Public Act 102-0273
 
HB0694 EnrolledLRB102 13699 RAM 19049 b


  
    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 Section 3-609 as follows:
 


    (625 ILCS 5/3-609)  (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-609)



    Sec. 3-609. Plates for veterans with disabilities. 
    (a)  Any veteran who holds proof of a service-connected 
disability from the United States Department of Veterans 
Affairs, and who has obtained certification from a licensed 
physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice 
registered nurse that the service-connected disability 
qualifies the veteran for issuance of registration plates or 
digital registration plates or decals to a person with 
disabilities in accordance with Section 3-616, may, without 
the payment of any registration fee, make application to the 
Secretary of State for license plates for veterans with 
disabilities displaying the international symbol of access, 
for the registration of one motor vehicle of the first 
division, one motorcycle, or one motor vehicle of the second 
division weighing not more than 8,000 pounds.
    (b)  Any veteran who holds proof of a service-connected 
disability from the United States Department of Veterans 
Affairs, and whose degree of disability has been declared to 
be 50% or more, but whose disability does not qualify the 
veteran for a plate or decal for persons with disabilities 
under Section 3-616, may, without the payment of any 
registration fee, make application to the Secretary for a 
special registration plate or digital registration plate 
without the international symbol of access for the 
registration of one motor vehicle of the first division, one 
motorcycle, or one motor vehicle of the second division 
weighing not more than 8,000 pounds.


    (c) Renewal of such registration must be accompanied with 
documentation
for eligibility of registration without fee 
unless the applicant has a
permanent qualifying disability, 
and such registration plates or digital registration plates 
may not be
issued to any person not eligible therefor. The  
Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs may assist in 
providing the
documentation of disability.

    (d)  The design and color of the plates shall be within the 
discretion of the Secretary, except that the plates issued 
under subsection (b) of this Section shall not contain the 
international symbol of access. The Secretary may, in his or 
her discretion, allow the plates to be issued as vanity or 
personalized plates in accordance with Section 3-405.1 of this 
Code.  Registration shall be for a multi-year period and may be 
issued staggered registration. 
    (e) Any person eligible to receive license plates under 
this Section who has been approved for benefits under the 
Senior Citizens and Persons with Disabilities Property Tax 
Relief Act, or who has claimed and received a grant under that 
Act, shall pay a fee of $24 instead of the fee otherwise 
provided in this Code for passenger cars displaying standard 
multi-year registration plates or digital registration plates 
issued under Section 3-414.1, for motor vehicles registered at 
8,000 pounds or less under Section 3-815(a), or for 
recreational vehicles registered at 8,000 pounds or less under 
Section 3-815(b), for a second set of plates under this 
Section.

    (f) With respect to the supporting documentation required

to obtain a plate under this Section, the Secretary shall

allow an applicant to redact information on the documentation

that pertains to the nature of the applicant's health issue, 
unless that information is necessary to confirm that the 
applicant's disability is service-connected or to establish 
the degree of the applicant's service-connected disability. 
(Source: P.A. 100-513, eff. 1-1-18; 101-395, eff. 8-16-19; 
101-536, eff. 1-1-20; revised 9-24-19.)


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