625 ILCS 5/7-702.1

(625 ILCS 5/7-702.1)

Sec. 7-702.1. Family financial responsibility driving permits.

(a) Following the entry of an order that an obligor has been found in contempt by the court for failure to pay court ordered child support payments or upon a motion by the obligor who is subject to having his or her driver's license suspended pursuant to subsection (b) of Section 7-703, the court may enter an order directing the Secretary of State to issue a family financial responsibility driving permit for the purpose of providing the obligor the privilege of operating a motor vehicle between the obligor's residence and place of employment, or within the scope of employment related duties; or for the purpose of providing transportation for the obligor or a household member to receive alcohol treatment, other drug treatment, or medical care. If the obligor is unemployed, the court may issue the order for the purpose of seeking employment, which may be subject to the requirements set forth in subsection (a) of Section 505.1 of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act. Except upon a showing of good cause, any permit issued for the purpose of seeking employment shall be limited to Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. The court may enter an order directing the issuance of a permit only if the obligor has proven to the satisfaction of the court that no alternative means of transportation are reasonably available for the above stated purposes. No permit shall be issued to a person under the age of 16 years who possesses an instruction permit.

Upon entry of an order granting the issuance of a permit to an obligor, the court shall report this finding to the Secretary of State on a form prescribed by the Secretary. This form shall state whether the permit has been granted for employment or medical purposes and the specific days and hours for which limited driving privileges have been granted.

(a-1) Following the entry of an order that a person has been found in contempt by the court for failure to follow a visitation order, the court may enter an order directing the Secretary of State to issue a family responsibility driving permit for the purpose of providing the person the privilege of operating a motor vehicle between the person's residence and place of employment or within the scope of employment related duties, or for the purpose of providing transportation for the person or a household member to receive alcohol treatment, other drug treatment, or medical care. If the person is unemployed, the court may issue the order for the purpose of seeking employment, which may be subject to the requirements set forth in subsection (a) of Section 505.1 of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act. Except upon a showing of good cause, any permit issued for the purpose of seeking employment shall be limited to Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. The court may enter an order directing the issuance of a permit only if the person has proven to the satisfaction of the court that no alternative means of transportation are reasonably available for the above stated purposes. No permit shall be issued to a person under the age of 16 years who possesses an instruction permit. Upon entry of an order granting the issuance of a permit to a person, the court shall report this finding to the Secretary of State on a form prescribed by the Secretary. This form shall state whether the permit has been granted for employment or medical purposes and the specific days and hours for which limited driving privileges have been granted.

(a-2) The family financial responsibility driving permit shall be subject to cancellation, invalidation, suspension, and revocation by the Secretary of State in the same manner and for the same reasons as a driver's license may be cancelled, invalidated, suspended, or revoked.

The Secretary of State shall, upon receipt of a certified court order from the court of jurisdiction, issue a family financial responsibility driving permit. In order for this permit to be issued, an individual's driving privileges must be valid except for the family financial responsibility suspension or the family responsibility suspension. This permit shall be valid only for employment and medical purposes as set forth above. The permit shall state the days and hours for which limited driving privileges have been granted.

Any submitted court order that contains insufficient data or fails to comply with any provision of this Code shall not be used for issuance of the permit or entered to the individual's driving record but shall be returned to the court of jurisdiction indicating why the permit cannot be issued at that time. The Secretary of State shall also send notice of the return of the court order to the individual requesting the permit.

(b) Following certification of delinquency pursuant to subsection (c) of Section 7-702 of this Code, and upon petition by the obligor whose driver's license has been suspended under that subsection, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services may direct the Secretary of State to issue a family financial responsibility driving permit for the purpose of providing the obligor the privilege of operating a motor vehicle between the obligor's residence and place of employment, or within the scope of employment related duties, or for the purpose of providing transportation for the obligor or a household member to receive alcohol treatment, other drug treatment, or medical care. If the obligor is unemployed, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services may direct the issuance of the permit for the purpose of seeking employment, which may be subject to the requirements set forth in subsection (a) of Section 505.1 of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act. Except upon a showing of good cause, any permit issued for the purpose of seeking employment shall be limited to Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. The Department of Healthcare and Family Services may direct the issuance of a permit only if the obligor has proven to the Department's satisfaction that no alternative means of transportation is reasonably available for the above stated purposes.

The Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall report to the Secretary of State the finding granting a permit on a form prescribed by the Secretary of State. The form shall state the purpose for which the permit has been granted, the specific days and hours for which limited driving privileges are allowed, and the duration of the permit.

The family financial responsibility driving permit shall be subject to cancellation, invalidation, suspension, and revocation by the Secretary of State in the same manner and for the same reasons as a driver's license may be cancelled, invalidated, suspended, or revoked.

As directed by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, the Secretary of State shall issue a family financial responsibility driving permit, but only if the obligor's driving privileges are valid except for the family financial responsibility suspension. The permit shall state the purpose or purposes for which it was granted under this subsection, the specific days and hours for which limited driving privileges are allowed, and the duration of the permit.

If the Department of Healthcare and Family Services directive to issue a family financial responsibility driving permit contains insufficient data or fails to comply with any provision of this Code, a permit shall not be issued and the directive shall be returned to the Department of Healthcare and Family Services. The Secretary of State shall also send notice of the return of the Department's directive to the obligor requesting the permit.

(c) In accordance with 49 C.F.R. Part 384, the Secretary of State may not issue a family financial responsibility driving permit to any person for the operation of a commercial motor vehicle if the person's driving privileges have been suspended under any provisions of this Code.

(Source: P.A. 96-1284, eff. 1-1-11; 97-1047, eff. 8-21-12.)