Bill
HB 5281
The bill requires rapid, standardized 5-day reporting of convictions, dispositions, and remedial program completions to the Secretary of State to update driver records.
Title: Protz-Liddy Act
Purpose and Intent
- This bill amends the Illinois Vehicle Code to strengthen and formalize the process by which court convictions, dispositions, and related records are reported to and used by the Secretary of State (SOS) for license actions.
- The overarching goal is to improve the accuracy and timeliness of driver record updates to support licensing decisions, enforcement, and driver safety initiatives.
Key Provisions and Changes
1) Mandatory reporting to the Secretary of State (SOS)
- Courts must forward, within 5 days, various documents when convictions trigger license actions:
- For offenses that mandate license cancellation or revocation, the court judge must surrender the convicted driver's license/permit to the court clerk, who then forwards the licenses and a conviction report to the SOS within 5 days.
- For other offenses (with extensive enumerations of excluded sections), the clerk must report convictions to the SOS within 5 days, and the court may recommend license suspension.
- The reporting scope includes juvenile adjudications and certain serious traffic offenses, with specific exceptions and inclusions listed.
- Juvenile dispositions and certain offenses related to reckless homicide and other serious crimes have special handling and privilege restrictions in some cases (e.g., information may be privileged and limited to certain officials).
2) Reporting of court orders and dispositions
- Revocation of pretrial release (to secure appearance) must be reported to the SOS within 5 days.
- Dispositions of court supervision for specified traffic violations must be reported; this includes drivers under 21 for serious traffic offenses.
- Reports of convictions and juvenile sentencing hearings are to be transmitted electronically, meeting format requirements set by the Supreme Court and SOS. Counties with populations over 300,000 may forward reports via the Circuit Court Clerk instead, under agreement.
3) Driver remedial/rehabilitative program disclosures
- Courts must report a driver’s participation in remedial or rehabilitative programs ordered for violations (e.g., Section 11-501 offenses). Dispositions of court supervision for most traffic offenses must be reported within 5 days of disposition or referral to such programs.
- Reports to the SOS are privileged information, limited to the driver, parent/guardian (for minors), and law enforcement, courts, prosecutors, SOS, and license administrators of other states. However, certain records related to commercial driver license (CDL) and CLP holders are treated as non-privileged when the driver commits offenses in a CMV or while driving CMV.
4) Special processing for certain fatality-related or violent offenses
- When a case involves a fatal crash or reckless homicide, the SOS will receive specific documents (Uniform Citation, information/indictment) to support possible license actions. The SOS will adopt implementing rules.
5) Administrative and electronic requirements
- Electronic or processible formats are required for reporting, with alignment to Supreme Court standards and potential state attorney enforcement for noncompliance.
- Effective date: January 1, 2027.
Affected Parties and Impact
Procedural and Timeline Considerations
Sponsors and Status
- Prime sponsor: Rep. Michael J. Coffey (with several co-sponsors, including Rep. Jennifer Sanalitro, Jay Hoffman, Nicole LaHa, Doris Turner, Dan Ugaste, Dave Severin, Natalie Manley).
- Latest actions indicate passage in committee and progression through readings with overall support, as reflected in the action history.
Effective date: January 1, 2027.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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