97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
HB1986

 

Introduced , by Rep. John E. Bradley

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
625 ILCS 5/11-1426.1

    Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that a unit of local government or the Department of Transportation shall authorize the operation of all-terrain vehicles or recreational off-highway vehicles or both on rural roads under its jurisdiction if the unit of local government or Department determines that the public safety will not be jeopardized. Provides that before permitting the operation of all-terrain vehicles and recreational off-highway vehicles on rural roads, a unit of local government or the Department must consider the volume, speed, and character of traffic on the roadway and determine whether all-terrain vehicles or recreational off-highway vehicles may safely travel on or cross the roadway. Provides that appropriate signs shall be posted on rural roads where the operation of all-terrain vehicles or recreational off-highway vehicles is permitted. Provides that if a roadway is under the jurisdiction of more than one unit of government, all-terrain vehicles and recreational off-highway vehicles may not be operated on the roadway unless each unit of government agrees and takes action as provided in this amendatory Act. Limits home rule powers. Effective immediately.


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HOME RULE NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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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
5Section 11-1426.1 as follows:
 
6    (625 ILCS 5/11-1426.1)
7    Sec. 11-1426.1. Operation of non-highway vehicles on
8streets, roads, and highways.
9    (a) As used in this Section, "non-highway vehicle" means a
10motor vehicle not specifically designed to be used on a public
11highway, including:
12        (1) an all-terrain vehicle, as defined by Section
13    1-101.8 of this Code;
14        (2) a golf cart, as defined by Section 1-123.9;
15        (3) a neighborhood vehicle, as defined by Section
16    1-148.3m;
17        (4) an off-highway motorcycle, as defined by Section
18    1-153.1; and
19        (5) a recreational off-highway vehicle, as defined by
20    Section 1-168.8.
21    (b) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, it is
22unlawful for any person to drive or operate a non-highway
23vehicle upon any street, highway, or roadway in this State. If

 

 

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1the operation of a non-highway vehicle is authorized under
2subsection (d), the non-highway vehicle may be operated only on
3streets where the posted speed limit is 35 miles per hour or
4less. This subsection (b) does not prohibit a non-highway
5vehicle from crossing a road or street at an intersection where
6the road or street has a posted speed limit of more than 35
7miles per hour.
8    (b-5) A person may not operate a non-highway vehicle upon
9any street, highway, or roadway in this State unless he or she
10has a valid driver's license issued in his or her name by the
11Secretary of State or by a foreign jurisdiction.
12    (c) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c-5), no
13person operating a non-highway vehicle shall make a direct
14crossing upon or across any highway under the jurisdiction of
15the State, tollroad, interstate highway, or controlled access
16highway in this State.
17    (c-5) A person may make a direct crossing at an
18intersection controlled by a traffic light or 4-way stop sign
19upon or across a highway under the jurisdiction of the State if
20the speed limit on the highway is 35 miles per hour or less at
21the place of crossing, except an all-terrain vehicle or a
22recreational off-highway vehicle authorized under subsection
23(d-5) may make a direct crossing at an intersection controlled
24by a traffic light or 4-way stop sign upon or across a highway
25under the jurisdiction of the State if the highway is a rural
26road.

 

 

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1    (d) A municipality, township, county, or other unit of
2local government may authorize, by ordinance or resolution, the
3operation of non-highway vehicles on roadways under its
4jurisdiction if the unit of local government determines that
5the public safety will not be jeopardized. The Department may
6authorize the operation of non-highway vehicles on the roadways
7under its jurisdiction if the Department determines that the
8public safety will not be jeopardized. The unit of local
9government or the Department may restrict the types of
10non-highway vehicles that are authorized to be used on its
11streets.
12    Before permitting the operation of non-highway vehicles on
13its roadways, a municipality, township, county, other unit of
14local government, or the Department must consider the volume,
15speed, and character of traffic on the roadway and determine
16whether non-highway vehicles may safely travel on or cross the
17roadway. Upon determining that non-highway vehicles may safely
18operate on a roadway and the adoption of an ordinance or
19resolution by a municipality, township, county, or other unit
20of local government, or authorization by the Department,
21appropriate signs shall be posted.
22    If a roadway is under the jurisdiction of more than one
23unit of government, non-highway vehicles may not be operated on
24the roadway unless each unit of government agrees and takes
25action as provided in this subsection.
26    (d-5) A unit of local government, including a home rule

 

 

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1unit, shall authorize, by ordinance or resolution, the
2operation of all-terrain vehicles or recreational off-highway
3vehicles or both on rural roads under its jurisdiction if the
4unit of local government determines that the public safety will
5not be jeopardized. The Department shall authorize the
6operation of all-terrain vehicles or recreational off-highway
7vehicles or both on the rural roads under its jurisdiction if
8the Department determines that the public safety will not be
9jeopardized.
10    Before permitting the operation of all-terrain vehicles or
11recreational off-highway vehicles or both on its rural roads, a
12unit of local government or the Department must consider the
13volume, speed, and character of traffic on the roadway and
14determine whether all-terrain vehicles or recreational
15off-highway vehicles may safely travel on or cross the roadway.
16Upon determining that all-terrain vehicles or recreational
17off-highway vehicles or both may safely operate on a roadway
18and the adoption of an ordinance or resolution by a unit of
19local government or authorization by the Department,
20appropriate signs shall be posted.
21    If a roadway is under the jurisdiction of more than one
22unit of government, all-terrain vehicles and recreational
23off-highway vehicles may not be operated on the roadway unless
24each unit of government agrees and takes action as provided in
25this subsection.
26    A home rule unit of government may not regulate the

 

 

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1operation of all-terrain vehicles or recreational off-highway
2vehicles on rural roads in a manner more restrictive than the
3regulation by the State of the operation of all-terrain
4vehicles or recreational off-highway vehicles on rural roads
5under this Act. This subsection (d-5) is a limitation under
6subsection (i) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois
7Constitution on the concurrent exercise by home rule units of
8powers and functions exercised by the State.
9    (e) No non-highway vehicle may be operated on a roadway
10unless, at a minimum, it has the following: brakes, a steering
11apparatus, tires, a rearview mirror, red reflectorized warning
12devices in the front and rear, a slow moving emblem (as
13required of other vehicles in Section 12-709 of this Code) on
14the rear of the non-highway vehicle, a headlight that emits a
15white light visible from a distance of 500 feet to the front, a
16tail lamp that emits a red light visible from at least 100 feet
17from the rear, brake lights, and turn signals. When operated on
18a roadway, a non-highway vehicle shall have its headlight and
19tail lamps lighted as required by Section 12-201 of this Code.
20    (f) A person who drives or is in actual physical control of
21a non-highway vehicle on a roadway while under the influence is
22subject to Sections 11-500 through 11-502 of this Code.
23    (g) Any person who operates a non-highway vehicle on a
24street, highway, or roadway shall be subject to the mandatory
25insurance requirements under Article VI of Chapter 7 of this
26Code.

 

 

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1    (h) It shall not be unlawful for any person to drive or
2operate a non-highway vehicle, as defined in paragraphs (1) and
3(5) of subsection (a) of this Section, on a county roadway or
4township roadway for the purpose of conducting farming
5operations to and from the home, farm, farm buildings, and any
6adjacent or nearby farm land.
7    Non-highway vehicles, as used in this subsection (h), shall
8not be subject to subsections (e) and (g) of this Section.
9However, if the non-highway vehicle, as used in this Section,
10is not covered under a motor vehicle insurance policy pursuant
11to subsection (g) of this Section, the vehicle must be covered
12under a farm, home, or non-highway vehicle insurance policy
13issued with coverage amounts no less than the minimum amounts
14set for bodily injury or death and for destruction of property
15under Section 7-203 of this Code. Non-highway vehicles operated
16on a county or township roadway at any time between one-half
17hour before sunset and one-half hour after sunrise must be
18equipped with head lamps and tail lamps, and the head lamps and
19tail lamps must be lighted.
20    Non-highway vehicles, as used in this subsection (h), shall
21not make a direct crossing upon or across any tollroad,
22interstate highway, or controlled access highway in this State.
23    Non-highway vehicles, as used in this subsection (h), shall
24be allowed to cross a State highway, municipal street, county
25highway, or road district highway if the operator of the
26non-highway vehicle makes a direct crossing provided:

 

 

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1        (1) the crossing is made at an angle of approximately
2    90 degrees to the direction of the street, road or highway
3    and at a place where no obstruction prevents a quick and
4    safe crossing;
5        (2) the non-highway vehicle is brought to a complete
6    stop before attempting a crossing;
7        (3) the operator of the non-highway vehicle yields the
8    right of way to all pedestrian and vehicular traffic which
9    constitutes a hazard; and
10        (4) that when crossing a divided highway, the crossing
11    is made only at an intersection of the highway with another
12    public street, road, or highway.
13    (i) No action taken by a unit of local government under
14this Section designates the operation of a non-highway vehicle
15as an intended or permitted use of property with respect to
16Section 3-102 of the Local Governmental and Governmental
17Employees Tort Immunity Act.
18(Source: P.A. 95-150, 8-14-07; 95-414, eff. 8-24-07; 95-575,
19eff. 8-31-07; 95-876, eff. 8-21-08; 96-279, eff. 1-1-10;
2096-1434, eff. 8-11-10.)
 
21    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
22becoming law.