HB 235 - Charitable Vehicle Classification
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code to allow vehicles designed for transporting not less than seven nor more than 10 passengers to be eligible for charitable vehicle classification. P.A. 91-64; effective 1-1-2000.

HB 536 - Expired Car Registration
Prohibits a person from parking a vehicle upon a public street, highway, or roadway if the vehicle displays an expired registration plate or sticker. Provides that a municipality may designate any person to enforce a local ordinance similar to this parking prohibition. Allows a municipality to impose a fine not to exceed $25 to enforce this parking prohibition. P.A. 91-487; effective 1-1-2000.

HB 1869 - School Bus Drivers
Adds two new requirements to be a school bus driver. A driver must (1) have a valid driver's license that has not been cancelled for the last three years; but (2) not have his or her commercial motor driving privileges disqualified within the last three years. It also adds several other crimes that disqualify an applicant from receiving a permit. P.A. 91-500; effective 8-13-99.

HB 2031 - Diesel-emission Inspections
Provides that residents and units of local governments located in non-attainment areas are subject to emission inspection once a year provided the vehicle is more than two years old and the registered grow weight is 16,000 pounds or above. Provides that a vehicle owner who fails an emission inspection for a diesel-powered vehicle shall have 30 days to correct the problem; after 30 days the vehicle is placed out-of-service. Provides that only moneys from the General Revenue Fund are used for the diesel-emission inspection. Provides that only moneys from the General Revenue Fund or the Diesel-Emissions Testing Fund may be used for the diesel-emission inspection. Amends the State Mandates Act to provide that no reimbursement by the State is required for the implementation of any mandate created by this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly. Further amends the Illinois Vehicle Code to preempt home rule by providing that a diesel-emission inspection program of a unit of local government within the affected areas must meet or exceed the procedures and standards set by the State and that a unit of local government within the affected areas must comply with the diesel-emission inspections required by the State. Provides for a six-month period after the effective date of this amendatory Act during which a person who violates the diesel-emission standards shall receive only a warning citation. Provides that the annual emission inspections may be performed by a unit of local government and need not be part of the safety tests. Provides that no emergency vehicle may be placed out-of-service for a violation of the diesel omission standards. Requires every operator of an official testing station to file a schedule of his or her rates and charges for diesel-emission tests. P.A. 91-254; effective 7-1-2000.

SB 31 - Prohibit Passing School Bus
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code to prohibit the passing of a school bus receiving or discharging pupils while on a roadway on school property. P.A. 91-260; effective 1-1-2000.

SB 84 - Head Lights
Requires that motor vehicles turn on their head lights from sunset to sunrise (now, from a half-hour after sunset to a half-hour before sunrise). P.A. 91-130; effective 1-1-2000.

SB 203 - Vehicle Code - Prohibit Local Law - Motorcycle
Provides that no unit of local government may enact or enforce an ordinance that applies only to motorcycles if the principal purpose of the ordinance is to restrict access to highways that use federal or State funds. Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code to prohibit units of local government from adopting ordinances that require motorcycle users to wear helmets or limit motorcycle access to highways. Preempts home rule. Allows units of local government to continue to regulate motorcycles for purposes of traffic control and noise. P.A. 91-519; effective 1-1-2000.

SB 570 - Extra Assistant State's Attorney
Provides for the appointment of additional assistant State's Attorneys for the prosecution of alcohol-related traffic offenses. It requires their compensation to be subsidized by appropriations to the counties from State funds. The number of assistants per county and the subsidies are to be adjusted annually for inflation based on county population. P.A. 91-273; effective 1-1-2000.

SB 578 - Hospital Disclose Blood/Urine Test
Hospital emergency room must disclose .08 BAC or higher results of those injured in an auto accident to police. Current law is discretionary. P.A. 91-125; effective 1-1-2000.

SB 737 - School Zone Speeding
The bill provides that when a person is ticketed for speeding in a school zone and the violation exceeds $150, the violator shall pay an additional $50 to the school district. The bill specifies that the money received by the school district must be used for school safety purposes. P.A. 91-531; effective 1-1-2000.

SB 739 - DUI
Amends the reckless homicide statute for the intentional killing of a person to include the operation of a snowmobile, all-terrain vehicle, or watercraft. Under current law reckless homicide is limited to the reckless driving of a motor vehicle. P.A. 91-6; effective 1-1-2000.

SB 740 - DUI - Fine - Law Enforcement
A new DUI fine of $100 imposed, which is forwarded to the arresting agency for purchase of equipment for prevention of alcohol-related criminal violence. P.A. 91-126; effective 7-16-99.

SB 741 - Damage to Railroad Property
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Prohibits a driver from entering a highway rail grade crossing unless there is sufficient space on the other side of the highway rail grade crossing to accommodate the vehicle without obstructing the passage of a train or other railroad equipment using the rails. Requires a fine of $500 or 50 hours community service. Makes it a Class 4 felony to change or deface any part of a locomotive or freight car. Prohibits taking freight from any freight car with the intent to permanently deprive its owner of the property or knowingly accepting the freight from another person. Prohibits a person from entering railroad property, riding on the outside of a train without the railroad carrier's consent, leading animals onto a railroad's right of way, or throwing certain waste on a railroad right of way. P.A. 91-532; effective 1-1-2000.

SB 1028 - Vehicle Code - Registration Fees - Increase
Amends the State Finance Act. Incrementally reduces the amount of Road Fund moneys that may be appropriated to the Secretary of State. Creates the Motor Vehicle License Plate Fund, to be used to provide new license plates for motor vehicles. Amends the four Occupation and Use Tax Acts. Terminates the transfer of occupation and use tax proceeds into the Motor Fuel Tax Fund. Amends the Motor Fuel Tax Law to adjust the amount of tax proceeds that are transferred to the Grade Crossing Protection Fund, the State Construction Account Fund, the Road Fund, and local governments. Amends the Regional Transportation Authority Act. Increases the limit on the amount of bonds the Authority may have outstanding at any time. Authorizes the issuance of additional bonds for Strategic Capital Improvement Projects. Requires the State to provide Additional Financial Assistance. Amends the Illinois Highway Code. Creates an IDOT demonstration project. Under the project, 20 of the contracts arising out of the Department's five-year project program for fiscal years 2000 through 2004 shall have a performance-based warranty of at least five years, and at least 10 of those contracts shall be designed for a 30-year life cycle. Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Increases registration and certain other fees and taxes. Makes other changes. P.A. 91-37; effective 7-1-99.

SB 1033 - Toll Violations
Owner of car with five or more toll violations will be notified of impending suspension for their violations. Secretary of State administrative hearings authorized to contest only two issues: (1) ownership of the auto and (2) payment. The tollway authority must previously have sent a demand letter to the owner indicating the possibility of suspension. P.A. 91-277; effective 1-1-2000.

SB 1129 - Ignition-Interlock Device
As a condition of a judicial driving permit, allows the court to require that the driver may not drive a motor vehicle unless it is equipped with an ignition-interlock device. Allows the court to impose the same requirement as a condition of supervision but does create an exemption for drivers who are not self-employed but need to drive their employer's vehicles the course of their employment. Creates offenses relating to altering or defeating the interlock device that are punishable as a Class B misdemeanor. P.A. 91-127; effective 1-1-2000.