  required  under  this
23    Section, in connection with an insurance policy that does not
24    provide  the  liability  insurance  coverage  required  under
25    Section 7-601 of this Code.
26        The evidence of insurance shall be displayed upon request
27    made  by  any  law  enforcement  officer wearing a uniform or
28    displaying a badge or other sign of  authority.   Any  person
29    who  fails  or  refuses  to  comply  with  such request is in
30    violation of Section 3-707 of  this  Code.   Any  person  who
31    displays  evidence  of  insurance,  knowing there is no valid
32    liability  insurance  in  effect  on  the  motor  vehicle  as
33    required under Section 7-601 of  this  Code  or  knowing  the
34    evidence  of  insurance  is illegally altered, counterfeit or
                            -6-                LRB9004136NTsb
 1    otherwise invalid, is in violation of Section 3-710  of  this
 2    Code.
 3        "Display"  means  the manual surrender of the evidence of
 4    insurance into the hands  of  the  law  enforcement  officer,
 5    court,  or  officer  of  the court making the request for the
 6    officer's, court's, or  officer  of  the  court's  inspection
 7    thereof.
 8    (Source: P.A. 88-315; 89-565, eff. 7-26-96.)
 9        (625 ILCS 5/7-606) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 7-606)
10        Sec.  7-606.   Uninsured  motor vehicles - suspension and
11    reinstatement.   The  Secretary  shall  suspend  the  vehicle
12    registration of any motor vehicle determined by the Secretary
13    to  be  in violation of Section 7-601 of this Code, including
14    any motor vehicle operated in violation of  Sections  Section
15    3-707  and,  3-708 or 3-710 of this Code by an operator other
16    than the owner  of  the  vehicle.   Neither  the  fact  that,
17    subsequent  to  the  date  of verification or conviction, the
18    owner acquired the required liability  insurance  policy  nor
19    the  fact  that  the  owner terminated ownership of the motor
20    vehicle shall have any bearing upon the Secretary's  decision
21    to suspend.
22        The  Secretary  is authorized to suspend the registration
23    of any motor vehicle registered in this State upon  receiving
24    notice of the conviction of the operator of the motor vehicle
25    in  another  State  of an offense which, if committed in this
26    State, would constitute a violation of Section 7-601 of  this
27    Code.
28        Until  it  is  terminated, the suspension shall remain in
29    force after the registration is renewed or a new registration
30    is acquired for the motor vehicle.  The suspension also shall
31    apply to any motor vehicle to which the owner  transfers  the
32    registration.
33        In  the  case  of  a first violation, the Secretary shall
                            -7-                LRB9004136NTsb
 1    terminate the suspension upon  payment  by  the  owner  of  a
 2    reinstatement   fee  of  $100  and  submission  of  proof  of
 3    insurance as prescribed by the Secretary.
 4        In the case of a second  or  subsequent  violation  by  a
 5    person  having  ownership  interest  in  a  motor  vehicle or
 6    vehicles within the preceding 4  years,  or  a  violation  of
 7    Section 3-708 of this Code, the Secretary shall terminate the
 8    suspension  4 months after its effective date upon payment by
 9    the owner of a reinstatement fee of $100  and  submission  of
10    proof of insurance as prescribed by the Secretary.
11        All  fees collected under this Section shall be deposited
12    into the Road Fund of the State treasury.
13    (Source: P.A. 88-315.)
14        (625 ILCS 5/7-606.5 new)
15        Sec.    7-606.5.  Confiscated    registration     plates.
16    Registration  plates  confiscated under Section 2-111 of this
17    Code by a law enforcement agency for  failure  to  carry  the
18    minimum  liability  insurance as required under Section 7-601
19    of this Code and forwarded to  the  Secretary  of  State  for
20    failure  to  prove  compliance  within  7  business  days  as
21    required  by  Section  2-111  of this Code shall be destroyed
22    upon receipt  by  the  Secretary  of  State.   The  uninsured
23    vehicle  registration  file  shall  be  tagged to prevent the
24    transfer, renewal, or purchase  of  new  registration  plates
25    until  the proper registration plate reinstatement procedures
26    are followed.
27        Section 99.  Effective date.  This Act  takes  effect  on
28    January  1, 1998, except that the changes to Section 7-601 of
29    the Illinois Vehicle Code take effect on July 1, 1998.

[ Top ]