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92_HB2056eng HB2056 Engrossed LRB9206444ARsb 1 AN ACT concerning vehicles. 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 3 represented in the General Assembly: 4 Section 5. The Illinois Vehicle Code is amended by 5 changing Sections 12-215, 12-805, and 12-815 and adding 6 Sections 12-802.1 and 12-816 as follows: 7 (625 ILCS 5/12-215) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 12-215) 8 Sec. 12-215. Oscillating, rotating or flashing lights on 9 motor vehicles. Except as otherwise provided in this Code: 10 (a) The use of red or white oscillating, rotating or 11 flashing lights, whether lighted or unlighted, is prohibited 12 except on: 13 1. Law enforcement vehicles of State, Federal or 14 local authorities; 15 2. A vehicle operated by a police officer or county 16 coroner and designated or authorized by local 17 authorities, in writing, as a law enforcement vehicle; 18 however, such designation or authorization must be 19 carried in the vehicle; 20 3. Vehicles of local fire departments and State or 21 federal firefighting vehicles; 22 4. Vehicles which are designed and used exclusively 23 as ambulances or rescue vehicles; furthermore, such 24 lights shall not be lighted except when responding to an 25 emergency call for and while actually conveying the sick 26 or injured;and27 5. Tow trucks licensed in a state that requires 28 such lights; furthermore, such lights shall not be 29 lighted on any such tow truck while the tow truck is 30 operating in the State of Illinois; and.31 6. School buses operating alternately flashing head HB2056 Engrossed -2- LRB9206444ARsb 1 lamps as permitted under Section 12-805 of this Code. 2 (b) The use of amber oscillating, rotating or flashing 3 lights, whether lighted or unlighted, is prohibited except 4 on: 5 1. Second division vehicles designed and used for 6 towing or hoisting vehicles; furthermore, such lights 7 shall not be lighted except as required in this paragraph 8 1; such lights shall be lighted when such vehicles are 9 actually being used at the scene of an accident or 10 disablement; if the towing vehicle is equipped with a 11 flat bed that supports all wheels of the vehicle being 12 transported, the lights shall not be lighted while the 13 vehicle is engaged in towing on a highway; if the towing 14 vehicle is not equipped with a flat bed that supports all 15 wheels of a vehicle being transported, the lights shall 16 be lighted while the towing vehicle is engaged in towing 17 on a highway during all times when the use of headlights 18 is required under Section 12-201 of this Code; 19 2. Motor vehicles or equipment of the State of 20 Illinois, local authorities and contractors; furthermore, 21 such lights shall not be lighted except while such 22 vehicles are engaged in maintenance or construction 23 operations within the limits of construction projects; 24 3. Vehicles or equipment used by engineering or 25 survey crews; furthermore, such lights shall not be 26 lighted except while such vehicles are actually engaged 27 in work on a highway; 28 4. Vehicles of public utilities, municipalities, or 29 other construction, maintenance or automotive service 30 vehicles except that such lights shall be lighted only as 31 a means for indicating the presence of a vehicular 32 traffic hazard requiring unusual care in approaching, 33 overtaking or passing while such vehicles are engaged in 34 maintenance, service or construction on a highway; HB2056 Engrossed -3- LRB9206444ARsb 1 5. Oversized vehicle or load; however, such lights 2 shall only be lighted when moving under permit issued by 3 the Department under Section 15-301 of this Code; 4 6. The front and rear of motorized equipment owned 5 and operated by the State of Illinois or any political 6 subdivision thereof, which is designed and used for 7 removal of snow and ice from highways; 8 7. Fleet safety vehicles registered in another 9 state, furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted 10 except as provided for in Section 12-212 of this Code; 11 8. Such other vehicles as may be authorized by 12 local authorities; 13 9. Law enforcement vehicles of State or local 14 authorities when used in combination with red 15 oscillating, rotating or flashing lights; 16 10. Vehicles used for collecting or delivering mail 17 for the United States Postal Service provided that such 18 lights shall not be lighted except when such vehicles are 19 actually being used for such purposes; 20 11. Any vehicle displaying a slow-moving vehicle 21 emblem as provided in Section 12-205.1; 22 12. All trucks equipped with self-compactors or 23 roll-off hoists and roll-on containers for garbage or 24 refuse hauling. Such lights shall not be lighted except 25 when such vehicles are actually being used for such 26 purposes; 27 13. Vehicles used by a security company, alarm 28 responder, or control agency, if the security company, 29 alarm responder, or control agency is bound by a contract 30 with a federal, State, or local government entity to use 31 the lights; and 32 14. Security vehicles of the Department of Human 33 Services; however, the lights shall not be lighted except 34 when being used for security related purposes under the HB2056 Engrossed -4- LRB9206444ARsb 1 direction of the superintendent of the facility where the 2 vehicle is located. 3 (c) The use of blue oscillating, rotating or flashing 4 lights, whether lighted or unlighted, is prohibited except 5 on: 6 1. Rescue squad vehicles not owned by a fire 7 department and vehicles owned or fully operated by a: 8 voluntary firefighter; 9 paid firefighter; 10 part-paid firefighter; 11 call firefighter; 12 member of the board of trustees of a fire 13 protection district; 14 paid or unpaid member of a rescue squad; or 15 paid or unpaid member of a voluntary ambulance 16 unit. 17 However, such lights are not to be lighted except 18 when responding to a bona fide emergency. 19 2. Police department vehicles in cities having a 20 population of 500,000 or more inhabitants. 21 3. Law enforcement vehicles of State or local 22 authorities when used in combination with red 23 oscillating, rotating or flashing lights. 24 4. Vehicles of local fire departments and State or 25 federal firefighting vehicles when used in combination 26 with red oscillating, rotating or flashing lights. 27 5. Vehicles which are designed and used exclusively 28 as ambulances or rescue vehicles when used in combination 29 with red oscillating, rotating or flashing lights; 30 furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted except when 31 responding to an emergency call. 32 6. Vehicles that are equipped and used exclusively 33 as organ transport vehicles when used in combination with 34 red oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights; HB2056 Engrossed -5- LRB9206444ARsb 1 furthermore, these lights shall only be lighted when the 2 transportation is declared an emergency by a member of 3 the transplant team or a representative of the organ 4 procurement organization. 5 (d) The use of a combination of amber and white 6 oscillating, rotating or flashing lights, whether lighted or 7 unlighted, is prohibited, except motor vehicles or equipment 8 of the State of Illinois, local authorities and contractors 9 may be so equipped; furthermore, such lights shall not be 10 lighted except while such vehicles are engaged in highway 11 maintenance or construction operations within the limits of 12 highway construction projects. 13 (e) All oscillating, rotating or flashing lights 14 referred to in this Section shall be of sufficient intensity, 15 when illuminated, to be visible at 500 feet in normal 16 sunlight. 17 (f) Nothing in this Section shall prohibit a 18 manufacturer of oscillating, rotating or flashing lights or 19 his representative from temporarily mounting such lights on a 20 vehicle for demonstration purposes only. 21 (g) Any person violating the provisions of subsections 22 (a), (b), (c) or (d) of this Section who without lawful 23 authority stops or detains or attempts to stop or detain 24 another person shall be guilty of a Class 4 felony. 25 (h) Except as provided in subsection (g) above, any 26 person violating the provisions of subsections (a) or (c) of 27 this Section shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor. 28 (Source: P.A. 90-330, eff. 8-8-97; 90-347, eff. 1-1-98; 29 90-655, eff. 7-30-98; 91-357, eff. 7-29-99.) 30 (625 ILCS 5/12-802.1 new) 31 Sec. 12-802.1. Exterior reflective markings. 32 (a) Every school bus sold or manufactured for use in 33 Illinois on or after January 1, 2002 must be equipped with HB2056 Engrossed -6- LRB9206444ARsb 1 exterior reflective markings on the rear and sides of the bus 2 that comply with rules adopted by the Illinois Department of 3 Transportation. 4 (b) The Department shall adopt rules for implementing 5 this Section. The rules: 6 (1) Shall require the rear of school buses to be 7 marked with reflective material to outline the perimeter 8 of the back of the bus and the perimeter of the rear 9 emergency exit. 10 (2) Shall require the horizontal application of 11 strips of reflective material, not less than 1.75 inches 12 wide, above the rear windows, and above the rear bumper 13 from the edges of the rear emergency exit door to both 14 corners of the school bus with vertical strips of 15 reflective material at each corner connected to the 16 horizontal strips. 17 (3) Shall require the horizontal application of 18 strips of reflective material, not less than 1.75 inches 19 wide, the entire length of the sides of the school bus 20 and located equidistant, or as close as practicable, 21 between the bottom of the bus and the bottom window line 22 so as not to interfere with required lettering and not to 23 be placed on rub rails. 24 (625 ILCS 5/12-805) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 12-805) 25 Sec. 12-805. Special lighting equipment. 26 Each school bus purchased as a new vehicle after December 27 31, 1975 shall be equipped with an 8-lamp flashing signal 28 system. Until December 31, 1978, all other school buses shall 29 be equipped with either a 4-lamp or an 8-lamp flashing signal 30 system. After December 31, 1978, all school buses shall be 31 equipped with an 8-lamp flashing signal system. 32 A 4-lamp flashing signal system shall have 2 alternately 33 flashing red lamps mounted as high and as widely spaced HB2056 Engrossed -7- LRB9206444ARsb 1 laterally on the same level as practicable at the front of 2 the school bus and 2 such lamps mounted in the same manner at 3 the rear. 4 An 8-lamp flashing signal system shall have, in addition 5 to a 4-lamp system, 4 alternately flashing amber lamps. Each 6 amber lamp shall be mounted next to a red lamp and at the 7 same level but closer to the centerline of the school bus. 8 Each signal lamp shall be a sealed beam at least 5 1/2 9 inches in diameter and shall have sufficient intensity to be 10 visible at 500 feet in normal sunlight. Both the 4-lamp and 11 8-lamp system shall be actuated only by means of a manual 12 switch. There shall be a device for indicating to the driver 13 that the system is operating properly or is inoperative. 14 A school bus may also be equipped with alternately 15 flashing head lamps, which may be operated in conjunction 16 with the 8-lamp flashing signal system. 17 (Source: P.A. 79-1400.) 18 (625 ILCS 5/12-815) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 12-815) 19 Sec. 12-815. Strobe lamp on school bus. 20 (a) A school bus manufactured prior to January 1, 2000 21 may be equipped with one strobe lamp that will emit 60 to 120 22 flashes per minute of white or bluish-white light visible to 23 a motorist approaching the bus from any direction. A school 24 bus manufactured on or after January 1, 2000 shall be 25 equipped with one strobe lamp that will emit 60 to 120 26 flashes per minute of white or bluish-white light visible to 27 a motorist approaching the bus from any direction. The lamp 28 shall be of sufficient brightness to be visible in normal 29 sunlight when viewed directly from a distance of at least one 30 mile. 31 (b) The strobe lamp shall be mounted on the rooftop of 32 the bus with the light generating element in the lamp located 33 equidistant from each side and either at or behind the center HB2056 Engrossed -8- LRB9206444ARsb 1 of the rooftop. The maximum height of the element above the 2 rooftop shall not exceed 1/30 of its distance from the rear 3 of the rooftop. If the structure of the strobe lamp obscures 4 the light generating element, the element shall be deemed to 5 be in the center of the lamp with a maximum height 1/4 inch 6 less than the maximum height of the strobe lamp unless 7 otherwise indicated in rules and regulations promulgated by 8 the Department. The Department may promulgate rules and 9 regulations to govern measurements, glare, effectiveness and 10 protection of strobe lamps on school buses, including higher 11 strobe lamps than authorized in this paragraph. 12 (c) The strobe lamp mustmaybe lightedonlywhen the 13 school busis actually being used as a school bus and: 14 1. is stopping or stopped for loading or 15 discharging pupilson a highway outside an urban area; or 16 2. is bearing one or more pupilsand is either17stopped or, in the interest of safety, is moving very18slowly at a speed:19(i) less than the posted minimum speed limit,20or21(ii) less than 30 miles per hour on a highway22outside an urban area. 23 (Source: P.A. 91-168, eff. 1-1-00; 91-679, eff. 1-26-00.) 24 (625 ILCS 5/12-816 new) 25 Sec. 12-816. Bus driver complaints; reporting and 26 investigation. 27 (a) Any school bus operating in the State of Illinois, 28 as defined in Section 1-182 of this Code, shall display a 29 toll free number, which may be contacted to report the 30 improper operation of a school bus. The toll free number 31 shall be conspicuously displayed on the exterior of every 32 school bus. 33 (b) The Secretary of State, subject to appropriation, HB2056 Engrossed -9- LRB9206444ARsb 1 shall adopt rules establishing a toll free number that may be 2 contacted to report the improper operation of a school bus. 3 In addition, the Secretary of State shall establish by rule a 4 procedure for response to these reports and a procedure under 5 which the reports are forwarded to the appropriate law 6 enforcement and school officials within a reasonable period 7 of time. 8 (c) There shall be established in the Office of 9 Secretary of State, subject to appropriation, a division 10 exclusively dedicated to handling receipt, investigation, and 11 follow up of all complaints related to this Section. This 12 division shall also be responsible for all administrative 13 hearings that occur as result of action taken by the 14 Secretary in conjunction with the rules provided for in 15 subsection (b) of this Section. 16 (d) The School Bus Toll Free Hotline Fund is created as 17 a special fund in the State treasury. The moneys in the fund 18 shall come from appropriations. All moneys in the School Bus 19 Toll Free Hotline Fund shall, subject to appropriation, be 20 used to implement the activities required under this Section. 21 Section 10. The State Finance Act is amended by adding 22 Section 5.545 as follows: 23 (30 ILCS 105/5.545 new) 24 Sec. 5.545. The School Bus Toll Free Hotline Fund. 25 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 26 becoming law.