97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
SB0026

 

Introduced 1/27/2011, by Sen. Dan Duffy

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
625 ILCS 5/11-208.6

    Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that a county or municipality may not use an automated traffic law enforcement system to provide recorded images of a motor vehicle for the purpose of issuing violations to persons driving a motor vehicle who enter an intersection to turn right against a red signal indication. Effective immediately.


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FISCAL 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 11-208.6 as follows:
 
6    (625 ILCS 5/11-208.6)
7    Sec. 11-208.6. Automated traffic law enforcement system.
8    (a) As used in this Section, "automated traffic law
9enforcement system" means a device with one or more motor
10vehicle sensors working in conjunction with a red light signal
11to produce recorded images of motor vehicles entering an
12intersection against a red signal indication in violation of
13Section 11-306 of this Code or a similar provision of a local
14ordinance.
15    An automated traffic law enforcement system is a system, in
16a municipality or county operated by a governmental agency,
17that produces a recorded image of a motor vehicle's violation
18of a provision of this Code or a local ordinance and is
19designed to obtain a clear recorded image of the vehicle and
20the vehicle's license plate. The recorded image must also
21display the time, date, and location of the violation.
22    (b) As used in this Section, "recorded images" means images
23recorded by an automated traffic law enforcement system on:

 

 

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1        (1) 2 or more photographs;
2        (2) 2 or more microphotographs;
3        (3) 2 or more electronic images; or
4        (4) a video recording showing the motor vehicle and, on
5    at least one image or portion of the recording, clearly
6    identifying the registration plate number of the motor
7    vehicle.
8    (b-5) A municipality or county that produces a recorded
9image of a motor vehicle's violation of a provision of this
10Code or a local ordinance must make the recorded images of a
11violation accessible to the alleged violator by providing the
12alleged violator with a website address, accessible through the
13Internet.
14    (c) A county or municipality, including a home rule county
15or municipality, may not use an automated traffic law
16enforcement system to provide recorded images of a motor
17vehicle for the purpose of recording its speed. The regulation
18of the use of automated traffic law enforcement systems to
19record vehicle speeds is an exclusive power and function of the
20State. This subsection (c) is a denial and limitation of home
21rule powers and functions under subsection (h) of Section 6 of
22Article VII of the Illinois Constitution.
23    (c-5) A county or municipality, including a home rule
24county or municipality, may not use an automated traffic law
25enforcement system to issue violations in instances where the
26motor vehicle comes to a complete stop and does not enter the

 

 

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1intersection, as defined by Section 1-132 of this Code, during
2the cycle of the red signal indication unless one or more
3pedestrians or bicyclists are present, even if the motor
4vehicle stops at a point past a stop line or crosswalk where a
5driver is required to stop, as specified in subsection (c) of
6Section 11-306 of this Code or a similar provision of a local
7ordinance.
8    (c-10) A county or municipality, including a home rule
9county or municipality, may not use an automated traffic law
10enforcement system to provide recorded images of a motor
11vehicle for the purpose of issuing violations to persons
12driving a motor vehicle who enter an intersection to turn right
13against a red signal indication as described in paragraph 3 of
14subsection (c) of Section 11-306 of this Code or a similar
15provision of a local ordinance.
16    (d) For each violation of a provision of this Code or a
17local ordinance recorded by an automatic traffic law
18enforcement system, the county or municipality having
19jurisdiction shall issue a written notice of the violation to
20the registered owner of the vehicle as the alleged violator.
21The notice shall be delivered to the registered owner of the
22vehicle, by mail, within 30 days after the Secretary of State
23notifies the municipality or county of the identity of the
24owner of the vehicle, but in no event later than 90 days after
25the violation.
26    The notice shall include:

 

 

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1        (1) the name and address of the registered owner of the
2    vehicle;
3        (2) the registration number of the motor vehicle
4    involved in the violation;
5        (3) the violation charged;
6        (4) the location where the violation occurred;
7        (5) the date and time of the violation;
8        (6) a copy of the recorded images;
9        (7) the amount of the civil penalty imposed and the
10    requirements of any traffic education program imposed and
11    the date by which the civil penalty should be paid and the
12    traffic education program should be completed;
13        (8) a statement that recorded images are evidence of a
14    violation of a red light signal;
15        (9) a warning that failure to pay the civil penalty, to
16    complete a required traffic education program, or to
17    contest liability in a timely manner is an admission of
18    liability and may result in a suspension of the driving
19    privileges of the registered owner of the vehicle;
20        (10) a statement that the person may elect to proceed
21    by:
22            (A) paying the fine, completing a required traffic
23        education program, or both; or
24            (B) challenging the charge in court, by mail, or by
25        administrative hearing; and
26        (11) a website address, accessible through the

 

 

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1    Internet, where the person may view the recorded images of
2    the violation.
3    (e) If a person charged with a traffic violation, as a
4result of an automated traffic law enforcement system, does not
5pay the fine or complete a required traffic education program,
6or both, or successfully contest the civil penalty resulting
7from that violation, the Secretary of State shall suspend the
8driving privileges of the registered owner of the vehicle under
9Section 6-306.5 of this Code for failing to complete a required
10traffic education program or to pay any fine or penalty due and
11owing, or both, as a result of 5 violations of the automated
12traffic law enforcement system.
13    (f) Based on inspection of recorded images produced by an
14automated traffic law enforcement system, a notice alleging
15that the violation occurred shall be evidence of the facts
16contained in the notice and admissible in any proceeding
17alleging a violation under this Section.
18    (g) Recorded images made by an automatic traffic law
19enforcement system are confidential and shall be made available
20only to the alleged violator and governmental and law
21enforcement agencies for purposes of adjudicating a violation
22of this Section, for statistical purposes, or for other
23governmental purposes. Any recorded image evidencing a
24violation of this Section, however, may be admissible in any
25proceeding resulting from the issuance of the citation.
26    (h) The court or hearing officer may consider in defense of

 

 

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1a violation:
2        (1) that the motor vehicle or registration plates of
3    the motor vehicle were stolen before the violation occurred
4    and not under the control of or in the possession of the
5    owner at the time of the violation;
6        (2) that the driver of the vehicle passed through the
7    intersection when the light was red either (i) in order to
8    yield the right-of-way to an emergency vehicle or (ii) as
9    part of a funeral procession; and
10        (3) any other evidence or issues provided by municipal
11    or county ordinance.
12    (i) To demonstrate that the motor vehicle or the
13registration plates were stolen before the violation occurred
14and were not under the control or possession of the owner at
15the time of the violation, the owner must submit proof that a
16report concerning the stolen motor vehicle or registration
17plates was filed with a law enforcement agency in a timely
18manner.
19    (j) Unless the driver of the motor vehicle received a
20Uniform Traffic Citation from a police officer at the time of
21the violation, the motor vehicle owner is subject to a civil
22penalty not exceeding $100 or the completion of a traffic
23education program, or both, plus an additional penalty of not
24more than $100 for failure to pay the original penalty or to
25complete a required traffic education program, or both, in a
26timely manner, if the motor vehicle is recorded by an automated

 

 

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1traffic law enforcement system. A violation for which a civil
2penalty is imposed under this Section is not a violation of a
3traffic regulation governing the movement of vehicles and may
4not be recorded on the driving record of the owner of the
5vehicle.
6    (j-3) A registered owner who is a holder of a valid
7commercial driver's license is not required to complete a
8traffic education program.
9    (j-5) For purposes of the required traffic education
10program only, a registered owner may submit an affidavit to the
11court or hearing officer swearing that at the time of the
12alleged violation, the vehicle was in the custody and control
13of another person. The affidavit must identify the person in
14custody and control of the vehicle, including the person's name
15and current address. The person in custody and control of the
16vehicle at the time of the violation is required to complete
17the required traffic education program. If the person in
18custody and control of the vehicle at the time of the violation
19completes the required traffic education program, the
20registered owner of the vehicle is not required to complete a
21traffic education program.
22    (k) An intersection equipped with an automated traffic law
23enforcement system must be posted with a sign visible to
24approaching traffic indicating that the intersection is being
25monitored by an automated traffic law enforcement system.
26    (k-3) A municipality or county that has one or more

 

 

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1intersections equipped with an automated traffic law
2enforcement system must provide notice to drivers by posting
3the locations of automated traffic law systems on the
4municipality or county website.
5    (k-5) An intersection equipped with an automated traffic
6law enforcement system must have a yellow change interval that
7conforms with the Illinois Manual on Uniform Traffic Control
8Devices (IMUTCD) published by the Illinois Department of
9Transportation.
10    (k-7) A municipality or county operating an automated
11traffic law enforcement system shall conduct a statistical
12analysis to assess the safety impact of each automated traffic
13law enforcement system at an intersection following
14installation of the system. The statistical analysis shall be
15based upon the best available crash, traffic, and other data,
16and shall cover a period of time before and after installation
17of the system sufficient to provide a statistically valid
18comparison of safety impact. The statistical analysis shall be
19consistent with professional judgment and acceptable industry
20practice. The statistical analysis also shall be consistent
21with the data required for valid comparisons of before and
22after conditions and shall be conducted within a reasonable
23period following the installation of the automated traffic law
24enforcement system. The statistical analysis required by this
25subsection (k-7) shall be made available to the public and
26shall be published on the website of the municipality or

 

 

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1county. If the statistical analysis for the 36 month period
2following installation of the system indicates that there has
3been an increase in the rate of accidents at the approach to
4the intersection monitored by the system, the municipality or
5county shall undertake additional studies to determine the
6cause and severity of the accidents, and may take any action
7that it determines is necessary or appropriate to reduce the
8number or severity of the accidents at that intersection.
9    (l) The compensation paid for an automated traffic law
10enforcement system must be based on the value of the equipment
11or the services provided and may not be based on the number of
12traffic citations issued or the revenue generated by the
13system.
14    (m) This Section applies only to the counties of Cook,
15DuPage, Kane, Lake, Madison, McHenry, St. Clair, and Will and
16to municipalities located within those counties.
17    (n) The fee for participating in a traffic education
18program under this Section shall not exceed $25.
19    A low-income individual required to complete a traffic
20education program under this Section who provides proof of
21eligibility for the federal earned income tax credit under
22Section 32 of the Internal Revenue Code or the Illinois earned
23income tax credit under Section 212 of the Illinois Income Tax
24Act shall not be required to pay any fee for participating in a
25required traffic education program.
26    (o) A municipality or county shall make a certified report

 

 

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1to the Secretary of State pursuant to Section 6-306.5 of this
2Code whenever a registered owner of a vehicle has failed to pay
3any fine or penalty due and owing as a result of 5 offenses for
4automated traffic law violations.
5(Source: P.A. 96-288, eff. 8-11-09; 96-1016, eff. 1-1-11.)
 
6    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
7becoming law.