Illinois 2025-2026 Regular Session

Illinois Senate Bill SB1245 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1245 Introduced 1/24/2025, by Sen. Neil Anderson SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 625 ILCS 5/11-1426.1625 ILCS 5/11-1426.3 new Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Permits the operation of recreational off-highway vehicles meeting certain criteria on any street, roadway, or highway in the State, unless the highway is an interstate system, is near a grade-separated portion of the highway, is within a municipality, or has a posted speed limit higher than 55 miles per hour. Provides that a recreational off-highway vehicle may be registered in the same manner as provided for snowmobiles and shall comply with the registration, fees, insurance, and other requirements for snowmobiles under the Snowmobile Registration and Safety Act. Provides for the distribution of registration fees. Outlines the vehicle equipment requirements for the operation of a recreational off-highway vehicle on a roadway. LRB104 05701 LNS 15731 b A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1245 Introduced 1/24/2025, by Sen. Neil Anderson SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 625 ILCS 5/11-1426.1625 ILCS 5/11-1426.3 new 625 ILCS 5/11-1426.1 625 ILCS 5/11-1426.3 new Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Permits the operation of recreational off-highway vehicles meeting certain criteria on any street, roadway, or highway in the State, unless the highway is an interstate system, is near a grade-separated portion of the highway, is within a municipality, or has a posted speed limit higher than 55 miles per hour. Provides that a recreational off-highway vehicle may be registered in the same manner as provided for snowmobiles and shall comply with the registration, fees, insurance, and other requirements for snowmobiles under the Snowmobile Registration and Safety Act. Provides for the distribution of registration fees. Outlines the vehicle equipment requirements for the operation of a recreational off-highway vehicle on a roadway. LRB104 05701 LNS 15731 b LRB104 05701 LNS 15731 b A BILL FOR
2	2	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1245 Introduced 1/24/2025, by Sen. Neil Anderson SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
3	3	625 ILCS 5/11-1426.1625 ILCS 5/11-1426.3 new 625 ILCS 5/11-1426.1 625 ILCS 5/11-1426.3 new
4	4	625 ILCS 5/11-1426.1
5	5	625 ILCS 5/11-1426.3 new
6	6	Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Permits the operation of recreational off-highway vehicles meeting certain criteria on any street, roadway, or highway in the State, unless the highway is an interstate system, is near a grade-separated portion of the highway, is within a municipality, or has a posted speed limit higher than 55 miles per hour. Provides that a recreational off-highway vehicle may be registered in the same manner as provided for snowmobiles and shall comply with the registration, fees, insurance, and other requirements for snowmobiles under the Snowmobile Registration and Safety Act. Provides for the distribution of registration fees. Outlines the vehicle equipment requirements for the operation of a recreational off-highway vehicle on a roadway.
7	7	LRB104 05701 LNS 15731 b LRB104 05701 LNS 15731 b
8	8	LRB104 05701 LNS 15731 b
9	9	A BILL FOR
10	10	SB1245LRB104 05701 LNS 15731 b SB1245 LRB104 05701 LNS 15731 b
11	11	SB1245 LRB104 05701 LNS 15731 b
12	12	1 AN ACT concerning transportation.
13	13	2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
14	14	3 represented in the General Assembly:
15	15	4 Section 5. The Illinois Vehicle Code is amended by
16	16	5 changing Section 11-1426.1 and by adding Section 11-1426.3 as
17	17	6 follows:
18	18	7 (625 ILCS 5/11-1426.1)
19	19	8 Sec. 11-1426.1. Operation of non-highway vehicles on
20	20	9 streets, roads, and highways.
21	21	10 (a) As used in this Section, "non-highway vehicle" means a
22	22	11 motor vehicle not specifically designed to be used on a public
23	23	12 highway, including:
24	24	13 (1) an all-terrain vehicle, as defined by Section
25	25	14 1-101.8 of this Code;
26	26	15 (2) a golf cart, as defined by Section 1-123.9;
27	27	16 (3) an off-highway motorcycle, as defined by Section
28	28	17 1-153.1; and
29	29	18 (4) (blank). a recreational off-highway vehicle, as
30	30	19 defined by Section 1-168.8.
31	31	20 (b) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, it is
32	32	21 unlawful for any person to drive or operate a non-highway
33	33	22 vehicle upon any street, highway, or roadway in this State. If
34	34	23 the operation of a non-highway vehicle is authorized under
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38	38	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1245 Introduced 1/24/2025, by Sen. Neil Anderson SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
39	39	625 ILCS 5/11-1426.1625 ILCS 5/11-1426.3 new 625 ILCS 5/11-1426.1 625 ILCS 5/11-1426.3 new
40	40	625 ILCS 5/11-1426.1
41	41	625 ILCS 5/11-1426.3 new
42	42	Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Permits the operation of recreational off-highway vehicles meeting certain criteria on any street, roadway, or highway in the State, unless the highway is an interstate system, is near a grade-separated portion of the highway, is within a municipality, or has a posted speed limit higher than 55 miles per hour. Provides that a recreational off-highway vehicle may be registered in the same manner as provided for snowmobiles and shall comply with the registration, fees, insurance, and other requirements for snowmobiles under the Snowmobile Registration and Safety Act. Provides for the distribution of registration fees. Outlines the vehicle equipment requirements for the operation of a recreational off-highway vehicle on a roadway.
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45	45	A BILL FOR
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71	71	1 subsection (d), the non-highway vehicle may be operated only
72	72	2 on streets where the posted speed limit is 35 miles per hour or
73	73	3 less. This subsection (b) does not prohibit a non-highway
74	74	4 vehicle from crossing a road or street at an intersection
75	75	5 where the road or street has a posted speed limit of more than
76	76	6 35 miles per hour.
77	77	7 (b-5) A person may not operate a non-highway vehicle upon
78	78	8 any street, highway, or roadway in this State unless he or she
79	79	9 has a valid driver's license issued in his or her name by the
80	80	10 Secretary of State or by a foreign jurisdiction.
81	81	11 (c) No person operating a non-highway vehicle shall make a
82	82	12 direct crossing upon or across any tollroad, interstate
83	83	13 highway, or controlled access highway in this State. No person
84	84	14 operating a non-highway vehicle shall make a direct crossing
85	85	15 upon or across any other highway under the jurisdiction of the
86	86	16 State except at an intersection of the highway with another
87	87	17 public street, road, or highway.
88	88	18 (c-5) (Blank).
89	89	19 (d) A municipality, township, county, or other unit of
90	90	20 local government may authorize, by ordinance or resolution,
91	91	21 the operation of non-highway vehicles on roadways under its
92	92	22 jurisdiction if the unit of local government determines that
93	93	23 the public safety will not be jeopardized. The Department may
94	94	24 authorize the operation of non-highway vehicles on the
95	95	25 roadways under its jurisdiction if the Department determines
96	96	26 that the public safety will not be jeopardized. The unit of
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107	107	1 local government or the Department may restrict the types of
108	108	2 non-highway vehicles that are authorized to be used on its
109	109	3 streets.
110	110	4 Before permitting the operation of non-highway vehicles on
111	111	5 its roadways, a municipality, township, county, other unit of
112	112	6 local government, or the Department must consider the volume,
113	113	7 speed, and character of traffic on the roadway and determine
114	114	8 whether non-highway vehicles may safely travel on or cross the
115	115	9 roadway. Upon determining that non-highway vehicles may safely
116	116	10 operate on a roadway and the adoption of an ordinance or
117	117	11 resolution by a municipality, township, county, or other unit
118	118	12 of local government, or authorization by the Department,
119	119	13 appropriate signs shall be posted.
120	120	14 If a roadway is under the jurisdiction of more than one
121	121	15 unit of government, non-highway vehicles may not be operated
122	122	16 on the roadway unless each unit of government agrees and takes
123	123	17 action as provided in this subsection.
124	124	18 (e) No non-highway vehicle may be operated on a roadway
125	125	19 unless, at a minimum, it has the following: brakes, a steering
126	126	20 apparatus, tires, a rearview mirror, red reflectorized warning
127	127	21 devices in the front and rear, a slow moving emblem (as
128	128	22 required of other vehicles in Section 12-709 of this Code) on
129	129	23 the rear of the non-highway vehicle, a headlight that emits a
130	130	24 white light visible from a distance of 500 feet to the front, a
131	131	25 tail lamp that emits a red light visible from at least 100 feet
132	132	26 from the rear, brake lights, and turn signals. When operated
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143	143	1 on a roadway, a non-highway vehicle shall have its headlight
144	144	2 and tail lamps lighted as required by Section 12-201 of this
145	145	3 Code.
146	146	4 (f) A person who drives or is in actual physical control of
147	147	5 a non-highway vehicle on a roadway while under the influence
148	148	6 is subject to Sections 11-500 through 11-502 of this Code.
149	149	7 (g) Any person who operates a non-highway vehicle on a
150	150	8 street, highway, or roadway shall be subject to the mandatory
151	151	9 insurance requirements under Article VI of Chapter 7 of this
152	152	10 Code.
153	153	11 (h) It shall not be unlawful for any person to drive or
154	154	12 operate a non-highway vehicle, as defined in paragraph
155	155	13 paragraphs (1) and (4) of subsection (a) of this Section, on a
156	156	14 county roadway or township roadway for the purpose of
157	157	15 conducting farming operations to and from the home, farm, farm
158	158	16 buildings, and any adjacent or nearby farm land.
159	159	17 Non-highway vehicles, as used in this subsection (h),
160	160	18 shall not be subject to subsections (e) and (g) of this
161	161	19 Section. However, if the non-highway vehicle, as used in this
162	162	20 Section, is not covered under a motor vehicle insurance policy
163	163	21 pursuant to subsection (g) of this Section, the vehicle must
164	164	22 be covered under a farm, home, or non-highway vehicle
165	165	23 insurance policy issued with coverage amounts no less than the
166	166	24 minimum amounts set for bodily injury or death and for
167	167	25 destruction of property under Section 7-203 of this Code.
168	168	26 Non-highway vehicles operated on a county or township roadway
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179	179	1 at any time between one-half hour before sunset and one-half
180	180	2 hour after sunrise must be equipped with head lamps and tail
181	181	3 lamps, and the head lamps and tail lamps must be lighted.
182	182	4 Non-highway vehicles, as used in this subsection (h),
183	183	5 shall not make a direct crossing upon or across any tollroad,
184	184	6 interstate highway, or controlled access highway in this
185	185	7 State.
186	186	8 Non-highway vehicles, as used in this subsection (h),
187	187	9 shall be allowed to cross a State highway, municipal street,
188	188	10 county highway, or road district highway if the operator of
189	189	11 the non-highway vehicle makes a direct crossing provided:
190	190	12 (1) the crossing is made at an angle of approximately
191	191	13 90 degrees to the direction of the street, road or highway
192	192	14 and at a place where no obstruction prevents a quick and
193	193	15 safe crossing;
194	194	16 (2) the non-highway vehicle is brought to a complete
195	195	17 stop before attempting a crossing;
196	196	18 (3) the operator of the non-highway vehicle yields the
197	197	19 right of way to all pedestrian and vehicular traffic which
198	198	20 constitutes a hazard; and
199	199	21 (4) that when crossing a divided highway, the crossing
200	200	22 is made only at an intersection of the highway with
201	201	23 another public street, road, or highway.
202	202	24 (i) No action taken by a unit of local government under
203	203	25 this Section designates the operation of a non-highway vehicle
204	204	26 as an intended or permitted use of property with respect to
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215	215	1 Section 3-102 of the Local Governmental and Governmental
216	216	2 Employees Tort Immunity Act.
217	217	3 (Source: P.A. 97-144, eff. 7-14-11; 98-567, eff. 1-1-14.)
218	218	4 (625 ILCS 5/11-1426.3 new)
219	219	5 Sec. 11-1426.3. Operation of a recreational off-highway
220	220	6 vehicle on streets, roads, and highways.
221	221	7 (a) Except as provided in subsection (b), an individual
222	222	8 may operate a recreational off-highway vehicle, as defined by
223	223	9 Section 1-101.8, on a street, roadway, or highway if the
224	224	10 recreational off-highway vehicle has a combustion engine with
225	225	11 a piston or rotor displacement of 400 cubic centimeters or
226	226	12 greater and is capable of maintaining speeds of 40 miles per
227	227	13 hour or greater.
228	228	14 (b) An individual may not operate a recreational
229	229	15 off-highway vehicle on a highway if:
230	230	16 (1) the highway is an interstate system;
231	231	17 (2) the highway is near a grade-separated portion of
232	232	18 the highway;
233	233	19 (3) the highway is within a municipality; or
234	234	20 (4) the highway has a posted speed limit higher than
235	235	21 55 miles per hour.
236	236	22 Nothing in this Section authorizes the operation of a
237	237	23 recreational off-highway vehicle in an area that is not open
238	238	24 to motor vehicle use.
239	239	25 (c) A recreational off-highway vehicle may be registered
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250	250	1 in the same manner as provided for snowmobiles and shall
251	251	2 comply with the registration, fees, insurance, and other
252	252	3 requirements for snowmobiles under the Snowmobile Registration
253	253	4 and Safety Act.
254	254	5 Of the $45 registration fee, $35 shall be distributed to
255	255	6 the Department of Natural Resource programs as follows: (i)
256	256	7 $10 to Kids for Conservation; (ii) $10 to the Mud to Parks
257	257	8 Program; (iii) $5 to Deer Management; and (iv) $5 to the
258	258	9 Partners for Conservation Program. The remaining $15 shall be
259	259	10 used to implement and administer this Section.
260	260	11 (d) The owner of a recreational off-highway vehicle shall
261	261	12 ensure that the vehicle is equipped with:
262	262	13 (1) 2 headlamps;
263	263	14 (2) 2 tail lamps;
264	264	15 (3) 2 brake lamps;
265	265	16 (4) a tail lamp or other lamp constructed and placed
266	266	17 to illuminate the registration plate with a white light;
267	267	18 (5) one or more red reflectors on the rear;
268	268	19 (6) amber or red flashing electric turn signals, one
269	269	20 on each side of the front and rear;
270	270	21 (7) a braking system, other than a parking brake;
271	271	22 (8) a horn or other warning device;
272	272	23 (9) a muffler and, if required by an applicable
273	273	24 federal statute or regulation, an emission control system;
274	274	25 (10) rearview mirrors on the right and left side of
275	275	26 the driver;
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