Illinois

[Westend Bikes]

The Bill passed the Vehicles & Safety Committe today. 6-Yea 0-Nay
The bill is now placed on the calender for second reading.
Don't know the date for the second reading yet though.

 

[Westend Bikes]

Bill SB0236 went through it's second reading in the House today 5/6
The Bill has been placed on the calander for Third Reading-short debate.
They haven't given a day for the reading yet.
We're getting closer to being legal.

 

[myke]

Thanks for keeping us posted on this topic! Keep it up please ;P

looking forward to the final results

myke

 

[cls74]

It made it through the 2nd reading without the house seeing a need to ammend it, so given something bizarre, if it does indeed become a law it should remain as it reads now. 20mph and less we are low speed bicycles, over 20 and we'll more than likely be considered mopeds.

If and when it does pass the 3rd reading/vote it will still need to be signed by Gov. Quinn. Hopefully he won't see a budget deficit remedy within this and signs off on it. I don't see it being held up in the house, Quinn is going to be the deciding factor on this.

 

[mabman]

20 mph is a joke for both electric and gas, 30 is and would continue to work fine. For some reason the Euro/Asian standards are working their way in to our regs it seems. Hopefully someone can get the right view on this but it looks bleak for the state of IL. I am assuming that the licensing and titling mentioned earlier is still written in there also, that will be a nightmare for the homemade bicycle folks also and cause more costs at the manufacturer/dealer level also.

 

[Westend Bikes]

I think the bill will pass and the govenor will sign it.
Luckly i have been stopped by the police over the winter and i told them the engine on my bike was only 1 hp. I only need to stamp the block yet. Does anybody know how many c.c.= 1 hp?
As long as they remove motorized bikes from motor vehicles you can always shut off the engine and still not worry about being on the road if your over 20mph.
Mabman there is no licensing or titling for motorized bikes gas or electric in bill sb0236
The bill will classify low speed motorized bikes as bicycles, no drivers license needed to operate them.

 

[Westend Bikes]

Bill SB0236 Has Passed Both Houses!!!!
Only 3 against in the House.
Now to the govenor

 

[outlawbiker]

20 mph? i wouldn't worry. as long as you not being reckless or acting like an idiot,20mph should be fine with the new bill. i used to have a trek mountain bike that i could pedal between 30 and 35 mph back in the 90s and no cop ever told me there was a speed limit,also around here i would imagine that after the bill has past and IF the cops want to be jerks,the rules of the road still apply here and cops are not going to pull you over for 5 to 10 mph over the limit. keep in mind that cops have to know there is a enough evidence to ticket/arrest/charge you otherwise they won't,its like being caught 'red handed',but the best part of this law coming to be is if the cops want to go that far out of their way to tag you,they can't and won't have a leg to stand on in court.

 

[myke]

I have spoken with the chief of police in the next town over, ( a friend of mine ) and he told me that it wont mater what the law says in Illinois, it goes by the particular ordinance for each town. In that particular town, he said there is already an specific ordinance that make any motorized vehicle without license and registration, illegal to operate on city streets. In the town where I live, no such ordinance exists, yet.

myke

 

[Westend Bikes]

Bill SB0236 removes low speed bicycles off the motor vehical list. So with it being classified as a bicycle and not a motor vehical i can't see how a city or town can say anything about it.
I'll ask Senator Steans about it.
If a city or town doesn't have to obey a state law then we shouldn't have to obey a city or town law.
I guess that'll be the next fight,against city hall

 

[cls74]

In my interpretation of it, I can see ordinances at a local level being able to prohibit them if desired. The wording states that low speed electric bicycles be eliminated from the definition of "motor vehicle" as long as it meets the definition and requirements. The amendment asks for a "low-speed gas bicycle" definition to be included and treated with the same rules and regulations as an electric bicycle and removes the requirement of a valid drivers license(probably the 3 nays). They are not classified as a bicycle so to speak but will have to adhere to all current laws regarded to a regular bicycle as well as what is in sb0236.

Local ordinances are just that, local. They can make an ordinance prohibiting "low speed gas and electric bicycles" from operating within the local jurisdiction. In my example of such, I can burn leaves and have open fires, go 2 blocks and it is prohibited.

Complaints and abuse bring ordinances that go against statewide or federal laws. Ride your bike at breakneck speeds scaring old ladies walking dogs or riding in the lane of a 2 lane roadway with a 45mph speed limit is probably going to get negative attention.

Ride it as you do now with caution and discreteness and you'll probably be able to cruise at 25mph and never piss anyone off. I'm happy to have a law introduced to make it legal to ride. I'm not going to go out and purposely irritate people because a new law was introduced and it's now legal. 95% of the population and 55% of law enforcement probably have no real knowledge of anything going on, ride as you are now and if/when you are ticketed use state law to get out of it.

 

[Westend Bikes]

I sent a letter off to senator steans today to see when the bill will go before the govenor.I alaways like to have things in writting when I deal with the state. I'll post when i hear something back from her.
If this bill is signed I guess I'll be the first to see what happens scince i was stopped in febuary.
The officer said he didn't want to see my bike on the road again,So they'll probably stop me for sure and arrest me for driving on revoked and operateing a unregesterd vehical. A disabled person can't get a break in illinios.
He didn't mention anything about a ordinace on them when he stopped me just qouted me the state laws and let me go with a verbal warning.

 

[cls74]

It could still be a while yet. The good thing is one way or the other it should become law, as long as the voting does not change too much in either the house or senate should it be vetoed by Quinn. So no more than 90 days of the 7th of May we will have our answer.

"A bill passed by both houses must be sent to the Governor within 30 days. The Governor then has 60 calendar days to sign it, or to return it with his veto. If the Governor does nothing, the bill will automatically become a law after the 60-day period. If the Governor vetoes a bill that has been sent to him, the bill can still become law if the General Assembly overrides the veto by passing the bill again by a 3/5 vote in both houses."

 

[metta]

it's got nothing to do with ccs or speed...

from the first page of this thread:

5/1-148.2 “A motorized pedalcycle is a motor-driven cycle whose speed attainable in one mile is 30 mph or less, which is equipped with a motor that produces 2 brake horsepower or less. If an internal combustion engine is used, the displacement shall not exceed 50 cubic centimeter displacement and the power drive system shall not require the operator to shift gears.” An endorsement is not required for these vehicles.

a motorized pedalcycle is the full, technical and legal term for what most of us have come to call a "moped" which is titled and licensed, not a motor assisted bicycle which is neither titled nor licensed.

A moped is designed to be pedal started and motor driven; it is a titled motor vehicle. A motor assisted bicycle, electric or gas powered, is a bicycle which is not titled and designed to be pedal driven with a secondary source of power to assist the bicyclist in pedal driving. a motor assisted bicycle is not a moped. it's got nothing to do with the size of the power source or speed obtained by the motor assist.

instead of searching for laws about mopeds, you might want to look for laws about bicycles.

 

[Westend Bikes]

Update on bill SB0236
Senator Steans told me they have 30 days to send it to the governor and that he has 30 days to sign it. So that would put it around july 6th.
Senator Steans sees no problems with it becoming law this summer.
She is supposed to let me know when it becomes law and I'll pass it on.

 

[cls74]

Latest update SB0236 was sent to the governor on 6/5. I would assume HB1181 will get sent in the next week or two.

 

[outlawbiker]

ok,maybe im lost but this is what i seen off of the Illinois General Assembly website,

Synopsis As Introduced
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Renames a "motorized pedalcycle" as a "moped" throughout the Illinois Vehicle Code and 2 Sections of the Cycle Rider Safety Training Act. Redefines "moped" as a motor-driven cycle, with or without optional power derived from manually operated pedals, whose speed attainable in one mile is at least 20 mph but not greater than 30 mph, and is equipped with a motor that produces 2 brake horsepower or less. (rather than a motor-driven cycle whose speed attainable in one mile is 30 mph or less, which is equipped with a motor that produces 2 brake horsepower or less). Provides that the Secretary may provide an expedited process for the issuance of vehicle titles. Provides that expedited title applications must be delivered to the Secretary of State's Vehicle Services Department in Springfield and provides time requirements for processing those applications. Provides that the cost for expedited title services is $30 and all fees collected by the Secretary of State for expedited services will be deposited into the Motor Vehicle License Plate Fund. Provides that the registration fee paid by any vehicle owner who has been approved for benefits under the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief and Pharmaceutical Assistance Act, or who has claimed and received a grant under that Act, or who is the spouse of such a person shall be $24 instead of the fee otherwise provided for specified types of vehicles. Deletes outdated language referring to senior citizen vehicle registration fees.

I don't see anything here removing the need for a drivers license to operate a bicycle with a small gas engine on it. Also I don't see anything else with in this bill that is making a difference than before. Maybe I am not understanding what good any of this is going to do,can someone please explain?

I lost my drivers license and I need to use my motorized bicycle to get to work, if this isn't going to help I would like to know so i can find another resource of personal transportation.

 

[Westend Bikes]

Outlaw
the bill you want to look at is SB0236. It's the one that we don't need a drivers license for.

 

[outlawbiker]

oh... thanks i forgot,ive been away for a while and didnt want to re-hash thru these 10 pages here,anyone know the status on that one?

 

[Westend Bikes]

Outlaw
Bill SB0236 was sent to the governor to sign.
Senator Steans told me he has 30 days to sign which she said he will.
I'm sure he will wait til the last day which would put it around the 6th of july.