Public Act 094-0564
 
HB2351 Enrolled LRB094 09725 DRH 39981 b

    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
the heading of Article VI of Chapter 3 and Sections 3-412 and
12-503 and adding Section 3-663 as follows:
 
    (625 ILCS 5/3-412)  (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-412)
    Sec. 3-412. Registration plates and registration stickers
to be furnished by the Secretary of State.
    (a) The Secretary of State upon registering a vehicle
subject to annual registration for the first time shall issue
or shall cause to be issued to the owner one registration plate
for a motorcycle, trailer, semitrailer, motorized pedalcycle
or truck-tractor, 2 registration plates for other motor
vehicles and, where applicable, current registration stickers
for motor vehicles of the first division. The provisions of
this Section may be made applicable to such vehicles of the
second division, as the Secretary of State may, from time to
time, in his discretion designate. On subsequent annual
registrations during the term of the registration plate as
provided in Section 3-414.1, the Secretary shall issue or cause
to be issued registration stickers as evidence of current
registration. However, the issuance of annual registration
stickers to vehicles registered under the provisions of
Sections 3-402.1 and 3-405.3 of this Code may not be required
if the Secretary deems the issuance unnecessary.
    (b) Every registration plate shall have displayed upon it
the registration number assigned to the vehicle for which it is
issued, the name of this State, which may be abbreviated, the
year number for which it was issued, which may be abbreviated,
the phrase "Land of Lincoln" (except as otherwise provided in
this Code Chapter 3), and such other letters or numbers as the
Secretary may prescribe. However, for apportionment plates
issued to vehicles registered under Section 3-402.1 and fleet
plates issued to vehicles registered under Section 3-405.3, the
phrase "Land of Lincoln" may be omitted to allow for the word
"apportioned", the word "fleet", or other similar language to
be displayed. Registration plates issued to a vehicle
registered as a fleet vehicle may display a designation
determined by the Secretary.
    The Secretary may in his discretion prescribe that letters
be used as prefixes only on registration plates issued to
vehicles of the first division which are registered under this
Code and only as suffixes on registration plates issued to
other vehicles. Every registration sticker issued as evidence
of current registration shall designate the year number for
which it is issued and such other letters or numbers as the
Secretary may prescribe and shall be of a contrasting color
with the registration plates and registration stickers of the
previous year.
    (c) Each registration plate and the required letters and
numerals thereon, except the year number for which issued,
shall be of sufficient size to be plainly readable from a
distance of 100 feet during daylight, and shall be coated with
reflectorizing material. The dimensions of the plate issued to
vehicles of the first division shall be 6 by 12 inches.
    (d) The Secretary of State shall issue for every passenger
motor vehicle rented without a driver the same type of
registration plates as the type of plates issued for a private
passenger vehicle.
    (e) The Secretary of State shall issue for every passenger
car used as a taxicab or livery, distinctive registration
plates.
    (f) The Secretary of State shall issue for every motorcycle
distinctive registration plates distinguishing between
motorcycles having 150 or more cubic centimeters piston
displacement, or having less than 150 cubic centimeter piston
displacement.
    (g) Registration plates issued to vehicles for-hire may
display a designation as determined by the Secretary that such
vehicles are for-hire.
    (h) The Secretary of State shall issue for each electric
vehicle distinctive registration plates which shall
distinguish between electric vehicles having a maximum
operating speed of 45 miles per hour or more and those having a
maximum operating speed of less than 45 miles per hour.
    (i) The Secretary of State shall issue for every public and
private ambulance registration plates identifying the vehicle
as an ambulance. The Secretary shall forward to the Department
of Public Aid registration information for the purpose of
verification of claims filed with the Department by ambulance
owners for payment for services to public assistance
recipients.
    (j) The Secretary of State shall issue for every public and
private medical carrier or rescue vehicle livery registration
plates displaying numbers within ranges of numbers reserved
respectively for medical carriers and rescue vehicles. The
Secretary shall forward to the Department of Public Aid
registration information for the purpose of verification of
claims filed with the Department by owners of medical carriers
or rescue vehicles for payment for services to public
assistance recipients.
    (k) The Secretary of State shall issue distinctive license
plates or distinctive license plate stickers for every vehicle
exempted from subsection (a) of Section 12-503 by subsection
(g-5) of that Section.
(Source: P.A. 92-629, eff. 7-1-03; 92-651, eff. 7-11-02;
revised 9-27-03.)
 
    (625 ILCS 5/Ch. 3 Art. VI heading)
ARTICLE VI. SPECIAL PLATES AND SPECIAL LICENSE PLATE STICKERS

 
    (625 ILCS 5/3-663 new)
    Sec. 3-663. Medically Required Tinted Window plates or
plate stickers. The Secretary, upon receipt of an application
made in the form prescribed by the Secretary, shall issue
special registration plates or plate stickers designated as
Medically Required Tinted Window license plates or plate
stickers. The special plates or plate stickers issued under
this Section shall be affixed only to passenger vehicles of the
first division or their license plates and to motor vehicles of
the second division weighing not more than 8,000 pounds or
their license plates. Plates issued under this Section shall
expire according to the multi-year procedure established by
Section 3-414.1 of this Code. Plate stickers issued under this
Section shall expire in accordance with rules adopted by the
Secretary. The design and color of the plates or plate stickers
shall be wholly within the discretion of the Secretary of
State.
 
    (625 ILCS 5/12-503)  (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 12-503)
    Sec. 12-503. Windshields must be unobstructed and equipped
with wipers.
    (a) No person shall drive a motor vehicle with any sign,
poster, window application, reflective material, nonreflective
material or tinted film upon the front windshield, sidewings or
side windows immediately adjacent to each side of the driver. A
nonreflective tinted film may be used along the uppermost
portion of the windshield if such material does not extend more
than 6 inches down from the top of the windshield. Nothing in
this Section shall create a cause of action on behalf of a
buyer against a dealer or manufacturer who sells a motor
vehicle with a window which is in violation of this Section.
    (b) Nothing contained in this Section shall prohibit the
use of nonreflective, smoked or tinted glass, nonreflective
film, perforated window screen or other decorative window
application on windows to the rear of the driver's seat, except
that any motor vehicle with a window to the rear of the
driver's seat treated in this manner shall be equipped with a
side mirror on each side of the motor vehicle which are in
conformance with Section 12-502.
    (c) No person shall drive a motor vehicle with any objects
placed or suspended between the driver and the front
windshield, rear window, side wings or side windows immediately
adjacent to each side of the driver which materially obstructs
the driver's view.
    (d) Every motor vehicle, except motorcycles, shall be
equipped with a device, controlled by the driver, for cleaning
rain, snow, moisture or other obstructions from the windshield;
and no person shall drive a motor vehicle with snow, ice,
moisture or other material on any of the windows or mirrors,
which materially obstructs the driver's clear view of the
highway.
    (e) No person shall drive a motor vehicle when the
windshield, side or rear windows are in such defective
condition or repair as to materially impair the driver's view
to the front, side or rear. A vehicle equipped with a side
mirror on each side of the vehicle which are in conformance
with Section 12-502 will be deemed to be in compliance in the
event the rear window of the vehicle is materially obscured.
    (f) Paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section shall not apply
to:
        (1) motor vehicles manufactured prior to January 1,
    1982; or
        (2) to those motor vehicles properly registered in
    another jurisdiction.
    (g) Paragraph (a) of this Section shall not apply to any
motor vehicle with a window treatment, including but not
limited to a window application, reflective material,
nonreflective material, or tinted film, applied or affixed to
the motor vehicle for the purposes set forth in item (1) or (2)
before the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997 and:
        (1) that is owned and operated by a person afflicted
    with or suffering from a medical illness, ailment, or
    disease which would require that person to be shielded from
    the direct rays of the sun; or
        (2) that is used in transporting a person when the
    person resides at the same address as the registered owner
    of the vehicle and the person is afflicted with or
    suffering from a medical illness, ailment or disease which
    would require the person to be shielded from the direct
    rays of the sun;
        It must be certified by a physician licensed to
    practice medicine in Illinois that such person owning and
    operating or being transported in a motor vehicle is
    afflicted with or suffers from such illness, ailment, or
    disease and such certification must be carried in the motor
    vehicle at all times. The certification shall be legible
    and shall contain the date of issuance, the name, address
    and signature of the attending physician, and the name,
    address, and medical condition of the person requiring
    exemption. The information on the certificate for a window
    treatment applied or affixed before the effective date of
    this amendatory Act of 1997 must remain current and shall
    be renewed annually by the attending physician, but in no
    event shall a certificate issued for purposes of this
    subsection be valid on or after January 1, 2008. The person
    shall also submit a copy of the certification to the
    Secretary of State. The Secretary of State may forward
    notice of certification to law enforcement agencies.
    This subsection shall not be construed to authorize window
treatments applied or affixed on or after the effective date of
this amendatory Act of 1997.
    The exemption provided by this subsection (g) shall not
apply to any motor vehicle on and after January 1, 2008.
    This subsection (g) does not apply to the exemption set
forth in subsection (g-5).
    (g-5) Paragraph (a) of this Section does not apply to any
motor vehicle with a window treatment, including but not
limited to a window application, reflective material,
nonreflective material, or tinted film, applied or affixed to a
motor vehicle that:
        (i) is owned and operated by a person afflicted with or
    suffering from systemic or discoid lupus erythematosus or
    albinism; or
        (ii) is used in transporting a person who resides at
    the same address as the registered owner and is afflicted
    with or suffers from systemic or discoid lupus
    erythematosus or albinism.
    It must be certified by a physician licensed to practice
medicine in Illinois that the person owning and operating or
being transported in a motor vehicle is afflicted with or
suffers from systemic or discoid lupus erythematosus or
albinism and the certification must be carried in the motor
vehicle at all times. The certification shall be legible and
shall contain the date of issuance, the name, address, and
signature of the attending physician, and the name, address,
and medical condition of the person requiring exemption. The
information on the certificate for a window treatment must
remain current and shall be renewed annually by the attending
physician. The owner of the vehicle shall also submit a copy of
the certification to the Secretary of State. The Secretary of
State may forward notice of certification to law enforcement
agencies.
    (h) Paragraph (a) of this Section shall not apply to motor
vehicle stickers or other certificates issued by State or local
authorities which are required to be displayed upon motor
vehicle windows to evidence compliance with requirements
concerning motor vehicles.
    (i) Those motor vehicles exempted under paragraph (f)(1) of
this Section shall not cause their windows to be treated as
described in paragraph (a) after January 1, 1993.
    (j) A person found guilty of violating paragraphs (a), (b),
or (i) of this Section shall be guilty of a petty offense and
fined no less than $50 nor more than $500. A second or
subsequent violation of paragraphs (a), (b), or (i) of this
Section shall be treated as a Class C misdemeanor and the
violator fined no less than $100 nor more than $500. Any person
convicted under paragraphs (a), (b), or (i) of this Section
shall be ordered to alter any nonconforming windows into
compliance with this Section.
(Source: P.A. 90-389, eff. 1-1-98.)
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.

Effective Date: 8/12/2005