101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB1658

 

Introduced , by Rep. Joe Sosnowski

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
625 ILCS 5/6-109

    Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Deletes language that requires an applicant who is 75 years or older to give an actual demonstration of the applicant's ability to exercise ordinary and reasonable control of the safe operation of a motor vehicle. Effective immediately.


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A BILL FOR

 

HB1658LRB101 07195 TAE 52233 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
5Section 6-109 as follows:
 
6    (625 ILCS 5/6-109)
7    Sec. 6-109. Examination of Applicants.
8    (a) The Secretary of State shall examine every applicant
9for a driver's license or permit who has not been previously
10licensed as a driver under the laws of this State or any other
11state or country, or any applicant for renewal of such driver's
12license or permit when such license or permit has been expired
13for more than one year. The Secretary of State shall, subject
14to the provisions of paragraph (c), examine every licensed
15driver at least every 8 years, and may examine or re-examine
16any other applicant or licensed driver, provided that during
17the years 1984 through 1991 those drivers issued a license for
183 years may be re-examined not less than every 7 years or more
19than every 10 years.
20    The Secretary of State shall require the testing of the
21eyesight of any driver's license or permit applicant who has
22not been previously licensed as a driver under the laws of this
23State and shall promulgate rules and regulations to provide for

 

 

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1the orderly administration of all the provisions of this
2Section.
3    The Secretary of State shall include at least one test
4question that concerns the provisions of the Pedestrians with
5Disabilities Safety Act in the question pool used for the
6written portion of the driver's drivers license examination
7within one year after July 22, 2010 (the effective date of
8Public Act 96-1167).
9    The Secretary of State shall include, in the question pool
10used for the written portion of the driver's license
11examination, test questions concerning safe driving in the
12presence of bicycles, of which one may be concerning the Dutch
13Reach method as described in Section 2-112.
14    (b) Except as provided for those applicants in paragraph
15(c), such examination shall include a test of the applicant's
16eyesight, his or her ability to read and understand official
17traffic control devices, his or her knowledge of safe driving
18practices and the traffic laws of this State, and may include
19an actual demonstration of the applicant's ability to exercise
20ordinary and reasonable control of the operation of a motor
21vehicle, and such further physical and mental examination as
22the Secretary of State finds necessary to determine the
23applicant's fitness to operate a motor vehicle safely on the
24highways, except the examination of an applicant 75 years of
25age or older shall include an actual demonstration of the
26applicant's ability to exercise ordinary and reasonable

 

 

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1control of the operation of a motor vehicle. All portions of
2written and verbal examinations under this Section, excepting
3where the English language appears on facsimiles of road signs,
4may be given in the Spanish language and, at the discretion of
5the Secretary of State, in any other language as well as in
6English upon request of the examinee. Deaf persons who are
7otherwise qualified are not prohibited from being issued a
8license, other than a commercial driver's license, under this
9Code.
10    (c) Re-examination for those applicants who at the time of
11renewing their driver's license possess a driving record devoid
12of any convictions of traffic violations or evidence of
13committing an offense for which mandatory revocation would be
14required upon conviction pursuant to Section 6-205 at the time
15of renewal shall be in a manner prescribed by the Secretary in
16order to determine an applicant's ability to safely operate a
17motor vehicle, except that every applicant for the renewal of a
18driver's license who is 75 years of age or older must prove, by
19an actual demonstration, the applicant's ability to exercise
20reasonable care in the safe operation of a motor vehicle.
21    (d) In the event the applicant is not ineligible under the
22provisions of Section 6-103 to receive a driver's license, the
23Secretary of State shall make provision for giving an
24examination, either in the county where the applicant resides
25or at a place adjacent thereto reasonably convenient to the
26applicant, within not more than 30 days from the date said

 

 

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1application is received.
2    (e) The Secretary of State may adopt rules regarding the
3use of foreign language interpreters during the application and
4examination process.
5(Source: P.A. 100-770, eff. 1-1-19; 100-962, eff. 1-1-19;
6revised 10-3-18.)
 
7    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
8becoming law.