HB3705 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB102 15133 RAM 20488 b

102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB3705

Introduced 2/22/2021, by Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

605 ILCS 10/10

from Ch. 121, par. 100-10

Amends the Illinois Toll Highway Act. Provides that the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority shall not impose additional fines or fees for an unpaid toll paid within 14 days of its accrual. Provides that a vehicle owner's failure to pay a toll within 14 days of its accrual shall result in a fine not to exceed the amount of the original toll. Provides that the Illinois Highway Authority shall issue a notification to the vehicle owner of the fine and provide an additional 14-day payment period in which to pay without additional penalty. Provides that an additional fine, not to exceed the amount of the original toll, shall be imposed on any vehicle owner who fails to pay the unpaid toll and the first accrued fine within 14 days of notification. Provides that no more than 2 fees shall be imposed upon a vehicle owner for one unpaid toll violation. Provides that the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority shall have the power to waive fines and fees charged to a registered vehicle owner, at its discretion.

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 Toll Highway Act is amended by changing Section 10 as follows:

(605 ILCS 10/10) (from Ch. 121, par. 100-10)

Sec. 10. The Authority shall have power:

(a) To pass resolutions, make by-laws, rules and regulations for the management, regulation and control of its affairs, and to fix tolls, and to make, enact and enforce all needful rules and regulations in connection with the construction, operation, management, care, regulation or protection of its property or any toll highways, constructed or reconstructed hereunder. Any by-laws adopted under this Section shall include a requirement that directors disclose and avoid potential conflicts of interest. The by-laws shall be posted on the Authority's website.

(a-5) To fix, assess, and collect civil fines for a vehicle's operation on a toll highway without the required toll having been paid. The Authority may establish by rule a system of civil administrative adjudication to adjudicate only alleged instances of a vehicle's operation on a toll highway without the required toll having been paid, as detected by the Authority's video or photo surveillance system. In cases in which the operator of the vehicle is not the registered vehicle owner, the establishment of ownership of the vehicle creates a rebuttable presumption that the vehicle was being operated by an agent of the registered vehicle owner. If the registered vehicle owner liable for a violation under this Section was not the operator of the vehicle at the time of the violation, the owner may maintain an action for indemnification against the operator in the circuit court. Rules establishing a system of civil administrative adjudication must provide for written notice, by first class mail or other means provided by law, to the address of the registered owner of the cited vehicle as recorded with the Secretary of State or to the lessee of the cited vehicle at the last address known to the lessor of the cited vehicle at the time of the lease, of the alleged violation and an opportunity to be heard on the question of the violation and must provide for the establishment of a toll-free telephone number to receive inquiries concerning alleged violations. The notice shall also inform the registered vehicle owner that failure to contest in the manner and time provided shall be deemed an admission of liability and that a final order of liability may be entered on that admission. A duly authorized agent of the Authority may perform or execute the preparation, certification, affirmation, or mailing of the notice. A notice of violation, sworn or affirmed to or certified by a duly authorized agent of the Authority, or a facsimile of the notice, based upon an inspection of photographs, microphotographs, videotape, or other recorded images produced by a video or photo surveillance system, shall be admitted as prima facie evidence of the correctness of the facts contained in the notice or facsimile. Only civil fines, along with the corresponding outstanding toll, and costs may be imposed by administrative adjudication. A fine may be imposed under this paragraph only if a violation is established by a preponderance of the evidence. Judicial review of all final orders of the Authority under this paragraph shall be conducted in the circuit court of the county in which the administrative decision was rendered in accordance with the Administrative Review Law.

The Authority shall not impose additional fines or fees for an unpaid toll paid within 14 days of its accrual. A vehicle owner's failure to pay a toll within 14 days of its accrual shall result in a fine not to exceed the amount of the original toll. The Authority shall issue a notification to the vehicle owner of the fine and provide an additional 14 day payment period in which to pay without additional penalty. An additional fine, not to exceed the amount of the original toll, shall be imposed on any vehicle owner who fails to pay the unpaid toll and the first accrued fine within 14 days of notification. No more than 2 fees shall be imposed upon a vehicle owner for one unpaid toll violation.

The Authority may maintain a listing or searchable database on its website of persons or entities that have been issued one or more final orders of liability with a total amount due of more than $1,000 for tolls, fines, unpaid late fees, or administrative costs that remain unpaid after the exhaustion of, or the failure to exhaust, the judicial review procedures under the Administrative Review Law. Each entry may include the person's or entity's name as listed on the final order of liability.

Any outstanding toll, fine, additional late payment fine, other sanction, or costs imposed, or part of any fine, other sanction, or costs imposed, remaining unpaid after the exhaustion of, or the failure to exhaust, judicial review procedures under the Administrative Review Law are a debt due and owing the Authority and may be collected in accordance with applicable law. After expiration of the period in which judicial review under the Administrative Review Law may be sought, unless stayed by a court of competent jurisdiction, a final order of the Authority under this subsection (a-5) may be enforced in the same manner as a judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the Authority may, with the approval of the Attorney General, retain a law firm or law firms with expertise in the collection of government fines and debts for the purpose of collecting fines, costs, and other moneys due under this subsection (a-5).

A system of civil administrative adjudication may also provide for a program of vehicle immobilization, tow, or impoundment for the purpose of facilitating enforcement of any final order or orders of the Authority under this subsection (a-5) that result in a finding or liability for 5 or more violations after expiration of the period in which judicial review under the Administrative Review Law may be sought. The registered vehicle owner of a vehicle immobilized, towed, or impounded for nonpayment of a final order of the Authority under this subsection (a-5) shall have the right to request a hearing before the Authority's civil administrative adjudicatory system to challenge the validity of the immobilization, tow, or impoundment. This hearing, however, shall not constitute a readjudication of the merits of previously adjudicated notices. Judicial review of all final orders of the Authority under this subsection (a-5) shall be conducted in the circuit court of the county in which the administrative decision was rendered in accordance with the Administrative Review Law.

No commercial entity that is the lessor of a vehicle under a written lease agreement shall be liable for an administrative notice of violation for toll evasion issued under this subsection (a-5) involving that vehicle during the period of the lease if the lessor provides a copy of the leasing agreement to the Authority within 30 days of the issue date on the notice of violation. The leasing agreement also must contain a provision or addendum informing the lessee that the lessee is liable for payment of all tolls and any fines for toll evasion. Each entity must also post a sign at the leasing counter notifying the lessee of that liability. The copy of the leasing agreement provided to the Authority must contain the name, address, and driver's license number of the lessee, as well as the check-out and return dates and times of the vehicle and the vehicle license plate number and vehicle make and model.

As used in this subsection (a-5), "lessor" includes commercial leasing and rental entities but does not include public passenger vehicle entities.

The Authority shall establish an amnesty program for violations adjudicated under this subsection (a-5). Under the program, any person who has an outstanding notice of violation for toll evasion or a final order of a hearing officer for toll evasion dated prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly and who pays to the Authority the full percentage amounts listed in this paragraph remaining due on the notice of violation or final order of the hearing officer and the full fees and costs paid by the Authority to the Secretary of State relating to suspension proceedings, if applicable, on or before 5:00 p.m., Central Standard Time, of the 60th day after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly shall not be required to pay more than the listed percentage of the original fine amount and outstanding toll as listed on the notice of violation or final order of the hearing officer and the full fees and costs paid by the Authority to the Secretary of State relating to suspension proceedings, if applicable. The payment percentage scale shall be as follows: a person with 25 or fewer violations shall be eligible for amnesty upon payment of 50% of the original fine amount and the outstanding tolls; a person with more than 25 but fewer than 51 violations shall be eligible for amnesty upon payment of 60% of the original fine amount and the outstanding tolls; and a person with 51 or more violations shall be eligible for amnesty upon payment of 75% of the original fine amount and the outstanding tolls. In such a situation, the Executive Director of the Authority or his or her designee is authorized and directed to waive any late fine amount above the applicable percentage of the original fine amount. Partial payment of the amount due shall not be a basis to extend the amnesty payment deadline nor shall it act to relieve the person of liability for payment of the late fine amount. In order to receive amnesty, the full amount of the applicable percentage of the original fine amount and outstanding toll remaining due on the notice of violation or final order of the hearing officer and the full fees and costs paid by the Authority to the Secretary of State relating to suspension proceedings, if applicable, must be paid in full by 5:00 p.m., Central Standard Time, of the 60th day after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly. This amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly has no retroactive effect with regard to payments already tendered to the Authority that were full payments or payments in an amount greater than the applicable percentage, and this Act shall not be the basis for either a refund or a credit. This amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly does not apply to toll evasion citations issued by the Illinois State Police or other authorized law enforcement agencies and for which payment may be due to or through the clerk of the circuit court. The Authority shall adopt rules as necessary to implement the provisions of this amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly. The Authority, by a resolution of the Board of Directors, shall have the discretion to implement similar amnesty programs in the future. The Authority, at its discretion and in consultation with the Attorney General, is further authorized to settle an administrative fine or penalty if it determines that settling for less than the full amount is in the best interests of the Authority after taking into account the following factors: (1) the merits of the Authority's claim against the respondent; (2) the amount that can be collected relative to the administrative fine or penalty owed by the respondent; (3) the cost of pursuing further enforcement or collection action against the respondent; (4) the likelihood of collecting the full amount owed; and (5) the burden on the judiciary. The provisions in this Section may be extended to other toll facilities in the State of Illinois through a duly executed agreement between the Authority and the operator of the toll facility.

(a-7) In the discretion of the Authority, to waive the fines and fees charged to a registered vehicle owner for an unpaid toll violation.

(b) To prescribe rules and regulations applicable to traffic on highways under the jurisdiction of the Authority, concerning:

(1) Types of vehicles permitted to use such highways or parts thereof, and classification of such vehicles;

(2) Designation of the lanes of traffic to be used by the different types of vehicles permitted upon said highways;

(3) Stopping, standing, and parking of vehicles;

(4) Control of traffic by means of police officers or traffic control signals;

(5) Control or prohibition of processions, convoys, and assemblages of vehicles and persons;

(6) Movement of traffic in one direction only on designated portions of said highways;

(7) Control of the access, entrance, and exit of vehicles and persons to and from said highways; and

(8) Preparation, location and installation of all traffic signs; and to prescribe further rules and regulations applicable to such traffic, concerning matters not provided for either in the foregoing enumeration or in the Illinois Vehicle Code. Notice of such rules and regulations shall be posted conspicuously and displayed at appropriate points and at reasonable intervals along said highways, by clearly legible markers or signs, to provide notice of the existence of such rules and regulations to persons traveling on said highways. At each toll station, the Authority shall make available, free of charge, pamphlets containing all of such rules and regulations.

(c) The Authority, in fixing the rate for tolls for the privilege of using the said toll highways, is authorized and directed, in fixing such rates, to base the same upon annual estimates to be made, recorded and filed with the Authority. Said estimates shall include the following: The estimated total amount of the use of the toll highways; the estimated amount of the revenue to be derived therefrom, which said revenue, when added to all other receipts and income, will be sufficient to pay the expense of maintaining and operating said toll highways, including the administrative expenses of the Authority, and to discharge all obligations of the Authority as they become due and payable.

(d) To accept from any municipality or political subdivision any lands, easements or rights in land needed for the operation, construction, relocation or maintenance of any toll highways, with or without payment therefor, and in its discretion to reimburse any such municipality or political subdivision out of its funds for any cost or expense incurred in the acquisition of land, easements or rights in land, in connection with the construction and relocation of the said toll highways, widening, extending roads, streets or avenues in connection therewith, or for the construction of any roads or streets forming extension to and connections with or between any toll highways, or for the cost or expense of widening, grading, surfacing or improving any existing streets or roads or the construction of any streets and roads forming extensions of or connections with any toll highways constructed, relocated, operated, maintained or regulated hereunder by the Authority. Where property owned by a municipality or political subdivision is necessary to the construction of an approved toll highway, if the Authority cannot reach an agreement with such municipality or political subdivision and if the use to which the property is being put in the hands of the municipality or political subdivision is not essential to the existence or the administration of such municipality or political subdivision, the Authority may acquire the property by condemnation.

(Source: P.A. 99-214, eff. 1-1-16; 100-1180, eff. 2-28-19.)