Bill Text: IL HB4493 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the Secretary of State may issue special registration plates to an Emergency Medical Service (EMS) chief. Provides that the fee for the plates shall be the same as the fee prescribed for standard plates for first division vehicles. Provides for the issuance of permanent license plates for EMS vehicles owned by a municipality or fire protection district. Allows EMS chiefs to equip their privately owned vehicles with emergency flashing lights if EMS chief special registration plates are affixed to the vehicle. Allows EMS chiefs to equip their privately owned vehicle with sirens.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-04-05 - House Committee Amendment No. 1 Rule 19(c) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [HB4493 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-HB4493-Introduced.html

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103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 HB4493 Introduced , by Rep. Travis Weaver SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
625 ILCS 5/3-699.23 new
625 ILCS 5/12-215
625 ILCS 5/12-601 from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 12-601
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the Secretary of State may issue special registration plates to an Emergency Medical Service (EMS) chief. Provides that the fee for the plates shall be the same as the fee prescribed for standard plates for first division vehicles. Provides for the issuance of permanent license plates for EMS vehicles owned by a municipality or fire protection district. Allows EMS chiefs to equip their privately owned vehicles with emergency flashing lights if EMS chief special registration plates are affixed to the vehicle. Allows EMS chiefs to equip their privately owned vehicle with sirens.
LRB103 36374 MXP 66473 b
A BILL FOR
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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 adding
Section 3-699.23 and changing Section 12-215 and 12-601 as
follows:
(625 ILCS 5/3-699.23 new)
Sec. 3-699.23. EMS chief license plates.
(a) The Secretary, upon receipt of a request from a
municipality that operates a fire department or a fire
protection district, accompanied by an application and the
appropriate fee, may issue to an emergency medical services
chief of the municipality or fire protection district, special
registration plates designated as EMS chief license plates.
The special plates issued under this Section shall be affixed
only to passenger vehicles of the first division or motor
vehicles of the second division weighing not more than 8,000
pounds that are owned by an EMS chief, a municipality, or a
fire protection district. Plates issued under this Section
shall expire according to the multiyear procedure established
by Section 3-414.1.
(b) The design and color of the special plates shall be
wholly within the discretion of the Secretary. The plates are

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not required to designate "Land of Lincoln" as prescribed in
subsection (b) of Section 3-412. The Secretary may prescribe
rules governing the requirements and approval of the special
plates. The fee for this plate for a vehicle owned by an EMS
chief shall be the same as the fee prescribed for first
division vehicles under Section 3-806. Permanent license
plates for EMS vehicles owned by a municipality or fire
protection district shall be issued at the fee prescribed in
subsection (b) of Section 3-808.1.
(625 ILCS 5/12-215)
Sec. 12-215. Oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights on
motor vehicles. Except as otherwise provided in this Code:
(a) The use of red or white oscillating, rotating, or
flashing lights, whether lighted or unlighted, is prohibited
except on:
1. Law enforcement vehicles of State, federal, or
local authorities;
2. A vehicle operated by a police officer or county
coroner and designated or authorized by local authorities,
in writing, as a law enforcement vehicle; however, such
designation or authorization must be carried in the
vehicle;
2.1. A vehicle operated by a fire chief, deputy fire
chief, or assistant fire chief who has completed an
emergency vehicle operation training course approved by

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the Office of the State Fire Marshal and designated or
authorized by local authorities, fire departments, or fire
protection districts, in writing, as a fire department,
fire protection district, or township fire department
vehicle; however, the designation or authorization must be
carried in the vehicle, and the lights may be visible or
activated only when responding to a bona fide emergency;
3. Vehicles of local fire departments and State or
federal firefighting vehicles;
4. Vehicles which are designed and used exclusively as
ambulances or rescue vehicles; furthermore, such lights
shall not be lighted except when responding to an
emergency call for and while actually conveying the sick
or injured;
4.5. Vehicles operated by an EMS chief that are
affixed with EMS chief special registration plates or
vehicles which are occasionally used as rescue vehicles
that have been authorized for use as rescue vehicles by a
volunteer EMS provider, provided that the operator of the
vehicle has successfully completed an emergency vehicle
operation training course recognized by the Department of
Public Health; furthermore, the lights shall not be
lighted except when responding to an emergency call for
the sick or injured;
5. Tow trucks licensed in a state that requires such
lights; furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted on

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any such tow truck while the tow truck is operating in the
State of Illinois;
6. Vehicles of the Illinois Emergency Management
Agency, vehicles of the Office of the Illinois State Fire
Marshal, vehicles of the Illinois Department of Public
Health, vehicles of the Illinois Department of
Corrections, and vehicles of the Illinois Department of
Juvenile Justice;
7. Vehicles operated by a local or county emergency
management services agency as defined in the Illinois
Emergency Management Agency Act;
8. School buses operating alternately flashing head
lamps as permitted under Section 12-805 of this Code;
9. Vehicles that are equipped and used exclusively as
organ transplant vehicles when used in combination with
blue oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights;
furthermore, these lights shall be lighted only when the
transportation is declared an emergency by a member of the
transplant team or a representative of the organ
procurement organization;
10. Vehicles of the Illinois Department of Natural
Resources that are used for mine rescue and explosives
emergency response;
11. Vehicles of the Illinois Department of
Transportation identified as Emergency Traffic Patrol; the
lights shall not be lighted except when responding to an

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emergency call or when parked or stationary while engaged
in motor vehicle assistance or at the scene of the
emergency; and
12. Vehicles of the Illinois State Toll Highway
Authority with a gross vehicle weight rating of 9,000
pounds or more and those identified as Highway Emergency
Lane Patrol; the lights shall not be lighted except when
responding to an emergency call or when parked or
stationary while engaged in motor vehicle assistance or at
the scene of the emergency.
(b) The use of amber oscillating, rotating, or flashing
lights, whether lighted or unlighted, is prohibited except on:
1. Second division vehicles designed and used for
towing or hoisting vehicles; furthermore, such lights
shall not be lighted except as required in this paragraph
1; such lights shall be lighted when such vehicles are
actually being used at the scene of a crash or
disablement; if the towing vehicle is equipped with a flat
bed that supports all wheels of the vehicle being
transported, the lights shall not be lighted while the
vehicle is engaged in towing on a highway; if the towing
vehicle is not equipped with a flat bed that supports all
wheels of a vehicle being transported, the lights shall be
lighted while the towing vehicle is engaged in towing on a
highway during all times when the use of headlights is
required under Section 12-201 of this Code; in addition,

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these vehicles may use white oscillating, rotating, or
flashing lights in combination with amber oscillating,
rotating, or flashing lights as provided in this
paragraph;
2. Motor vehicles or equipment of the State of
Illinois, the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, local
authorities, and contractors; furthermore, such lights
shall not be lighted except while such vehicles are
engaged in maintenance or construction operations within
the limits of construction projects;
3. Vehicles or equipment used by engineering or survey
crews; furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted
except while such vehicles are actually engaged in work on
a highway;
4. Vehicles of public utilities, municipalities, or
other construction, maintenance, or automotive service
vehicles except that such lights shall be lighted only as
a means for indicating the presence of a vehicular traffic
hazard requiring unusual care in approaching, overtaking,
or passing while such vehicles are engaged in maintenance,
service, or construction on a highway;
5. Oversized vehicle or load; however, such lights
shall only be lighted when moving under permit issued by
the Department under Section 15-301 of this Code;
6. The front and rear of motorized equipment owned and
operated by the State of Illinois or any political

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subdivision thereof, which is designed and used for
removal of snow and ice from highways;
6.1. The front and rear of motorized equipment or
vehicles that (i) are not owned by the State of Illinois or
any political subdivision of the State, (ii) are designed
and used for removal of snow and ice from highways and
parking lots, and (iii) are equipped with a snow plow that
is 12 feet in width; these lights may not be lighted except
when the motorized equipment or vehicle is actually being
used for those purposes on behalf of a unit of government;
7. Fleet safety vehicles registered in another state,
furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted except as
provided for in Section 12-212 of this Code;
8. Such other vehicles as may be authorized by local
authorities;
9. Law enforcement vehicles of State or local
authorities when used in combination with red oscillating,
rotating, or flashing lights;
9.5. Propane delivery trucks;
10. Vehicles used for collecting or delivering mail
for the United States Postal Service provided that such
lights shall not be lighted except when such vehicles are
actually being used for such purposes;
10.5. Vehicles of the Office of the Illinois State
Fire Marshal, provided that such lights shall not be
lighted except for when such vehicles are engaged in work

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for the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal;
11. Any vehicle displaying a slow-moving vehicle
emblem as provided in Section 12-205.1;
12. All trucks equipped with self-compactors or
roll-off hoists and roll-on containers for garbage,
recycling, or refuse hauling. Such lights shall not be
lighted except when such vehicles are actually being used
for such purposes;
13. Vehicles used by a security company, alarm
responder, control agency, or the Illinois Department of
Corrections;
14. Security vehicles of the Department of Human
Services; however, the lights shall not be lighted except
when being used for security related purposes under the
direction of the superintendent of the facility where the
vehicle is located; and
15. Vehicles of union representatives, except that the
lights shall be lighted only while the vehicle is within
the limits of a construction project.
(c) The use of blue oscillating, rotating, or flashing
lights, whether lighted or unlighted, is prohibited except on:
1. Rescue squad vehicles not owned by a fire
department or fire protection district and vehicles owned
or operated by an EMS chief as provided in subsection (a);
a: voluntary firefighter; a paid firefighter; a part-paid
firefighter; a call firefighter; a member of the board of

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trustees of a fire protection district; a paid or unpaid
member of a rescue squad; a paid or unpaid member of a
voluntary ambulance unit; or a paid or unpaid members of a
local or county emergency management services agency as
defined in the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act,
designated or authorized by local authorities, in writing,
and carrying that designation or authorization in the
vehicle.
However, such lights are not to be lighted except when
responding to a bona fide emergency or when parked or
stationary at the scene of a fire, rescue call, ambulance
call, or motor vehicle crash.
Any person using these lights in accordance with this
subdivision (c)1 must carry on his or her person an
identification card or letter identifying the bona fide
member of a fire department, fire protection district,
rescue squad, ambulance unit, or emergency management
services agency that owns or operates that vehicle. The
card or letter must include:
(A) the name of the fire department, fire
protection district, rescue squad, ambulance unit, or
emergency management services agency;
(B) the member's position within the fire
department, fire protection district, rescue squad,
ambulance unit, or emergency management services
agency;

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(C) the member's term of service; and
(D) the name of a person within the fire
department, fire protection district, rescue squad,
ambulance unit, or emergency management services
agency to contact to verify the information provided.
2. Police department vehicles in cities having a
population of 500,000 or more inhabitants.
3. Law enforcement vehicles of State or local
authorities when used in combination with red oscillating,
rotating, or flashing lights.
4. Vehicles of local fire departments and State or
federal firefighting vehicles when used in combination
with red oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights.
5. Vehicles which are designed and used exclusively as
ambulances or rescue vehicles when used in combination
with red oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights;
furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted except when
responding to an emergency call.
6. Vehicles that are equipped and used exclusively as
organ transport vehicles when used in combination with red
oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights; furthermore,
these lights shall only be lighted when the transportation
is declared an emergency by a member of the transplant
team or a representative of the organ procurement
organization.
7. Vehicles of the Illinois Emergency Management

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Agency, vehicles of the Office of the Illinois State Fire
Marshal, vehicles of the Illinois Department of Public
Health, vehicles of the Illinois Department of
Corrections, and vehicles of the Illinois Department of
Juvenile Justice, when used in combination with red
oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights.
8. Vehicles operated by a local or county emergency
management services agency as defined in the Illinois
Emergency Management Agency Act, when used in combination
with red oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights.
9. Vehicles of the Illinois Department of Natural
Resources that are used for mine rescue and explosives
emergency response, when used in combination with red
oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights.
(c-1) In addition to the blue oscillating, rotating, or
flashing lights permitted under subsection (c), and
notwithstanding subsection (a), a vehicle operated by a
voluntary firefighter, a voluntary member of a rescue squad,
or a member of a voluntary ambulance unit may be equipped with
flashing white headlights and blue grill lights, which may be
used only in responding to an emergency call or when parked or
stationary at the scene of a fire, rescue call, ambulance
call, or motor vehicle crash.
(c-2) In addition to the blue oscillating, rotating, or
flashing lights permitted under subsection (c), and
notwithstanding subsection (a), a vehicle operated by a paid

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or unpaid member of a local or county emergency management
services agency as defined in the Illinois Emergency
Management Agency Act, may be equipped with white oscillating,
rotating, or flashing lights to be used in combination with
blue oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights, if
authorization by local authorities is in writing and carried
in the vehicle.
(d) The use of a combination of amber and white
oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights, whether lighted or
unlighted, is prohibited except on second division vehicles
designed and used for towing or hoisting vehicles or motor
vehicles or equipment of the State of Illinois, local
authorities, contractors, and union representatives;
furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted on second
division vehicles designed and used for towing or hoisting
vehicles or vehicles of the State of Illinois, local
authorities, and contractors except while such vehicles are
engaged in a tow operation, highway maintenance, or
construction operations within the limits of highway
construction projects, and shall not be lighted on the
vehicles of union representatives except when those vehicles
are within the limits of a construction project.
(e) All oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights referred
to in this Section shall be of sufficient intensity, when
illuminated, to be visible at 500 feet in normal sunlight.
(f) Nothing in this Section shall prohibit a manufacturer

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of oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights or his
representative or authorized vendor from temporarily mounting
such lights on a vehicle for demonstration purposes only. If
the lights are not covered while the vehicle is operated upon a
highway, the vehicle shall display signage indicating that the
vehicle is out of service or not an emergency vehicle. The
signage shall be displayed on all sides of the vehicle in
letters at least 2 inches tall and one-half inch wide. A
vehicle authorized to have oscillating, rotating, or flashing
lights mounted for demonstration purposes may not activate the
lights while the vehicle is operated upon a highway.
(g) Any person violating the provisions of subsection (a),
(b), (c), or (d) of this Section who without lawful authority
stops or detains or attempts to stop or detain another person
shall be guilty of a Class 2 felony.
(h) Except as provided in subsection (g) above, any person
violating the provisions of subsection (a) or (c) of this
Section shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
(Source: P.A. 102-842, eff. 1-1-23; 102-982, eff. 7-1-23;
103-154, eff. 6-30-23.)
(625 ILCS 5/12-601) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 12-601)
Sec. 12-601. Horns and warning devices.
(a) Every motor vehicle when operated upon a highway shall
be equipped with a horn in good working order and capable of
emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance

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of not less than 200 feet, but no horn or other warning device
shall emit an unreasonable loud or harsh sound or a whistle.
The driver of a motor vehicle shall when reasonably necessary
to insure safe operation give audible warning with his horn
but shall not otherwise use such horn when upon a highway.
(b) No vehicle shall be equipped with nor shall any person
use upon a vehicle any siren, whistle, or bell, except as
otherwise permitted in this Section. Any authorized emergency
vehicle or organ transport vehicle as defined in Chapter 1 of
this Code or a vehicle operated by a fire chief, deputy fire
chief, assistant fire chief, EMS chief, or the Director or
Coordinator of a municipal or county emergency services and
disaster agency may be equipped with a siren, whistle, or bell
capable of emitting sound audible under normal conditions from
a distance of not less than 500 feet, but such siren, whistle,
or bell shall not be used except when such vehicle is operated
in response to an emergency call or in the immediate pursuit of
an actual or suspected violator of the law in either of which
events the driver of such vehicle shall sound such siren,
whistle, or bell when necessary to warn pedestrians and other
drivers of the approach thereof.
(c) Trackless trolley coaches, as defined by Section 1-206
of this Code, and replica trolleys, as defined by Section
1-171.04 of this Code, may be equipped with a bell or bells in
lieu of a horn, and may, in addition to the requirements of
subsection (a) of this Section, use a bell or bells for the

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