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SB1158 Enrolled LRB104 05497 LNS 15526 b
1 AN ACT concerning transportation.
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 3-611.5, 12-215, and 12-601 as follows:
6 (625 ILCS 5/3-611.5)
7 Sec. 3-611.5. Fire Chief license plates.
8 (a) The Secretary, upon receipt of a request from a
9 municipality or fire protection district that operates a fire
10 department or a Mutual Aid Box Alarm System, accompanied by an
11 application and the appropriate fee, may issue, to a fire
12 chief, deputy fire chief, and assistant fire chief of each
13 municipal fire department or fire protection district and
14 chief of a Mutual Aid Box Alarm System, special registration
15 plates designated as Fire Chief license plates. The special
16 plates issued under this Section shall be affixed only to
17 passenger vehicles of the first division, motorcycles,
18 autocycles, or motor vehicles of the second division weighing
19 not more than 8,000 pounds, owned by the fire department or the
20 fire chief, deputy fire chief, or assistant fire chief of the
21 fire department, or chief of a Mutual Aid Box Alarm System.
22 Plates issued under this Section shall expire according to the
23 multi-year procedure established by Section 3-414.1 of this
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1 Code.
2 (b) The design and color of the special plates shall be
3 wholly within the discretion of the Secretary. The plates are
4 not required to designate "Land of Lincoln" as prescribed in
5 subsection (b) of Section 3-412 of this Code. The Secretary
6 may prescribe rules governing the requirements and approval of
7 the special plates. The fee for this plate for a vehicle owned
8 by the fire chief, deputy fire chief, or assistant fire chief
9 shall be the same as the fee prescribed for first division
10 vehicles in Section 3-806 of this Code. Permanent license
11 plates for fire chief, deputy fire chief, or assistant fire
12 chief vehicles owned by a municipal fire department or fire
13 protection district shall be issued at the fee prescribed in
14 Section 3-808.1(b).
15 (c) Any fire chief, deputy fire chief, or assistant fire
16 chief, or chief of a Mutual Aid Box Alarm System operating
17 warning devices as described in paragraph 2.1 of subsection
18 (a) of Section 12-215 or subsection (b) of Section 12-601 upon
19 a vehicle not owned by a municipality or fire protection
20 district shall display license plates as described in this
21 Section.
22 (d) With the exception of permanently issued license
23 plates, upon the resignation, termination, or reassignment to
24 a rank other than fire chief, deputy fire chief, or assistant
25 fire chief, or upon resignation, termination, or reassignment
26 from a Mutual Aid Alarm Box System, a person issued plates
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1 under this Section shall immediately surrender the license
2 plate to the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State shall
3 have the ability to recover license plates issued under this
4 Section.
5 (Source: P.A. 102-448, eff. 1-1-22; 103-843, eff. 1-1-25.)
6 (625 ILCS 5/12-215)
7 Sec. 12-215. Oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights on
8 motor vehicles. Except as otherwise provided in this Code:
9 (a) The use of red or white oscillating, rotating, or
10 flashing lights, whether lighted or unlighted, is prohibited
11 except on:
12 1. Law enforcement vehicles of State, federal, or
13 local authorities;
14 2. A vehicle operated by a police officer or county
15 coroner and designated or authorized by local authorities,
16 in writing, as a law enforcement vehicle; however, such
17 designation or authorization must be carried in the
18 vehicle;
19 2.1. A vehicle operated by a fire chief, deputy fire
20 chief, or assistant fire chief, or a chief of a Mutual Aid
21 Box Alarm System who has completed an emergency vehicle
22 operation training course approved by the Office of the
23 State Fire Marshal and designated or authorized by local
24 authorities, fire departments, or fire protection
25 districts, or Mutual Aid Box Alarm Systems, in writing, as
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1 a fire department, fire protection district, or township
2 fire department, or Mutual Aide Box Alarm System vehicle;
3 however, the designation or authorization must be carried
4 in the vehicle, and the lights may be visible or activated
5 only when responding to a bona fide emergency;
6 3. Vehicles of local fire departments and State or
7 federal firefighting vehicles;
8 4. Vehicles which are designed and used exclusively as
9 ambulances or rescue vehicles; furthermore, such lights
10 shall not be lighted except when responding to an
11 emergency call for and while actually conveying the sick
12 or injured;
13 4.5. Vehicles which are occasionally used as rescue
14 vehicles that have been authorized for use as rescue
15 vehicles by a volunteer EMS provider, provided that the
16 operator of the vehicle has successfully completed an
17 emergency vehicle operation training course recognized by
18 the Department of Public Health; furthermore, the lights
19 shall not be lighted except when responding to an
20 emergency call for the sick or injured;
21 5. Tow trucks licensed in a state that requires such
22 lights; furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted on
23 any such tow truck while the tow truck is operating in the
24 State of Illinois;
25 6. Vehicles of the Illinois Emergency Management
26 Agency, vehicles of the Office of the Illinois State Fire
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1 Marshal, vehicles of the Illinois Department of Public
2 Health, vehicles of the Illinois Department of
3 Corrections, and vehicles of the Illinois Department of
4 Juvenile Justice;
5 7. Vehicles operated by a local or county emergency
6 management services agency as defined in the Illinois
7 Emergency Management Agency Act;
8 8. School buses operating alternately flashing head
9 lamps as permitted under Section 12-805 of this Code;
10 9. Vehicles that are equipped and used exclusively as
11 organ transplant vehicles when used in combination with
12 blue oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights;
13 furthermore, these lights shall be lighted only when the
14 transportation is declared an emergency by a member of the
15 transplant team or a representative of the organ
16 procurement organization;
17 10. Vehicles of the Illinois Department of Natural
18 Resources that are used for mine rescue and explosives
19 emergency response;
20 11. Vehicles of the Illinois Department of
21 Transportation identified as Emergency Traffic Patrol; the
22 lights shall not be lighted except when responding to an
23 emergency call or when parked or stationary while engaged
24 in motor vehicle assistance or at the scene of the
25 emergency; and
26 12. Vehicles of the Illinois State Toll Highway
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1 Authority with a gross vehicle weight rating of 9,000
2 pounds or more and those identified as Highway Emergency
3 Lane Patrol; the lights shall not be lighted except when
4 responding to an emergency call or when parked or
5 stationary while engaged in motor vehicle assistance or at
6 the scene of the emergency.
7 (b) The use of amber oscillating, rotating, or flashing
8 lights, whether lighted or unlighted, is prohibited except on:
9 1. Second division vehicles designed and used for
10 towing or hoisting vehicles; furthermore, such lights
11 shall not be lighted except as required in this paragraph
12 1; such lights shall be lighted when such vehicles are
13 actually being used at the scene of a crash or
14 disablement; if the towing vehicle is equipped with a flat
15 bed that supports all wheels of the vehicle being
16 transported, the lights shall not be lighted while the
17 vehicle is engaged in towing on a highway; if the towing
18 vehicle is not equipped with a flat bed that supports all
19 wheels of a vehicle being transported, the lights shall be
20 lighted while the towing vehicle is engaged in towing on a
21 highway during all times when the use of headlights is
22 required under Section 12-201 of this Code; in addition,
23 these vehicles may use white oscillating, rotating, or
24 flashing lights in combination with amber oscillating,
25 rotating, or flashing lights as provided in this
26 paragraph;
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1 2. Motor vehicles or equipment of the State of
2 Illinois, the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, local
3 authorities, and contractors; furthermore, such lights
4 shall not be lighted except while such vehicles are
5 engaged in maintenance or construction operations within
6 the limits of construction projects;
7 3. Vehicles or equipment used by engineering or survey
8 crews; furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted
9 except while such vehicles are actually engaged in work on
10 a highway;
11 4. Vehicles of public utilities, municipalities, or
12 other construction, maintenance, or automotive service
13 vehicles except that such lights shall be lighted only as
14 a means for indicating the presence of a vehicular traffic
15 hazard requiring unusual care in approaching, overtaking,
16 or passing while such vehicles are engaged in maintenance,
17 service, or construction on a highway;
18 5. Oversized vehicle or load; however, such lights
19 shall only be lighted when moving under permit issued by
20 the Department under Section 15-301 of this Code;
21 6. The front and rear of motorized equipment owned and
22 operated by the State of Illinois or any political
23 subdivision thereof, which is designed and used for
24 removal of snow and ice from highways;
25 6.1. The front and rear of motorized equipment or
26 vehicles that (i) are not owned by the State of Illinois or
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1 any political subdivision of the State, (ii) are designed
2 and used for removal of snow and ice from highways and
3 parking lots, and (iii) are equipped with a snow plow that
4 is 12 feet in width; these lights may not be lighted except
5 when the motorized equipment or vehicle is actually being
6 used for those purposes on behalf of a unit of government;
7 7. Fleet safety vehicles registered in another state,
8 furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted except as
9 provided for in Section 12-212 of this Code;
10 8. Such other vehicles as may be authorized by local
11 authorities;
12 9. Law enforcement vehicles of State or local
13 authorities when used in combination with red oscillating,
14 rotating, or flashing lights;
15 9.5. Propane delivery trucks;
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 10.5. Vehicles of the Office of the Illinois State
21 Fire Marshal, provided that such lights shall not be
22 lighted except for when such vehicles are engaged in work
23 for the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal;
24 11. Any vehicle displaying a slow-moving vehicle
25 emblem as provided in Section 12-205.1;
26 12. All trucks equipped with self-compactors or
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1 roll-off hoists and roll-on containers for garbage,
2 recycling, or refuse hauling. Such lights shall not be
3 lighted except when such vehicles are actually being used
4 for such purposes;
5 13. Vehicles used by a security company, alarm
6 responder, control agency, or the Illinois Department of
7 Corrections;
8 14. Security vehicles of the Department of Human
9 Services; however, the lights shall not be lighted except
10 when being used for security related purposes under the
11 direction of the superintendent of the facility where the
12 vehicle is located; and
13 15. Vehicles of union representatives, except that the
14 lights shall be lighted only while the vehicle is within
15 the limits of a construction project.
16 (c) The use of blue oscillating, rotating, or flashing
17 lights, whether lighted or unlighted, is prohibited except on:
18 1. Rescue squad vehicles not owned by a fire
19 department or fire protection district and vehicles owned
20 or operated by a:
21 voluntary firefighter;
22 paid firefighter;
23 part-paid firefighter;
24 call firefighter;
25 member of the board of trustees of a fire
26 protection district;
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1 paid or unpaid member of a rescue squad;
2 paid or unpaid member of a voluntary ambulance
3 unit; or
4 paid or unpaid members of a local or county
5 emergency management services agency as defined in the
6 Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act, designated
7 or authorized by local authorities, in writing, and
8 carrying that designation or authorization in the
9 vehicle.
10 However, such lights are not to be lighted except when
11 responding to a bona fide emergency or when parked or
12 stationary at the scene of a fire, rescue call, ambulance
13 call, or motor vehicle crash.
14 Any person using these lights in accordance with this
15 subdivision (c)1 must carry on his or her person an
16 identification card or letter identifying the bona fide
17 member of a fire department, fire protection district,
18 rescue squad, ambulance unit, or emergency management
19 services agency that owns or operates that vehicle. The
20 card or letter must include:
21 (A) the name of the fire department, fire
22 protection district, rescue squad, ambulance unit, or
23 emergency management services agency;
24 (B) the member's position within the fire
25 department, fire protection district, rescue squad,
26 ambulance unit, or emergency management services
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1 agency;
2 (C) the member's term of service; and
3 (D) the name of a person within the fire
4 department, fire protection district, rescue squad,
5 ambulance unit, or emergency management services
6 agency to contact to verify the information provided.
7 2. Police department vehicles in cities having a
8 population of 500,000 or more inhabitants.
9 3. Law enforcement vehicles of State or local
10 authorities when used in combination with red oscillating,
11 rotating, or flashing lights.
12 4. Vehicles of local fire departments and State or
13 federal firefighting vehicles when used in combination
14 with red oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights.
15 5. Vehicles which are designed and used exclusively as
16 ambulances or rescue vehicles when used in combination
17 with red oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights;
18 furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted except when
19 responding to an emergency call.
20 6. Vehicles that are equipped and used exclusively as
21 organ transport vehicles when used in combination with red
22 oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights; furthermore,
23 these lights shall only be lighted when the transportation
24 is declared an emergency by a member of the transplant
25 team or a representative of the organ procurement
26 organization.
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1 7. Vehicles of the Illinois Emergency Management
2 Agency, vehicles of the Office of the Illinois State Fire
3 Marshal, vehicles of the Illinois Department of Public
4 Health, vehicles of the Illinois Department of
5 Corrections, and vehicles of the Illinois Department of
6 Juvenile Justice, when used in combination with red
7 oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights.
8 8. Vehicles operated by a local or county emergency
9 management services agency as defined in the Illinois
10 Emergency Management Agency Act, when used in combination
11 with red oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights.
12 9. Vehicles of the Illinois Department of Natural
13 Resources that are used for mine rescue and explosives
14 emergency response, when used in combination with red
15 oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights.
16 (c-1) In addition to the blue oscillating, rotating, or
17 flashing lights permitted under subsection (c), and
18 notwithstanding subsection (a), a vehicle operated by a
19 voluntary firefighter, a voluntary member of a rescue squad,
20 or a member of a voluntary ambulance unit may be equipped with
21 flashing white headlights and blue grill lights, which may be
22 used only in responding to an emergency call or when parked or
23 stationary at the scene of a fire, rescue call, ambulance
24 call, or motor vehicle crash.
25 (c-2) In addition to the blue oscillating, rotating, or
26 flashing lights permitted under subsection (c), and
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1 notwithstanding subsection (a), a vehicle operated by a paid
2 or unpaid member of a local or county emergency management
3 services agency as defined in the Illinois Emergency
4 Management Agency Act, may be equipped with white oscillating,
5 rotating, or flashing lights to be used in combination with
6 blue oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights, if
7 authorization by local authorities is in writing and carried
8 in the vehicle.
9 (d) The use of a combination of amber and white
10 oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights, whether lighted or
11 unlighted, is prohibited except on second division vehicles
12 designed and used for towing or hoisting vehicles or motor
13 vehicles or equipment of the State of Illinois, local
14 authorities, contractors, and union representatives;
15 furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted on second
16 division vehicles designed and used for towing or hoisting
17 vehicles or vehicles of the State of Illinois, local
18 authorities, and contractors except while such vehicles are
19 engaged in a tow operation, highway maintenance, or
20 construction operations within the limits of highway
21 construction projects, and shall not be lighted on the
22 vehicles of union representatives except when those vehicles
23 are within the limits of a construction project.
24 (d-5) The use of green oscillating, flashing, or rotating
25 lights, whether lighted or unlighted, is prohibited except on:
26 1. Second division vehicles designed and used for
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1 towing or hoisting vehicles when the lights on those
2 vehicles are used in combination with amber or amber and
3 white oscillating, flashing, or rotating lights;
4 furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted except when
5 such vehicles are actually being used at the scene of a
6 crash or disablement.
7 2. Motor vehicles or equipment of the State of
8 Illinois when the lights on those vehicles or equipment
9 are used in combination with amber or amber and white
10 oscillating, flashing, or rotating lights; furthermore,
11 such lights shall not be lighted except while such
12 vehicles or equipment are engaged in maintenance
13 operations, snow and ice removal operations, or performing
14 traffic control and protection duties while at an
15 emergency scene.
16 3. Motor vehicles of the Department of Transportation
17 identified as Emergency Traffic Patrol when the lights on
18 those vehicles are used in combination with red and white
19 oscillating, flashing, or rotating lights when responding
20 to an emergency call or when parked or stationary while
21 engaged in motor vehicle assistance or at an emergency
22 scene.
23 4. Motor vehicles of the Illinois State Toll Highway
24 Authority when the lights on those vehicles are used in
25 combination with amber oscillating, flashing, or rotating
26 lights; furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted
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1 except while such vehicles are engaged in maintenance
2 operations, snow and ice removal operations, or performing
3 traffic control and protection duties while at an
4 emergency scene.
5 5. Motor vehicles of the Illinois State Toll Highway
6 Authority with a gross vehicle weight rating of 9,000
7 pounds or more and those identified as Highway Emergency
8 Lane Patrol when the lights on those vehicles are used in
9 combination with red and white oscillating, flashing, or
10 rotating lights when responding to an emergency call or
11 when parked or stationary while engaged in motor vehicle
12 assistance or at the scene of the emergency.
13 6. Motor vehicles or equipment of local authority or
14 municipalities which perform highway maintenance
15 operations, when the lights on those vehicles are used in
16 combination with amber or amber and white oscillating,
17 flashing, or rotating lights; furthermore, such lights
18 shall not be lighted except while such vehicles are
19 engaged in the maintenance operations, snow and ice
20 removal operations, or performing traffic control and
21 protection duties while at an emergency scene.
22 7. Fire department vehicles of local fire departments
23 and State or federal firefighting vehicles when the lights
24 on those vehicles are used in combination with red, or red
25 and white, or red and blue, oscillating, rotating, or
26 flashing lights.
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1 8. Vehicles used by a security company when the lights
2 on those vehicles are used in combination with amber
3 oscillating, flashing, or rotating lights; furthermore,
4 such lights shall not be lighted except when the vehicle
5 is being operated upon the property or location where the
6 security company is employed to perform security or crime
7 prevention duties.
8 9. Ambulances or rescue vehicles operating in counties
9 with populations of less than 2,000,000.
10 (d-10) Fire department vehicles of local fire departments
11 and State or federal firefighting vehicles, police vehicles of
12 State, federal, or local authorities, and vehicles designated
13 by local or State authority, while parked at an emergency
14 scene, may use a steady-on illumination or steady-burn, or
15 flashing green beacon or beacons if such steady-on,
16 steady-burn, or flashing beacon is used to indicate an
17 emergency operations command post or incident command
18 location.
19 (e) All oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights referred
20 to in this Section shall be of sufficient intensity, when
21 illuminated, to be visible at 500 feet in normal sunlight.
22 (f) Nothing in this Section shall prohibit a manufacturer
23 of oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights or his
24 representative or authorized vendor from temporarily mounting
25 such lights on a vehicle for demonstration purposes only. If
26 the lights are not covered while the vehicle is operated upon a
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1 highway, the vehicle shall display signage indicating that the
2 vehicle is out of service or not an emergency vehicle. The
3 signage shall be displayed on all sides of the vehicle in
4 letters at least 2 inches tall and one-half inch wide. A
5 vehicle authorized to have oscillating, rotating, or flashing
6 lights mounted for demonstration purposes may not activate the
7 lights while the vehicle is operated upon a highway.
8 (g) Any person violating the provisions of subsection (a),
9 (b), (c), (d), (d-5), or (d-10) of this Section who without
10 lawful authority stops or detains or attempts to stop or
11 detain another person shall be guilty of a Class 2 felony.
12 (h) Except as provided in subsection (g) above, any person
13 violating the provisions of subsection (a) or (c) of this
14 Section shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
15 (Source: P.A. 102-842, eff. 1-1-23; 102-982, eff. 7-1-23;
16 103-154, eff. 6-30-23; 103-667, eff. 1-1-25.)
17 (625 ILCS 5/12-601) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 12-601)
18 Sec. 12-601. Horns and warning devices.
19 (a) Every motor vehicle when operated upon a highway shall
20 be equipped with a horn in good working order and capable of
21 emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance
22 of not less than 200 feet, but no horn or other warning device
23 shall emit an unreasonable loud or harsh sound or a whistle.
24 The driver of a motor vehicle shall when reasonably necessary
25 to insure safe operation give audible warning with his horn
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1 but shall not otherwise use such horn when upon a highway.
2 (b) No vehicle shall be equipped with nor shall any person
3 use upon a vehicle any siren, whistle, or bell, except as
4 otherwise permitted in this Section. Any authorized emergency
5 vehicle or organ transport vehicle as defined in Chapter 1 of
6 this Code or a vehicle operated by a fire chief, deputy fire
7 chief, assistant fire chief, chief of a Mutual Aid Box Alarm
8 System, or the Director or Coordinator of a municipal or
9 county emergency services and disaster agency may be equipped
10 with a siren, whistle, or bell capable of emitting sound
11 audible under normal conditions from a distance of not less
12 than 500 feet, but such siren, whistle, or bell shall not be
13 used except when such vehicle is operated in response to an
14 emergency call or in the immediate pursuit of an actual or
15 suspected violator of the law in either of which events the
16 driver of such vehicle shall sound such siren, whistle, or
17 bell when necessary to warn pedestrians and other drivers of
18 the approach thereof.
19 (c) Trackless trolley coaches, as defined by Section 1-206
20 of this Code, and replica trolleys, as defined by Section
21 1-171.04 of this Code, may be equipped with a bell or bells in
22 lieu of a horn, and may, in addition to the requirements of
23 subsection (a) of this Section, use a bell or bells for the
24 purpose of indicating arrival or departure at designated stops
25 during the hours of scheduled operation.
26 (Source: P.A. 102-448, eff. 1-1-22.)Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.