101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB4814

 

Introduced 2/18/2020, by Rep. Kathleen Willis

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
625 ILCS 5/3-611.5
625 ILCS 5/12-601  from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 12-601

    Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that vehicles of deputy fire chiefs and assistant fire chiefs may be equipped with a siren, whistle, or bell capable of emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance of not less than 500 feet. Provides that deputy fire chiefs and assistant fire chiefs are eligible for fire chief license plates. Provides that any fire chief, deputy fire chief, or assistant fire chief operating warning devices upon a vehicle not owned by a municipality or fire protection district shall display fire chief license plates. Provides that, with the exception of permanently issued license plates, upon the resignation, termination, or reassignment to a rank other than fire chief, deputy fire chief, or assistant fire chief, a person issued fire chief license plates shall immediately surrender the license plate to the Secretary of State. Provides that the Secretary of State shall have the ability to recover the license plates.


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A BILL FOR

 

HB4814LRB101 18548 HEP 68002 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 3-611.5 and 12-601 as follows:
 
6    (625 ILCS 5/3-611.5)
7    Sec. 3-611.5. Fire Chief license plates.
8    (a) The Secretary, upon receipt of a request from a
9municipality or fire protection district that operates a fire
10department, accompanied by an application and the appropriate
11fee, may issue, to a fire chief, deputy fire chief, and
12assistant fire chief of each municipal fire department or fire
13protection district, special registration plates designated as
14Fire Chief license plates. The special plates issued under this
15Section shall be affixed only to passenger vehicles of the
16first division or motor vehicles of the second division
17weighing not more than 8,000 pounds, owned by the fire
18department or the fire chief, deputy fire chief, or assistant
19fire chief chief officer of the fire department. Plates issued
20under this Section shall expire according to the multi-year
21procedure established by Section 3-414.1 of this Code.
22    (b) The design and color of the special plates shall be
23wholly within the discretion of the Secretary. The plates are

 

 

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1not required to designate "Land of Lincoln" as prescribed in
2subsection (b) of Section 3-412 of this Code. The Secretary may
3prescribe rules governing the requirements and approval of the
4special plates. The fee for this plate for a vehicle owned by
5the fire chief, deputy fire chief, or assistant fire chief
6shall be the same as the fee prescribed for first division
7vehicles in Section 3-806 of this Code. Permanent license
8plates for fire chief, deputy fire chief, or assistant fire
9chief vehicles owned by a municipal fire department or fire
10protection district shall be issued at the fee prescribed in
11Section 3-808.1(b).
12    (c) Any fire chief, deputy fire chief, or assistant fire
13chief operating warning devices as described in paragraph 2.1
14of subsection (a) of Section 12-215 or subsection (b) of
15Section 12-601 upon a vehicle not owned by a municipality or
16fire protection district shall display license plates as
17described in this Section.
18    (d) With the exception of permanently issued license
19plates, upon the resignation, termination, or reassignment to a
20rank other than fire chief, deputy fire chief, or assistant
21fire chief, a person issued plates under this Section shall
22immediately surrender the license plate to the Secretary of
23State. The Secretary of State shall have the ability to recover
24license plates issued under this Section.
25(Source: P.A. 95-556, eff. 6-1-08; 96-808, eff. 10-30-09.)
 

 

 

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1    (625 ILCS 5/12-601)  (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 12-601)
2    Sec. 12-601. Horns and warning devices.
3    (a) Every motor vehicle when operated upon a highway shall
4be equipped with a horn in good working order and capable of
5emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance
6of not less than 200 feet, but no horn or other warning device
7shall emit an unreasonable loud or harsh sound or a whistle.
8The driver of a motor vehicle shall when reasonably necessary
9to insure safe operation give audible warning with his horn but
10shall not otherwise use such horn when upon a highway.
11    (b) No vehicle shall be equipped with nor shall any person
12use upon a vehicle any siren, whistle, or bell, except as
13otherwise permitted in this Section. Any authorized emergency
14vehicle or organ transport vehicle as defined in Chapter 1 of
15this Code or a vehicle operated by a fire chief, deputy fire
16chief, assistant fire chief, or the Director or Coordinator of
17a municipal or county emergency services and disaster agency
18may be equipped with a siren, whistle, or bell capable of
19emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance
20of not less than 500 feet, but such siren, whistle, or bell
21shall not be used except when such vehicle is operated in
22response to an emergency call or in the immediate pursuit of an
23actual or suspected violator of the law in either of which
24events the driver of such vehicle shall sound such siren,
25whistle, or bell when necessary to warn pedestrians and other
26drivers of the approach thereof.

 

 

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1    (c) Trackless trolley coaches, as defined by Section 1-206
2of this Code, and replica trolleys, as defined by Section
31-171.04 of this Code, may be equipped with a bell or bells in
4lieu of a horn, and may, in addition to the requirements of
5subsection (a) of this Section, use a bell or bells for the
6purpose of indicating arrival or departure at designated stops
7during the hours of scheduled operation.
8(Source: P.A. 100-182, eff. 1-1-18; 100-863, eff. 8-14-18.)