SB1930 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB095 15967 WGH 43073 b

95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2007 and 2008
SB1930

Introduced 1/16/2008, by Sen. Jeffrey M. Schoenberg

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

625 ILCS 5/6-107	from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 6-107
625 ILCS 5/6-110	from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 6-110

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. In provisions making a driver's license invalid for the operation of a motor vehicle during certain hours if the licensee is less than 18 years of age, adds an exception for a person participating as an assigned driver in a Safe Rides program sponsored by the Boy Scouts of America or another national public service organization. In provisions prohibiting certain graduated driver's license holders from operating a motor vehicle with more than one passenger under the age of 20 for the first 12 months they hold the license, adds an exception for a person participating as an assigned driver in such a Safe Rides program if the person has held his or her license for at least 6 months. 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 Sections 6-107 and 6-110 as follows:

(625 ILCS 5/6-107) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 6-107)

Sec. 6-107. Graduated license.

(a) The purpose of the Graduated Licensing Program is to develop safe and mature driving habits in young, inexperienced drivers and reduce or prevent motor vehicle accidents, fatalities, and injuries by:

(1) providing for an increase in the time of practice period before granting permission to obtain a driver's license;

(2) strengthening driver licensing and testing standards for persons under the age of 21 years;

(3) sanctioning driving privileges of drivers under age 21 who have committed serious traffic violations or other specified offenses; and

(4) setting stricter standards to promote the public's health and safety.

(b) The application of any person under the age of 18 years, and not legally emancipated by marriage, for a drivers license or permit to operate a motor vehicle issued under the laws of this State, shall be accompanied by the written consent of either parent of the applicant; otherwise by the guardian having custody of the applicant, or in the event there is no parent or guardian, then by another responsible adult. The written consent must accompany any application for a driver's license under this subsection (b), regardless of whether or not the required written consent also accompanied the person's previous application for an instruction permit.

No graduated driver's license shall be issued to any applicant under 18 years of age, unless the applicant is at least 16 years of age and has:

(1) Held a valid instruction permit for a minimum of 9 months.

(2) Passed an approved driver education course and submits proof of having passed the course as may be required.

(3) Certification by the parent, legal guardian, or responsible adult that the applicant has had a minimum of 50 hours of behind-the-wheel practice time, at least 10 hours of which have been at night, and is sufficiently prepared and able to safely operate a motor vehicle.

(b-1) No graduated driver's license shall be issued to any applicant who is under 18 years of age and not legally emancipated by marriage, unless the applicant has graduated from a secondary school of this State or any other state, is enrolled in a course leading to a general educational development (GED) certificate, has obtained a GED certificate, is enrolled in an elementary or secondary school or college or university of this State or any other state and is not a chronic or habitual truant as provided in Section 26-2a of the School Code, or is receiving home instruction and submits proof of meeting any of those requirements at the time of application.

An applicant under 18 years of age who provides proof acceptable to the Secretary that the applicant has resumed regular school attendance or home instruction or that his or her application was denied in error shall be eligible to receive a graduated license if other requirements are met. The Secretary shall adopt rules for implementing this subsection (b-1).

(c) No graduated driver's license or permit shall be issued to any applicant under 18 years of age who has committed the offense of operating a motor vehicle without a valid license or permit in violation of Section 6-101 of this Code and no graduated driver's license or permit shall be issued to any applicant under 18 years of age who has committed an offense that would otherwise result in a mandatory revocation of a license or permit as provided in Section 6-205 of this Code or who has been either convicted of or adjudicated a delinquent based upon a violation of the Cannabis Control Act, the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, or the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act while that individual was in actual physical control of a motor vehicle. For purposes of this Section, any person placed on probation under Section 10 of the Cannabis Control Act, Section 410 of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, or Section 70 of the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act shall not be considered convicted. Any person found guilty of this offense, while in actual physical control of a motor vehicle, shall have an entry made in the court record by the judge that this offense did occur while the person was in actual physical control of a motor vehicle and order the clerk of the court to report the violation to the Secretary of State as such.

(d) No graduated driver's license shall be issued for 9 months to any applicant under the age of 18 years who has committed and subsequently been convicted of an offense against traffic regulations governing the movement of vehicles or any violation of this Section or Section 12-603.1 of this Code.

(e) No graduated driver's license holder under the age of 18 years shall operate any motor vehicle, except a motor driven cycle or motorcycle, with more than one passenger in the front seat of the motor vehicle and no more passengers in the back seats than the number of available seat safety belts as set forth in Section 12-603 of this Code. If a graduated driver's license holder over the age of 18 committed an offense against traffic regulations governing the movement of vehicles or any violation of this Section or Section 12-603.1 of this Code in the 6 months prior to the graduated driver's license holder's 18th birthday, and was subsequently convicted of the violation, the provisions of this paragraph shall continue to apply until such time as a period of 6 consecutive months has elapsed without an additional violation and subsequent conviction of an offense against traffic regulations governing the movement of vehicles or any violation of this Section or Section 12-603.1 of this Code.

(f) No graduated driver's license holder under the age of 18 shall operate a motor vehicle unless each driver and passenger under the age of 19 is wearing a properly adjusted and fastened seat safety belt and each child under the age of 8 is protected as required under the Child Passenger Protection Act. If a graduated driver's license holder over the age of 18 committed an offense against traffic regulations governing the movement of vehicles or any violation of this Section or Section 12-603.1 of this Code in the 6 months prior to the graduated driver's license holder's 18th birthday, and was subsequently convicted of the violation, the provisions of this paragraph shall continue to apply until such time as a period of 6 consecutive months has elapsed without an additional violation and subsequent conviction of an offense against traffic regulations governing the movement of vehicles or any violation of this Section or Section 12-603.1 of this Code.

(g) If a graduated driver's license holder is under the age of 18 when he or she receives the license, for the first 12 months he or she holds the license or until he or she reaches the age of 18, whichever occurs sooner, the graduated license holder may not operate a motor vehicle with more than one passenger in the vehicle who is under the age of 20, unless any additional passenger or passengers are siblings, step-siblings, children, or stepchildren of the driver; however, this restriction does not apply when a graduated driver's license holder who has held his or her license for at least 6 months is participating as an assigned driver in a Safe Rides program that meets the criteria in paragraph (a-2)(9) of Section 6-110. If a graduated driver's license holder committed an offense against traffic regulations governing the movement of vehicles or any violation of this Section or Section 12-603.1 of this Code during the first 12 months the license is held and subsequently is convicted of the violation, the provisions of this paragraph shall remain in effect until such time as a period of 6 consecutive months has elapsed without an additional violation and subsequent conviction of an offense against traffic regulations governing the movement of vehicles or any violation of this Section or Section 12-603.1 of this Code.

(h) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (g), it It shall be an offense for a person that is age 15, but under age 20, to be a passenger in a vehicle operated by a driver holding a graduated driver's license during the first 12 months the driver holds the license or until the driver reaches the age of 18, whichever occurs sooner, if another passenger under the age of 20 is present, excluding a sibling, step-sibling, child, or step-child of the driver.

(Source: P.A. 94-239, eff. 1-1-06; 94-241, eff. 1-1-06; 94-556, eff. 9-11-05; 94-897, eff. 6-22-06; 94-916, eff. 7-1-07; 95-310, eff. 1-1-08; 95-331, eff. 8-21-07.)

(625 ILCS 5/6-110) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 6-110)

Sec. 6-110. Licenses issued to drivers.

(a) The Secretary of State shall issue to every qualifying applicant a driver's license as applied for, which license shall bear a distinguishing number assigned to the licensee, the legal name, zip code, date of birth, residence address, and a brief description of the licensee, and a space where the licensee may write his usual signature.

Licenses issued shall also indicate the classification and the restrictions under Section 6-104 of this Code.

In lieu of the social security number, the Secretary may in his discretion substitute a federal tax number or other distinctive number.

A driver's license issued may, in the discretion of the Secretary, include a suitable photograph of a type prescribed by the Secretary.

(a-1) If the licensee is less than 18 years of age, unless one of the exceptions in subsection (a-2) apply, the license shall, as a matter of law, be invalid for the operation of any motor vehicle during the following times:

(A) Between 11:00 p.m. Friday and 6:00 a.m. Saturday;

(B) Between 11:00 p.m. Saturday and 6:00 a.m. on Sunday; and

(C) Between 10:00 p.m. on Sunday to Thursday, inclusive, and 6:00 a.m. on the following day.

(a-2) The driver's license of a person under the age of 18 shall not be invalid as described in subsection (a-1) of this Section if the licensee under the age of 18 was:

(1) accompanied by the licensee's parent or guardian or other person in custody or control of the minor;

(2) on an errand at the direction of the minor's parent or guardian, without any detour or stop;

(3) in a motor vehicle involved in interstate travel;

(4) going to or returning home from an employment activity, without any detour or stop;

(5) involved in an emergency;

(6) going to or returning home from, without any detour or stop, an official school, religious, or other recreational activity supervised by adults and sponsored by a government or governmental agency, a civic organization, or another similar entity that takes responsibility for the licensee, without any detour or stop;

(7) exercising First Amendment rights protected by the United States Constitution, such as the free exercise of religion, freedom of speech, and the right of assembly; or

(8) married or had been married or is an emancipated minor under the Emancipation of Minors Act; or

(9) participating as an assigned driver in a Safe Rides program that meets the following criteria:

(A) the program is sponsored by the Boy Scouts of America or another national public service organization; and

(B) the sponsoring organization carries liability insurance covering the program.

(a-3) If a graduated driver's license holder over the age of 18 committed an offense against traffic regulations governing the movement of vehicles or any violation of Section 6-107 or Section 12-603.1 of this Code in the 6 months prior to the graduated driver's license holder's 18th birthday, and was subsequently convicted of the offense, the provisions of subsection (a-1) shall continue to apply until such time as a period of 6 consecutive months has elapsed without an additional violation and subsequent conviction of an offense against traffic regulations governing the movement of vehicles or Section 6-107 or Section 12-603.1 of this Code.

(b) Until the Secretary of State establishes a First Person Consent organ and tissue donor registry under Section 6-117 of this Code, the Secretary of State shall provide a format on the reverse of each driver's license issued which the licensee may use to execute a document of gift conforming to the provisions of the Illinois Anatomical Gift Act. The format shall allow the licensee to indicate the gift intended, whether specific organs, any organ, or the entire body, and shall accommodate the signatures of the donor and 2 witnesses. The Secretary shall also inform each applicant or licensee of this format, describe the procedure for its execution, and may offer the necessary witnesses; provided that in so doing, the Secretary shall advise the applicant or licensee that he or she is under no compulsion to execute a document of gift. A brochure explaining this method of executing an anatomical gift document shall be given to each applicant or licensee. The brochure shall advise the applicant or licensee that he or she is under no compulsion to execute a document of gift, and that he or she may wish to consult with family, friends or clergy before doing so. The Secretary of State may undertake additional efforts, including education and awareness activities, to promote organ and tissue donation.

(c) The Secretary of State shall designate on each driver's license issued a space where the licensee may place a sticker or decal of the uniform size as the Secretary may specify, which sticker or decal may indicate in appropriate language that the owner of the license carries an Emergency Medical Information Card.

The sticker may be provided by any person, hospital, school, medical group, or association interested in assisting in implementing the Emergency Medical Information Card, but shall meet the specifications as the Secretary may by rule or regulation require.

(d) The Secretary of State shall designate on each driver's license issued a space where the licensee may indicate his blood type and RH factor.

(e) The Secretary of State shall provide that each original or renewal driver's license issued to a licensee under 21 years of age shall be of a distinct nature from those driver's licenses issued to individuals 21 years of age and older. The color designated for driver's licenses for licensees under 21 years of age shall be at the discretion of the Secretary of State.

(e-1) The Secretary shall provide that each driver's license issued to a person under the age of 21 displays the date upon which the person becomes 18 years of age and the date upon which the person becomes 21 years of age.

(f) The Secretary of State shall inform all Illinois licensed commercial motor vehicle operators of the requirements of the Uniform Commercial Driver License Act, Article V of this Chapter, and shall make provisions to insure that all drivers, seeking to obtain a commercial driver's license, be afforded an opportunity prior to April 1, 1992, to obtain the license. The Secretary is authorized to extend driver's license expiration dates, and assign specific times, dates and locations where these commercial driver's tests shall be conducted. Any applicant, regardless of the current expiration date of the applicant's driver's license, may be subject to any assignment by the Secretary. Failure to comply with the Secretary's assignment may result in the applicant's forfeiture of an opportunity to receive a commercial driver's license prior to April 1, 1992.

(g) The Secretary of State shall designate on a driver's license issued, a space where the licensee may indicate that he or she has drafted a living will in accordance with the Illinois Living Will Act or a durable power of attorney for health care in accordance with the Illinois Power of Attorney Act.

(g-1) The Secretary of State, in his or her discretion, may designate on each driver's license issued a space where the licensee may place a sticker or decal, issued by the Secretary of State, of uniform size as the Secretary may specify, that shall indicate in appropriate language that the owner of the license has renewed his or her driver's license.

(h) A person who acts in good faith in accordance with the terms of this Section is not liable for damages in any civil action or subject to prosecution in any criminal proceeding for his or her act.

(Source: P.A. 94-75, eff. 1-1-06; 94-930, eff. 6-26-06; 95-310, eff. 1-1-08.)

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