Bill
HB 2942
HB 2942 adds a 6-month suspension of a teen's Illinois GDL license for violating the under-18 passenger restriction.
Status & procedural history
- Bill number: HB 2942
- Subject/title: Graduated License Suspension (amendment to Illinois Vehicle Code, 625 ILCS 5/6-107)
- Introduced by: Rep. Ryan Spain (filed 02/06/2025)
- Key actions: First reading 02/06/2025; referred to Rules Committee; assigned to Transportation: Vehicles & Safety; Do Pass (short debate) in committee 03/12/2025; various House calendar and reading actions through 03–04/2025; Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee 04/11/2025.
- Note: The materials provided also include an unrelated Arizona bill text concerning a “Firefighters Bill of Rights.” The provisions summarized below reflect the Illinois HB 2942 language amending the Graduated Driver Licensing statute.
Purpose / intent
- To strengthen sanctions in the Illinois Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) program by adding a mandatory 6-month suspension for certain passenger‐restriction violations by young, inexperienced drivers. The stated aim of the GDL program is to reduce crashes, fatalities and injuries by imposing staged restrictions and higher standards for drivers under age 21.
Key provisions / changes
- Amends Section 6-107 of the Illinois Vehicle Code (Graduated license).
- Passenger restriction (existing structure): A GDL holder who is under age 18 at issuance may not operate a vehicle, for the first 12 months (or until turning 18, whichever is sooner), with more than one passenger under age 20 in the vehicle unless additional passengers are the driver’s siblings, step-siblings, children, or stepchildren.
- New penalty: If a GDL holder is convicted of operating a vehicle in violation of that passenger restriction, the graduated license shall be suspended for 6 months.
- The bill retains other existing GDL requirements referenced in Section 6-107 (e.g., instruction-permit holding period, driver education, minimum behind-the-wheel practice hours, school-enrollment/truancy provisions, and other prohibitions tied to certain offenses).
Who is affected
- Directly: Drivers who receive a graduated driver’s license while under age 18 (and their families).
- Indirectly: Courts (conviction reporting), the Secretary of State (administration and suspension processing), law enforcement (enforcement of passenger restriction), and schools/driver education providers whose records are referenced in GDL eligibility.
Procedural / implementation notes
- The suspension is triggered by conviction for violating the specified passenger restriction. Existing statutory mechanisms require courts to report certain offenses to the Secretary of State; the Secretary would implement suspensions under current administrative processes.
- The passenger restriction period applies for the first 12 months after issuance or until the driver reaches age 18, consistent with current statute; the suspension provision targets offenders within that framework.
Potential impacts to note (neutral description)
- Enforcement & administration: Adds a clear, uniform sanction (6‑month suspension) that may increase administrative workload for courts and the Secretary of State.
- Safety: Proponents would argue the sanction strengthens deterrence for risky peer-passenger situations associated with teen crashes.
- Equity/behavioral: Could have significant consequences for teens (transportation access, employment/school attendance) if suspended; the statute contains a limited familial-passenger exception (siblings/step-siblings/children/stepchildren).
If you want, I can produce a side-by-side comparison showing the statute before vs. after the amendment, or draft suggested legislative language to clarify reporting/appeal procedures related to the new suspension.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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