SB2618 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB094 16078 DRH 54237 b

94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2005 and 2006
SB2618

Introduced 1/20/2006, by Sen. Pamela J. Althoff

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

625 ILCS 5/3-707	from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-707
720 ILCS 5/36-1	from Ch. 38, par. 36-1

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code and the Criminal Code of 1961. Provides that the vehicle of a person who is involved in an accident while driving without liability insurance coverage is subject to seizure and forfeiture, regardless of whether or not the person was at fault. Provides that the vehicle may be forfeited to the spouse of the owner, or to a properly licensed family member, if the spouse can show that the seized vehicle is the only source of transportation for the family and its forfeiture would cause undue hardship. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

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 Section 3-707 as follows:

(625 ILCS 5/3-707) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-707)

Sec. 3-707. Operation of uninsured motor vehicle - penalty.

(a) No person shall operate a motor vehicle unless the motor vehicle is covered by a liability insurance policy in accordance with Section 7-601 of this Code.

(b) Any person who fails to comply with a request by a law enforcement officer for display of evidence of insurance, as required under Section 7-602 of this Code, shall be deemed to be operating an uninsured motor vehicle.

(c) Any operator of a motor vehicle subject to registration under this Code who is convicted of violating this Section is guilty of a business offense and shall be required to pay a fine in excess of $500, but not more than $1,000. However, no person charged with violating this Section shall be convicted if such person produces in court satisfactory evidence that at the time of the arrest the motor vehicle was covered by a liability insurance policy in accordance with Section 7-601 of this Code. The chief judge of each circuit may designate an officer of the court to review the documentation demonstrating that at the time of arrest the motor vehicle was covered by a liability insurance policy in accordance with Section 7-601 of this Code.

(d) A person convicted a third or subsequent time of violating this Section or a similar provision of a local ordinance must give proof to the Secretary of State of the person's financial responsibility as defined in Section 7-315. The person must maintain the proof in a manner satisfactory to the Secretary for a minimum period of one year after the date the proof is first filed. The Secretary must suspend the driver's license of any person determined by the Secretary not to have provided adequate proof of financial responsibility as required by this subsection.

(e) In addition to any other penalty that may be imposed, the vehicle of a person who is involved in an accident while violating this Section is subject to forfeiture under Sections 36-1 and 36-2 of the Criminal Code of 1961, regardless of whether or not the person was at fault.

(Source: P.A. 92-775, eff. 7-1-03.)

Section 10. The Criminal Code of 1961 is amended by changing Section 36-1 as follows:

(720 ILCS 5/36-1) (from Ch. 38, par. 36-1)

Sec. 36-1. Seizure. Any vessel, vehicle or aircraft used with the knowledge and consent of the owner in the commission of, or in the attempt to commit as defined in Section 8-4 of this Code, an offense prohibited by (a) Section 9-1, 9-3, 10-2, 11-6, 11-15.1, 11-19.1, 11-19.2, 11-20.1, 12-4.1, 12-4.2, 12-4.2-5, 12-4.3, 12-4.6, 12-7.3, 12-7.4, 12-13, 12-14, 18-2, 19-1, 19-2, 19-3, 20-1, 20-2, 20.5-6, 24-1.2, 24-1.2-5, 24-1.5, or 28-1 of this Code, paragraph (a) of Section 12-4 of this Code, paragraph (a) of Section 12-15 or paragraphs (a), (c) or (d) of Section 12-16 of this Code, or paragraph (a)(6) or (a)(7) of Section 24-1 of this Code; (b) Section 21, 22, 23, 24 or 26 of the Cigarette Tax Act if the vessel, vehicle or aircraft contains more than 10 cartons of such cigarettes; (c) Section 28, 29 or 30 of the Cigarette Use Tax Act if the vessel, vehicle or aircraft contains more than 10 cartons of such cigarettes; (d) Section 44 of the Environmental Protection Act; (e) 11-204.1 of the Illinois Vehicle Code; (f) the offenses described in the following provisions of the Illinois Vehicle Code: Section 11-501 subdivisions (c-1)(1), (c-1)(2), (c-1)(3), (d)(1)(A), (d)(1)(D), (d)(1)(G), or (d)(1)(H); (g) an offense described in subsection (g) of Section 6-303 of the Illinois Vehicle Code; or (h) an offense described in subsection (e) of Section 6-101 of the Illinois Vehicle Code; or (i) an offense described in subsection (e) of Section 3-707 of the Illinois Vehicle Code; may be seized and delivered forthwith to the sheriff of the county of seizure.

Within 15 days after such delivery the sheriff shall give notice of seizure to each person according to the following method: Upon each such person whose right, title or interest is of record in the office of the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Transportation, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Agency, or any other Department of this State, or any other state of the United States if such vessel, vehicle or aircraft is required to be so registered, as the case may be, by mailing a copy of the notice by certified mail to the address as given upon the records of the Secretary of State, the Department of Aeronautics, Department of Public Works and Buildings or any other Department of this State or the United States if such vessel, vehicle or aircraft is required to be so registered. Within that 15 day period the sheriff shall also notify the State's Attorney of the county of seizure about the seizure.

In addition, any mobile or portable equipment used in the commission of an act which is in violation of Section 7g of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Act shall be subject to seizure and forfeiture under the same procedures provided in this Article for the seizure and forfeiture of vessels, vehicles and aircraft, and any such equipment shall be deemed a vessel, vehicle or aircraft for purposes of this Article.

When a person discharges a firearm at another individual from a vehicle with the knowledge and consent of the owner of the vehicle and with the intent to cause death or great bodily harm to that individual and as a result causes death or great bodily harm to that individual, the vehicle shall be subject to seizure and forfeiture under the same procedures provided in this Article for the seizure and forfeiture of vehicles used in violations of clauses (a), (b), (c), or (d) of this Section.

If the spouse of the owner of a vehicle seized for an offense described in subsection (g) of Section 6-303 of the Illinois Vehicle Code, a violation of subdivision (c-1)(1), (c-1)(2), (c-1)(3), (d)(1)(A), or (d)(1)(D) of Section 11-501 of the Illinois Vehicle Code, Section 3-707 of the Illinois Vehicle Code, or Section 9-3 of this Code makes a showing that the seized vehicle is the only source of transportation and it is determined that the financial hardship to the family as a result of the seizure outweighs the benefit to the State from the seizure, the vehicle may be forfeited to the spouse or family member and the title to the vehicle shall be transferred to the spouse or family member who is properly licensed and who requires the use of the vehicle for employment or family transportation purposes. A written declaration of forfeiture of a vehicle under this Section shall be sufficient cause for the title to be transferred to the spouse or family member. The provisions of this paragraph shall apply only to one forfeiture per vehicle. If the vehicle is the subject of a subsequent forfeiture proceeding by virtue of a subsequent conviction of either spouse or the family member, the spouse or family member to whom the vehicle was forfeited under the first forfeiture proceeding may not utilize the provisions of this paragraph in another forfeiture proceeding. If the owner of the vehicle seized owns more than one vehicle, the procedure set out in this paragraph may be used for only one vehicle.

Property declared contraband under Section 40 of the Illinois Streetgang Terrorism Omnibus Prevention Act may be seized and forfeited under this Article.

(Source: P.A. 93-187, eff. 7-11-03; 94-329, eff. 1-1-06.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.