State of Illinois
92nd General Assembly
Legislation

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92_HB5758

 
                                               LRB9212850DHgc

 1        AN ACT in relation to vehicles.

 2        Be  it  enacted  by  the People of the State of Illinois,
 3    represented in the General Assembly:

 4        Section 5.  The  Illinois  Vehicle  Code  is  amended  by
 5    changing Section 11-208.3 as follows:

 6        (625 ILCS 5/11-208.3) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 11-208.3)
 7        Sec. 11-208.3.  Administrative adjudication of violations
 8    of  traffic  regulations concerning the standing, parking, or
 9    condition of vehicles.
10        (a)  Any municipality may  provide  by  ordinance  for  a
11    system  of  administrative adjudication of vehicular standing
12    and parking violations and vehicle compliance  violations  as
13    defined  in  this subsection. The administrative system shall
14    have as its purpose the fair  and  efficient  enforcement  of
15    municipal regulations through the administrative adjudication
16    of violations of municipal ordinances regulating the standing
17    and  parking  of  vehicles,  the condition and use of vehicle
18    equipment, and the display of municipal  wheel  tax  licenses
19    within the municipality's borders.  The administrative system
20    shall  only  have authority only to adjudicate civil offenses
21    carrying fines not in excess of $250  that  occur  after  the
22    effective  date of the ordinance adopting such a system under
23    this Section.  For  purposes  of  this  Section,  "compliance
24    violation"  means  a  violation  of  a  municipal  regulation
25    governing  the  condition or use of equipment on a vehicle or
26    governing the display of a municipal wheel tax license.
27        (b)  Any   ordinance    establishing    a    system    of
28    administrative  adjudication under this Section shall provide
29    for:
30             (1)  A traffic compliance  administrator  authorized
31        to  adopt,  distribute and process parking and compliance
 
                            -2-                LRB9212850DHgc
 1        violation notices and  other  notices  required  by  this
 2        Section,  collect  money  paid as fines and penalties for
 3        violation  of  parking  and  compliance  ordinances,  and
 4        operate  an  administrative  adjudication  system.    The
 5        traffic   compliance   administrator   also  may  make  a
 6        certified report to the Secretary of State under  Section
 7        6-306.5.
 8             (2)  A  parking,  standing,  or compliance violation
 9        notice that shall specify the date, time,  and  place  of
10        violation   of   a   parking,   standing,  or  compliance
11        regulation; the particular regulation violated; the  fine
12        and  any  penalty  that may be assessed for late payment,
13        when so provided by ordinance; the vehicle make and state
14        registration number; and the identification number of the
15        person issuing the notice. With regard to  municipalities
16        with  a  population  of  1  million  or more, it shall be
17        grounds for dismissal of a parking violation if the State
18        registration  number  or  vehicle   make   specified   is
19        incorrect.  The  violation  notice  shall  state that the
20        payment of the indicated  fine,  and  of  any  applicable
21        penalty  for  late  payment,  shall  operate  as  a final
22        disposition of the  violation.   The  notice  also  shall
23        contain  information  as to the availability of a hearing
24        in which the violation may be contested  on  its  merits.
25        The violation notice shall specify the time and manner in
26        which a hearing may be had.
27             (3)  Service of the parking, standing, or compliance
28        violation  notice by affixing the original or a facsimile
29        of the notice to  an  unlawfully  parked  vehicle  or  by
30        handing  the notice to the operator of a vehicle if he or
31        she is present.  A  person  authorized  by  ordinance  to
32        issue   and   serve  parking,  standing,  and  compliance
33        violation notices shall certify as to the correctness  of
34        the  facts entered on the violation notice by signing his
 
                            -3-                LRB9212850DHgc
 1        or her name to the notice at the time of  service  or  in
 2        the  case  of a notice produced by a computerized device,
 3        by signing a single certificate to be kept by the traffic
 4        compliance administrator attesting to the correctness  of
 5        all notices produced by the device while it was under his
 6        or  her  control.   The  original  or  a facsimile of the
 7        violation  notice  shall  be  retained  by  the   traffic
 8        compliance  administrator,  and shall be a record kept in
 9        the ordinary course of business.  A parking, standing, or
10        compliance violation notice issued, signed and served  in
11        accordance  with  this  Section, or a copy of the notice,
12        shall be prima facie correct and  shall  be  prima  facie
13        evidence  of  the  correctness  of the facts shown on the
14        notice.  The notice or copy shall be  admissible  in  any
15        subsequent administrative or legal proceedings.
16             (4)  An opportunity for a hearing for the registered
17        owner  of  the vehicle cited in the parking, standing, or
18        compliance  violation  notice  in  which  the  owner  may
19        contest the merits of the alleged violation,  and  during
20        which  formal  or  technical  rules of evidence shall not
21        apply; provided, however, that under Section  11-1306  of
22        this  Code the lessee of a vehicle cited in the violation
23        notice likewise shall be provided an  opportunity  for  a
24        hearing  of  the same kind afforded the registered owner.
25        The hearings shall be recorded, and the person conducting
26        the  hearing  on  behalf  of   the   traffic   compliance
27        administrator  shall be empowered to administer oaths and
28        to secure by subpoena both the attendance  and  testimony
29        of  witnesses  and  the  production of relevant books and
30        papers.   Persons  appearing  at  a  hearing  under  this
31        Section may be represented by counsel at  their  expense.
32        The    ordinance    may   also   provide   for   internal
33        administrative  review  following  the  decision  of  the
34        hearing officer.
 
                            -4-                LRB9212850DHgc
 1             (5)  Service of additional notices,  sent  by  first
 2        class United States mail, postage prepaid, to the address
 3        of  the registered owner of the cited vehicle as recorded
 4        with the Secretary of State or, under Section 11-1306  of
 5        this Code, to the lessee of the cited vehicle at the last
 6        address  known  to the lessor of the cited vehicle at the
 7        time of lease.   The service shall be deemed complete  as
 8        of  the  date  of deposit in the United States mail.  The
 9        notices shall be in  the  following  sequence  and  shall
10        include  but  not be limited to the information specified
11        herein:
12                  (i)  A second notice of violation.  This notice
13             shall specify the date and location of the violation
14             cited  in  the  parking,  standing,  or   compliance
15             violation    notice,   the   particular   regulation
16             violated, the vehicle make  and  state  registration
17             number,  the  fine  and  any  penalty  that  may  be
18             assessed  for  late  payment  when  so  provided  by
19             ordinance,  the  availability  of a hearing in which
20             the violation may be contested on  its  merits,  and
21             the time and manner in which the hearing may be had.
22             The  notice  of  violation  shall  also  state  that
23             failure  either  to  pay  the indicated fine and any
24             applicable penalty, or to appear at a hearing on the
25             merits in the time and manner specified, will result
26             in a final determination of violation liability  for
27             the  cited  violation  in  the amount of the fine or
28             penalty indicated, and that, upon the occurrence  of
29             a final determination of violation liability for the
30             failure,  and  the  exhaustion  of,  or  failure  to
31             exhaust,   available   administrative   or  judicial
32             procedures for review, any unpaid  fine  or  penalty
33             will   constitute   a   debt   due   and  owing  the
34             municipality.
 
                            -5-                LRB9212850DHgc
 1                  (ii)  A  notice  of  final   determination   of
 2             parking,    standing,    or   compliance   violation
 3             liability. This notice shall  be  sent  following  a
 4             final   determination   of   parking,  standing,  or
 5             compliance violation liability and the conclusion of
 6             judicial review procedures taken under this Section.
 7             The notice shall  state  that  the  unpaid  fine  or
 8             penalty  is  a  debt due and owing the municipality.
 9             The notice shall contain warnings  that  failure  to
10             pay   any   fine   or  penalty  due  and  owing  the
11             municipality within the time specified may result in
12             the municipality's  filing  of  a  petition  in  the
13             Circuit  Court  to  have  the unpaid fine or penalty
14             rendered a judgment as provided by this Section,  or
15             may  result  in  suspension  of the person's drivers
16             license for failure to pay fines or penalties for 10
17             or more parking violations under Section 6-306.5.
18             (6)  A   Notice   of   impending   drivers   license
19        suspension.  This notice shall  be  sent  to  the  person
20        liable for any fine or penalty that remains due and owing
21        on 10 or more parking violations.  The notice shall state
22        that  failure  to pay the fine or penalty owing within 45
23        days of the notice's date will result in the municipality
24        notifying the Secretary  of  State  that  the  person  is
25        eligible  for  initiation of suspension proceedings under
26        Section 6-306.5 of this Code. The notice shall also state
27        that the person may  obtain  a  photostatic  copy  of  an
28        original  ticket  imposing a fine or penalty by sending a
29        self addressed,  stamped  envelope  to  the  municipality
30        along  with  a  request  for  the  photostatic copy.  The
31        notice of impending drivers license suspension  shall  be
32        sent  by first class United States mail, postage prepaid,
33        to the address recorded with the Secretary of State.
34             (7)  Final determinations of violation liability.  A
 
                            -6-                LRB9212850DHgc
 1        final determination of violation  liability  shall  occur
 2        following  failure  to  pay  the  fine or penalty after a
 3        hearing officer's determination  of  violation  liability
 4        and   the   exhaustion  of  or  failure  to  exhaust  any
 5        administrative review procedures provided  by  ordinance.
 6        Where  a  person  fails to appear at a hearing to contest
 7        the alleged violation in the time and manner specified in
 8        a   prior   mailed   notice,   the   hearing    officer's
 9        determination  of violation liability shall become final:
10        (A)  upon denial of a timely petition to set  aside  that
11        determination,  or  (B) upon expiration of the period for
12        filing the petition without a filing having been made.
13             (8)  A petition to  set  aside  a  determination  of
14        parking, standing, or compliance violation liability that
15        may be filed by a person owing an unpaid fine or penalty.
16        The  petition  shall  be filed with and ruled upon by the
17        traffic compliance administrator in the manner and within
18        the time specified by  ordinance.  The  grounds  for  the
19        petition  may  be  limited to:  (A) the person not having
20        been the owner or lessee of the cited vehicle on the date
21        the violation notice was issued, (B)  the  person  having
22        already  paid  the  fine  or penalty for the violation in
23        question, and (C)  excusable  failure  to  appear  at  or
24        request  a  new  date  for  a  hearing.  With  regard  to
25        municipalities with a population of 1 million or more, it
26        shall  be grounds for dismissal of a parking violation if
27        the State registration number or vehicle  make  specified
28        is   incorrect.   After  the  determination  of  parking,
29        standing, or compliance violation liability has been  set
30        aside  upon a showing of just cause, the registered owner
31        shall be provided with a hearing on the merits  for  that
32        violation.
33             (9)  Procedures  for  non-residents.  Procedures  by
34        which  persons  who are not residents of the municipality
 
                            -7-                LRB9212850DHgc
 1        may contest the merits of the alleged  violation  without
 2        attending a hearing.
 3             (10)  A  schedule  of  civil fines for violations of
 4        vehicular standing, parking, and  compliance  regulations
 5        enacted  by  ordinance  pursuant  to  this Section, and a
 6        schedule of penalties for  late  payment  of  the  fines,
 7        provided,  however, that the total amount of the fine and
 8        penalty for any one violation shall not exceed $250.
 9             (11)  Other provisions as are necessary  and  proper
10        to  carry  into  effect  the  powers granted and purposes
11        stated in this Section.
12        (c)  Any municipality  establishing  vehicular  standing,
13    parking,  and  compliance  regulations under this Section may
14    also  provide  by  ordinance  for  a   program   of   vehicle
15    immobilization for the purpose of facilitating enforcement of
16    those  regulations.   The  program  of vehicle immobilization
17    shall provide for immobilizing any eligible vehicle upon  the
18    public  way by presence of a restraint in a manner to prevent
19    operation of  the  vehicle.   Any  ordinance  establishing  a
20    program  of  vehicle  immobilization under this Section shall
21    provide:
22             (1)  Criteria  for  the  designation   of   vehicles
23        eligible for immobilization.  A vehicle shall be eligible
24        for  immobilization  when  the  registered  owner  of the
25        vehicle  has  accumulated  the  number  of  unpaid  final
26        determinations  of  parking,  standing,   or   compliance
27        violation liability as determined by ordinance.
28             (2)  A  notice  of  impending vehicle immobilization
29        and a right to a hearing to challenge the validity of the
30        notice by  disproving  liability  for  the  unpaid  final
31        determinations   of   parking,  standing,  or  compliance
32        violation liability listed on the notice.
33             (3)  The right to a prompt hearing after  a  vehicle
34        has   been  immobilized  or  subsequently  towed  without
 
                            -8-                LRB9212850DHgc
 1        payment  of  the  outstanding  fines  and  penalties   on
 2        parking,  standing,  or  compliance  violations for which
 3        final determinations have been issued.  An  order  issued
 4        after  the  hearing  is  a  final administrative decision
 5        within the meaning of Section 3-101 of the Code of  Civil
 6        Procedure.
 7             (4)  A  post  immobilization  and post-towing notice
 8        advising the registered owner of the vehicle of the right
 9        to  a  hearing  to  challenge   the   validity   of   the
10        impoundment.
11        (d)  Judicial  review of final determinations of parking,
12    standing, and compliance violations and final  administrative
13    decisions    issued    after   hearings   regarding   vehicle
14    immobilization and impoundment made under this Section  shall
15    be  subject  to  the  provisions of the Administrative Review
16    Law.
17        (e)  Any fine, penalty,  or  part  of  any  fine  or  any
18    penalty  remaining  unpaid  after  the  exhaustion of, or the
19    failure to exhaust,  administrative  remedies  created  under
20    this  Section  and  the  conclusion  of  any  judicial review
21    procedures shall be a debt due  and  owing  the  municipality
22    and,  as such, may be collected in accordance with applicable
23    law.  Payment in full of any fine or penalty resulting from a
24    standing, parking, or compliance violation shall constitute a
25    final disposition of that violation.
26        (f)  After the expiration  of  the  period  within  which
27    judicial  review  may  be sought for a final determination of
28    parking, standing, or compliance violation, the  municipality
29    may  commence  a proceeding in the Circuit Court for purposes
30    of  obtaining  a  judgment  on  the  final  determination  of
31    violation.   Nothing  in  this  Section   shall   prevent   a
32    municipality from consolidating multiple final determinations
33    of  parking,  standing,  or  compliance  violation  against a
34    person in a proceeding.  Upon commencement of the action, the
 
                            -9-                LRB9212850DHgc
 1    municipality  shall  file  a  certified  copy  of  the  final
 2    determination of parking, standing, or compliance  violation,
 3    which  shall  be  accompanied by a certification that recites
 4    facts sufficient to show  that  the  final  determination  of
 5    violation  was issued in accordance with this Section and the
 6    applicable municipal ordinance.  Service of the summons and a
 7    copy of the petition may be by any method provided by Section
 8    2-203 of the Code of Civil Procedure or  by  certified  mail,
 9    return  receipt  requested, provided that the total amount of
10    fines and penalties  for  final  determinations  of  parking,
11    standing, or compliance violations does not exceed $2500.  If
12    the  court  is  satisfied  that  the  final  determination of
13    parking, standing, or compliance  violation  was  entered  in
14    accordance  with  the  requirements  of  this Section and the
15    applicable municipal ordinance, and that the registered owner
16    or the lessee, as the case may be, had an opportunity for  an
17    administrative hearing and for judicial review as provided in
18    this Section, the court shall render judgment in favor of the
19    municipality  and  against the registered owner or the lessee
20    for the  amount  indicated  in  the  final  determination  of
21    parking,  standing, or compliance violation, plus costs.  The
22    judgment shall have the same effect and may  be  enforced  in
23    the same manner as other judgments for the recovery of money.
24    (Source:  P.A.  88-415; 88-437; 88-670, eff. 12-2-94; 89-190,
25    eff. 1-1-96.)

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