HB0358eng 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB0358 Engrossed LRB095 04613 DRH 24670 b

AN ACT concerning transportation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Illinois Vehicle Code is amended by changing Sections 3-609, 3-620, 3-621, 3-622, 3-623, 3-624, 3-625, 3-806.1, 3-806.4, and 3-806.5 as follows:

(625 ILCS 5/3-609) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-609)

Sec. 3-609. Disabled Veterans' Plates. Any disabled veteran who has been or declared eligible for funds for the purchase of a motor vehicle of the first division or for a motor vehicle of the second division weighing not more than 8,000 pounds by the United States Federal Government because of his disability, may make application for the registration of one such vehicle, to the Secretary of State without the payment of any registration fee. The Secretary may, in his or her discretion, allow the plates to be issued as vanity or personalized plates in accordance with Section 3-405.1 of this Code. Registration shall be for a multi-year period effective in 1980 and may be issued staggered registration.

Any disabled veteran of World War I, of World War II, of the National Emergency between June 25, 1950 and January 31, 1955 or of the period beginning February 1, 1955 and ending on the day before the first day thereafter in which individuals (other than individuals liable for induction by reason of prior deferment) are no longer liable for induction for training and service into the armed forces under the Military Selective Service Act of 1967, or of any armed conflict involving the armed forces of the United States, who has a service-connected disability of such a nature that it would, if it had been incurred in World War II, have entitled him to be awarded an automobile by the United States Federal Government, or who is receiving compensation from the Veterans Administration for total service-connected disability, may make application to the Secretary of State for the registration of one motor vehicle of the first division without accompanying such application with the payment of any fee.

Renewal of such registration must be accompanied with documentation for eligibility of registration without fee unless the applicant has a permanent qualifying disability, and such registration plates may not be issued to any person not eligible therefor.

The Illinois Veterans Commission may assist in providing the documentation of disability.

(Source: P.A. 86-444; 87-895.)

(625 ILCS 5/3-620) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-620)

Sec. 3-620. The Secretary, upon receipt of an application made on the form prescribed by the Secretary of State, may issue special registration plates to United States citizens, who are present or former members of the United States armed forces or any of its allies, and who were prisoners of war of World War I, World War II, the Korean Conflict, and the Vietnamese conflict, or to the widowed spouse of a former member of the United States armed forces, providing that widowed spouse was married to the POW at the time of death, and is a single person at the time of application. The special plates issued pursuant to this Section shall be affixed only to passenger vehicles of the first division subject to the staggered registration system, motorcycles, and vehicles of the second division having a gross weight of 8,000 pounds or less and shall be issued without charge. Only one set of plates may be issued at no fee.

The design and color of the prisoner of war plates shall be wholly within the discretion of the Secretary of State. The Secretary may, in his or her discretion, allow the plates to be issued as vanity or personalized plates in accordance with Section 3-405.1 of this Code.

(Source: P.A. 92-545, eff. 6-12-02.)

(625 ILCS 5/3-621) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-621)

Sec. 3-621. The Secretary, upon receipt of an application, made in the form prescribed by the Secretary of State, may issue to members of the Illinois National Guard, and to Illinois residents who are either former members of the Illinois National Guard or the surviving spouses of Illinois National Guard members, special registration plates. The special plates issued pursuant to this Section shall be affixed only to passenger vehicles of the first division, motorcycles, or motor vehicles of the second division weighing not more than 8,000 pounds subject to the staggered registration system.

The design and color of such plates shall be wholly within the discretion of the Secretary of State. The Secretary may, in his or her discretion, allow the plates to be issued as vanity or personalized plates in accordance with Section 3-405.1 of this Code.

(Source: P.A. 92-545, eff. 6-12-02; 92-699, 1-1-03; revised 8-23-02.)

(625 ILCS 5/3-622) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-622)

Sec. 3-622. The Secretary, upon receipt of an application made in the form prescribed by the Secretary of State, may issue to members of the United States Armed Forces Reserves who reside in Illinois, and to Illinois residents who are either former members of the United States Armed Forces Reserves or the surviving spouses of United States Armed Forces Reserve members who resided in Illinois, special registration plates. The special plates issued pursuant to this Section shall be affixed only to passenger vehicles of the first division, motorcycles, or motor vehicles of the second division weighing not more than 8,000 pounds subject to the staggered registration system. The design and color of such plates shall be wholly within the discretion of the Secretary of State. The Secretary may, in his or her discretion, allow the plates to be issued as vanity or personalized plates in accordance with Section 3-405.1 of this Code.

(Source: P.A. 92-545, eff. 6-12-02; 92-699, eff. 1-1-03; revised 8-23-02.)

(625 ILCS 5/3-623) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-623)

Sec. 3-623. Purple Heart Plates. The Secretary, upon receipt of an application made in the form prescribed by the Secretary of State, may issue to recipients awarded the Purple Heart by a branch of the armed forces of the United States who reside in Illinois, special registration plates. The Secretary, upon receipt of the proper application applications, may also issue these special registration plates to an Illinois resident who is the surviving spouse of a person who was killed in a foreign war and was awarded the Purple Heart by a branch of the armed forces of the United States. The special plates issued pursuant to this Section should be affixed only to passenger vehicles of the 1st division, including motorcycles, or motor vehicles of the 2nd division weighing not more than 8,000 pounds. The Secretary may, in his or her discretion, allow the plates to be issued as vanity or personalized plates in accordance with Section 3-405.1 of this Code.

The design and color of such plates shall be wholly within the discretion of the Secretary of State. Appropriate documentation, as determined by the Secretary, and the appropriate registration fee shall accompany the application. However, for an individual who has been issued Purple Heart plates for a vehicle and who has been approved for benefits under the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief and Pharmaceutical Assistance Act, the annual fee for the registration of the vehicle shall be as provided in Section 3-806.3 of this Code.

(Source: P.A. 93-846, eff. 7-30-04; 94-93, eff. 1-1-06; 94-343, eff. 1-1-06; revised 10-20-05.)

(625 ILCS 5/3-624) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-624)

Sec. 3-624. The Secretary, upon receipt of an application made in the form prescribed by the Secretary of State, may issue to retired members of the United States Armed Forces who reside in Illinois, special registration plates. The special plates issued pursuant to this Section shall be affixed only to passenger vehicles of the first division, motorcycles, or motor vehicles of the second division weighing not more than 8,000 pounds and subject to the staggered registration system. The design and color of such plates shall be wholly within the discretion of the Secretary of State. The Secretary may, in his or her discretion, allow the plates to be issued as vanity or personalized plates in accordance with Section 3-405.1 of this Code.

(Source: P.A. 92-545, eff. 6-12-02.)

(625 ILCS 5/3-625) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-625)

Sec. 3-625. Pearl Harbor Plates. The Secretary, upon receipt of an application made in the form prescribed by the Secretary of State, may issue special registration plates to any Illinois resident who, while a member of the armed forces of the United States, participated in the battle of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, or to the widowed spouse of any Illinois resident who, while a member of the armed forces of the United States, participated in the battle of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, provided that the widowed spouse was married to the battle of Pearl Harbor participant at the time of the participant's death and is a single person at the time of application. The special plates issued pursuant to this Section should be affixed only to passenger vehicles of the 1st division, motorcycles, or motor vehicles of the 2nd division weighing not more than 8,000 pounds. The Secretary may, in his or her discretion, allow the plates to be issued as vanity or personalized plates in accordance with Section 3-405.1 of this Code.

The design and color of such plates shall be wholly within the discretion of the Secretary of State. Appropriate documentation, as determined by the Secretary, and the appropriate registration fee shall accompany the application.

(Source: P.A. 92-545, eff. 6-12-02; 92-699, eff. 1-1-03; revised 8-23-02.)

(625 ILCS 5/3-806.1) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-806.1)

Sec. 3-806.1. Additional fees for vanity license plates. In addition to the regular registration fee, an applicant for a vanity license plate, other than a vanity plate in any military series or a vanity plate issued under Section 3-806.4, shall be charged $94 for each set of vanity license plates issued to a motor vehicle of the first division or a motor vehicle of the second division registered at not more than 8,000 pounds or to a recreational vehicle and $50 for each set of vanity plates issued to a motorcycle. In addition to the regular renewal fee, an applicant for a vanity plate, other than a vanity plate in any military series or a vanity plate issued under Section 3-806.4, shall be charged $13 for the renewal of each set of vanity license plates. There shall be no additional fees for a vanity license plate in any military series of plates or a vanity plate issued under Section 3-806.4.

(Source: P.A. 91-37, eff. 7-1-99.)

(625 ILCS 5/3-806.4) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-806.4)

Sec. 3-806.4. Gold Star recipients. Commencing with the 1991 registration year and through the 2006 registration year, upon proper application, the Secretary of State shall issue one pair of registration plates to any Illinois resident, who as the surviving widow or widower, or in the absence thereof, as the surviving parent, is awarded the Gold Star by the United States in recognition of spouses or children who served in the Armed Forces of the United States and lost their lives while in service whether in peacetime or war. Commencing with the 2007 registration year, upon proper application, the Secretary of State shall issue one pair of registration plates to any Illinois resident, who as the surviving widow, widower, or parent, is awarded the Gold Star by the United States in recognition of spouses or children who served in the Armed Forces of the United States and lost their lives while in service whether in peacetime or war. If the parent no longer survives, the Secretary of State shall issue the plates to a surviving sibling, of the person who served in the Armed Forces, who is an Illinois resident. No more than one set of plates shall be issued for each Gold Star awarded, and only one surviving parent, or in the absence of a surviving parent, only one surviving sibling shall be issued a set of registration plates, except for those surviving parents who, as recipients of the Gold Star, have legally separated or divorced, in which case each surviving parent shall be allowed one set of registration plates. Registration plates issued under this Section shall be for first division vehicles and second division vehicles of 8,000 pounds or less. The Secretary may, in his or her discretion, allow the plates to be issued as vanity or personalized plates in accordance with Section 3-405.1 of this Code. Through the 2006 registration year, an applicant shall be charged a $15 fee for the original issuance in addition to the appropriate registration fee which shall be deposited into the Road Fund to help defray the administrative processing costs. Beginning with the 2007 registration year, an applicant shall be charged only the appropriate registration fee.

(Source: P.A. 93-140, eff. 1-1-04; 94-311, eff. 1-1-06; 94-343, eff. 1-1-06; revised 8-19-05.)

(625 ILCS 5/3-806.5)

Sec. 3-806.5. Additional fees for personalized license plates. For registration periods commencing after December 31, 2003, in addition to the regular registration fee, an applicant for a personalized license plate, other than a personalized plate in any military series or a personalized plate issued under Section 3-806.4, shall be charged $47 for each set of personalized license plates issued to a motor vehicle of the first division or a motor vehicle of the second division registered at not more than 8,000 pounds or to a recreational vehicle and $25 for each set of personalized plates issued to a motorcycle. In addition to the regular renewal fee, an applicant for a personalized plate other than a personalized plate in any military series or a personalized plate issued under Section 3-806.4, shall be charged $7 for the renewal of each set of personalized license plates. There shall be no additional fees charged for a personalized plate in any military series of plates or a personalized plate issued under Section 3-806.4. Of the money received by the Secretary of State as additional fees for personalized license plates, 50% shall be deposited into the Secretary of State Special License Plate Fund and 50% shall be deposited into the General Revenue Fund.

(Source: P.A. 93-32, eff. 7-1-03.)