101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
SB3608

 

Introduced 2/14/2020, by Sen. Elgie R. Sims, Jr.

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
625 ILCS 5/11-208.6

    Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that 30 days after the effective date of the bill, the Department of Transportation shall conduct a study evaluating automated traffic law enforcement systems in this State. Provides that on or before January 1, 2021, the Department shall file a report with the General Assembly with the results from the study, including input from local law enforcement, improvements, if any, to public safety after the installation of an automated traffic law enforcement system, and annual fatalities at intersections before and after an automated traffic law enforcement system was installed, or over the last 5 years, and any recommendations the Department deems necessary. Effective immediately.


LRB101 20337 LNS 69881 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB3608LRB101 20337 LNS 69881 b

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 or digital registration
7    plate number of the motor 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) Except as provided under Section 11-208.8 of this Code,
15a county or municipality, including a home rule county or
16municipality, may not use an automated traffic law enforcement
17system to provide recorded images of a motor vehicle for the
18purpose of recording its speed. Except as provided under
19Section 11-208.8 of this Code, the regulation of the use of
20automated traffic law enforcement systems to record vehicle
21speeds is an exclusive power and function of the State. This
22subsection (c) is a denial and limitation of home rule powers
23and functions under subsection (h) of Section 6 of Article VII
24of the Illinois Constitution.
25    (c-5) A county or municipality, including a home rule
26county or municipality, may not use an automated traffic law

 

 

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1enforcement system to issue violations in instances where the
2motor vehicle comes to a complete stop and does not enter the
3intersection, as defined by Section 1-132 of this Code, during
4the cycle of the red signal indication unless one or more
5pedestrians or bicyclists are present, even if the motor
6vehicle stops at a point past a stop line or crosswalk where a
7driver is required to stop, as specified in subsection (c) of
8Section 11-306 of this Code or a similar provision of a local
9ordinance.
10    (c-6) A county, or a municipality with less than 2,000,000
11inhabitants, including a home rule county or municipality, may
12not use an automated traffic law enforcement system to issue
13violations in instances where a motorcyclist enters an
14intersection against a red signal indication when the red
15signal fails to change to a green signal within a reasonable
16period of time not less than 120 seconds because of a signal
17malfunction or because the signal has failed to detect the
18arrival of the motorcycle due to the motorcycle's size or
19weight.
20    (d) For each violation of a provision of this Code or a
21local ordinance recorded by an automatic traffic law
22enforcement system, the county or municipality having
23jurisdiction shall issue a written notice of the violation to
24the registered owner of the vehicle as the alleged violator.
25The notice shall be delivered to the registered owner of the
26vehicle, by mail, within 30 days after the Secretary of State

 

 

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

 

 

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1        education program, or both; or
2            (B) challenging the charge in court, by mail, or by
3        administrative hearing; and
4        (11) a website address, accessible through the
5    Internet, where the person may view the recorded images of
6    the violation.
7    (e) If a person charged with a traffic violation, as a
8result of an automated traffic law enforcement system, does not
9pay the fine or complete a required traffic education program,
10or both, or successfully contest the civil penalty resulting
11from that violation, the Secretary of State shall suspend the
12driving privileges of the registered owner of the vehicle under
13Section 6-306.5 of this Code for failing to complete a required
14traffic education program or to pay any fine or penalty due and
15owing, or both, as a result of a combination of 5 violations of
16the automated traffic law enforcement system or the automated
17speed enforcement system under Section 11-208.8 of this Code.
18    (f) Based on inspection of recorded images produced by an
19automated traffic law enforcement system, a notice alleging
20that the violation occurred shall be evidence of the facts
21contained in the notice and admissible in any proceeding
22alleging a violation under this Section.
23    (g) Recorded images made by an automatic traffic law
24enforcement system are confidential and shall be made available
25only to the alleged violator and governmental and law
26enforcement agencies for purposes of adjudicating a violation

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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1traffic education program.
2    (k) An intersection equipped with an automated traffic law
3enforcement system must be posted with a sign visible to
4approaching traffic indicating that the intersection is being
5monitored by an automated traffic law enforcement system.
6    (k-3) A municipality or county that has one or more
7intersections equipped with an automated traffic law
8enforcement system must provide notice to drivers by posting
9the locations of automated traffic law systems on the
10municipality or county website.
11    (k-5) An intersection equipped with an automated traffic
12law enforcement system must have a yellow change interval that
13conforms with the Illinois Manual on Uniform Traffic Control
14Devices (IMUTCD) published by the Illinois Department of
15Transportation.
16    (k-7) A municipality or county operating an automated
17traffic law enforcement system shall conduct a statistical
18analysis to assess the safety impact of each automated traffic
19law enforcement system at an intersection following
20installation of the system. The statistical analysis shall be
21based upon the best available crash, traffic, and other data,
22and shall cover a period of time before and after installation
23of the system sufficient to provide a statistically valid
24comparison of safety impact. The statistical analysis shall be
25consistent with professional judgment and acceptable industry
26practice. The statistical analysis also shall be consistent

 

 

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1with the data required for valid comparisons of before and
2after conditions and shall be conducted within a reasonable
3period following the installation of the automated traffic law
4enforcement system. The statistical analysis required by this
5subsection (k-7) shall be made available to the public and
6shall be published on the website of the municipality or
7county. If the statistical analysis for the 36 month period
8following installation of the system indicates that there has
9been an increase in the rate of accidents at the approach to
10the intersection monitored by the system, the municipality or
11county shall undertake additional studies to determine the
12cause and severity of the accidents, and may take any action
13that it determines is necessary or appropriate to reduce the
14number or severity of the accidents at that intersection.
15    (k-10) Thirty days after the effective date of this
16amendatory Act of the 101st General Assembly, the Department
17shall conduct a study evaluating automated traffic law
18enforcement systems in this State. On or before January 1,
192021, the Department shall file a report with the General
20Assembly which shall include input from local law enforcement
21on the overall operation, usage, permit process, and regulation
22of automated traffic law enforcement systems, improvements, if
23any, to public safety after the installation of an automated
24traffic law enforcement system, and annual fatalities at
25intersections before and after an automated traffic law
26enforcement system was installed, or over the last 5 years, and

 

 

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1any recommendations the Department deems necessary.
2    (l) The compensation paid for an automated traffic law
3enforcement system must be based on the value of the equipment
4or the services provided and may not be based on the number of
5traffic citations issued or the revenue generated by the
6system.
7    (m) This Section applies only to the counties of Cook,
8DuPage, Kane, Lake, Madison, McHenry, St. Clair, and Will and
9to municipalities located within those counties.
10    (n) The fee for participating in a traffic education
11program under this Section shall not exceed $25.
12    A low-income individual required to complete a traffic
13education program under this Section who provides proof of
14eligibility for the federal earned income tax credit under
15Section 32 of the Internal Revenue Code or the Illinois earned
16income tax credit under Section 212 of the Illinois Income Tax
17Act shall not be required to pay any fee for participating in a
18required traffic education program.
19    (o) A municipality or county shall make a certified report
20to the Secretary of State pursuant to Section 6-306.5 of this
21Code whenever a registered owner of a vehicle has failed to pay
22any fine or penalty due and owing as a result of a combination
23of 5 offenses for automated traffic law or speed enforcement
24system violations.
25    (p) No person who is the lessor of a motor vehicle pursuant
26to a written lease agreement shall be liable for an automated

 

 

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1speed or traffic law enforcement system violation involving
2such motor vehicle during the period of the lease; provided
3that upon the request of the appropriate authority received
4within 120 days after the violation occurred, the lessor
5provides within 60 days after such receipt the name and address
6of the lessee. The drivers license number of a lessee may be
7subsequently individually requested by the appropriate
8authority if needed for enforcement of this Section.
9    Upon the provision of information by the lessor pursuant to
10this subsection, the county or municipality may issue the
11violation to the lessee of the vehicle in the same manner as it
12would issue a violation to a registered owner of a vehicle
13pursuant to this Section, and the lessee may be held liable for
14the violation.
15(Source: P.A. 101-395, eff. 8-16-19.)
 
16    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
17becoming law.