Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HB1555
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Full Text of HB1555  94th General Assembly

HB1555eng 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY



 


 
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1     AN ACT concerning transportation.
 
 
2     WHEREAS, The Illinois General Assembly finds that laws
3 protecting school-age children with legislation limiting speed
4 limits near schools has successfully protected Illinois
5 children for decades, and a considerable number of recreational
6 facilities in Illinois often border or are in close proximity
7 to educational facilities and do not have the same protections
8 afforded to educational facilities; and
 
9     WHEREAS, The Illinois General Assembly finds that ensuring
10 Safe Streets near educational and recreational facilities is a
11 goal requiring the full attention of this General Assembly and
12 the full cooperation of the federal, State, and local units of
13 government and their respective executive departments and
14 agencies; therefore
 
15     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
16 represented in the General Assembly:
 
17     Section 5. The Illinois Vehicle Code is amended by adding
18 Section 11-605.3 as follows:
 
19     (625 ILCS 5/11-605.3 new)
20     Sec. 11-605.3. Special traffic protections while passing
21 parks and recreation facilities and areas.
22     (a) As used in this Section:
23         (1) "Park district" means the following entities:
24             (A) any park district organized under the Park
25         District Code;
26             (B) any park district organized under the Chicago
27         Park District Act; and
28             (C) any municipality, county, forest district,
29         school district, township, or other unit of local
30         government that operates a public recreation

 

 

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1         department or public recreation facilities that has
2         recreation facilities that are not on land owned by any
3         park district listed in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of
4         this subdivision (a)(1).
5         (2) "Park zone" means the recreation facilities and
6     areas on any land owned or operated by a park district that
7     are used for recreational purposes, including but not
8     limited to: parks; playgrounds; swimming pools; hiking
9     trails; bicycle paths; picnic areas; roads and streets; and
10     parking lots.
11         (3) "Park zone street" means that portion of any street
12     or intersection under the control of a local unit of
13     government, adjacent to a park zone, where the local unit
14     of government has, by ordinance or resolution, designated
15     and approved the street or intersection as a park zone
16     street. If, before the effective date of this amendatory
17     Act of the 94th General Assembly, a street already had a
18     posted speed limit lower than 20 miles per hour, then the
19     lower limit may be used for that park zone street.
20         (4) "Safety purposes" means the costs associated with:
21     park zone safety education; the purchase, installation,
22     and maintenance of signs, roadway painting, and caution
23     lights mounted on park zone signs; and any other expense
24     associated with park zones and park zone streets.
25     (b) On any day when children are present and within 50 feet
26 of motorized traffic, a person may not drive a motor vehicle at
27 a speed in excess of 20 miles per hour or any lower posted
28 speed while traveling on a park zone street that has been
29 designated for the posted reduced speed.
30     (c) On any day when children are present and within 50 feet
31 of motorized traffic, any driver traveling on a park zone
32 street who fails to come to a complete stop at a stop sign or
33 red light, including a driver who fails to come to a complete
34 stop at a red light before turning right onto a park zone
35 street, is in violation of this Section.
36     (d) This Section does not apply unless appropriate signs

 

 

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1 are posted upon park zone streets maintained by the Department
2 or by the unit of local government in which the park zone is
3 located. With regard to the special speed limit on park zone
4 streets, the signs must give proper due warning that a park
5 zone is being approached and must indicate the maximum speed
6 limit on the park zone street.
7     (e) A first violation of this Section is a petty offense
8 with a minimum fine of $250. A second or subsequent violation
9 of this Section is a petty offense with a minimum fine of $500.
10     (f) When a fine for a violation of subsection (a) is $250
11 or greater, the person who violates this Section shall be
12 charged an additional $50, to be paid to the park district for
13 safety purposes.
14     (g) The Department shall, within 6 months of the effective
15 date of this amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly,
16 design a set of standardized traffic signs for park zones and
17 park zone streets, including but not limited to: "park zone",
18 "park zone speed limit", and "warning: approaching a park
19 zone". The design of these signs shall be made available to all
20 units of local government or manufacturers at no charge, except
21 for reproduction and postage.
 
22     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
23 becoming law.