White Alerts Motorists to New Laws and Fees for 2005
SPRINGFIELD — Secretary of State Jesse White said Illinois motorists should be aware of some new laws and fee increases that take effect January 1, 2005:
Sanctions Against Bribers (Public Act 93-0783)
Anyone who attempts to bribe a driving examiner will lose driving privileges for 120 days and may be charged with a Class 2 felony, according to a new state law initiated by White.
Signs will be posted in Driver Services Facilities throughout the state alerting customers of the penalties of a bribe attempt. The new law takes effect January 1. White and his Inspector General Jim Burns pushed for the change so they would have the authority to take action against small bribe cases that often aren't priorities with prosecutors and judges.
"We have a zero tolerance policy in the Secretary of State's office and this law sends a strong message to the public that bribes are not tolerated," White said.
Late Fees for Vehicle Registrations (Public Act 93-0840)
Motorists who fail to renew their vehicle registration on time will face a $20 late fee that was put in place by the General Assembly this year. The new policy takes effect with January's registration renewals for all passenger vehicles and B-trucks. White said the Secretary of State's office would provide motorists with a 30-day grace period before assessing the late fee. The new revenue is directed to the state's General Revenue Fund.
ID Card Fee Increases (Public Act 93-0840)
State Identification Cards will cost more for some residents beginning January 1. The General Assembly raised the fee to obtain, renew or get a duplicate State ID Card from $4 to$20. Corrected ID Cards will go from $2 to $10. Applicants over 65 years old, disabled applicants or individuals living in veterans homes or hospitals will continue to receive state ID Cards for free. The new revenue is directed to the state's General Revenue Fund.
Insurance Information Required on Vehicle Registration Renewal Forms (Public Act 93-0723)
Effective January 1, motorists are required to provide insurance information on their vehicle registration renewal applications. The new law calls for the Secretary of State's office to collect the name of the vehicle's insurer, the insurance policy number and the expiration date of the insurance.
Temporary Visitor Drivers Licenses (Public Act 93-0752)
White also noted that beginning January 1, a new law will allow his office to issue Temporary Visitors Drivers Licenses (TVDL) to foreign citizens who are living in Illinois legally, but are ineligible for a Social Security Number (SSN).
The law was created to provide drivers licenses for foreign students and family members of foreign nationals who are legally in the country for employment or similar purposes. The Social Security Administration (SSA) stopped issuing non-work SSNs to foreign residents for the purpose of obtaining drivers licenses in 2003. Because Illinois requires an SSN to obtain a drivers license, some people residing legally in the state were unable to apply for drivers licenses.
To get a TVDL, a foreign national will need to provide a government-issued photo identification document, immigration documents authorizing presence in the United States and written documentation from the SSA verifying ineligibility for a SSN. Immigration documents will be verified online through the Department of Homeland Security just as SSNs are currently checked online with the SSA. The licenses are valid for three years or the term of the individual's authorized stay in the United States, whichever is less. An applicant must be authorized to be in this country for at least one year with at least 6 months remaining to apply for a TVDL.
White said six Driver Services Facilities throughout the state are equipped to handle the special drivers licenses:
- Chicago West (on Monday's only, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.)
5301 W. Lexington
- Bloomington (during regular business hours)
1510 W. Market
- Carbondale Driver Services Facility (during regular business hours)
2516 W. Murphysboro
- Champaign (during regular business hours)
2401 W. Bradley
- Springfield (during regular business hours)
2701 S. Dirksen Parkway
- Rockford (during regular business hours)
3720 E. State
Increased Penalties for Hill Jumping (Public Act 93-0862)
The act of knowingly using an incline in a roadway, such as a railroad crossing, bridge approach, or hill, to cause a vehicle to become airborne constitutes reckless driving under a new law taking effect January 1. The law also states that a person commits reckless homicide if he or she unintentionally kills an individual while driving a vehicle and using such an incline to cause the vehicle to become airborne. The penalty becomes a Class 2 Felony in cases involving reckless homicide in which the defendant drove a vehicle and used such an incline to cause the vehicle to become airborne and caused the deaths of 2 or more persons as part of a single course of conduct.
| 
