Public Act 0209 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB0396 Enrolled LRB100 04881 JWD 14891 b

Public Act 100-0209

AN ACT concerning government.

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 1-140.10, 11-208, and 11-1516 and by adding Section 11-1517 as follows:

(625 ILCS 5/1-140.10)

Sec. 1-140.10. Low-speed electric bicycle. A bicycle equipped with fully operable pedals and an electric motor of less than 750 watts that meets the requirements of one of the following classes:

(a) "Class 1 low-speed electric bicycle" means a low-speed electric bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches a speed of 20 miles per hour.

(b) "Class 2 low-speed electric bicycle" means a low-speed electric bicycle equipped with a motor that may be used exclusively to propel the bicycle and that is not capable of providing assistance when the bicycle reaches a speed of 20 miles per hour.

(c) "Class 3 low-speed electric bicycle" means a low-speed electric bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches a speed of 28 miles per hour.

A "low-speed electric bicycle" is not a moped or a motor driven cycle. The term "low-speed electric bicycle" has the same meaning ascribed to it by Section 38 of the Consumer Product Safety Act (15 U.S.C. Sec. 2085).

(Source: P.A. 96-125, eff. 1-1-10.)

(625 ILCS 5/11-208) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 11-208)

Sec. 11-208. Powers of local authorities.

(a) The provisions of this Code shall not be deemed to prevent local authorities with respect to streets and highways under their jurisdiction and within the reasonable exercise of the police power from:

1. Regulating the standing or parking of vehicles, except as limited by Sections 11-1306 and 11-1307 of this Act;

2. Regulating traffic by means of police officers or traffic control signals;

3. Regulating or prohibiting processions or assemblages on the highways; and certifying persons to control traffic for processions or assemblages;

4. Designating particular highways as one-way highways and requiring that all vehicles thereon be moved in one specific direction;

5. Regulating the speed of vehicles in public parks subject to the limitations set forth in Section 11-604;

6. Designating any highway as a through highway, as authorized in Section 11-302, and requiring that all vehicles stop before entering or crossing the same or designating any intersection as a stop intersection or a yield right-of-way intersection and requiring all vehicles to stop or yield the right-of-way at one or more entrances to such intersections;

7. Restricting the use of highways as authorized in Chapter 15;

8. Regulating the operation of bicycles, low-speed electric bicycles, and low-speed gas bicycles, and requiring the registration and licensing of same, including the requirement of a registration fee;

9. Regulating or prohibiting the turning of vehicles or specified types of vehicles at intersections;

10. Altering the speed limits as authorized in Section 11-604;

11. Prohibiting U-turns;

12. Prohibiting pedestrian crossings at other than designated and marked crosswalks or at intersections;

13. Prohibiting parking during snow removal operation;

14. Imposing fines in accordance with Section 11-1301.3 as penalties for use of any parking place reserved for persons with disabilities, as defined by Section 1-159.1, or veterans with disabilities by any person using a motor vehicle not bearing registration plates specified in Section 11-1301.1 or a special decal or device as defined in Section 11-1301.2 as evidence that the vehicle is operated by or for a person with disabilities or a veteran with a disability;

15. Adopting such other traffic regulations as are specifically authorized by this Code; or

16. Enforcing the provisions of subsection (f) of Section 3-413 of this Code or a similar local ordinance.

(b) No ordinance or regulation enacted under subsections 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11 or 13 of paragraph (a) shall be effective until signs giving reasonable notice of such local traffic regulations are posted.

(c) The provisions of this Code shall not prevent any municipality having a population of 500,000 or more inhabitants from prohibiting any person from driving or operating any motor vehicle upon the roadways of such municipality with headlamps on high beam or bright.

(d) The provisions of this Code shall not be deemed to prevent local authorities within the reasonable exercise of their police power from prohibiting, on private property, the unauthorized use of parking spaces reserved for persons with disabilities.

(e) No unit of local government, including a home rule unit, may enact or enforce an ordinance that applies only to motorcycles if the principal purpose for that ordinance is to restrict the access of motorcycles to any highway or portion of a highway for which federal or State funds have been used for the planning, design, construction, or maintenance of that highway. No unit of local government, including a home rule unit, may enact an ordinance requiring motorcycle users to wear protective headgear. Nothing in this subsection (e) shall affect the authority of a unit of local government to regulate motorcycles for traffic control purposes or in accordance with Section 12-602 of this Code. No unit of local government, including a home rule unit, may regulate motorcycles in a manner inconsistent with this Code. This subsection (e) is a limitation under subsection (i) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution on the concurrent exercise by home rule units of powers and functions exercised by the State.

(f) A municipality or county designated in Section 11-208.6 may enact an ordinance providing for an automated traffic law enforcement system to enforce violations of this Code or a similar provision of a local ordinance and imposing liability on a registered owner or lessee of a vehicle used in such a violation.

(g) A municipality or county, as provided in Section 11-1201.1, may enact an ordinance providing for an automated traffic law enforcement system to enforce violations of Section 11-1201 of this Code or a similar provision of a local ordinance and imposing liability on a registered owner of a vehicle used in such a violation.

(h) A municipality designated in Section 11-208.8 may enact an ordinance providing for an automated speed enforcement system to enforce violations of Article VI of Chapter 11 of this Code or a similar provision of a local ordinance.

(i) A municipality or county designated in Section 11-208.9 may enact an ordinance providing for an automated traffic law enforcement system to enforce violations of Section 11-1414 of this Code or a similar provision of a local ordinance and imposing liability on a registered owner or lessee of a vehicle used in such a violation.

(Source: P.A. 98-396, eff. 1-1-14; 98-556, eff. 1-1-14; 98-756, eff. 7-16-14; 99-143, eff. 7-27-15.)

(625 ILCS 5/11-1516)

Sec. 11-1516. Low-speed gas bicycles.

(a) A person may operate a low-speed electric bicycle or low-speed gas bicycle only if the person is at least 16 years of age.

(b) A person may not operate a low-speed electric bicycle or low-speed gas bicycle at a speed greater than 20 miles per hour upon any highway, street, or roadway.

(c) A person may not operate a low-speed electric bicycle or low-speed gas bicycle on a sidewalk.

(d) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, the provisions of this Article XV that apply to bicycles also apply to low-speed electric bicycles and low-speed gas bicycles.

(Source: P.A. 96-125, eff. 1-1-10.)

(625 ILCS 5/11-1517 new)

Sec. 11-1517. Low-speed electric bicycles.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, the provisions of this Chapter that apply to bicycles also apply to low-speed electric bicycles.

(b) Each low-speed electric bicycle operating in this State shall comply with equipment and manufacturing requirements adopted by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission under 16 CFR 1512. Each Class 3 low-speed electric bicycle shall be equipped with a speedometer that displays the speed the bicycle is traveling in miles per hour.

(c) Beginning on or after January 1, 2018, every manufacturer and distributor of low-speed electric bicycles shall apply a label that is permanently affixed to the bicycle in a prominent location. The label shall contain, in Arial font in at least 9-point type:

(1) a classification number for the bicycle that corresponds with a class under Section 1-140.10 of this Code;

(2) the bicycle's top assisted speed; and

(3) the bicycle's motor wattage.

No person shall knowingly tamper or modify the speed capability or engagement of a low-speed electric bicycle without replacing the label required under this subsection (c).

(d) A Class 2 low-speed electric bicycle shall operate in a manner so that the electric motor is disengaged or ceases to function when the brakes are applied. A Class 1 low-speed electric bicycle and a Class 3 low-speed electric bicycle shall operate in a manner so that the electric motor is disengaged or ceases to function when the rider stops pedaling.

(e) A person may operate a low-speed electric bicycle upon any highway, street, or roadway authorized for use by bicycles, including, but not limited to, bicycle lanes.

(f) A person may operate a low-speed electric bicycle upon any bicycle path unless the municipality, county, or local authority with jurisdiction prohibits the use of low-speed electric bicycles or a specific class of low-speed electric bicycles on that path.

(g) A person may not operate a low-speed electric bicycle on a sidewalk.

(h) A person may operate a Class 3 low-speed electric bicycle only if he or she is 16 years of age or older. A person who is less than 16 years of age may ride as a passenger on a Class 3 low-speed electric bicycle that is designed to accommodate passengers.