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| 1 | AN ACT concerning transportation.
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| 2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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| 3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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| 4 | Section 5. The Illinois Vehicle Code is amended by | |||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | changing Section 12-610.2 as follows:
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| 6 | (625 ILCS 5/12-610.2)
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| 7 | Sec. 12-610.2. Electronic communication devices. | |||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | (a) As used in this Section: | |||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | "Electronic communication device" means an electronic | |||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | device, including, but not limited to, a hand-held wireless | |||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | telephone, hand-held personal digital assistant, or a portable | |||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | or mobile computer, but does not include a global positioning | |||||||||||||||||||
| 13 | system or navigation system or a device that is physically or | |||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | electronically integrated into the motor vehicle. | |||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | (b) A person may not operate a motor vehicle on a roadway | |||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | while using an electronic communication device, including | |||||||||||||||||||
| 17 | using an electronic communication device to watch or stream | |||||||||||||||||||
| 18 | video or to participate in a virtual meeting using the video | |||||||||||||||||||
| 19 | function. | |||||||||||||||||||
| 20 | (b-5) A person commits aggravated use of an electronic | |||||||||||||||||||
| 21 | communication device when he or she violates subsection (b) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 22 | and in committing the violation he or she is involved in a | |||||||||||||||||||
| 23 | motor vehicle accident that results in great bodily harm, | |||||||||||||||||||
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| 1 | permanent disability, disfigurement, or death to another and | ||||||
| 2 | the violation is a proximate cause of the injury or death. | ||||||
| 3 | (c) A violation of this Section is an offense against | ||||||
| 4 | traffic regulations governing the movement of vehicles. A | ||||||
| 5 | person who violates this Section shall be fined a maximum of | ||||||
| 6 | $75 for a first offense, $100 for a second offense, $125 for a | ||||||
| 7 | third offense, and $150 for a fourth or subsequent offense, | ||||||
| 8 | except that a person who violates subsection (b-5) shall be | ||||||
| 9 | assessed a minimum fine of $1,000. | ||||||
| 10 | (d) This Section does not apply to: | ||||||
| 11 | (1) a law enforcement officer or operator of an | ||||||
| 12 | emergency vehicle while performing his or her official | ||||||
| 13 | duties; | ||||||
| 14 | (1.5) a first responder, including a volunteer first | ||||||
| 15 | responder, while operating his or her own personal motor | ||||||
| 16 | vehicle using an electronic communication device for the | ||||||
| 17 | sole purpose of receiving information about an emergency | ||||||
| 18 | situation while en route to performing his or her official | ||||||
| 19 | duties; | ||||||
| 20 | (2) a driver using an electronic communication device | ||||||
| 21 | for the sole purpose of reporting an emergency situation | ||||||
| 22 | and continued communication with emergency personnel | ||||||
| 23 | during the emergency situation; | ||||||
| 24 | (3) a driver using an electronic communication device | ||||||
| 25 | in hands-free or voice-operated mode, which may include | ||||||
| 26 | the use of a headset or participating in a virtual meeting | ||||||
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| 1 | using the audio function only; | ||||||
| 2 | (4) a driver of a commercial motor vehicle reading a | ||||||
| 3 | message displayed on a permanently installed communication | ||||||
| 4 | device designed for a commercial motor vehicle with a | ||||||
| 5 | screen that does not exceed 10 inches tall by 10 inches | ||||||
| 6 | wide in size; | ||||||
| 7 | (5) a driver using an electronic communication device | ||||||
| 8 | while parked on the shoulder of a roadway; | ||||||
| 9 | (6) a driver using an electronic communication device | ||||||
| 10 | when the vehicle is stopped due to normal traffic being | ||||||
| 11 | obstructed and the driver has the motor vehicle | ||||||
| 12 | transmission in neutral or park;
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| 13 | (7) a driver using two-way or citizens band radio | ||||||
| 14 | services; | ||||||
| 15 | (8) a driver using two-way mobile radio transmitters | ||||||
| 16 | or receivers for licensees of the Federal Communications | ||||||
| 17 | Commission in the amateur radio service; | ||||||
| 18 | (9) a driver using an electronic communication device | ||||||
| 19 | by pressing a single button to initiate or terminate a | ||||||
| 20 | voice communication; or | ||||||
| 21 | (10) a driver using an electronic communication device | ||||||
| 22 | capable of performing multiple functions, other than a | ||||||
| 23 | hand-held wireless telephone or hand-held personal digital | ||||||
| 24 | assistant (for example, a fleet management system, | ||||||
| 25 | dispatching device, citizens band radio, or music player) | ||||||
| 26 | for a purpose that is not otherwise prohibited by this | ||||||
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| 1 | Section. | ||||||
| 2 | (e) A person convicted of violating subsection (b-5) | ||||||
| 3 | commits a Class A misdemeanor if the violation resulted in | ||||||
| 4 | great bodily harm, permanent disability, or disfigurement to | ||||||
| 5 | another. A person convicted of violating subsection (b-5) | ||||||
| 6 | commits a Class 4 felony if the violation resulted in the death | ||||||
| 7 | of another person. | ||||||
| 8 | (Source: P.A. 101-81, eff. 7-12-19; 101-90, eff. 7-1-20; | ||||||
| 9 | 101-297, eff. 1-1-20; 102-558, eff. 8-20-21.)
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| 10 | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||||||
| 11 | becoming law.
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