HB0694 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB095 07269 DRH 27407 b

95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2007 and 2008
HB0694

Introduced 2/6/2007, by Rep. Jim Sacia

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

625 ILCS 5/11-1301.3

from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 11-1301.3

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that, if a person is charged with unauthorized use of a parking space reserved for a person with disabilities, the charges against the person shall be dismissed if he or she produces in court a device, issued to a person with disabilities under the Code, that the person was entitled to display at the time the citation was issued. Effective immediately.

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 Section 11-1301.3 as follows:

(625 ILCS 5/11-1301.3) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 11-1301.3)

Sec. 11-1301.3. Unauthorized use of parking places reserved for persons with disabilities.

(a) It shall be prohibited to park any motor vehicle which is not properly displaying registration plates or decals or a device issued to a person with disabilities, as defined by Section 1-159.1, pursuant to Sections 3-616, 11-1301.1 or 11-1301.2, or to a disabled veteran pursuant to Section 3-609 of this Act, as evidence that the vehicle is operated by or for a person with disabilities or disabled veteran, in any parking place, including any private or public offstreet parking facility, specifically reserved, by the posting of an official sign as designated under Section 11-301, for motor vehicles displaying such registration plates. It shall be prohibited to park any motor vehicle in a designated access aisle adjacent to any parking place specifically reserved for persons with disabilities, by the posting of an official sign as designated under Section 11-301, for motor vehicles displaying such registration plates. When using the parking privileges for persons with disabilities, the parking decal or device must be displayed properly in the vehicle where it is clearly visible to law enforcement personnel, either hanging from the rearview mirror or placed on the dashboard of the vehicle in clear view. Any motor vehicle properly displaying a disability license plate or a parking decal or device containing the International symbol of access issued to persons with disabilities by any local authority, state, district, territory or foreign country shall be recognized by State and local authorities as a valid license plate or device and receive the same parking privileges as residents of this State.

A complaint charging a person with violating this subsection (a) shall be dismissed if the person produces in court a device, issued to a person with disabilities under Section 11-1301.2 of this Code, that the person was entitled to display at the time the citation was issued.

(a-1) An individual with a vehicle displaying disability license plates or a parking decal or device issued to a qualified person with a disability under Sections 3-616, 11-1301.1, or 11-1301.2 or to a disabled veteran under Section 3-609 is in violation of this Section if (i) the person using the disability license plate or parking decal or device is not the authorized holder of the disability license plate or parking decal or device or is not transporting the authorized holder of the disability license plate or parking decal or device to or from the parking location and (ii) the person uses the disability license plate or parking decal or device to exercise any privileges granted through the disability license plate or parking decals or devices under this Code.

(b) Any person or local authority owning or operating any public or private offstreet parking facility may, after notifying the police or sheriff's department, remove or cause to be removed to the nearest garage or other place of safety any vehicle parked within a stall or space reserved for use by a person with disabilities which does not display person with disabilities registration plates or a special decal or device as required under this Section.

(c) Any person found guilty of violating the provisions of subsection (a) shall be fined $250 in addition to any costs or charges connected with the removal or storage of any motor vehicle authorized under this Section; but municipalities by ordinance may impose a fine up to $350 and shall display signs indicating the fine imposed. If the amount of the fine is subsequently changed, the municipality shall change the sign to indicate the current amount of the fine. It shall not be a defense to a charge under this Section that either the sign posted pursuant to this Section or the intended accessible parking place does not comply with the technical requirements of Section 11-301, Department regulations, or local ordinance if a reasonable person would be made aware by the sign or notice on or near the parking place that the place is reserved for a person with disabilities.

(c-1) Any person found guilty of violating the provisions of subsection (a-1) shall be fined $500. The circuit clerk shall distribute $250 of the $500 fine imposed on any person who is found guilty of or pleads guilty to violating this Section, including any person placed on court supervision for violating this Section, to the law enforcement agency that issued the citation or made the arrest. If more than one law enforcement agency is responsible for issuing the citation or making the arrest, the $250 shall be shared equally.

(d) Local authorities shall impose fines as established in subsections (c) and (c-1) for violations of this Section.

(e) As used in this Section, "authorized holder" means an individual issued a disability license plate under Section 3-616 of this Code, an individual issued a parking decal or device under Section 11-1301.2 of this Code, or an individual issued a disabled veteran's license plate under Section 3-609 of this Code.

(f) Any person who commits a violation of subsection (a-1) may have his or her driving privileges suspended or revoked by the Secretary of State for a period of time determined by the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State may also suspend or revoke the disability license plates or parking decal or device for a period of time determined by the Secretary of State.

(Source: P.A. 94-619, eff. 1-1-06; 94-930, eff. 6-26-06.)

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