HB2961 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB103 26902 MXP 53266 b

103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
HB2961

Introduced 2/16/2023, by Rep. Bradley Fritts

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

625 ILCS 5/6-507	from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 6-507
625 ILCS 5/6-508	from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 6-508

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that a driver of a commercial motor vehicle who hauls harvest goods for a farm is waived from the requirements of provisions concerning a requirement for a commercial driver's license or a commercial learner's permit when the driver: (1) is the owner or an employee of the farm hauling the harvest goods; and (2) is within a 150-mile radius of the farm hauling the harvest goods. Provides that an individual who operates a commercial driver's license for farm vehicles shall be exempt from new testing requirements if the farm vehicle is used in the State and is used for agricultural purposes.

A BILL FOR

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 6-507 and 6-508 as follows:

(625 ILCS 5/6-507) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 6-507)

Sec. 6-507. Commercial Driver's License (CDL) or Commercial Learner's Permit (CLP) required.

(a) Except as expressly permitted by this UCDLA, or when driving pursuant to the issuance of a commercial learner's permit and accompanied by the holder of a CDL valid for the vehicle being driven; no person shall drive a commercial motor vehicle on the highways without:

(1) a CDL in the driver's possession;

(2) having obtained a CLP or CDL;

(3) the proper class of CLP or CDL or endorsements or both for the specific vehicle group being operated or for the passengers or type of cargo being transported; or

(4) a copy of a medical variance document, if one exists, such as an exemption letter or a skill performance evaluation certificate.

(a-5) A CLP or CDL holder whose CLP or CDL is held by this State or any other state in the course of enforcement of a motor vehicle traffic code and who has not been convicted of a disqualifying offense under 49 C.F.R. 383.51 based on this enforcement, may drive a CMV while holding a dated receipt for the CLP or CDL.

(b) Except as otherwise provided by this Code, no person may drive a commercial motor vehicle on the highways while such person's driving privilege, license, or permit is:

(1) Suspended, revoked, cancelled, or subject to disqualification. Any person convicted of violating this provision or a similar provision of this or any other state shall have their driving privileges revoked under paragraph 12 of subsection (a) of Section 6-205 of this Code.

(2) Subject to or in violation of an "out-of-service" order. Any person who has been issued a CLP or CDL and is convicted of violating this provision or a similar provision of any other state shall be disqualified from operating a commercial motor vehicle under subsection (i) of Section 6-514 of this Code.

(3) Subject to or in violation of a driver or vehicle "out of service" order while operating a vehicle designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver, or transporting hazardous materials required to be placarded. Any person who has been issued a CLP or CDL and is convicted of violating this provision or a similar provision of this or any other state shall be disqualified from operating a commercial motor vehicle under subsection (i) of Section 6-514 of this Code.

(b-3) Except as otherwise provided by this Code, no person may drive a commercial motor vehicle on the highways during a period which the commercial motor vehicle or the motor carrier operation is subject to an "out-of-service" order. Any person who is convicted of violating this provision or a similar provision of any other state shall be disqualified from operating a commercial motor vehicle under subsection (i) of Section 6-514 of this Code.

(b-5) Except as otherwise provided by this Code, no person may operate a vehicle designed to transport 16 or more passengers including the driver or hazardous materials of a type or quantity that requires the vehicle to be placarded during a period in which the commercial motor vehicle or the motor carrier operation is subject to an "out-of-service" order. Any person who is convicted of violating this provision or a similar provision of any other state shall be disqualified from operating a commercial motor vehicle under subsection (i) of Section 6-514 of this Code.

(c) Pursuant to the options provided to the States by FHWA Docket No. MC-88-8, the driver of any motor vehicle controlled or operated by or for a farmer is waived from the requirements of this Section, when such motor vehicle is being used to transport: agricultural products; implements of husbandry; or farm supplies; to and from a farm, as long as such movement is not over 150 air miles from the originating farm. This waiver does not apply to the driver of any motor vehicle being used in a common or contract carrier type operation. However, for those drivers of any truck-tractor semitrailer combination or combinations registered under subsection (c) of Section 3-815 of this Code, this waiver shall apply only when the driver is a farmer or a member of the farmer's family and the driver is 21 years of age or more and has successfully completed any tests the Secretary of State deems necessary.

In addition, the farmer or a member of the farmer's family who operates a truck-tractor semitrailer combination or combinations pursuant to this waiver shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties and restrictions with respect to Sections 6-514 and 6-515 of this Code applicable to the driver who possesses a commercial driver's license issued under this Code, except that the driver shall not be subject to any additional duties or restrictions contained in Part 382 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations that are not otherwise imposed under Section 6-514 or 6-515 of this Code.

For purposes of this subsection (c), a member of the farmer's family is a natural or in-law spouse, child, parent, or sibling.

As required under the Code of Federal Regulations 49 CFR 390.39, an operator of a covered farm vehicle, as defined under Section 18b-101 of this Code, is exempt from the requirements of this Section. However, for drivers of any truck-tractor semitrailer combination or combinations operating as a covered farm vehicle, the driver must successfully complete any tests the Secretary of State deems necessary. When operating any truck-tractor semitrailer combination as a covered farm vehicle, the exemption applies only to persons age 21 or older, if operating the vehicle in interstate driving, and to persons at least 18 years of age, if operating the vehicle in intrastate driving. The Secretary may adopt rules necessary to implement this Section.

(c-5) An employee of a township or road district with a population of less than 3,000 operating a vehicle within the boundaries of the township or road district for the purpose of removing snow or ice from a roadway by plowing, sanding, or salting is waived from the requirements of this Section when the employee is needed to operate the vehicle because the employee of the township or road district who ordinarily operates the vehicle and who has a commercial driver's license is unable to operate the vehicle or is in need of additional assistance due to a snow emergency.

(c-10) A driver of a commercial motor vehicle used primarily in the transportation of propane winter heating fuel or a driver of a motor vehicle used to respond to a pipeline emergency is waived from the requirements of this Section if such requirements would prevent the driver from responding to an emergency condition requiring immediate response as defined in 49 C.F.R. Part 390.5.

(c-15) A driver of a commercial motor vehicle who hauls harvest goods for a farm is waived from the requirements of this Section when the driver:

(1) is the owner or an employee of the farm hauling the harvest goods; and

(2) is within a 150-mile radius of the farm hauling the harvest goods.

(d) Any person convicted of violating this Section, shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

(e) Any person convicted of violating paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of this Section, shall have all driving privileges revoked by the Secretary of State.

(f) This Section shall not apply to:

(1) A person who currently holds a valid Illinois driver's license, for the type of vehicle being operated, until the expiration of such license or April 1, 1992, whichever is earlier; or

(2) A non-Illinois domiciliary who is properly licensed in another State, until April 1, 1992. A non-Illinois domiciliary, if such domiciliary is properly licensed in another State or foreign jurisdiction, until April 1, 1992.

(Source: P.A. 98-176 (see Section 10 of P.A. 98-722 and Section 10 of P.A. 99-414 for the effective date of changes made by P.A. 98-176); 99-57, eff. 7-16-15; 99-607, eff. 7-22-16.)

(625 ILCS 5/6-508) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 6-508)

Sec. 6-508. Commercial Driver's License (CDL); qualification standards.

(a) Testing.

(1) General. No person shall be issued an original or renewal CDL unless that person is domiciled in this State or is applying for a non-domiciled CDL under Sections 6-509 and 6-510 of this Code. The Secretary shall cause to be administered such tests as the Secretary deems necessary to meet the requirements of 49 CFR Part 383, subparts F, G, H, and J.

(1.5) Effective July 1, 2014, no person shall be issued an original CDL or an upgraded CDL that requires a skills test unless that person has held a CLP, for a minimum of 14 calendar days, for the classification of vehicle and endorsement, if any, for which the person is seeking a CDL.

(2) Third party testing. The Secretary of State may authorize a "third party tester", pursuant to 49 CFR 383.75 and 49 CFR 384.228 and 384.229, to administer the skills test or tests specified by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration pursuant to the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986 and any appropriate federal rule.

(3)(i) Effective February 7, 2020, unless the person is exempted by 49 CFR 380.603, no person shall be issued an original (first time issuance) CDL, an upgraded CDL or a school bus (S), passenger (P), or hazardous Materials (H) endorsement unless the person has successfully completed entry-level driver training (ELDT) taught by a training provider listed on the federal Training Provider Registry.

(ii) Persons who obtain a CLP before February 7, 2020 are not required to complete ELDT if the person obtains a CDL before the CLP or renewed CLP expires.

(iii) Except for persons seeking the H endorsement, persons must complete the theory and behind-the-wheel (range and public road) portions of ELDT within one year of completing the first portion.

(iv) The Secretary shall adopt rules to implement this subsection.

(b) Waiver of Skills Test. The Secretary of State may waive the skills test specified in this Section for a driver applicant for a commercial driver license who meets the requirements of 49 CFR 383.77. The Secretary of State shall waive the skills tests specified in this Section for a driver applicant who has military commercial motor vehicle experience, subject to the requirements of 49 CFR 383.77.

(b-1) No person shall be issued a CDL unless the person certifies to the Secretary one of the following types of driving operations in which he or she will be engaged:

(1) non-excepted interstate;

(2) non-excepted intrastate;

(3) excepted interstate; or

(4) excepted intrastate.

(b-2) (Blank).

(b-3) Exemption from new testing requirements for farm vehicles. An individual who operates a commercial driver's license for farm vehicles shall be exempt from new testing requirements if the farm vehicle is used in the State and is used for agricultural purposes.

(c) Limitations on issuance of a CDL. A CDL shall not be issued to a person while the person is subject to a disqualification from driving a commercial motor vehicle, or unless otherwise permitted by this Code, while the person's driver's license is suspended, revoked, or cancelled in any state, or any territory or province of Canada; nor may a CLP or CDL be issued to a person who has a CLP or CDL issued by any other state, or foreign jurisdiction, nor may a CDL be issued to a person who has an Illinois CLP unless the person first surrenders all of these licenses or permits. However, a person may hold an Illinois CLP and an Illinois CDL providing the CLP is necessary to train or practice for an endorsement or vehicle classification not present on the current CDL. No CDL shall be issued to or renewed for a person who does not meet the requirement of 49 CFR 391.41(b)(11). The requirement may be met with the aid of a hearing aid.

(c-1) The Secretary may issue a CDL with a school bus driver endorsement to allow a person to drive the type of bus described in subsection (d-5) of Section 6-104 of this Code. The CDL with a school bus driver endorsement may be issued only to a person meeting the following requirements:

(1) the person has submitted his or her fingerprints to the Illinois State Police in the form and manner prescribed by the Illinois State Police. These fingerprints shall be checked against the fingerprint records now and hereafter filed in the Illinois State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation criminal history records databases;

(2) the person has passed a written test, administered by the Secretary of State, on charter bus operation, charter bus safety, and certain special traffic laws relating to school buses determined by the Secretary of State to be relevant to charter buses, and submitted to a review of the driver applicant's driving habits by the Secretary of State at the time the written test is given;

(3) the person has demonstrated physical fitness to operate school buses by submitting the results of a medical examination, including tests for drug use; and

(4) the person has not been convicted of committing or attempting to commit any one or more of the following offenses: (i) those offenses defined in Sections 8-1.2, 9-1, 9-1.2, 9-2, 9-2.1, 9-3, 9-3.2, 9-3.3, 10-1, 10-2, 10-3.1, 10-4, 10-5, 10-5.1, 10-6, 10-7, 10-9, 11-1.20, 11-1.30, 11-1.40, 11-1.50, 11-1.60, 11-6, 11-6.5, 11-6.6, 11-9, 11-9.1, 11-9.3, 11-9.4, 11-14, 11-14.1, 11-14.3, 11-14.4, 11-15, 11-15.1, 11-16, 11-17, 11-17.1, 11-18, 11-18.1, 11-19, 11-19.1, 11-19.2, 11-20, 11-20.1, 11-20.1B, 11-20.3, 11-21, 11-22, 11-23, 11-24, 11-25, 11-26, 11-30, 12-2.6, 12-3.1, 12-3.3, 12-4, 12-4.1, 12-4.2, 12-4.2-5, 12-4.3, 12-4.4, 12-4.5, 12-4.6, 12-4.7, 12-4.9, 12-6, 12-6.2, 12-7.1, 12-7.3, 12-7.4, 12-7.5, 12-11, 12-13, 12-14, 12-14.1, 12-15, 12-16, 12-21.5, 12-21.6, 12-33, 12C-5, 12C-10, 12C-20, 12C-30, 12C-45, 16-16, 16-16.1, 18-1, 18-2, 18-3, 18-4, 18-5, 19-6, 20-1, 20-1.1, 20-1.2, 20-1.3, 20-2, 24-1, 24-1.1, 24-1.2, 24-1.2-5, 24-1.6, 24-1.7, 24-2.1, 24-3.3, 24-3.5, 24-3.8, 24-3.9, 31A-1, 31A-1.1, 33A-2, and 33D-1, and in subsection (b) of Section 8-1, and in subdivisions (a)(1), (a)(2), (b)(1), (e)(1), (e)(2), (e)(3), (e)(4), and (f)(1) of Section 12-3.05, and in subsection (a) and subsection (b), clause (1), of Section 12-4, and in subsection (A), clauses (a) and (b), of Section 24-3, and those offenses contained in Article 29D of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012; (ii) those offenses defined in the Cannabis Control Act except those offenses defined in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 4, and subsection (a) of Section 5 of the Cannabis Control Act; (iii) those offenses defined in the Illinois Controlled Substances Act; (iv) those offenses defined in the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act; (v) any offense committed or attempted in any other state or against the laws of the United States, which if committed or attempted in this State would be punishable as one or more of the foregoing offenses; (vi) the offenses defined in Sections 4.1 and 5.1 of the Wrongs to Children Act or Section 11-9.1A of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012; (vii) those offenses defined in Section 6-16 of the Liquor Control Act of 1934; and (viii) those offenses defined in the Methamphetamine Precursor Control Act.

The Illinois State Police shall charge a fee for conducting the criminal history records check, which shall be deposited into the State Police Services Fund and may not exceed the actual cost of the records check.

(c-2) The Secretary shall issue a CDL with a school bus endorsement to allow a person to drive a school bus as defined in this Section. The CDL shall be issued according to the requirements outlined in 49 CFR 383. A person may not operate a school bus as defined in this Section without a school bus endorsement. The Secretary of State may adopt rules consistent with Federal guidelines to implement this subsection (c-2).

(d) (Blank).

(Source: P.A. 101-185, eff. 1-1-20; 102-168, eff. 7-27-21; 102-299, eff. 8-6-21; 102-538, eff. 8-20-21; 102-813, eff. 5-13-22.)