Public Act 095-0762
 
HB5655 Enrolled LRB095 19166 RCE 45401 b

    AN ACT concerning disabilities.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Illinois Identification Card Act is amended
by changing Section 4 as follows:
 
    (15 ILCS 335/4)  (from Ch. 124, par. 24)
    Sec. 4. Identification Card.
    (a) The Secretary of State shall issue a standard Illinois
Identification Card to any natural person who is a resident of
the State of Illinois who applies for such card, or renewal
thereof, or who applies for a standard Illinois Identification
Card upon release as a committed person on parole, mandatory
supervised release, final discharge, or pardon from the
Department of Corrections by submitting an identification card
issued by the Department of Corrections under Section 3-14-1 of
the Unified Code of Corrections, together with the prescribed
fees. No identification card shall be issued to any person who
holds a valid foreign state identification card, license, or
permit unless the person first surrenders to the Secretary of
State the valid foreign state identification card, license, or
permit. The card shall be prepared and supplied by the
Secretary of State and shall include a photograph of the
applicant. The applicant, upon receipt of a card and prior to
its use for any purpose, shall affix his signature thereon in
the space provided therefor. The Illinois Identification Card
may be used for identification purposes in any lawful situation
only by the person to whom it was issued. As used in this Act,
"photograph" means any color photograph or digitally produced
and captured image of an applicant for an identification card.
As used in this Act, "signature" means the name of a person as
written by that person and captured in a manner acceptable to
the Secretary of State.
    (b) The Secretary of State shall issue a special Illinois
Identification Card, which shall be known as an Illinois
Disabled Person Identification Card, to any natural person who
is a resident of the State of Illinois, who is a disabled
person as defined in Section 4A of this Act, who applies for
such card, or renewal thereof. No Disabled Person
Identification Card shall be issued to any person who holds a
valid foreign state identification card, license, or permit
unless the person first surrenders to the Secretary of State
the valid foreign state identification card, license, or
permit. The Secretary of State shall charge no fee to issue
such card. The card shall be prepared and supplied by the
Secretary of State, and shall include a photograph of the
applicant, a designation indicating that the card is an
Illinois Disabled Person Identification Card, and shall
include a comprehensible designation of the type and
classification of the applicant's disability as set out in
Section 4A of this Act. If the applicant so requests, the card
shall include a description of the applicant's disability and
any information about the applicant's disability or medical
history which the Secretary determines would be helpful to the
applicant in securing emergency medical care. The applicant,
upon receipt of such a card and prior to its use for any
purpose, shall have affixed thereon in the space provided
therefor his signature or mark. If a mark is used in lieu of a
signature, such mark shall be affixed to the card in the
presence of two witnesses who attest to the authenticity of the
mark. The Illinois Disabled Person Identification Card may be
used for identification purposes in any lawful situation by the
person to whom it was issued.
    The Illinois Disabled Person Identification Card may be
used as adequate documentation of disability in lieu of a
physician's determination of disability, a determination of
disability from a physician assistant who has been delegated
the authority to make this determination by his or her
supervising physician, a determination of disability from an
advanced practice nurse who has a written collaborative
agreement with a collaborating physician that authorizes the
advanced practice nurse to make this determination, or any
other documentation of disability whenever any State law
requires that a disabled person provide such documentation of
disability, however an Illinois Disabled Person Identification
Card shall not qualify the cardholder to participate in any
program or to receive any benefit which is not available to all
persons with like disabilities. Notwithstanding any other
provisions of law, an Illinois Disabled Person Identification
Card, or evidence that the Secretary of State has issued an
Illinois Disabled Person Identification Card, shall not be used
by any person other than the person named on such card to prove
that the person named on such card is a disabled person or for
any other purpose unless the card is used for the benefit of
the person named on such card, and the person named on such
card consents to such use at the time the card is so used.
    An optometrist's determination of a visual disability
under Section 4A of this Act is acceptable as documentation for
the purpose of issuing an Illinois Disabled Person
Identification Card.
    When medical information is contained on an Illinois
Disabled Person Identification Card, the Office of the
Secretary of State shall not be liable for any actions taken
based upon that medical information.
    (c) Beginning January 1, 1986, the Secretary of State shall
provide that each original or renewal Illinois Identification
Card or Illinois Disabled Person Identification Card issued to
a person under the age of 21, shall be of a distinct nature
from those Illinois Identification Cards or Illinois Disabled
Person Identification Cards issued to individuals 21 years of
age or older. The color designated for Illinois Identification
Cards or Illinois Disabled Person Identification Cards for
persons under the age of 21 shall be at the discretion of the
Secretary of State.
    (c-1) Beginning January 1, 2003, each original or renewal
Illinois Identification Card or Illinois Disabled Person
Identification Card issued to a person under the age of 21
shall display the date upon which the person becomes 18 years
of age and the date upon which the person becomes 21 years of
age.
    (d) The Secretary of State may issue a Senior Citizen
discount card, to any natural person who is a resident of the
State of Illinois who is 60 years of age or older and who
applies for such a card or renewal thereof. The Secretary of
State shall charge no fee to issue such card. The card shall be
issued in every county and applications shall be made available
at, but not limited to, nutrition sites, senior citizen centers
and Area Agencies on Aging. The applicant, upon receipt of such
card and prior to its use for any purpose, shall have affixed
thereon in the space provided therefor his signature or mark.
(Source: P.A. 92-240, eff. 1-1-02; 92-689, eff. 1-1-03; 93-182,
eff. 7-11-03; 93-895, eff. 1-1-05.)
 
    Section 10. The Illinois Vehicle Code is amended by
changing Section 3-616 as follows:
 
    (625 ILCS 5/3-616)  (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-616)
    Sec. 3-616. Disability license plates.
    (a) Upon receiving an application for a certificate of
registration for a motor vehicle of the first division or for a
motor vehicle of the second division weighing no more than
8,000 pounds, accompanied with payment of the registration fees
required under this Code from a person with disabilities or a
person who is deaf or hard of hearing, the Secretary of State,
if so requested, shall issue to such person registration plates
as provided for in Section 3-611, provided that the person with
disabilities or person who is deaf or hard of hearing must not
be disqualified from obtaining a driver's license under
subsection 8 of Section 6-103 of this Code, and further
provided that any person making such a request must submit a
statement, certified by a licensed physician, by a physician
assistant who has been delegated the authority to make this
certification by his or her supervising physician, or by an
advanced practice nurse who has a written collaborative
agreement with a collaborating physician that authorizes the
advanced practice nurse to make this certification, to the
effect that such person is a person with disabilities as
defined by Section 1-159.1 of this Code, or alternatively
provide adequate documentation that such person has a Class 1A,
Class 2A or Type Four disability under the provisions of
Section 4A of the Illinois Identification Card Act. For
purposes of this Section, an Illinois Disabled Person
Identification Card issued pursuant to the Illinois
Identification Card Act indicating that the person thereon
named has a disability shall be adequate documentation of such
a disability.
    (b) The Secretary shall issue plates under this Section to
a parent or legal guardian of a person with disabilities if the
person with disabilities has a Class 1A or Class 2A disability
as defined in Section 4A of the Illinois Identification Card
Act or is a person with disabilities as defined by Section
1-159.1 of this Code, and does not possess a vehicle registered
in his or her name, provided that the person with disabilities
relies frequently on the parent or legal guardian for
transportation. Only one vehicle per family may be registered
under this subsection, unless the applicant can justify in
writing the need for one additional set of plates. Any person
requesting special plates under this subsection shall submit
such documentation or such physician's, physician assistant's,
or advanced practice nurse's statement as is required in
subsection (a) and a statement describing the circumstances
qualifying for issuance of special plates under this
subsection. An optometrist may certify a Class 2A Visual
Disability, as defined in Section 4A of the Illinois
Identification Card Act, for the purpose of qualifying a person
with disabilities for special plates under this subsection.
    (c) The Secretary may issue a parking decal or device to a
person with disabilities as defined by Section 1-159.1 without
regard to qualification of such person with disabilities for a
driver's license or registration of a vehicle by such person
with disabilities or such person's immediate family, provided
such person with disabilities making such a request has been
issued a Disabled Person Identification Card indicating that
the person named thereon has a Class 1A or Class 2A disability,
or alternatively, submits a statement certified by a licensed
physician, or by a physician assistant or an advanced practice
nurse as provided in subsection (a), to the effect that such
person is a person with disabilities as defined by Section
1-159.1. An optometrist may certify a Class 2A Visual
Disability as defined in Section 4A of the Illinois
Identification Card Act for the purpose of qualifying a person
with disabilities for a parking decal or device under this
subsection.
    (d) The Secretary shall prescribe by rules and regulations
procedures to certify or re-certify as necessary the
eligibility of persons whose disabilities are other than
permanent for special plates or parking decals or devices
issued under subsections (a), (b) and (c). Except as provided
under subsection (f) of this Section, no such special plates,
decals or devices shall be issued by the Secretary of State to
or on behalf of any person with disabilities unless such person
is certified as meeting the definition of a person with
disabilities pursuant to Section 1-159.1 or meeting the
requirement of a Type Four disability as provided under Section
4A of the Illinois Identification Card Act for the period of
time that the physician, or the physician assistant or advanced
practice nurse as provided in subsection (a), determines the
applicant will have the disability, but not to exceed 6 months
from the date of certification or recertification.
    (e) Any person requesting special plates under this Section
may also apply to have the special plates personalized, as
provided under Section 3-405.1.
    (f) The Secretary of State, upon application, shall issue
disability registration plates or a parking decal to
corporations, school districts, State or municipal agencies,
limited liability companies, nursing homes, convalescent
homes, or special education cooperatives which will transport
persons with disabilities. The Secretary shall prescribe by
rule a means to certify or re-certify the eligibility of
organizations to receive disability plates or decals and to
designate which of the 2 person with disabilities emblems shall
be placed on qualifying vehicles.
    (g) The Secretary of State, or his designee, may enter into
agreements with other jurisdictions, including foreign
jurisdictions, on behalf of this State relating to the
extension of parking privileges by such jurisdictions to
permanently disabled residents of this State who display a
special license plate or parking device that contains the
International symbol of access on his or her motor vehicle, and
to recognize such plates or devices issued by such other
jurisdictions. This State shall grant the same parking
privileges which are granted to disabled residents of this
State to any non-resident whose motor vehicle is licensed in
another state, district, territory or foreign country if such
vehicle displays the international symbol of access or a
distinguishing insignia on license plates or parking device
issued in accordance with the laws of the non-resident's state,
district, territory or foreign country.
(Source: P.A. 93-182, eff. 7-11-03; 94-619, eff. 1-1-06.)