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1    AN ACT concerning transportation.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Illinois Vehicle Code is amended by changing
5Section 12-215 as follows:
 
6    (625 ILCS 5/12-215)  (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 12-215)
7    Sec. 12-215. Oscillating, rotating or flashing lights on
8motor vehicles. Except as otherwise provided in this Code:
9    (a) The use of red or white oscillating, rotating or
10flashing lights, whether lighted or unlighted, is prohibited
11except on:
12        1. Law enforcement vehicles of State, Federal or local
13    authorities;
14        2. A vehicle operated by a police officer or county
15    coroner and designated or authorized by local authorities,
16    in writing, as a law enforcement vehicle; however, such
17    designation or authorization must be carried in the
18    vehicle;
19        2.1. A vehicle operated by a fire chief who has
20    completed an emergency vehicle operation training course
21    approved by the Office of the State Fire Marshal and
22    designated or authorized by local authorities, in writing,
23    as a fire department, fire protection district, or township

 

 

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1    fire department vehicle; however, the designation or
2    authorization must be carried in the vehicle, and the
3    lights may be visible or activated only when responding to
4    a bona fide emergency;
5        3. Vehicles of local fire departments and State or
6    federal firefighting vehicles;
7        4. Vehicles which are designed and used exclusively as
8    ambulances or rescue vehicles; furthermore, such lights
9    shall not be lighted except when responding to an emergency
10    call for and while actually conveying the sick or injured;
11        5. Tow trucks licensed in a state that requires such
12    lights; furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted on
13    any such tow truck while the tow truck is operating in the
14    State of Illinois;
15        6. Vehicles of the Illinois Emergency Management
16    Agency, vehicles of the Office of the Illinois State Fire
17    Marshal, vehicles of the Illinois Department of Public
18    Health, and vehicles of the Department of Nuclear Safety;
19        7. Vehicles operated by a local or county emergency
20    management services agency as defined in the Illinois
21    Emergency Management Agency Act;
22        8. School buses operating alternately flashing head
23    lamps as permitted under Section 12-805 of this Code;
24        9. Vehicles that are equipped and used exclusively as
25    organ transplant vehicles when used in combination with
26    blue oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights;

 

 

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1    furthermore, these lights shall be lighted only when the
2    transportation is declared an emergency by a member of the
3    transplant team or a representative of the organ
4    procurement organization; and
5        10. Vehicles of the Illinois Department of Natural
6    Resources that are used for mine rescue and explosives
7    emergency response.
8    (b) The use of amber oscillating, rotating or flashing
9lights, whether lighted or unlighted, is prohibited except on:
10        1. Second division vehicles designed and used for
11    towing or hoisting vehicles; furthermore, such lights
12    shall not be lighted except as required in this paragraph
13    1; such lights shall be lighted when such vehicles are
14    actually being used at the scene of an accident or
15    disablement; if the towing vehicle is equipped with a flat
16    bed that supports all wheels of the vehicle being
17    transported, the lights shall not be lighted while the
18    vehicle is engaged in towing on a highway; if the towing
19    vehicle is not equipped with a flat bed that supports all
20    wheels of a vehicle being transported, the lights shall be
21    lighted while the towing vehicle is engaged in towing on a
22    highway during all times when the use of headlights is
23    required under Section 12-201 of this Code; in addition,
24    these vehicles may use white oscillating, rotating, or
25    flashing lights in combination with amber oscillating,
26    rotating, or flashing lights as provided in this paragraph;

 

 

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1        2. Motor vehicles or equipment of the State of
2    Illinois, local authorities and contractors; furthermore,
3    such lights shall not be lighted except while such vehicles
4    are engaged in maintenance or construction operations
5    within the limits of construction projects;
6        3. Vehicles or equipment used by engineering or survey
7    crews; furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted except
8    while such vehicles are actually engaged in work on a
9    highway;
10        4. Vehicles of public utilities, municipalities, or
11    other construction, maintenance or automotive service
12    vehicles except that such lights shall be lighted only as a
13    means for indicating the presence of a vehicular traffic
14    hazard requiring unusual care in approaching, overtaking
15    or passing while such vehicles are engaged in maintenance,
16    service or construction on a highway;
17        5. Oversized vehicle or load; however, such lights
18    shall only be lighted when moving under permit issued by
19    the Department under Section 15-301 of this Code;
20        6. The front and rear of motorized equipment owned and
21    operated by the State of Illinois or any political
22    subdivision thereof, which is designed and used for removal
23    of snow and ice from highways;
24        (6.1) The front and rear of motorized equipment or
25    vehicles that (i) are not owned by the State of Illinois or
26    any political subdivision of the State, (ii) are designed

 

 

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1    and used for removal of snow and ice from highways and
2    parking lots, and (iii) are equipped with a snow plow that
3    is 12 feet in width; these lights may not be lighted except
4    when the motorized equipment or vehicle is actually being
5    used for those purposes on behalf of a unit of government;
6        7. Fleet safety vehicles registered in another state,
7    furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted except as
8    provided for in Section 12-212 of this Code;
9        8. Such other vehicles as may be authorized by local
10    authorities;
11        9. Law enforcement vehicles of State or local
12    authorities when used in combination with red oscillating,
13    rotating or flashing lights;
14        9.5. Propane delivery trucks;
15        10. Vehicles used for collecting or delivering mail for
16    the United States Postal Service provided that such lights
17    shall not be lighted except when such vehicles are actually
18    being used for such purposes;
19        10.5. Vehicles of the Office of the Illinois State Fire
20    Marshal, provided that such lights shall not be lighted
21    except for when such vehicles are engaged in work for the
22    Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal;
23        11. Any vehicle displaying a slow-moving vehicle
24    emblem as provided in Section 12-205.1;
25        12. All trucks equipped with self-compactors or
26    roll-off hoists and roll-on containers for garbage or

 

 

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1    refuse hauling. Such lights shall not be lighted except
2    when such vehicles are actually being used for such
3    purposes;
4        13. Vehicles used by a security company, alarm
5    responder, or control agency;
6        14. Security vehicles of the Department of Human
7    Services; however, the lights shall not be lighted except
8    when being used for security related purposes under the
9    direction of the superintendent of the facility where the
10    vehicle is located; and
11        15. Vehicles of union representatives, except that the
12    lights shall be lighted only while the vehicle is within
13    the limits of a construction project.
14    (c) The use of blue oscillating, rotating or flashing
15lights, whether lighted or unlighted, is prohibited except on:
16        1. Rescue squad vehicles not owned by a fire department
17    and vehicles owned or operated by a:
18            voluntary firefighter;
19            paid firefighter;
20            part-paid firefighter;
21            call firefighter;
22            member of the board of trustees of a fire
23        protection district;
24            paid or unpaid member of a rescue squad;
25            paid or unpaid member of a voluntary ambulance
26        unit; or

 

 

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1            paid or unpaid members of a local or county
2        emergency management services agency as defined in the
3        Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act, designated
4        or authorized by local authorities, in writing, and
5        carrying that designation or authorization in the
6        vehicle.
7        However, such lights are not to be lighted except when
8    responding to a bona fide emergency or when parked or
9    stationary at the scene of a fire, rescue call, ambulance
10    call, or motor vehicle accident.
11        Any person using these lights in accordance with this
12    subdivision (c)1 must carry on his or her person an
13    identification card or letter identifying the bona fide
14    member of a fire department, fire protection district,
15    rescue squad, ambulance unit, or emergency management
16    services agency that owns or operates that vehicle. The
17    card or letter must include:
18            (A) the name of the fire department, fire
19        protection district, rescue squad, ambulance unit, or
20        emergency management services agency;
21            (B) the member's position within the fire
22        department, fire protection district, rescue squad,
23        ambulance unit, or emergency management services
24        agency;
25            (C) the member's term of service; and
26            (D) the name of a person within the fire

 

 

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1        department, fire protection district, rescue squad,
2        ambulance unit, or emergency management services
3        agency to contact to verify the information provided.
4        2. Police department vehicles in cities having a
5    population of 500,000 or more inhabitants.
6        3. Law enforcement vehicles of State or local
7    authorities when used in combination with red oscillating,
8    rotating or flashing lights.
9        4. Vehicles of local fire departments and State or
10    federal firefighting vehicles when used in combination
11    with red oscillating, rotating or flashing lights.
12        5. Vehicles which are designed and used exclusively as
13    ambulances or rescue vehicles when used in combination with
14    red oscillating, rotating or flashing lights; furthermore,
15    such lights shall not be lighted except when responding to
16    an emergency call.
17        6. Vehicles that are equipped and used exclusively as
18    organ transport vehicles when used in combination with red
19    oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights; furthermore,
20    these lights shall only be lighted when the transportation
21    is declared an emergency by a member of the transplant team
22    or a representative of the organ procurement organization.
23        7. Vehicles of the Illinois Emergency Management
24    Agency, vehicles of the Office of the Illinois State Fire
25    Marshal, vehicles of the Illinois Department of Public
26    Health, and vehicles of the Department of Nuclear Safety,

 

 

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1    when used in combination with red oscillating, rotating, or
2    flashing lights.
3        8. Vehicles operated by a local or county emergency
4    management services agency as defined in the Illinois
5    Emergency Management Agency Act, when used in combination
6    with red oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights.
7        9. Vehicles of the Illinois Department of Natural
8    Resources that are used for mine rescue and explosives
9    emergency response, when used in combination with red
10    oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights.
11    (c-1) In addition to the blue oscillating, rotating, or
12flashing lights permitted under subsection (c), and
13notwithstanding subsection (a), a vehicle operated by a
14voluntary firefighter, a voluntary member of a rescue squad, or
15a member of a voluntary ambulance unit may be equipped with
16flashing white headlights and blue grill lights, which may be
17used only in responding to an emergency call or when parked or
18stationary at the scene of a fire, rescue call, ambulance call,
19or motor vehicle accident.
20    (c-2) In addition to the blue oscillating, rotating, or
21flashing lights permitted under subsection (c), and
22notwithstanding subsection (a), a vehicle operated by a paid or
23unpaid member of a local or county emergency management
24services agency as defined in the Illinois Emergency Management
25Agency Act, may be equipped with white oscillating, rotating,
26or flashing lights to be used in combination with blue

 

 

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1oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights, if authorization by
2local authorities is in writing and carried in the vehicle.
3    (d) The use of a combination of amber and white
4oscillating, rotating or flashing lights, whether lighted or
5unlighted, is prohibited except on second division vehicles
6designed and used for towing or hoisting vehicles or motor
7vehicles or equipment of the State of Illinois, local
8authorities, contractors, and union representatives may be so
9equipped; furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted on
10second division vehicles designed and used for towing or
11hoisting vehicles or vehicles of the State of Illinois, local
12authorities, and contractors except while such vehicles are
13engaged in a tow operation, highway maintenance, or
14construction operations within the limits of highway
15construction projects, and shall not be lighted on the vehicles
16of union representatives except when those vehicles are within
17the limits of a construction project.
18    (e) All oscillating, rotating or flashing lights referred
19to in this Section shall be of sufficient intensity, when
20illuminated, to be visible at 500 feet in normal sunlight.
21    (f) Nothing in this Section shall prohibit a manufacturer
22of oscillating, rotating or flashing lights or his
23representative from temporarily mounting such lights on a
24vehicle for demonstration purposes only.
25    (g) Any person violating the provisions of subsections (a),
26(b), (c) or (d) of this Section who without lawful authority

 

 

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1stops or detains or attempts to stop or detain another person
2shall be guilty of a Class 2 felony.
3    (h) Except as provided in subsection (g) above, any person
4violating the provisions of subsections (a) or (c) of this
5Section shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
6(Source: P.A. 96-214, eff. 8-10-09; 96-1190, eff. 7-22-10;
797-39, eff. 1-1-12; 97-149, eff. 7-14-11; 97-813, eff.
87-13-12.)
 
9    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
10becoming law.