HB5101 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB097 17141 HEP 62339 b

97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
HB5101

Introduced 2/8/2012, by Rep. John D'Amico

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

625 ILCS 5/6-500	from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 6-500
625 ILCS 5/6-526 new
625 ILCS 5/6-527 new

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that a driver may not use a hand-held mobile telephone or engage in texting while driving a commercial motor vehicle. Provides exceptions. To the definition of "serious traffic violation", adds violations concerning texting or using a hand-held mobile telephone while driving. Defines other terms.

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 6-500 and by adding Sections 6-526 and 6-527 as follows:

(625 ILCS 5/6-500) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 6-500)

Sec. 6-500. Definitions of words and phrases. Notwithstanding the definitions set forth elsewhere in this Code, for purposes of the Uniform Commercial Driver's License Act (UCDLA), the words and phrases listed below have the meanings ascribed to them as follows:

(1) Alcohol. "Alcohol" means any substance containing any form of alcohol, including but not limited to ethanol, methanol, propanol, and isopropanol.

(2) Alcohol concentration. "Alcohol concentration" means:

(A) the number of grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath; or

(B) the number of grams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood; or

(C) the number of grams of alcohol per 67 milliliters of urine.

Alcohol tests administered within 2 hours of the driver being "stopped or detained" shall be considered that driver's "alcohol concentration" for the purposes of enforcing this UCDLA.

(3) (Blank).

(4) (Blank).

(5) (Blank).

(5.3) CDLIS driver record. "CDLIS driver record" means the electronic record of the individual CDL driver's status and history stored by the State-of-Record as part of the Commercial Driver's License Information System, or CDLIS, established under 49 U.S.C. 31309.

(5.5) CDLIS motor vehicle record. "CDLIS motor vehicle record" or "CDLIS MVR" means a report generated from the CDLIS driver record meeting the requirements for access to CDLIS information and provided by states to users authorized in 49 C.F.R. 384.225(e)(3) and (4), subject to the provisions of the Driver Privacy Protection Act, 18 U.S.C. 2721–2725.

(5.7) Commercial driver's license downgrade. "Commercial driver's license downgrade" or "CDL downgrade" means either:

(A) a state allows the driver to change his or her self-certification to interstate, but operating exclusively in transportation or operation excepted from 49 C.F.R. Part 391, as provided in 49 C.F.R. 390.3(f), 391.2, 391.68, or 398.3;

(B) a state allows the driver to change his or her self-certification to intrastate only, if the driver qualifies under that state's physical qualification requirements for intrastate only;

(C) a state allows the driver to change his or her certification to intrastate, but operating exclusively in transportation or operations excepted from all or part of the state driver qualification requirements; or

(D) a state removes the CDL privilege from the driver license.

(6) Commercial Motor Vehicle.

(A) "Commercial motor vehicle" or "CMV" means a motor vehicle used in commerce, except those referred to in subdivision (B), designed to transport passengers or property if:

(i) the vehicle has a GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more or such a lesser GVWR as subsequently determined by federal regulations or the Secretary of State; or any combination of vehicles with a GCWR of 26,001 pounds or more, provided the GVWR of any vehicle or vehicles being towed is 10,001 pounds or more; or

(ii) the vehicle is designed to transport 16 or more persons; or

(iii) the vehicle is transporting hazardous materials and is required to be placarded in accordance with 49 C.F.R. Part 172, subpart F.

(B) Pursuant to the interpretation of the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986 by the Federal Highway Administration, the definition of "commercial motor vehicle" does not include:

(i) recreational vehicles, when operated primarily for personal use;

(ii) vehicles owned by or operated under the direction of the United States Department of Defense or the United States Coast Guard only when operated by non-civilian personnel. This includes any operator on active military duty; members of the Reserves; National Guard; personnel on part-time training; and National Guard military technicians (civilians who are required to wear military uniforms and are subject to the Code of Military Justice); or

(iii) firefighting and other emergency equipment (including, without limitation, equipment owned or operated by a HazMat or technical rescue team authorized by a county board under Section 5-1127 of the Counties Code), with audible and visual signals, owned or operated by or for a governmental entity, which is necessary to the preservation of life or property or the execution of emergency governmental functions which are normally not subject to general traffic rules and regulations.

(7) Controlled Substance. "Controlled substance" shall have the same meaning as defined in Section 102 of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, and shall also include cannabis as defined in Section 3 of the Cannabis Control Act and methamphetamine as defined in Section 10 of the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act.

(8) Conviction. "Conviction" means an unvacated adjudication of guilt or a determination that a person has violated or failed to comply with the law in a court of original jurisdiction or by an authorized administrative tribunal; an unvacated forfeiture of bail or collateral deposited to secure the person's appearance in court; a plea of guilty or nolo contendere accepted by the court; the payment of a fine or court cost regardless of whether the imposition of sentence is deferred and ultimately a judgment dismissing the underlying charge is entered; or a violation of a condition of release without bail, regardless of whether or not the penalty is rebated, suspended or probated.

(8.5) Day. "Day" means calendar day.

(9) (Blank).

(10) (Blank).

(11) (Blank).

(12) (Blank).

(13) Driver. "Driver" means any person who drives, operates, or is in physical control of a commercial motor vehicle, any person who is required to hold a CDL, or any person who is a holder of a CDL while operating a non-commercial motor vehicle.

(13.5) Driver applicant. "Driver applicant" means an individual who applies to a state to obtain, transfer, upgrade, or renew a CDL.

(13.8) Electronic device. "Electronic device" includes, but is not limited to, a cellular telephone, personal digital assistant, pager, computer, or any other device used to input, write, send, receive, or read text.

(14) Employee. "Employee" means a person who is employed as a commercial motor vehicle driver. A person who is self-employed as a commercial motor vehicle driver must comply with the requirements of this UCDLA pertaining to employees. An owner-operator on a long-term lease shall be considered an employee.

(15) Employer. "Employer" means a person (including the United States, a State or a local authority) who owns or leases a commercial motor vehicle or assigns employees to operate such a vehicle. A person who is self-employed as a commercial motor vehicle driver must comply with the requirements of this UCDLA.

(15.3) Excepted interstate. "Excepted interstate" means a person who operates or expects to operate in interstate commerce, but engages exclusively in transportation or operations excepted under 49 C.F.R. 390.3(f), 391.2, 391.68, or 398.3 from all or part of the qualification requirements of 49 C.F.R. Part 391 and is not required to obtain a medical examiner's certificate by 49 C.F.R. 391.45.

(15.5) Excepted intrastate. "Excepted intrastate" means a person who operates in intrastate commerce but engages exclusively in transportation or operations excepted from all or parts of the state driver qualification requirements.

(16) (Blank).

(16.5) Fatality. "Fatality" means the death of a person as a result of a motor vehicle accident.

(17) Foreign jurisdiction. "Foreign jurisdiction" means a sovereign jurisdiction that does not fall within the definition of "State".

(18) (Blank).

(19) (Blank).

(20) Hazardous materials. "Hazardous Material" means any material that has been designated under 49 U.S.C. 5103 and is required to be placarded under subpart F of 49 C.F.R. part 172 or any quantity of a material listed as a select agent or toxin in 42 C.F.R. part 73.

(20.5) Imminent Hazard. "Imminent hazard" means the existence of a condition that presents a substantial likelihood that death, serious illness, severe personal injury, or a substantial endangerment to health, property, or the environment may occur before the reasonably foreseeable completion date of a formal proceeding begun to lessen the risk of that death, illness, injury or endangerment.

(21) Long-term lease. "Long-term lease" means a lease of a commercial motor vehicle by the owner-lessor to a lessee, for a period of more than 29 days.

(21.1) Medical examiner. "Medical examiner" means a person who is licensed, certified, or registered in accordance with applicable state laws and regulations to perform physical examinations. The term includes but is not limited to doctors of medicine, doctors of osteopathy, physician assistants, advanced practice nurses, and doctors of chiropractic.

(21.2) Medical examiner's certificate. "Medical examiner's certificate" means a document prescribed or approved by the Secretary of State that is issued by a medical examiner to a driver to medically qualify him or her to drive.

(21.5) Medical variance. "Medical variance" means a driver has received one of the following from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration which allows the driver to be issued a medical certificate: (1) an exemption letter permitting operation of a commercial motor vehicle pursuant to 49 C.F.R. Part 381, Subpart C or 49 C.F.R. 391.64; or (2) a skill performance evaluation (SPE) certificate permitting operation of a commercial motor vehicle pursuant to 49 C.F.R. 391.49.

(21.7) Mobile telephone. "Mobile telephone" means a mobile communication device that falls under or uses any commercial mobile radio service, as defined in regulations of the Federal Communications Commission, 47 CFR 20.3. It does not include two-way or citizens band radio services.

(22) Motor Vehicle. "Motor vehicle" means every vehicle which is self-propelled, and every vehicle which is propelled by electric power obtained from over head trolley wires but not operated upon rails, except vehicles moved solely by human power and motorized wheel chairs.

(22.2) Motor vehicle record. "Motor vehicle record" means a report of the driving status and history of a driver generated from the driver record provided to users, such as drivers or employers, and is subject to the provisions of the Driver Privacy Protection Act, 18 U.S.C. 2721-2725.

(22.5) Non-CMV. "Non-CMV" means a motor vehicle or combination of motor vehicles not defined by the term "commercial motor vehicle" or "CMV" in this Section.

(22.7) Non-excepted interstate. "Non-excepted interstate" means a person who operates or expects to operate in interstate commerce, is subject to and meets the qualification requirements under 49 C.F.R. Part 391, and is required to obtain a medical examiner's certificate by 49 C.F.R. 391.45.

(22.8) Non-excepted intrastate. "Non-excepted intrastate" means a person who operates only in intrastate commerce and is subject to State driver qualification requirements.

(23) Non-resident CDL. "Non-resident CDL" means a commercial driver's license issued by a state under either of the following two conditions:

(i) to an individual domiciled in a foreign country meeting the requirements of Part 383.23(b)(1) of 49 C.F.R. of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

(ii) to an individual domiciled in another state meeting the requirements of Part 383.23(b)(2) of 49 C.F.R. of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

(24) (Blank).

(25) (Blank).

(25.5) Railroad-Highway Grade Crossing Violation. "Railroad-highway grade crossing violation" means a violation, while operating a commercial motor vehicle, of any of the following:

(A) Section 11-1201, 11-1202, or 11-1425 of this Code.

(B) Any other similar law or local ordinance of any state relating to railroad-highway grade crossing.

(25.7) School Bus. "School bus" means a commercial motor vehicle used to transport pre-primary, primary, or secondary school students from home to school, from school to home, or to and from school-sponsored events. "School bus" does not include a bus used as a common carrier.

(26) Serious Traffic Violation. "Serious traffic violation" means:

(A) a conviction when operating a commercial motor vehicle, or when operating a non-CMV while holding a CDL, of:

(i) a violation relating to excessive speeding, involving a single speeding charge of 15 miles per hour or more above the legal speed limit; or

(ii) a violation relating to reckless driving; or

(iii) a violation of any State law or local ordinance relating to motor vehicle traffic control (other than parking violations) arising in connection with a fatal traffic accident; or

(iv) a violation of Section 6-501, relating to having multiple driver's licenses; or

(v) a violation of paragraph (a) of Section 6-507, relating to the requirement to have a valid CDL; or

(vi) a violation relating to improper or erratic traffic lane changes; or

(vii) a violation relating to following another vehicle too closely; or

(viii) a violation relating to texting while driving; or

(ix) a violation relating to the use of a hand-held mobile telephone while driving; or

(B) any other similar violation of a law or local ordinance of any state relating to motor vehicle traffic control, other than a parking violation, which the Secretary of State determines by administrative rule to be serious.

(27) State. "State" means a state of the United States, the District of Columbia and any province or territory of Canada.

(28) (Blank).

(29) (Blank).

(30) (Blank).

(31) (Blank).

(32) Texting. "Texting" means manually entering alphanumeric text into, or reading text from, an electronic device.

(1) Texting includes, but is not limited to, short message service, emailing, instant messaging, a command or request to access a World Wide Web page, pressing more than a single button to initiate or terminate a voice communication using a mobile telephone, or engaging in any other form of electronic text retrieval or entry for present or future communication.

(2) Texting does not include:

(i) inputting, selecting, or reading information on a global positioning system or navigation system; or

(ii) pressing a single button to initiate or terminate a voice communication using a mobile telephone; or

(iii) using a device capable of performing multiple functions (for example, a fleet management system, dispatching device, smart phone, citizens band radio, or music player) for a purpose that is not otherwise prohibited by Part 392 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.

(33) Use a hand-held mobile telephone. "Use a hand-held mobile telephone" means:

(1) using at least one hand to hold a mobile telephone to conduct a voice communication;

(2) dialing or answering a mobile telephone by pressing more than a single button; or

(3) reaching for a mobile telephone in a manner that requires a driver to maneuver so that he or she is no longer in a seated driving position, restrained by a seat belt that is installed in accordance with 49 CFR 393.93 and adjusted in accordance with the vehicle manufacturer's instructions.

(Source: P.A. 97-208, eff. 1-1-12.)

(625 ILCS 5/6-526 new)

Sec. 6-526. Prohibition against texting.

(a) A driver may not engage in texting while driving a commercial motor vehicle.

(b) A motor carrier may not allow or require its drivers to engage in texting while driving a commercial motor vehicle.

(c) For the purpose of this Section, when a person is operating a commercial motor vehicle, driving means operating a commercial motor vehicle on a highway, including while temporarily stationary because of traffic, a traffic control device, or other momentary delays. Driving does not include operating a commercial motor vehicle when the driver has moved the vehicle to the side of, or off, a highway and has halted in a location where the vehicle can safely remain stationary.

(d) Texting while driving is permissible by a driver of a commercial motor vehicle when necessary to communicate with law enforcement officials or other emergency services.

(625 ILCS 5/6-527 new)

Sec. 6-527. Using a hand-held mobile telephone.

(a) A driver may not use a hand-held mobile telephone while driving a commercial motor vehicle.

(b) A motor carrier may not allow or require its drivers to use a hand-held mobile telephone while driving a commercial motor vehicle.

(c) For the purpose of this Section, driving means operating a commercial motor vehicle on a highway, including while temporarily stationary because of traffic, a traffic control device, or other momentary delays. Driving does not include operating a commercial motor vehicle when the driver has moved the vehicle to the side of, or off, a highway and has halted in a location where the vehicle can safely remain stationary.

(d) Using a hand-held mobile telephone is permissible by a driver of a commercial motor vehicle when necessary to communicate with law enforcement officials or other emergency services.