(625 ILCS 5/3-704.3)

Sec. 3-704.3. Failure to satisfy fines or penalties for toll bridge violations; suspension of vehicle registration.

(a) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, upon the Secretary's receipt of a report, as described in subsection (b), from a private tolling authority stating that the owner of a registered vehicle has failed to satisfy any fees, fines, charges, or penalties resulting from a final invoice or notice by the private tolling authority relating directly or indirectly to 5 or more toll violations, the Secretary shall suspend the vehicle registration of the person in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section.

(b) The report from the private tolling authority notifying the Secretary of unsatisfied fees, fines, charges, or penalties may be generated by the private tolling authority and received by the Secretary by automated process. The report shall contain the following:

(1) The name, last known address, and driver's license number of the person who failed to satisfy the fees, fines, charges, or penalties, and the registration number of any vehicle known to be registered in this State to that person.

(2) A statement that the private tolling authority sent a notice of impending suspension of the person's vehicle registration to the person named in the report at the address recorded with the Secretary; the date on which the notice was sent; and the address to which the notice was sent.

(c) Following the Secretary's receipt of a report described in subsection (b), the Secretary shall notify the person whose name appears on the report that the person's vehicle registration will be suspended at the end of a specified period unless the Secretary is presented with a notice from the private tolling authority stating that the fees, fines, charges, or penalties owed to the private tolling authority have been satisfied or that inclusion of that person's name on the report described in subsection (b) was in error. The Secretary's notice shall state in substance the information contained in the private tolling authority's report to the Secretary described in subsection (b), and shall be effective as specified by subsection (c) of Section 6-211.

(d) The private tolling authority, after making a report to the Secretary described in subsection (b), shall notify the Secretary, on a form prescribed by the Secretary or by automated process, whenever a person named in the report has satisfied the previously reported fees, fines, charges, or penalties or whenever the private tolling authority determines that the original report was in error. A copy of the notification shall also be given upon request and at no additional charge to the person named therein. Upon receipt of the private tolling authority's notification, the Secretary shall lift the suspension.

(e) The private tolling authority shall establish procedures for persons to challenge the accuracy of the report described in subsection (b). The procedures shall provide the grounds for a challenge, which may include:

(1) the person not having been the owner or lessee of the vehicle or vehicles receiving 5 or more toll violations on the date or dates the violations occurred; or

(2) the person having already satisfied the fees, fines, charges, or penalties for the 5 or more toll violations indicated on the report described in subsection (b).

(f) The Secretary and the Authority may promulgate rules necessary to implement this Section.

(g) The Secretary, the Authority, and the private tolling authority shall cooperate with one another in the administration and implementation of this Section.

(h) The Secretary shall provide the Authority and the private tolling authority with any information the Authority or the private tolling authority may deem necessary for the purposes of this Section or for the private tolling authority's invoicing, collection, and administrative functions, including regular and timely access to driver's license, vehicle registration, and license plate information, and the Secretary's driver, title, and vehicle record databases. Section 2-123 does not apply to the provision of such information, but the Secretary shall be entitled to reimbursement for its costs in providing such information.

(i) The Authority shall provide the Secretary and the private tolling authority with any information the Secretary or the private tolling authority may deem necessary for purposes of this Section or for the private tolling authority's invoicing, collection, and administrative functions, including regular and timely access to toll violation records.

(j) As used in this Section:

"Authority" means the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority.

"Private tolling authority" means the owner, lessee, licensee, or operator of a toll bridge authorized under the Toll Bridge Act.

"Secretary" means the Illinois Secretary of State.

(Source: P.A. 101-398, eff. 8-16-19.)