93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2003 and 2004
HB4329

 

Introduced 02/02/04, by Thomas Holbrook

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
625 ILCS 5/12-503   from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 12-503

    Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the exemption from the prohibition against window treatment, allowed to persons with a medical condition that requires the person to be shielded from the direct rays of the sun, applies to window treatments applied or affixed before January 1, 2008 (rather than before January 1, 1998). Provides that the medical certification for a window treatment applied or affixed before January 1, 2008 (rather than before January 1, 1998) must be kept current and must be renewed annually by the certifying physician. Provides that the exemption remains in effect until January 1, 2014 (rather than until January 1, 2008). Effective immediately.


LRB093 18288 DRH 43991 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB4329 LRB093 18288 DRH 43991 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 changing
5 Section 12-503 as follows:
 
6     (625 ILCS 5/12-503)  (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 12-503)
7     Sec. 12-503. Windshields must be unobstructed and equipped
8 with wipers.
9     (a) No person shall drive a motor vehicle with any sign,
10 poster, window application, reflective material, nonreflective
11 material or tinted film upon the front windshield, sidewings or
12 side windows immediately adjacent to each side of the driver. A
13 nonreflective tinted film may be used along the uppermost
14 portion of the windshield if such material does not extend more
15 than 6 inches down from the top of the windshield. Nothing in
16 this Section shall create a cause of action on behalf of a
17 buyer against a dealer or manufacturer who sells a motor
18 vehicle with a window which is in violation of this Section.
19     (b) Nothing contained in this Section shall prohibit the
20 use of nonreflective, smoked or tinted glass, nonreflective
21 film, perforated window screen or other decorative window
22 application on windows to the rear of the driver's seat, except
23 that any motor vehicle with a window to the rear of the
24 driver's seat treated in this manner shall be equipped with a
25 side mirror on each side of the motor vehicle which are in
26 conformance with Section 12-502.
27     (c) No person shall drive a motor vehicle with any objects
28 placed or suspended between the driver and the front
29 windshield, rear window, side wings or side windows immediately
30 adjacent to each side of the driver which materially obstructs
31 the driver's view.
32     (d) Every motor vehicle, except motorcycles, shall be

 

 

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1 equipped with a device, controlled by the driver, for cleaning
2 rain, snow, moisture or other obstructions from the windshield;
3 and no person shall drive a motor vehicle with snow, ice,
4 moisture or other material on any of the windows or mirrors,
5 which materially obstructs the driver's clear view of the
6 highway.
7     (e) No person shall drive a motor vehicle when the
8 windshield, side or rear windows are in such defective
9 condition or repair as to materially impair the driver's view
10 to the front, side or rear. A vehicle equipped with a side
11 mirror on each side of the vehicle which are in conformance
12 with Section 12-502 will be deemed to be in compliance in the
13 event the rear window of the vehicle is materially obscured.
14     (f) Paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section shall not apply
15 to:
16         (1) motor vehicles manufactured prior to January 1,
17     1982; or
18         (2) to those motor vehicles properly registered in
19     another jurisdiction.
20     (g) Paragraph (a) of this Section shall not apply to any
21 motor vehicle with a window treatment, including but not
22 limited to a window application, reflective material,
23 nonreflective material, or tinted film, applied or affixed to
24 the motor vehicle for the purposes set forth in item (1) or (2)
25 before January 1, 2008 the effective date of this amendatory
26 Act of 1997 and:
27         (1) that is owned and operated by a person afflicted
28     with or suffering from a medical illness, ailment, or
29     disease which would require that person to be shielded from
30     the direct rays of the sun; or
31         (2) that is used in transporting a person when the
32     person resides at the same address as the registered owner
33     of the vehicle and the person is afflicted with or
34     suffering from a medical illness, ailment or disease which
35     would require the person to be shielded from the direct
36     rays of the sun. ;

 

 

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1         It must be certified by a physician licensed to
2     practice medicine in Illinois that such person owning and
3     operating or being transported in a motor vehicle is
4     afflicted with or suffers from such illness, ailment, or
5     disease and such certification must be carried in the motor
6     vehicle at all times. The certification shall be legible
7     and shall contain the date of issuance, the name, address
8     and signature of the attending physician, and the name,
9     address, and medical condition of the person requiring
10     exemption. The information on the certificate for a window
11     treatment applied or affixed before January 1, 2008 the
12     effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997 must remain
13     current and shall be renewed annually by the attending
14     physician, but in no event shall a certificate issued for
15     purposes of this subsection be valid on or after January 1,
16     2014 January 1, 2008. The person shall also submit a copy
17     of the certification to the Secretary of State. The
18     Secretary of State may forward notice of certification to
19     law enforcement agencies.
20     This subsection shall not be construed to authorize window
21 treatments applied or affixed on or after January 1, 2008 the
22 effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997.
23     The exemption provided by this subsection (g) shall not
24 apply to any motor vehicle on and after January 1, 2014 January
25 1, 2008.
26     (h) Paragraph (a) of this Section shall not apply to motor
27 vehicle stickers or other certificates issued by State or local
28 authorities which are required to be displayed upon motor
29 vehicle windows to evidence compliance with requirements
30 concerning motor vehicles.
31     (i) Those motor vehicles exempted under paragraph (f)(1) of
32 this Section shall not cause their windows to be treated as
33 described in paragraph (a) after January 1, 1993.
34     (j) A person found guilty of violating paragraphs (a), (b),
35 or (i) of this Section shall be guilty of a petty offense and
36 fined no less than $50 nor more than $500. A second or

 

 

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1 subsequent violation of paragraphs (a), (b), or (i) of this
2 Section shall be treated as a Class C misdemeanor and the
3 violator fined no less than $100 nor more than $500. Any person
4 convicted under paragraphs (a), (b), or (i) of this Section
5 shall be ordered to alter any nonconforming windows into
6 compliance with this Section.
7 (Source: P.A. 90-389, eff. 1-1-98.)
 
8     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
9 becoming law.