093_HB3461

 
                                     LRB093 10222 DRH 10476 b

 1        AN ACT concerning vehicles.

 2        Be  it  enacted  by  the People of the State of Illinois,
 3    represented in the General Assembly:

 4        Section  5.  The Illinois  Vehicle  Code  is  amended  by
 5    changing Section 7-601 as follows:

 6        (625 ILCS 5/7-601) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 7-601)
 7        Sec. 7-601.  Required liability insurance policy.
 8        (a)  No   person  shall  operate,  register  or  maintain
 9    registration of, and no owner shall permit another person  to
10    operate,  register  or  maintain  registration  of,  a  motor
11    vehicle  designed  to  be used on a public highway unless the
12    motor vehicle is covered by a liability insurance policy.
13        The insurance policy shall be issued in amounts  no  less
14    than  the  minimum amounts set for bodily injury or death and
15    for destruction of property under Section 7-203 of this Code,
16    and shall be issued in accordance with  the  requirements  of
17    Sections  143a  and 143a-2 of the Illinois Insurance Code, as
18    amended.  No insurer other than an insurer authorized  to  do
19    business  in this State shall issue a policy pursuant to this
20    Section for any vehicle subject to  registration  under  this
21    Code.   Nothing herein shall deprive an insurer of any policy
22    defense available at common law.
23        (b)  The  following  vehicles   are   exempt   from   the
24    requirements of this Section:
25             (1)  vehicles  subject to the provisions of Chapters
26        8 or 18a, Article III or Section 7-609 of Chapter  7,  or
27        Sections 12-606 or 12-707.01 of Chapter 12 of this Code;
28             (2)  vehicles  required  to  file proof of liability
29        insurance with the Illinois Commerce Commission;
30             (3)  vehicles   covered   by   a   certificate    of
31        self-insurance under Section 7-502 of this Code;
 
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 1             (4)  vehicles  owned by the United States, the State
 2        of Illinois, or any political  subdivision,  municipality
 3        or local mass transit district;
 4             (5)  implements of husbandry;
 5             (6)  other   vehicles   complying  with  laws  which
 6        require  them  to  be  insured  in  amounts  meeting   or
 7        exceeding   the   minimum  amounts  required  under  this
 8        Section; and
 9             (7)  inoperable or  stored  vehicles  that  are  not
10        operated,  as  defined  by  rules  and regulations of the
11        Secretary.
12        (c)  Every employee of a State agency, as  that  term  is
13    defined in the Illinois State Auditing Act, who is assigned a
14    specific  vehicle  owned or leased by the State on an ongoing
15    basis shall  provide  the  certification  described  in  this
16    Section  annually  to the director or chief executive officer
17    of his or her agency.
18        The certification shall affirm that the employee is  duly
19    licensed  to  drive  the  assigned  vehicle  and that (i) the
20    employee has liability insurance coverage  extending  to  the
21    employee  when  the  assigned  vehicle is used for other than
22    official State business, or (ii) the  employee  has  filed  a
23    bond  with  the  Secretary  of  State  as  proof of financial
24    responsibility, in an amount equal to, or in  excess  of  the
25    requirements  stated within this Section. Upon request of the
26    agency director or  chief  executive  officer,  the  employee
27    shall present evidence to support the certification.
28        The  certification  shall  be  provided during the period
29    July 1 through July 31 of each calendar year,  or  within  30
30    days  of any new assignment of a vehicle on an ongoing basis,
31    whichever is later.
32        The employee's authorization to use the assigned  vehicle
33    shall automatically be rescinded upon:
34             (1)  the  revocation  or  suspension  of the license
 
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 1        required to drive the assigned vehicle;
 2             (2)  the cancellation or termination for any  reason
 3        of   the   automobile  liability  insurance  coverage  as
 4        required in item (c) (i); or
 5             (3)  the termination of  the  bond  filed  with  the
 6        Secretary of State.
 7        All  State employees providing the required certification
 8    shall  immediately  notify  the  agency  director  or   chief
 9    executive officer in the event any of these actions occur.
10        All  peace  officers  employed  by a State agency who are
11    primarily responsible for prevention and detection  of  crime
12    and the enforcement of the criminal, traffic, or highway laws
13    of this State, and prohibited by agency rule or policy to use
14    an  assigned vehicle owned or leased by the State for regular
15    personal or off-duty use, are exempt from the requirements of
16    this Section.
17    (Source: P.A. 91-661, eff. 12-22-99.)