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92nd General Assembly

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Public Act 92-0814

HB5240 Enrolled                                LRB9212791AGmb

    AN ACT in relation to 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 Sections 6-206, 11-1011, 11-1201, and  11-1201.1  as
follows:

    (625 ILCS 5/6-206) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 6-206)
    Sec. 6-206.  Discretionary authority to suspend or revoke
license or permit; Right to a hearing.
    (a)  The  Secretary  of State is authorized to suspend or
revoke  the  driving  privileges  of   any   person   without
preliminary hearing upon a showing of the person's records or
other sufficient evidence that the person:
         1.  Has  committed  an  offense  for which mandatory
    revocation of a driver's license or  permit  is  required
    upon conviction;
         2.  Has  been  convicted of not less than 3 offenses
    against traffic regulations  governing  the  movement  of
    vehicles  committed  within  any  12  month  period.   No
    revocation  or  suspension  shall  be entered more than 6
    months after the date of last conviction;
         3.  Has been repeatedly  involved  as  a  driver  in
    motor vehicle collisions or has been repeatedly convicted
    of  offenses  against  laws and ordinances regulating the
    movement of traffic, to a degree that indicates  lack  of
    ability  to  exercise ordinary and reasonable care in the
    safe operation of a motor vehicle or disrespect  for  the
    traffic  laws  and  the  safety of other persons upon the
    highway;
         4.  Has by the unlawful operation of a motor vehicle
    caused or contributed to an accident resulting  in  death
    or injury requiring immediate professional treatment in a
    medical facility or doctor's office to any person, except
    that   any   suspension  or  revocation  imposed  by  the
    Secretary  of  State  under  the   provisions   of   this
    subsection shall start no later than 6 months after being
    convicted  of violating a law or ordinance regulating the
    movement of traffic, which violation is  related  to  the
    accident, or shall start not more than one year after the
    date of the accident, whichever date occurs later;
         5.  Has permitted an unlawful or fraudulent use of a
    driver's license, identification card, or permit;
         6.  Has  been  lawfully  convicted  of an offense or
    offenses in another state,  including  the  authorization
    contained  in  Section 6-203.1, which if committed within
    this State would be grounds for suspension or revocation;
         7.  Has  refused  or  failed   to   submit   to   an
    examination  provided  for by Section 6-207 or has failed
    to pass the examination;
         8.  Is ineligible for a driver's license  or  permit
    under the provisions of Section 6-103;
         9.  Has   made   a   false  statement  or  knowingly
    concealed a material fact or has used  false  information
    or  identification  in  any  application  for  a license,
    identification card, or permit;
         10.  Has  possessed,  displayed,  or  attempted   to
    fraudulently  use  any  license,  identification card, or
    permit not issued to the person;
         11.  Has operated a motor vehicle upon a highway  of
    this   State  when  the  person's  driving  privilege  or
    privilege to obtain a  driver's  license  or  permit  was
    revoked  or suspended unless the operation was authorized
    by a judicial driving  permit,  probationary  license  to
    drive,  or  a restricted driving permit issued under this
    Code;
         12.  Has submitted to any portion of the application
    process for another person or has obtained  the  services
    of  another  person  to  submit  to  any  portion  of the
    application  process  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  a
    license, identification card, or permit  for  some  other
    person;
         13.  Has  operated a motor vehicle upon a highway of
    this State when the person's driver's license  or  permit
    was  invalid under the provisions of Sections 6-107.1 and
    6-110;
         14.  Has committed a  violation  of  Section  6-301,
    6-301.1,  or  6-301.2 of this Act, or Section 14, 14A, or
    14B of the Illinois Identification Card Act;
         15.  Has been convicted of violating Section 21-2 of
    the Criminal Code of 1961 relating to  criminal  trespass
    to  vehicles  in  which case, the suspension shall be for
    one year;
         16.  Has been convicted of violating Section  11-204
    of this Code relating to fleeing from a police officer;
         17.  Has  refused  to submit to a test, or tests, as
    required under Section 11-501.1  of  this  Code  and  the
    person  has  not  sought  a  hearing  as  provided for in
    Section 11-501.1;
         18.  Has, since issuance of a  driver's  license  or
    permit,  been  adjudged to be afflicted with or suffering
    from any mental disability or disease;
         19.  Has committed a violation of paragraph  (a)  or
    (b)  of  Section  6-101  relating  to  driving  without a
    driver's license;
         20.  Has been convicted of violating  Section  6-104
    relating to classification of driver's license;
         21.  Has  been convicted of violating Section 11-402
    of this Code relating to leaving the scene of an accident
    resulting in damage to a vehicle in excess of $1,000,  in
    which case the suspension shall be for one year;
         22.  Has used a motor vehicle in violating paragraph
    (3),  (4),  (7), or (9) of subsection (a) of Section 24-1
    of the Criminal Code of 1961 relating to unlawful use  of
    weapons,  in  which  case the suspension shall be for one
    year;
         23.  Has, as a driver, been convicted of  committing
    a  violation  of  paragraph (a) of Section 11-502 of this
    Code for a second or subsequent time within one year of a
    similar violation;
         24.  Has  been  convicted  by  a  court-martial   or
    punished   by   non-judicial   punishment   by   military
    authorities   of   the   United   States  at  a  military
    installation in Illinois of  or  for  a  traffic  related
    offense  that  is  the  same  as or similar to an offense
    specified under Section 6-205 or 6-206 of this Code;
         25.  Has permitted any form of identification to  be
    used  by  another  in the application process in order to
    obtain or attempt to  obtain  a  license,  identification
    card, or permit;
         26.  Has  altered or attempted to alter a license or
    has possessed an altered license, identification card, or
    permit;
         27.  Has violated Section 6-16 of the Liquor Control
    Act of 1934;
         28.  Has been convicted of the  illegal  possession,
    while  operating  or  in  actual  physical  control, as a
    driver, of a motor vehicle, of any  controlled  substance
    prohibited  under  the Illinois Controlled Substances Act
    or any cannabis prohibited under the  provisions  of  the
    Cannabis  Control Act, in which case the person's driving
    privileges shall be  suspended  for  one  year,  and  any
    driver  who  is  convicted  of  a  second  or  subsequent
    offense, within 5 years of a previous conviction, for the
    illegal possession, while operating or in actual physical
    control,  as  a  driver,  of  a  motor  vehicle,  of  any
    controlled  substance  prohibited under the provisions of
    the Illinois Controlled Substances Act  or  any  cannabis
    prohibited  under  the  Cannabis  Control  Act  shall  be
    suspended for 5 years. Any defendant found guilty of this
    offense  while  operating  a motor vehicle, shall have an
    entry made in the court record  by  the  presiding  judge
    that  this  offense  did  occur  while  the defendant was
    operating a motor vehicle and  order  the  clerk  of  the
    court to report the violation to the Secretary of State;
         29.  Has  been  convicted  of the following offenses
    that were committed while the person was operating or  in
    actual physical control, as a driver, of a motor vehicle:
    criminal   sexual   assault,  predatory  criminal  sexual
    assault of a child, aggravated criminal  sexual  assault,
    criminal  sexual abuse, aggravated criminal sexual abuse,
    juvenile pimping, soliciting for  a  juvenile  prostitute
    and  the  manufacture,  sale  or  delivery  of controlled
    substances or instruments used for illegal  drug  use  or
    abuse in which case the driver's driving privileges shall
    be suspended for one year;
         30.  Has  been convicted a second or subsequent time
    for any combination of the offenses named in paragraph 29
    of this subsection, in which case  the  person's  driving
    privileges shall be suspended for 5 years;
         31.  Has  refused to submit to a test as required by
    Section 11-501.6 or has submitted to a test resulting  in
    an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more or any amount of
    a   drug,  substance,  or  compound  resulting  from  the
    unlawful use or consumption of cannabis as listed in  the
    Cannabis Control Act, a controlled substance as listed in
    the   Illinois   Controlled   Substances   Act,   or   an
    intoxicating   compound   as   listed   in   the  Use  of
    Intoxicating Compounds Act, in  which  case  the  penalty
    shall be as prescribed in Section 6-208.1;
         32.  Has  been  convicted  of  Section 24-1.2 of the
    Criminal  Code  of  1961  relating  to   the   aggravated
    discharge  of  a firearm if the offender was located in a
    motor vehicle at the time the firearm was discharged,  in
    which case the suspension shall be for 3 years;
         33.  Has as  a driver, who was less than 21 years of
    age  on  the  date of the offense, been convicted a first
    time of a violation of paragraph (a) of Section 11-502 of
    this Code or a similar provision of a local ordinance;
         34.  Has committed a violation of Section  11-1301.5
    of this Code;
         35.  Has  committed a violation of Section 11-1301.6
    of this Code; or
         36.  Is under the age of 21 years  at  the  time  of
    arrest  and  has  been    convicted  of  not  less than 2
    offenses  against  traffic  regulations    governing  the
    movement  of  vehicles  committed  within  any  24  month
    period.  No revocation or  suspension  shall  be  entered
    more than 6  months after the date of last conviction; or
         37.  Has  committed a violation of subsection (c) of
    Section 11-907 of this Code; or
         38.  Has committed a second or subsequent  violation
    of Section 11-1201 of this Code.
    For  purposes of paragraphs 5, 9, 10, 12, 14, 19, 25, 26,
and  27  of  this  subsection,  license  means  any  driver's
license, any traffic ticket issued when the person's driver's
license is deposited in lieu of  bail,  a  suspension  notice
issued  by  the  Secretary of State, a duplicate or corrected
driver's  license,  a  probationary  driver's  license  or  a
temporary driver's license.
    (b)  If any conviction forming the basis of a  suspension
or  revocation authorized under this Section is appealed, the
Secretary of State may rescind or withhold the entry  of  the
order  of  suspension  or  revocation,  as  the  case may be,
provided that a certified copy of a stay order of a court  is
filed  with  the  Secretary  of  State.  If the conviction is
affirmed on appeal, the date of the conviction  shall  relate
back  to  the  time  the  original judgment of conviction was
entered and the  6  month  limitation  prescribed  shall  not
apply.
    (c) 1.  Upon  suspending or revoking the driver's license
    or permit of any person as authorized  in  this  Section,
    the  Secretary  of  State  shall  immediately  notify the
    person in writing of the revocation  or  suspension.  The
    notice to be deposited in the United States mail, postage
    prepaid, to the last known address of the person.
         2.  If  the Secretary of State suspends the driver's
    license of a person under subsection 2 of  paragraph  (a)
    of  this  Section,  a  person's  privilege  to  operate a
    vehicle as an occupation shall not be suspended, provided
    an affidavit is properly completed, the  appropriate  fee
    received, and a permit issued prior to the effective date
    of  the  suspension, unless 5 offenses were committed, at
    least 2 of which occurred while  operating  a  commercial
    vehicle   in   connection   with   the  driver's  regular
    occupation.  All  other  driving  privileges   shall   be
    suspended  by the Secretary of State. Any driver prior to
    operating a vehicle for occupational purposes  only  must
    submit  the  affidavit  on  forms  to  be provided by the
    Secretary  of  State  setting  forth  the  facts  of  the
    person's occupation.  The affidavit shall also state  the
    number of offenses committed while operating a vehicle in
    connection  with  the  driver's  regular  occupation. The
    affidavit shall be accompanied by the  driver's  license.
    Upon  receipt  of  a  properly  completed  affidavit, the
    Secretary of State shall issue the  driver  a  permit  to
    operate a vehicle in connection with the driver's regular
    occupation  only.  Unless  the  permit  is  issued by the
    Secretary of State prior to the date of  suspension,  the
    privilege  to  drive any motor vehicle shall be suspended
    as set forth in the notice that  was  mailed  under  this
    Section.  If  an  affidavit is received subsequent to the
    effective date of this suspension, a permit may be issued
    for the remainder of the suspension period.
         The provisions of this subparagraph shall not  apply
    to  any  driver  required to obtain a commercial driver's
    license under  Section  6-507  during  the  period  of  a
    disqualification  of  commercial driving privileges under
    Section 6-514.
         Any person  who  falsely  states  any  fact  in  the
    affidavit  required  herein  shall  be  guilty of perjury
    under Section 6-302 and  upon  conviction  thereof  shall
    have  all  driving  privileges  revoked  without  further
    rights.
         3.  At  the  conclusion  of  a hearing under Section
    2-118 of this Code, the Secretary of State  shall  either
    rescind  or  continue  an  order  of  revocation or shall
    substitute  an  order  of  suspension;  or,  good   cause
    appearing  therefor, rescind, continue, change, or extend
    the order of suspension.  If the Secretary of State  does
    not   rescind   the   order,   the   Secretary  may  upon
    application,  to  relieve   undue   hardship,   issue   a
    restricted  driving  permit  granting  the  privilege  of
    driving   a   motor   vehicle  between  the  petitioner's
    residence and petitioner's place of employment or  within
    the  scope  of his employment related duties, or to allow
    transportation for the petitioner, or a household  member
    of  the petitioner's family, to receive necessary medical
    care  and  if  the  professional  evaluation   indicates,
    provide    transportation   for   alcohol   remedial   or
    rehabilitative activity, or for the petitioner to  attend
    classes,  as  a  student,  in  an  accredited educational
    institution; if the petitioner  is  able  to  demonstrate
    that no alternative means of transportation is reasonably
    available and the petitioner will not endanger the public
    safety or welfare.
         If  a person's license or permit has been revoked or
    suspended due to  2  or  more  convictions  of  violating
    Section  11-501  of this Code or a similar provision of a
    local  ordinance  or  a  similar  out-of-state   offense,
    arising  out  of  separate  occurrences,  that person, if
    issued a restricted driving permit,  may  not  operate  a
    vehicle  unless  it  has  been  equipped with an ignition
    interlock device as defined in Section 1-129.1.
         If a person's license or permit has been revoked  or
    suspended  2 or more times within a 10 year period due to
    a single conviction of violating Section 11-501  of  this
    Code  or  a  similar  provision of a local ordinance or a
    similar out-of-state offense,  and  a  statutory  summary
    suspension under Section 11-501.1, or 2 or more statutory
    summary  suspensions, or combination of 2 offenses, or of
    an offense and a statutory  summary  suspension,  arising
    out  of  separate  occurrences,  that person, if issued a
    restricted driving permit,  may  not  operate  a  vehicle
    unless  it  has  been equipped with an ignition interlock
    device as defined in Section 1-129.1. The person must pay
    to the Secretary of  State  DUI  Administration  Fund  an
    amount  not to exceed $20 per month.  The Secretary shall
    establish by rule the amount and the  procedures,  terms,
    and  conditions relating to these fees. If the restricted
    driving permit was issued for employment  purposes,  then
    this  provision  does  not  apply  to the operation of an
    occupational vehicle owned or  leased  by  that  person's
    employer.   In  each  case  the  Secretary  may  issue  a
    restricted   driving   permit   for   a   period   deemed
    appropriate, except that all permits shall expire  within
    one  year  from  the  date of issuance. The Secretary may
    not, however, issue a restricted driving  permit  to  any
    person whose current revocation is the result of a second
    or  subsequent  conviction  for  a  violation  of Section
    11-501 of this Code or a similar  provision  of  a  local
    ordinance  relating  to the offense of operating or being
    in physical control of a motor vehicle  while  under  the
    influence  of  alcohol, other drug or drugs, intoxicating
    compound  or  compounds,  or  any  similar   out-of-state
    offense,  or any combination of those offenses, until the
    expiration of at least one year  from  the  date  of  the
    revocation. A restricted driving permit issued under this
    Section shall be subject to cancellation, revocation, and
    suspension  by  the Secretary of State in like manner and
    for like cause as a driver's license  issued  under  this
    Code may be cancelled, revoked, or suspended; except that
    a  conviction  upon  one or more offenses against laws or
    ordinances regulating the movement of  traffic  shall  be
    deemed  sufficient  cause for the revocation, suspension,
    or cancellation  of  a  restricted  driving  permit.  The
    Secretary of State may, as a condition to the issuance of
    a  restricted  driving  permit,  require the applicant to
    participate  in   a   designated   driver   remedial   or
    rehabilitative   program.   The  Secretary  of  State  is
    authorized to cancel a restricted driving permit  if  the
    permit holder does not successfully complete the program.
    (c-5)  The  Secretary of State may, as a condition of the
reissuance of a driver's license or permit  to  an  applicant
whose driver's license or permit has been suspended before he
or  she  reached  the  age of 18 years pursuant to any of the
provisions  of  this  Section,  require  the   applicant   to
participate  in  a  driver  remedial  education course and be
retested under Section 6-109 of this Code.
    (d)  This Section is subject to  the  provisions  of  the
Drivers License Compact.
    (e)  The  Secretary of State shall not issue a restricted
driving permit to a person under the age of  16  years  whose
driving  privileges have been suspended or  revoked under any
provisions of this Code.
(Source: P.A. 92-283,  eff.  1-1-02;  92-418,  eff.  8-17-01;
92-458, eff. 8-22-01; revised 8-27-01.)

    (625 ILCS 5/11-1011) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 11-1011)
    Sec. 11-1011.  Bridge and railroad signals.
    (a)  No  pedestrian shall enter or remain upon any bridge
or approach  thereto  beyond  the  bridge  signal,  gate,  or
barrier  after  a bridge operation signal indication has been
given.
    (b)  No pedestrian shall pass through, around,  over,  or
under  any  crossing  gate  or  barrier  at  a railroad grade
crossing or bridge while such gate or barrier is closed or is
being opened or closed.
    (c)  No pedestrian shall enter, remain upon  or  traverse
over a railroad grade crossing or pedestrian walkway crossing
a  railroad  track  when  an  audible bell or clearly visible
electric or mechanical signal device  is  operational  giving
warning of the presence, approach, passage, or departure of a
railroad train.
    (d)  A  violation  of any part of this Section is a petty
offense for which a $250 fine shall be imposed  for  a  first
violation,  and  a $500 fine shall be imposed for a second or
subsequent violation.  The  court  may  impose  25  hours  of
community  service  in  place  of  the  $250 fine for a first
violation shall result in a mandatory  fine  of  $500  or  50
hours of community service.
    (e)  Local  authorities shall impose fines as established
in subsection (d) for pedestrians who fail  to  obey  signals
indicating the presence, approach, passage, or departure of a
train.
(Source: P.A. 89-186, eff. 1-1-96; 89-658, eff. 1-1-97.)

    (625 ILCS 5/11-1201) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 11-1201)
    Sec. 11-1201.  Obedience to signal indicating approach of
train.
    (a)  Whenever  any  person driving a vehicle approaches a
railroad grade crossing such person must  exercise  due  care
and  caution  as  the  existence of a railroad track across a
highway is  a  warning  of  danger,  and  under  any  of  the
circumstances  stated  in this Section, the driver shall stop
within 50 feet but not less than 15  feet  from  the  nearest
rail of the railroad and shall not proceed until he can do so
safely.  The foregoing requirements shall apply when:
         1.  A  clearly visible electric or mechanical signal
    device gives warning  of  the  immediate  approach  of  a
    railroad train;
         2.  A  crossing  gate  is lowered or a human flagman
    gives or continues to give a signal of  the  approach  or
    passage of a railroad train;
         3.  A  railroad train approaching a highway crossing
    emits a warning signal and such railroad train, by reason
    of  its  speed  or  nearness  to  such  crossing,  is  an
    immediate hazard;
         4.  An approaching railroad train is plainly visible
    and is in hazardous proximity to such crossing;.
         5.  A railroad train is approaching so closely  that
    an immediate hazard is created.
    (b)  No person shall drive any vehicle through, around or
under  any  crossing  gate  or barrier at a railroad crossing
while such gate or barrier is closed or is  being  opened  or
closed.
    (c)  The  Department,  and  local  authorities  with  the
approval   of   the  Department,  are  hereby  authorized  to
designate particularly dangerous highway grade  crossings  of
railroads  and  to  erect stop signs thereat.  When such stop
signs are erected the driver of any vehicle shall stop within
50 feet but not less than 15 feet from the  nearest  rail  of
such  railroad  and  shall  proceed  only upon exercising due
care.
    (d)  At  any  railroad  grade  crossing   provided   with
railroad  crossbuck  signs,  without  automatic, electric, or
mechanical signal devices, crossing gates, or a human flagman
giving a signal of the approach or passage of  a  train,  the
driver  of  a  vehicle  shall  in  obedience  to the railroad
crossbuck sign, yield the right-of-way and  slow  down  to  a
speed  reasonable for the existing conditions and shall stop,
if required for safety, at a clearly marked stopped line,  or
if  no  stop  line,  within 50 feet but not less than 15 feet
from the nearest rail of the railroad and shall  not  proceed
until he or she can do so safely.  If a driver is involved in
a  collision  at  a  railroad crossing or interferes with the
movement of a train after driving past the railroad crossbuck
sign, the collision or interference is prima  facie  evidence
of the driver's failure to yield right-of-way.
    (d-5)  No person may drive any vehicle through a railroad
crossing  if  there is insufficient space to drive completely
through the crossing without stopping.
    (e)  It is unlawful to violate any part of this Section.
         (1)  A violation of this Section is a petty  offense
    for  which  a  fine  of $250 shall be imposed for a first
    violation, and a fine of $500  shall  be  imposed  for  a
    second  or subsequent violation.  The court may impose 25
    hours of community service in place of the $250 fine  for
    the first violation.
         (2)  For  a  second  or  subsequent  violation,  the
    Secretary  of State may suspend the driving privileges of
    the offender for a minimum of 6 months.
A first conviction of a person for a violation of any part of
this Section shall result in a mandatory fine  of  $250;  all
subsequent  convictions  of  that person for any violation of
any part of this Section shall each  result  in  a  mandatory
fine of $500.
    (f)  Corporate   authorities  of  municipal  corporations
regulating operators of vehicles that fail  to  obey  signals
indicating the presence, approach, passage, or departure of a
train  shall impose fines as established in subsection (e) of
this Section.
(Source: P.A.  92-245,  eff.  8-3-01;  92-249,  eff.  1-1-02;
revised 9-19-01)

    (625 ILCS 5/11-1201.1)
    Sec.  11-1201.1.  Automated Railroad Crossing Enforcement
System.
    (a)  For the  purposes  of  this  Section,  an  automated
railroad  grade  crossing  enforcement  system  is  a  system
operated  by a law enforcement agency that records a driver's
response  to  automatic,  electrical  or  mechanical   signal
devices  and crossing gates.  The system shall be designed to
obtain a clear photograph or  other  recorded  image  of  the
vehicle,  vehicle operator and the vehicle registration plate
of a vehicle in violation of Section 11-1201.  The photograph
or other recorded image shall also display the time, date and
location of the violation.
    (b)  Commencing on January 1, 1996, the Illinois Commerce
Commission and  the  Commuter  Rail  Board  of  the  Regional
Transportation Authority shall, in cooperation with local law
enforcement agencies, establish a 5 year pilot program within
a  county  with a population of between 750,000 and 1,000,000
using  an  automated  railroad  grade  crossing   enforcement
system.   The Commission shall determine the 3 railroad grade
crossings within that county that pose the greatest threat to
human life based upon the number of accidents and  fatalities
at the crossings during the past 5 years and with approval of
the  local law enforcement agency equip the crossings with an
automated railroad grade crossing enforcement system.
    (b-1)  Commencing on July 20, 2001 (the effective date of
Public Act 92-98) this amendatory Act  of  the  92nd  General
Assembly,  the  Illinois Commerce Commission and the Commuter
Rail Board may, in cooperation with the local law enforcement
agency, establish in a county with a  population  of  between
750,000  and  1,000,000  a  2  year  pilot  program  using an
automated railroad grade crossing  enforcement  system.  This
pilot program may be established at a railroad grade crossing
designated  by  local  authorities.    No State moneys may be
expended on the automated railroad grade crossing enforcement
system established under this pilot program.
    (c)  For each violation of Section 11-1201 recorded by an
automatic railroad  grade  crossing  system,  the  local  law
enforcement  agency having jurisdiction shall issue a written
Uniform Traffic Citation of the violation to  the  registered
owner  of  the  vehicle as the alleged violator.  The Uniform
Traffic Citation shall be delivered to the  registered  owner
of  the  vehicle,  by  mail, within 30 days of the violation.
The Uniform Traffic  Citation  shall  include  the  name  and
address  of  vehicle  owner, the vehicle registration number,
the offense charged, the time,  date,  and  location  of  the
violation,  the first available court date and that the basis
of the citation is the photograph  or  other  recorded  image
from   the  automated  railroad  grade  crossing  enforcement
system.
    (d)  The  Uniform  Traffic   Citation   issued   to   the
registered  owner  of  the  vehicle shall be accompanied by a
written notice,  the  contents  of  which  is  set  forth  in
subsection   (d-1)   of  this  Section,  explaining  how  the
registered owner of the  vehicle  can  elect  to  proceed  by
either  paying  the  fine  or challenging the issuance of the
Uniform Traffic Citation.
    (d-1)  The  written   notice   explaining   the   alleged
violator's  rights and obligations must include the following
text:
    "You have  been  served  with  the  accompanying  Uniform
Traffic  Citation  and  cited  with  having  violated Section
11-1201 of the Illinois  Vehicle  Code.   You  can  elect  to
proceed by:
    1.  Paying the fine; or
    2.  Challenging  the  issuance  of  the  Uniform  Traffic
    Citation in court; or
    3.  If  you  were  not the operator of the vehicle at the
    time of the alleged offense,  notifying  in  writing  the
    local  law  enforcement  agency  that  issued the Uniform
    Traffic Citation of the number  of  the  Uniform  Traffic
    Citation  received and the name and address of the person
    operating the vehicle at the time of the alleged offense.
    If you fail  to  so  notify  in  writing  the  local  law
    enforcement  agency  of  the  name  and  address  of  the
    operator  of  the  vehicle  at  the  time  of the alleged
    offense, you may be presumed to have been the operator of
    the vehicle at the time of the alleged offense."
    (d-2)  If the registered owner of the vehicle was not the
operator of the vehicle at the time of the  alleged  offense,
and   if   the   registered  owner  notifies  the  local  law
enforcement  agency  having  jurisdiction  of  the  name  and
address of the operator of the vehicle at  the  time  of  the
alleged  offense,  the  local  law  enforcement agency having
jurisdiction shall  then  issue  a  written  Uniform  Traffic
Citation  to  the  person  alleged by the registered owner to
have been the operator of the vehicle  at  the  time  of  the
alleged  offense.  If the registered owner fails to notify in
writing the local law enforcement agency having  jurisdiction
of the name and address of the operator of the vehicle at the
time  of  the  alleged  offense,  the registered owner may be
presumed to have been the operator of the vehicle at the time
of the alleged offense.
    (e)  Evidence.
         (i)  A certificate  alleging  that  a  violation  of
    Section  11-1201 occurred, sworn to or affirmed by a duly
    authorized agency, based on inspection of recorded images
    produced by an automated  railroad  crossing  enforcement
    system  are  evidence  of  the  facts  contained  in  the
    certificate and are admissible in any proceeding alleging
    a violation under this Section.
         (ii)  Photographs  or  recorded  images  made  by an
    automatic railroad grade crossing enforcement system  are
    confidential  and  shall  be  made  available only to the
    alleged violator and  governmental  and  law  enforcement
    agencies  for  purposes  of  adjudicating  a violation of
    Section 11-1201 of the Illinois Vehicle  Code.   However,
    any  photograph  or  other  recorded  image  evidencing a
    violation of Section 11-1201 shall be admissible  in  any
    proceeding  resulting  from  the  issuance of the Uniform
    Traffic Citation when there is reasonable and  sufficient
    proof  of  the  accuracy  of  the  camera  or  electronic
    instrument  recording  the  image.  There is a rebuttable
    presumption that the  photograph  or  recorded  image  is
    accurate if the camera or electronic recording instrument
    was in good working order at the beginning and the end of
    the day of the alleged offense.
    (f)  Rail  crossings  equipped with an automatic railroad
grade crossing enforcement system shall be posted with a sign
visible to approaching  traffic  stating  that  the  railroad
grade  crossing  is  being  monitored, that citations will be
issued, and the amount of the fine for violation.
    (g)  Except as provided in subsection (b-1), the cost  of
the  installation  and maintenance of each automatic railroad
grade crossing enforcement system  shall  be  paid  from  the
Grade  Crossing Protection Fund if the rail line is not owned
by  Commuter  Rail  Board  of  the  Regional   Transportation
Authority.   Except  as  provided in subsection (b-1), if the
rail line is owned by the Commuter Rail Board of the Regional
Transportation Authority, the costs of the  installation  and
maintenance  shall  be  paid from the Regional Transportation
Authority's portion of the Public Transportation Fund.
    (h)  The  Illinois  Commerce  Commission  shall  issue  a
report to the General Assembly at the  conclusion  of  the  5
year  pilot  program  established under subsection (b) on the
effectiveness  of  the  automatic  railroad  grade   crossing
enforcement system.
    (i)  If  any  part or parts of this Section are held by a
court of competent jurisdiction to be  unconstitutional,  the
unconstitutionality  shall  not  affect  the  validity of the
remaining parts of this Section.  The General Assembly hereby
declares that it would have passed  the  remaining  parts  of
this  Section if it had known that the other part or parts of
this Section would be declared unconstitutional.
    (j)  Penalty.
         (i)  A violation of this Section is a petty  offense
    for  which  a  fine  of $250 shall be imposed for a first
    violation, and a fine of $500  shall  be  imposed  for  a
    second  or subsequent violation.  The court may impose 25
    hours of community service in place of the $250 fine  for
    the first violation.
         (ii)  For  a  second  or  subsequent  violation, the
    Secretary of State may suspend the  registration  of  the
    motor vehicle for a period of at least 6 months.
(Source:  P.A.  92-98,  eff.  7-20-01;  92-245,  eff. 8-3-01;
revised 10-18-01.)
    Passed in the General Assembly May 31, 2002.
    Approved August 21, 2002.
    Effective January 01, 2003.

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