HB2678 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 07130 LNS 17167 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB2678

Introduced 2/6/2025, by Rep. Lawrence "Larry" Walsh, Jr.

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

625 ILCS 5/3-815

from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-815

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Removes language providing that an owner may only apply for and receive 5 farm truck registrations, and only 2 of those 5 vehicles shall exceed 59,500 gross weight in pounds per vehicle. Provides instead that an owner may apply for and receive a total of 8 farm truck registrations; however, only 2 farm truck registrations may be registered as exceeding 77,001 pounds under provisions regarding farm truck registration (with a fee of $1,590 per vehicle registered) and the other 6 farm truck registrations must be registered as exceeding 77,001 pounds under provisions regarding flat weight taxes (with a fee of $2,890 per vehicle registered).

A BILL FOR

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 changing Section 3-815 as follows:

(625 ILCS 5/3-815) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-815)

Sec. 3-815. Flat weight tax; vehicles of the second division.

(a) Except as provided in Section 3-806.3 and 3-804.3, every owner of a vehicle of the second division registered under Section 3-813, and not registered under the mileage weight tax under Section 3-818, shall pay to the Secretary of State, for each registration year, for the use of the public highways, a flat weight tax at the rates set forth in the following table, the rates including the $10 registration fee:

SCHEDULE OF FLAT WEIGHT TAX

REQUIRED BY LAW

Beginning with the 2010 registration year a $1 surcharge shall be collected for vehicles registered in the 8,000 lbs. and less flat weight plate category above to be deposited into the State Police Vehicle Fund.

Beginning with the 2014 registration year, a $2 surcharge shall be collected in addition to the above fees for vehicles registered in the 8,000 lb. and less flat weight plate category as described in this subsection (a) to be deposited into the Park and Conservation Fund for the Department of Natural Resources to use for conservation efforts. The monies deposited into the Park and Conservation Fund under this Section shall not be subject to administrative charges or chargebacks unless otherwise authorized by this Act.

Of the fees collected under this subsection, $1 of the fees shall be deposited into the Secretary of State Special Services Fund and $99 of the fees shall be deposited into the Road Fund.

All of the proceeds of the additional fees imposed by Public Act 96-34 shall be deposited into the Capital Projects Fund.

(a-1) A Special Hauling Vehicle is a vehicle or combination of vehicles of the second division registered under Section 3-813 transporting asphalt or concrete in the plastic state or a vehicle or combination of vehicles that are subject to the gross weight limitations in subsection (a) of Section 15-111 for which the owner of the vehicle or combination of vehicles has elected to pay, in addition to the registration fee in subsection (a), $125 to the Secretary of State for each registration year. The Secretary shall designate this class of vehicle as a Special Hauling Vehicle.

(a-5) Beginning January 1, 2015, upon the request of the vehicle owner, a $10 surcharge shall be collected in addition to the above fees for vehicles in the 12,000 lbs. and less flat weight plate categories as described in subsection (a) to be deposited into the Secretary of State Special License Plate Fund. The $10 surcharge is to identify vehicles in the 12,000 lbs. and less flat weight plate categories as a covered farm vehicle. The $10 surcharge is an annual, flat fee that shall be based on an applicant's new or existing registration year for each vehicle in the 12,000 lbs. and less flat weight plate categories. A designation as a covered farm vehicle under this subsection (a-5) shall not alter a vehicle's registration as a registration in the 12,000 lbs. or less flat weight category. The Secretary shall adopt any rules necessary to implement this subsection (a-5).

(a-10) Beginning January 1, 2019, upon the request of the vehicle owner, the Secretary of State shall collect a $10 surcharge in addition to the fees for second division vehicles in the 8,000 lbs. and less flat weight plate category described in subsection (a) that are issued a registration plate under Article VI of this Chapter. The $10 surcharge shall be deposited into the Secretary of State Special License Plate Fund. The $10 surcharge is to identify a vehicle in the 8,000 lbs. and less flat weight plate category as a covered farm vehicle. The $10 surcharge is an annual, flat fee that shall be based on an applicant's new or existing registration year for each vehicle in the 8,000 lbs. and less flat weight plate category. A designation as a covered farm vehicle under this subsection (a-10) shall not alter a vehicle's registration in the 8,000 lbs. or less flat weight category. The Secretary shall adopt any rules necessary to implement this subsection (a-10).

(b) Except as provided in Section 3-806.3, every camping trailer, motor home, mini motor home, travel trailer, truck camper or van camper used primarily for recreational purposes, and not used commercially, nor for hire, nor owned by a commercial business, may be registered for each registration year upon the filing of a proper application and the payment of a registration fee and highway use tax, according to the following table of fees:

MOTOR HOME, MINI MOTOR HOME, TRUCK CAMPER OR VAN CAMPER

CAMPING TRAILER OR TRAVEL TRAILER

Every house trailer must be registered under Section 3-819.

(c) Farm Truck. Any truck used exclusively for the owner's own agricultural, horticultural or livestock raising operations and not-for-hire only, or any truck used only in the transportation for-hire of seasonal, fresh, perishable fruit or vegetables from farm to the point of first processing, may be registered by the owner under this paragraph in lieu of registration under paragraph (a), upon filing of a proper application and the payment of the $10 registration fee and the highway use tax herein specified as follows:

SCHEDULE OF FEES AND TAXES

Of the fees collected under this subsection, $1 of the fees shall be deposited into the Secretary of State Special Services Fund and $99 of the fees shall be deposited into the Road Fund.

In the event the Secretary of State revokes a farm truck registration as authorized by law, the owner shall pay the flat weight tax due hereunder before operating such truck.

Any combination of vehicles having 5 axles, with a distance of 42 feet or less between extreme axles, that are subject to the weight limitations in subsection (a) of Section 15-111 for which the owner of the combination of vehicles has elected to pay, in addition to the registration fee in subsection (c), $125 to the Secretary of State for each registration year shall be designated by the Secretary as a Special Hauling Vehicle.

(d) The number of axles necessary to carry the maximum load provided shall be determined from Chapter 15 of this Code.

(e) An owner may apply for and receive a total of 8 farm truck registrations; however, only 2 farm truck registrations may be registered as exceeding 77,001 pounds under subsection (c) and the other 6 farm truck registrations must be registered as exceeding 77,001 pounds under subsection (a). An owner may only apply for and receive 5 farm truck registrations, and only 2 of those 5 vehicles shall exceed 59,500 gross weight in pounds per vehicle.

(f) Every person convicted of violating this Section by failure to pay the appropriate flat weight tax to the Secretary of State as set forth in the above tables shall be punished as provided for in Section 3-401.

(Source: P.A. 100-734, eff. 1-1-19; 100-956, eff. 1-1-19; 101-32, eff. 6-28-19; 101-81, eff. 7-12-19.)