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SB 1158

TRANSPORTATION-TECH

104th Regular Session Introduced by Neil Anderson and 2 co-sponsors

SB 1158 allows Fire Chief plates for designated fire leaders and authorizes red/white emergency lights for trained, designated fire chiefs responding to emergencies.

Public Act . . . . . . . . . 104-0081
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Bill Summary · SB 1158

Summary — SB 1158 (Public Act 104-0081) — Transportation (TRANSPORTATION‑TECH)

Status: Enacted (Public Act 104-0081) — Governor approved August 1, 2025; Effective January 1, 2026.
Introduced: January–February 2025. Chief Senate sponsor (as introduced): Sen. John F. Curran; later chief sponsor Sen. Neil Anderson. Chief House sponsor: Rep. Tony M. McCombie.

Main purpose

SB 1158 makes targeted amendments to the Illinois Vehicle Code and the Toll Bridge Act to (1) update rules governing special “Fire Chief” registration plates, (2) clarify and expand conditions under which certain emergency vehicles (notably fire chief vehicles) may display red/white warning lights, and (3) make a minor technical edit to the Toll Bridge Act short title.

Key provisions

  • Fire Chief license plates (625 ILCS 5/3-611.5)

    • Authorizes the Secretary of State, on request from a municipality or fire protection district operating a fire department or Mutual Aid Box Alarm System, to issue special “Fire Chief” registration plates to:
    • fire chief, deputy fire chief, assistant fire chief of municipal fire departments or fire protection districts, and
    • chief of a Mutual Aid Box Alarm System.
    • Specifies eligible vehicle types: passenger vehicles of the first division, motorcycles, autocycles, or second‑division motor vehicles weighing not more than 8,000 pounds, owned by the department or the named officer.
    • Plates expire per the multi‑year registration procedure (Section 3-414.1).
    • Plate design and color are discretionary with the Secretary of State; plates need not include “Land of Lincoln.”
    • Fees: same fee as for first‑division vehicles; permanent plates for department‑owned vehicles issued at fees specified elsewhere (Section 3-808.1(b)).
    • Requires persons operating warning devices (as described in Sections 12‑215 or 12‑601) on a vehicle not owned by a municipality/district to display these plates.
    • On resignation, reassignment (to a lower rank), or termination, the non‑permanent plates must be immediately surrendered to the Secretary of State; the Secretary of State may recover plates.

  • Oscillating/rotating/flashing lights (625 ILCS 5/12-215)

    • Clarifies and expands the list of vehicles authorized to use red or white oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights.
    • New/clarified authorization (paragraph 2.1):
    • A vehicle operated by a fire chief, deputy/assistant fire chief, or chief of a Mutual Aid Box Alarm System may use red/white lights if:
      • the operator has completed an emergency vehicle operation training course approved by the Office of the State Fire Marshal, and
      • the vehicle has a written designation/authorization from local authorities, fire departments, fire protection districts, or Mutual Aid Box Alarm Systems; that written designation must be carried in the vehicle.
    • Such lights may be visible or activated only when responding to a bona fide emergency.
    • Retains and restates other authorized exceptions (law enforcement, fire department vehicles, ambulances/rescue vehicles, some tow and maintenance vehicles, DOT/Toll Highway patrols, etc.).
    • (The bill also contains provisions governing use of amber lights for tow and second‑division vehicles; those rules remain in place.)

  • Toll Bridge Act (605 ILCS 115/0.01)

    • Makes a technical correction to the statute’s short title (removes a duplicated word).

Who is affected

  • Municipal fire departments and fire protection districts.
  • Fire chiefs, deputy and assistant chiefs, and chiefs of Mutual Aid Box Alarm Systems who operate vehicles not owned by their municipality/district — they gain a defined pathway to obtain and use Fire Chief plates and, if trained and designated, to display red/white emergency lights while responding to bona fide emergencies.
  • Secretary of State — implements plate issuance, fees, surrender and recovery procedures.
  • General motoring public — affected by clarified rules about which vehicles may lawfully display certain warning lights.

Procedural / timeline notes

  • Passed both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly and was enrolled as Public Act 104‑0081.
  • Governor approved Aug 1, 2025; statute takes effect January 1, 2026.
  • Amendments preserve existing fee references and cross‑reference other Vehicle Code provisions (e.g., Sections 3‑806, 3‑808.1(b), 3‑414.1, 12‑601).

If you want, I can extract and present the exact statutory language changes side‑by‑side (current text vs. amended text) for Sections 3‑611.5 and 12‑215.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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