97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
SB3491

 

Introduced 2/8/2012, by Sen. William R. Haine

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
625 ILCS 5/3-609  from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-609
625 ILCS 5/11-1301.1  from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 11-1301.1

    Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that any veteran who holds proof of a service-connected disability from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, and whose degree of disability has been declared to be 50% or more, but whose disability does not qualify the veteran for a plate or decal under the Section of the Code concerning plates for persons with disabilities, may without payment of fees apply for a special Disabled Veterans registration plate that does not display the international symbol of access. Provides that the design and color of Disabled Veterans plates shall be within the discretion of the Secretary, with exceptions. Provides that parking privileges for disabled veterans shall extend only to those veterans whose registration plates display the international symbol of access. Effective January 1, 2013.


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A BILL FOR

 

SB3491LRB097 18166 HEP 63390 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 3-609 and 11-1301.1 as follows:
 
6    (625 ILCS 5/3-609)  (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-609)
7    Sec. 3-609. Disabled Veterans' Plates.
8    (a) Any veteran who holds proof of a service-connected
9disability from the United States Department of Veterans
10Affairs, and who has obtained certification from a licensed
11physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice nurse
12that the service-connected disability qualifies the veteran
13for issuance of registration plates or decals to a person with
14disabilities in accordance with Section 3-616, may make
15application to the Secretary of State for disabled veterans
16license plates displaying the international symbol of access,
17for the registration of one motor vehicle of the first division
18or one motor vehicle of the second division weighing not more
19than 8,000 pounds, without the payment of any registration fee.
20    (b) Any veteran who holds proof of a service-connected
21disability from the United States Department of Veterans
22Affairs, and whose degree of disability has been declared to be
2350% or more, but whose disability does not qualify the veteran

 

 

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1for a plate or decal for persons with disabilities under
2Section 3-616, may make application to the Secretary for a
3special registration plate without the international symbol of
4access for the registration of one motor vehicle of the first
5division or one motor vehicle of the second division weighing
6not more than 8,000 pounds, without the payment of any
7registration fee. Any veteran may make application for the
8registration of one motor vehicle of the first division or one
9motor vehicle of the second division weighing not more than
108,000 pounds to the Secretary of State without the payment of
11any registration fee if (i) the veteran holds proof of a
12service-connected disability from the United States Department
13of Veterans Affairs and (ii) a licensed physician, physician
14assistant, or advanced practice nurse has certified in
15accordance with Section 3-616 that because of the
16service-connected disability the veteran qualifies for
17issuance of registration plates or decals to a person with
18disabilities. The Secretary may, in his or her discretion,
19allow the plates to be issued as vanity or personalized plates
20in accordance with Section 3-405.1 of this Code. Registration
21shall be for a multi-year period and may be issued staggered
22registration.
23    (c) Renewal of such registration must be accompanied with
24documentation for eligibility of registration without fee
25unless the applicant has a permanent qualifying disability, and
26such registration plates may not be issued to any person not

 

 

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1eligible therefor. The Illinois Department of Veterans'
2Affairs may assist in providing the documentation of
3disability.
4    (d) The design and color of the plates shall be within the
5discretion of the Secretary, except that the plates issued
6under subsection (b) of this Section shall not contain the
7international symbol of access. The Secretary may, in his or
8her discretion, allow the plates to be issued as vanity or
9personalized plates in accordance with Section 3-405.1 of this
10Code. Registration shall be for a multi-year period and may be
11issued staggered registration.
12    (e) Any Commencing with the 2009 registration year, any
13person eligible to receive license plates under this Section
14who has been approved for benefits under the Senior Citizens
15and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief and Pharmaceutical
16Assistance Act, or who has claimed and received a grant under
17that Act, shall pay a fee of $24 instead of the fee otherwise
18provided in this Code for passenger cars displaying standard
19multi-year registration plates issued under Section 3-414.1,
20for motor vehicles registered at 8,000 pounds or less under
21Section 3-815(a), or for recreational vehicles registered at
228,000 pounds or less under Section 3-815(b), for a second set
23of plates under this Section.
24(Source: P.A. 95-157, eff. 1-1-08; 95-167, eff. 1-1-08; 95-353,
25eff. 1-1-08; 95-876, eff. 8-21-08; 96-79, eff. 1-1-10.)
 

 

 

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1    (625 ILCS 5/11-1301.1)  (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 11-1301.1)
2    Sec. 11-1301.1. Persons with disabilities - Parking
3privileges - Exemptions.
4    (a) A motor vehicle bearing registration plates issued to a
5person with disabilities, as defined by Section 1-159.1,
6pursuant to Section 3-616 or to a disabled veteran pursuant to
7subsection (a) of Section 3-609 or a special decal or device
8issued pursuant to Section 3-616 or pursuant to Section
911-1301.2 of this Code or a motor vehicle registered in another
10jurisdiction, state, district, territory or foreign country
11upon which is displayed a registration plate, special decal or
12device issued by the other jurisdiction designating the vehicle
13is operated by or for a person with disabilities shall be
14exempt from the payment of parking meter fees and exempt from
15any statute or ordinance imposing time limitations on parking,
16except limitations of one-half hour or less, on any street or
17highway zone, or any parking lot or parking place which are
18owned, leased or owned and leased by a municipality or a
19municipal parking utility; and shall be recognized by state and
20local authorities as a valid license plate or parking device
21and shall receive the same parking privileges as residents of
22this State; but, such vehicle shall be subject to the laws
23which prohibit parking in "no stopping" and "no standing" zones
24in front of or near fire hydrants, driveways, public building
25entrances and exits, bus stops and loading areas, and is
26prohibited from parking where the motor vehicle constitutes a

 

 

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1traffic hazard, whereby such motor vehicle shall be moved at
2the instruction and request of a law enforcement officer to a
3location designated by the officer.
4    (b) Any motor vehicle bearing registration plates or a
5special decal or device specified in this Section or in Section
63-616 of this Code, or such parking device as specifically
7authorized in Section 11-1301.2 as evidence that the vehicle is
8operated by or for a person with disabilities, or bearing
9registration plates issued to a disabled veteran under
10subsection (a) of Section 3-609 may park, in addition to any
11other lawful place, in any parking place specifically reserved
12for such vehicles by the posting of an official sign as
13provided under Section 11-301. Parking privileges granted by
14this Section are strictly limited to the person to whom the
15special registration plates, special decal or device were
16issued and to qualified operators acting under his or her
17express direction while the person with disabilities is
18present. A person to whom privileges were granted shall, at the
19request of a police officer or any other person invested by law
20with authority to direct, control, or regulate traffic, present
21an identification card with a picture as verification that the
22person is the person to whom the special registration plates,
23special decal or device was issued.
24    (c) Such parking privileges granted by this Section are
25also extended to motor vehicles of not-for-profit
26organizations used for the transportation of persons with

 

 

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1disabilities when such motor vehicles display the decal or
2device issued pursuant to Section 11-1301.2 of this Code.
3    (d) No person shall use any area for the parking of any
4motor vehicle pursuant to Section 11-1303 of this Code or where
5an official sign controlling such area expressly prohibits
6parking at any time or during certain hours.
7(Source: P.A. 95-167, eff. 1-1-08; 96-79, eff. 1-1-10.)
 
8    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January
91, 2013.