101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB1590

 

Introduced , by Rep. Marcus C. Evans, Jr.

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
625 ILCS 5/1-140.11 new
625 ILCS 5/1-146  from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 1-146
625 ILCS 5/1-217  from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 1-217
625 ILCS 5/11-1518 new

    Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Defines "low-speed electric scooter". Provides that a person may not operate a low-speed electric scooter without a driver's license, instruction permit, or State identification card and unless he or she is 16 years of age or older. Provides that a person may operate a low-speed electric scooter where the operation of bicycles is permitted, including, but not limited to, bicycle lanes and bicycle paths, and shall have all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the rider of a bicycle. Provides requirements for lamps and reflectors for use at nighttime. Provides requirement for brakes. Prohibits the equipping or use of sirens, with the exception of scooters that are police vehicles or fire department vehicles. Effective immediately.


LRB101 08760 TAE 53847 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB1590LRB101 08760 TAE 53847 b

1    AN ACT concerning transportation.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Illinois Vehicle Code is amended by changing
5Sections 1-146 and 1-217 and by adding Sections 1-140.11 and
611-1518 as follows:
 
7    (625 ILCS 5/1-140.11 new)
8    Sec. 1-140.11. Low-speed electric scooter. A device
9weighing less than 100 pounds, with 2 or 3 wheels, handlebars,
10and a floorboard that can be stood upon while riding, that is
11solely powered by an electric motor and human power, and whose
12maximum speed, with or without human propulsion on a paved
13level surface, is no more than 20 miles per hour. "Low-speed
14electric scooter" does not include a moped, motor-driven cycle,
15motor vehicle, or vehicle.
 
16    (625 ILCS 5/1-146)  (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 1-146)
17    Sec. 1-146. Motor vehicle. Every vehicle which is
18self-propelled and every vehicle which is propelled by electric
19power obtained from overhead trolley wires, but not operated
20upon rails, except for vehicles moved solely by human power,
21motorized wheelchairs, low-speed electric bicycles, low-speed
22electric scooters, and low-speed gas bicycles. For this Act,

 

 

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1motor vehicles are divided into two divisions:
2    First Division: Those motor vehicles which are designed for
3the carrying of not more than 10 persons.
4    Second Division: Those motor vehicles which are designed
5for carrying more than 10 persons, those motor vehicles
6designed or used for living quarters, those motor vehicles
7which are designed for pulling or carrying freight, cargo or
8implements of husbandry, and those motor vehicles of the First
9Division remodelled for use and used as motor vehicles of the
10Second Division.
11(Source: P.A. 96-125, eff. 1-1-10.)
 
12    (625 ILCS 5/1-217)  (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 1-217)
13    Sec. 1-217. Vehicle. Every device, in, upon or by which any
14person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a
15highway or requiring a certificate of title under Section
163-101(d) of this Code, except devices moved by human power,
17low-speed electric scooters, devices used exclusively upon
18stationary rails or tracks and snowmobiles as defined in the
19Snowmobile Registration and Safety Act.
20    For the purposes of this Code, unless otherwise prescribed,
21a device shall be considered to be a vehicle until such time it
22either comes within the definition of a junk vehicle, as
23defined under this Code, or a junking certificate is issued for
24it.
25    For this Code, vehicles are divided into 2 divisions:

 

 

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1    First Division: Those motor vehicles which are designed for
2the carrying of not more than 10 persons.
3    Second Division: Those vehicles which are designed for
4carrying more than 10 persons, those designed or used for
5living quarters and those vehicles which are designed for
6pulling or carrying property, freight or cargo, those motor
7vehicles of the First Division remodelled for use and used as
8motor vehicles of the Second Division, and those motor vehicles
9of the First Division used and registered as school buses.
10(Source: P.A. 92-812, eff. 8-21-02.)
 
11    (625 ILCS 5/11-1518 new)
12    Sec. 11-1518. Low-speed electric scooters.
13    (a) A person may operate a low-speed electric scooter where
14the operation of bicycles is permitted, including, but not
15limited to, bicycle lanes and bicycle paths, and shall have all
16of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties
17applicable to the rider of a bicycle under this Chapter, except
18as otherwise provided in this Section, and except for
19provisions that by their nature can have no application,
20including subsection (a) of Section 11-1503.
21    (b) A person may not operate a low-speed electric scooter
22without a driver's license, instruction permit, or State
23identification card.
24    (c) A person may not operate a low-speed electric scooter
25unless he or she is 16 years of age or older.

 

 

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1    (d) A low-speed electric scooter may be parked in the same
2manner and at the same locations as a bicycle may be parked.
3    (e) Every low-speed electric scooter when in use at
4nighttime shall be equipped with a lamp on the front that emits
5a white light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to
6the front and with a red reflector on the rear that is visible
7from all distances from 100 feet to 600 feet to the rear when
8directly in front of lawful lower beams of headlamps on a motor
9vehicle, except that a lamp emitting a steady or flashing red
10light visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear may be
11used in addition to or instead of the red reflector.
12    (f) A low-speed electric scooter shall not be equipped with
13nor shall any person use upon a low-speed electric scooter any
14siren. This subsection does not apply to a low-speed electric
15scooter that is a police vehicle or fire department vehicle.
16    (g) Every low-speed electric scooter shall be equipped with
17a brake that will adequately control movement of and stop and
18hold the low-speed electric scooter.
 
19    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
20becoming law.