Public Act 094-0784
 
SB2233 Enrolled LRB094 15582 DRH 50782 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
Sections 4-203 and 5-301 as follows:
 
    (625 ILCS 5/4-203)  (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 4-203)
    Sec. 4-203. Removal of motor vehicles or other vehicles;
Towing or hauling away.
    (a) When a vehicle is abandoned, or left unattended, on a
toll highway, interstate highway, or expressway for 2 hours or
more, its removal by a towing service may be authorized by a
law enforcement agency having jurisdiction.
    (b) When a vehicle is abandoned on a highway in an urban
district 10 hours or more, its removal by a towing service may
be authorized by a law enforcement agency having jurisdiction.
    (c) When a vehicle is abandoned or left unattended on a
highway other than a toll highway, interstate highway, or
expressway, outside of an urban district for 24 hours or more,
its removal by a towing service may be authorized by a law
enforcement agency having jurisdiction.
    (d) When an abandoned, unattended, wrecked, burned or
partially dismantled vehicle is creating a traffic hazard
because of its position in relation to the highway or its
physical appearance is causing the impeding of traffic, its
immediate removal from the highway or private property adjacent
to the highway by a towing service may be authorized by a law
enforcement agency having jurisdiction.
    (e) Whenever a peace officer reasonably believes that a
person under arrest for a violation of Section 11-501 of this
Code or a similar provision of a local ordinance is likely,
upon release, to commit a subsequent violation of Section
11-501, or a similar provision of a local ordinance, the
arresting officer shall have the vehicle which the person was
operating at the time of the arrest impounded for a period of
not more than 12 hours after the time of arrest. However, such
vehicle may be released by the arresting law enforcement agency
prior to the end of the impoundment period if:
        (1) the vehicle was not owned by the person under
    arrest, and the lawful owner requesting such release
    possesses a valid operator's license, proof of ownership,
    and would not, as determined by the arresting law
    enforcement agency, indicate a lack of ability to operate a
    motor vehicle in a safe manner, or who would otherwise, by
    operating such motor vehicle, be in violation of this Code;
    or
        (2) the vehicle is owned by the person under arrest,
    and the person under arrest gives permission to another
    person to operate such vehicle, provided however, that the
    other person possesses a valid operator's license and would
    not, as determined by the arresting law enforcement agency,
    indicate a lack of ability to operate a motor vehicle in a
    safe manner or who would otherwise, by operating such motor
    vehicle, be in violation of this Code.
    (e-5) Whenever a registered owner of a vehicle is taken
into custody for operating the vehicle in violation of Section
11-501 of this Code or a similar provision of a local ordinance
or Section 6-303 of this Code, a law enforcement officer may
have the vehicle immediately impounded for a period not less
than:
        (1) 24 hours for a second violation of Section 11-501
    of this Code or a similar provision of a local ordinance or
    Section 6-303 of this Code or a combination of these
    offenses; or
        (2) 48 hours for a third violation of Section 11-501 of
    this Code or a similar provision of a local ordinance or
    Section 6-303 of this Code or a combination of these
    offenses.
    The vehicle may be released sooner if the vehicle is owned
by the person under arrest and the person under arrest gives
permission to another person to operate the vehicle and that
other person possesses a valid operator's license and would
not, as determined by the arresting law enforcement agency,
indicate a lack of ability to operate a motor vehicle in a safe
manner or would otherwise, by operating the motor vehicle, be
in violation of this Code.
    (f) Except as provided in Chapter 18a of this Code, the
owner or lessor of privately owned real property within this
State, or any person authorized by such owner or lessor, or any
law enforcement agency in the case of publicly owned real
property may cause any motor vehicle abandoned or left
unattended upon such property without permission to be removed
by a towing service without liability for the costs of removal,
transportation or storage or damage caused by such removal,
transportation or storage. The towing or removal of any vehicle
from private property without the consent of the registered
owner or other legally authorized person in control of the
vehicle is subject to compliance with the following conditions
and restrictions:
        1. Any towed or removed vehicle must be stored at the
    site of the towing service's place of business. The site
    must be open during business hours, and for the purpose of
    redemption of vehicles, during the time that the person or
    firm towing such vehicle is open for towing purposes.
        2. The towing service shall within 30 minutes of
    completion of such towing or removal, notify the law
    enforcement agency having jurisdiction of such towing or
    removal, and the make, model, color and license plate
    number of the vehicle, and shall obtain and record the name
    of the person at the law enforcement agency to whom such
    information was reported.
        3. If the registered owner or legally authorized person
    entitled to possession of the vehicle shall arrive at the
    scene prior to actual removal or towing of the vehicle, the
    vehicle shall be disconnected from the tow truck and that
    person shall be allowed to remove the vehicle without
    interference, upon the payment of a reasonable service fee
    of not more than one half the posted rate of the towing
    service as provided in paragraph 6 of this subsection, for
    which a receipt shall be given.
        4. The rebate or payment of money or any other valuable
    consideration from the towing service or its owners,
    managers or employees to the owners or operators of the
    premises from which the vehicles are towed or removed, for
    the privilege of removing or towing those vehicles, is
    prohibited. Any individual who violates this paragraph
    shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
        5. Except for property appurtenant to and obviously a
    part of a single family residence, and except for instances
    where notice is personally given to the owner or other
    legally authorized person in control of the vehicle that
    the area in which that vehicle is parked is reserved or
    otherwise unavailable to unauthorized vehicles and they
    are subject to being removed at the owner or operator's
    expense, any property owner or lessor, prior to towing or
    removing any vehicle from private property without the
    consent of the owner or other legally authorized person in
    control of that vehicle, must post a notice meeting the
    following requirements:
            a. Except as otherwise provided in subparagraph
        a.1 of this subdivision (f)5, the The notice must be
        prominently placed at each driveway access or curb cut
        allowing vehicular access to the property within 5 feet
        from the public right-of-way line. If there are no
        curbs or access barriers, the sign must be posted not
        less than one sign each 100 feet of lot frontage.
            a.1. In a municipality with a population of less
        than 250,000, as an alternative to the requirement of
        subparagraph a of this subdivision (f)5, the notice for
        a parking lot contained within property used solely for
        a 2-family, 3-family, or 4-family residence may be
        prominently placed at the perimeter of the parking lot,
        in a position where the notice is visible to the
        occupants of vehicles entering the lot.
            b. The notice must indicate clearly, in not less
        than 2 inch high light-reflective letters on a
        contrasting background, that unauthorized vehicles
        will be towed away at the owner's expense.
            c. The notice must also provide the name and
        current telephone number of the towing service towing
        or removing the vehicle.
            d. The sign structure containing the required
        notices must be permanently installed with the bottom
        of the sign not less than 4 feet above ground level,
        and must be continuously maintained on the property for
        not less than 24 hours prior to the towing or removing
        of any vehicle.
        6. Any towing service that tows or removes vehicles and
    proposes to require the owner, operator, or person in
    control of the vehicle to pay the costs of towing and
    storage prior to redemption of the vehicle must file and
    keep on record with the local law enforcement agency a
    complete copy of the current rates to be charged for such
    services, and post at the storage site an identical rate
    schedule and any written contracts with property owners,
    lessors, or persons in control of property which authorize
    them to remove vehicles as provided in this Section.
        7. No person shall engage in the removal of vehicles
    from private property as described in this Section without
    filing a notice of intent in each community where he
    intends to do such removal, and such notice shall be filed
    at least 7 days before commencing such towing.
        8. No removal of a vehicle from private property shall
    be done except upon express written instructions of the
    owners or persons in charge of the private property upon
    which the vehicle is said to be trespassing.
        9. Vehicle entry for the purpose of removal shall be
    allowed with reasonable care on the part of the person or
    firm towing the vehicle. Such person or firm shall be
    liable for any damages occasioned to the vehicle if such
    entry is not in accordance with the standards of reasonable
    care.
        10. When a vehicle has been towed or removed pursuant
    to this Section, it must be released to its owner or
    custodian within one half hour after requested, if such
    request is made during business hours. Any vehicle owner or
    custodian or agent shall have the right to inspect the
    vehicle before accepting its return, and no release or
    waiver of any kind which would release the towing service
    from liability for damages incurred during the towing and
    storage may be required from any vehicle owner or other
    legally authorized person as a condition of release of the
    vehicle. A detailed, signed receipt showing the legal name
    of the towing service must be given to the person paying
    towing or storage charges at the time of payment, whether
    requested or not.
    This Section shall not apply to law enforcement,
firefighting, rescue, ambulance, or other emergency vehicles
which are marked as such or to property owned by any
governmental entity.
    When an authorized person improperly causes a motor vehicle
to be removed, such person shall be liable to the owner or
lessee of the vehicle for the cost or removal, transportation
and storage, any damages resulting from the removal,
transportation and storage, attorney's fee and court costs.
    Any towing or storage charges accrued shall be payable by
the use of any major credit card, in addition to being payable
in cash.
        11. Towing companies shall also provide insurance
    coverage for areas where vehicles towed under the
    provisions of this Chapter will be impounded or otherwise
    stored, and shall adequately cover loss by fire, theft or
    other risks.
    Any person who fails to comply with the conditions and
restrictions of this subsection shall be guilty of a Class C
misdemeanor and shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than
$500.
    (g) When a vehicle is determined to be a hazardous
dilapidated motor vehicle pursuant to Section 11-40-3.1 of the
Illinois Municipal Code, its removal and impoundment by a
towing service may be authorized by a law enforcement agency
with appropriate jurisdiction.
    When a vehicle removal from either public or private
property is authorized by a law enforcement agency, the owner
of the vehicle shall be responsible for all towing and storage
charges.
    Vehicles removed from public or private property and stored
by a commercial vehicle relocator or any other towing service
in compliance with this Section and Sections 4-201 and 4-202 of
this Code, or at the request of the vehicle owner or operator,
shall be subject to a possessor lien for services pursuant to
the Labor and Storage Lien (Small Amount) Act. The provisions
of Section 1 of that Act relating to notice and implied consent
shall be deemed satisfied by compliance with Section 18a-302
and subsection (6) of Section 18a-300. In no event shall such
lien be greater than the rate or rates established in
accordance with subsection (6) of Section 18a-200 of this Code.
In no event shall such lien be increased or altered to reflect
any charge for services or materials rendered in addition to
those authorized by this Act. Every such lien shall be payable
by use of any major credit card, in addition to being payable
in cash.
    Any personal property belonging to the vehicle owner in a
vehicle subject to a lien under this subsection (g) shall
likewise be subject to that lien, excepting only: food;
medicine; perishable property; any operator's licenses; any
cash, credit cards, or checks or checkbooks; and any wallet,
purse, or other property containing any operator's license or
other identifying documents or materials, cash, credit cards,
checks, or checkbooks.
    No lien under this subsection (g) shall: exceed $2,000 in
its total amount; or be increased or altered to reflect any
charge for services or materials rendered in addition to those
authorized by this Act.
(Source: P.A. 94-522, eff. 8-10-05.)
 
    (625 ILCS 5/5-301)  (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 5-301)
    Sec. 5-301. Automotive parts recyclers, scrap processors,
repairers and rebuilders must be licensed.
    (a) No person in this State shall, except as an incident to
the servicing of vehicles, carry on or conduct the business of
a automotive parts recyclers, a scrap processor, a repairer, or
a rebuilder, unless licensed to do so in writing by the
Secretary of State under this Section. No person shall rebuild
a salvage vehicle unless such person is licensed as a rebuilder
by the Secretary of State under this Section. Each license
shall be applied for and issued separately, except that a
license issued to a new vehicle dealer under Section 5-101 of
this Code shall also be deemed to be a repairer license.
    (b) Any application filed with the Secretary of State,
shall be duly verified by oath, in such form as the Secretary
of State may by rule or regulation prescribe and shall contain:
        1. The name and type of business organization of the
    applicant and his principal or additional places of
    business, if any, in this State.
        2. The kind or kinds of business enumerated in
    subsection (a) of this Section to be conducted at each
    location.
        3. If the applicant is a corporation, a list of its
    officers, directors, and shareholders having a ten percent
    or greater ownership interest in the corporation, setting
    forth the residence address of each; if the applicant is a
    sole proprietorship, a partnership, an unincorporated
    association, a trust, or any similar form of business
    organization, the names and residence address of the
    proprietor or of each partner, member, officer, director,
    trustee or manager.
        4. A statement that the applicant's officers,
    directors, shareholders having a ten percent or greater
    ownership interest therein, proprietor, partner, member,
    officer, director, trustee, manager, or other principals
    in the business have not committed in the past three years
    any one violation as determined in any civil or criminal or
    administrative proceedings of any one of the following
    Acts:
            (a) The Anti Theft Laws of the Illinois Vehicle
        Code;
            (b) The "Certificate of Title Laws" of the Illinois
        Vehicle Code;
            (c) The "Offenses against Registration and
        Certificates of Title Laws" of the Illinois Vehicle
        Code;
            (d) The "Dealers, Transporters, Wreckers and
        Rebuilders Laws" of the Illinois Vehicle Code;
            (e) Section 21-2 of the Criminal Code of 1961,
        Criminal Trespass to Vehicles; or
            (f) The Retailers Occupation Tax Act.
        5. A statement that the applicant's officers,
    directors, shareholders having a ten percent or greater
    ownership interest therein, proprietor, partner, member,
    officer, director, trustee, manager or other principals in
    the business have not committed in any calendar year 3 or
    more violations, as determined in any civil or criminal or
    administrative proceedings, of any one or more of the
    following Acts:
            (a) The Consumer Finance Act;
            (b) The Consumer Installment Loan Act;
            (c) The Retail Installment Sales Act;
            (d) The Motor Vehicle Retail Installment Sales
        Act;
            (e) The Interest Act;
            (f) The Illinois Wage Assignment Act;
            (g) Part 8 of Article XII of the Code of Civil
        Procedure; or
            (h) The Consumer Fraud Act.
        6. An application for a license shall be accompanied by
    the following fees: $50 for applicant's established place
    of business; $25 for each additional place of business, if
    any, to which the application pertains; provided, however,
    that if such an application is made after June 15 of any
    year, the license fee shall be $25 for applicant's
    established place of business plus $12.50 for each
    additional place of business, if any, to which the
    application pertains. License fees shall be returnable
    only in the event that such application shall be denied by
    the Secretary of State.
        7. A statement that the applicant understands Chapter 1
    through Chapter 5 of this Code.
        8. A statement that the applicant shall comply with
    subsection (e) of this Section.
    (c) Any change which renders no longer accurate any
information contained in any application for a license filed
with the Secretary of State shall be amended within 30 days
after the occurrence of such change on such form as the
Secretary of State may prescribe by rule or regulation,
accompanied by an amendatory fee of $2.
    (d) Anything in this chapter to the contrary,
notwithstanding, no person shall be licensed under this Section
unless such person shall maintain an established place of
business as defined in this Chapter.
    (e) The Secretary of State shall within a reasonable time
after receipt thereof, examine an application submitted to him
under this Section and unless he makes a determination that the
application submitted to him does not conform with the
requirements of this Section or that grounds exist for a denial
of the application, as prescribed in Section 5-501 of this
Chapter, grant the applicant an original license as applied for
in writing for his established place of business and a
supplemental license in writing for each additional place of
business in such form as he may prescribe by rule or regulation
which shall include the following:
        1. The name of the person licensed;
        2. If a corporation, the name and address of its
    officers or if a sole proprietorship, a partnership, an
    unincorporated association or any similar form of business
    organization, the name and address of the proprietor or of
    each partner, member, officer, director, trustee or
    manager;
        3. A designation of the kind or kinds of business
    enumerated in subsection (a) of this Section to be
    conducted at each location;
        4. In the case of an original license, the established
    place of business of the licensee;
        5. In the case of a supplemental license, the
    established place of business of the licensee and the
    additional place of business to which such supplemental
    license pertains.
    (f) The appropriate instrument evidencing the license or a
certified copy thereof, provided by the Secretary of State
shall be kept, posted, conspicuously in the established place
of business of the licensee and in each additional place of
business, if any, maintained by such licensee. The licensee
also shall post conspicuously in the established place of
business and in each additional place of business a notice
which states that such business is required to be licensed by
the Secretary of State under Section 5-301, and which provides
the license number of the business and the license expiration
date. This notice also shall advise the consumer that any
complaints as to the quality of service may be brought to the
attention of the Attorney General. The information required on
this notice also shall be printed conspicuously on all
estimates and receipts for work by the licensee subject to this
Section. The Secretary of State shall prescribe the specific
format of this notice.
    (g) Except as provided in subsection (h) hereof, licenses
granted under this Section shall expire by operation of law on
December 31 of the calendar year for which they are granted
unless sooner revoked or cancelled under the provisions of
Section 5-501 of this Chapter.
    (h) Any license granted under this Section may be renewed
upon application and payment of the fee required herein as in
the case of an original license, provided, however, that in
case an application for the renewal of an effective license is
made during the month of December, such effective license shall
remain in force until such application is granted or denied by
the Secretary of State.
    (i) All automotive repairers and rebuilders shall, in
addition to the requirements of subsections (a) through (h) of
this Section, meet the following licensing requirements:
        1. Provide proof that the property on which first time
    applicants plan to do business is in compliance with local
    zoning laws and regulations, and a listing of zoning
    classification;
        2. Provide proof that the applicant for a repairer's
    license complies with the proper workers' compensation
    rate code or classification, and listing the code of
    classification for that industry;
        3. Provide proof that the applicant for a rebuilder's
    license complies with the proper workers' compensation
    rate code or classification for the repair industry or the
    auto parts recycling industry and listing the code of
    classification;
        4. Provide proof that the applicant has obtained or
    applied for a hazardous waste generator number, and listing
    the actual number if available or certificate of exemption;
        5. Provide proof that applicant has proper liability
    insurance, and listing the name of the insurer and the
    policy number; and
        6. Provide proof that the applicant has obtained or
    applied for the proper State sales tax classification and
    federal identification tax number, and listing the actual
    numbers if available.
    (i-1) All automotive repairers shall provide proof that
they comply with all requirements of the Automotive Collision
Repair Act.
    (j) All automotive parts recyclers shall, in addition to
the requirements of subsections (a) through (h) of this
Section, meet the following licensing requirements:
        1. A statement that the applicant purchases 5 vehicles
    per year or has 5 hulks or chassis in stock;
        2. Provide proof that the property on which all first
    time applicants will do business does comply to the proper
    local zoning laws in existence, and a listing of zoning
    classifications;
        3. Provide proof that applicant complies with the
    proper workers' compensation rate code or classification,
    and listing the code of classification; and
        4. Provide proof that applicant has obtained or applied
    for the proper State sales tax classification and federal
    identification tax number, and listing the actual numbers
    if available.
(Source: P.A. 89-189, eff. 1-1-96.)