(A) It shall be prohibited to park any motor vehicle which is not properly displaying registration plates or decals issued to a person with disabilities, as defined by ILCS Ch. 625, Act 5, § 1-159.1, pursuant to ILCS Ch. 625, Act 5, §§ 3-616, 11-1301.1 or 11-1301.2, or to a veteran with a disability pursuant to ILCS Ch. 625, Act 5, § 3-609, as evidence that the vehicle is operated by or for a person with disabilities or a veteran with a disability, in any parking place, including any private or public off-street parking facility, specifically reserved, by the posting of an official sign as designated under ILCS Ch. 625, Act 5, § 11-301, for motor vehicles displaying such registration plates. It shall be prohibited to park any motor vehicle in a designated access aisle adjacent to any parking place specifically reserved for persons with disabilities, by the posting of an official sign as designated under ILCS Ch. 625, Act 5, § 11-301, for motor vehicles displaying such registration plates. When using the parking privileges for persons with disabilities, the parking decal or device must be displayed properly in the vehicle where it is clearly visible to law enforcement personnel, either hanging from the rearview mirror or placed on the dashboard of the vehicle in clear view. Disability license plates and parking decals and devices are not transferable from person to person. Proper usage of the disability license plate or parking decal or device requires the authorized holder to be present and enter or exit the vehicle at the time the parking privileges are being used. It is a violation of this section to park in a space reserved for a person with disabilities if the authorized holder of the disability license plate or parking decal or device does not enter or exit the vehicle at the time the parking privileges are being used. Any motor vehicle properly displaying a disability license plate or a parking decal or device containing the International symbol of access issued to persons with disabilities by any local authority, state, district, territory or foreign country shall be recognized by state and local authorities as a valid license plate or device and receive the same parking privileges as residents of this state.
(A-1) An individual with a vehicle displaying disability license plates or a parking decal or device issued to a qualified person with a disability under ILCS Ch. 625, Act 5, §§ 3-616, 11-1301.1, or 11-1301.2 or to a veteran with a disability under ILCS Ch. 625, Act 5, § 3-609 is in violation of this section if the person using the disability license plate or parking decal or device is not the authorized holder of the disability license plate or parking decal or device or is not transporting the authorized holder of the disability license plate or parking decal or device to or from the parking location and the person uses the disability license plate or parking decal or device to exercise any privileges granted through the disability license plate or parking decals or devices under the Illinois Vehicle Code.
(A-2) A driver of a vehicle displaying disability license plates or a parking decal or device issued to a qualified person with a disability under ILCS Ch. 625, Act 5, §§ 3-616, 11-1301.1, or 11-1301.2 or to a veteran with a disability under ILCS Ch. 625, Act 5, § 3-609 is in violation of this section if the person to whom the disability license plate or parking decal or device was issued is deceased and the driver uses the disability license plate or parking decal or device to exercise any privileges granted through a disability license plate or parking decal or device under the Illinois Vehicle Code.
(B) Any person or local authority owning or operating any public or private offstreet parking facility may, after notifying the police or sheriff's department, remove or cause to be removed to the nearest garage or other place of safety any vehicle parked within a stall or space reserved for use by a person with disabilities which does not display person with disabilities registration plates or a special decal or device as required under this section.
(C) Any person found guilty of violating the provisions of division (A) of this section shall be fined $250 in addition to any costs or charges connected with the removal or storage of any motor vehicle authorized under this section; but municipalities by ordinance may impose a fine up to $350 and shall display signs indicating the fine imposed. If the amount of the fine is subsequently changed, the municipality shall change the sign to indicate the current amount of the fine. It shall not be a defense to a charge under this section that either the sign posted pursuant to this section or the intended accessible parking place does not comply with the technical requirements of ILCS Ch. 625, Act 5, § 11-301, Department regulations, or local ordinance if a reasonable person would be made aware by the sign or notice on or near the parking place that the place is reserved for a person with disabilities.
(C-1) Any person found guilty of violating the provisions of division (A-1) of this section a first time shall be fined $600. Any person found guilty of violating division (A-1) of this section a second or subsequent time shall be fined $1,000. Any person who violates division (A-2) of this section is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor and shall be fined $2,500. The circuit clerk shall distribute 50% of the fine imposed on any person who is found guilty of or pleads guilty to violating this section, including any person placed on court supervision for violating this section, to the law enforcement agency that issued the citation or made the arrest. If more than one law enforcement agency is responsible for issuing the citation or making the arrest, the 50% of the fine imposed shall be shared equally. If an officer of the Secretary of State Department of Police arrested a person for a violation of this section, 50% of the fine imposed shall be deposited into the Secretary of State Police Services Fund.
(D) Local authorities shall impose fines as established in divisions (C) and (C-1) of this section for violations of this section.
(E) As used in this section, AUTHORIZED HOLDER means an individual issued a disability license plate under ILCS Ch. 625, Act 5, § 3-616, an individual issued a parking decal or device under ILCS Ch. 625, Act 5, § 11-1301.2, or an individual issued a license plate for veterans with disabilities under ILCS Ch. 625, Act 5, § 3-609.
(F) Any person who commits a violation of division (A-1) of this section or a similar provision of a local ordinance may have his or her driving privileges suspended or revoked by the Secretary of State for a period of time determined by the Secretary of State. Any person who commits a violation of division (A-2) of this section or a similar provision of a local ordinance shall have his or her driving privileges revoked by the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State may also suspend or revoke the disability license plates or parking decal or device for a period of time determined by the Secretary of State.
(G) Any police officer may seize the parking decal or device from any person who commits a violation of this section. Any police officer may seize the disability license plate upon authorization from the Secretary of State. Any police officer may request that the Secretary of State revoke the parking decal or device or the disability license plate of any person who commits a violation of this section.
(ILCS Ch. 625, Act 5, § 11-1301.3) (Ord. 595-85, passed 8-13-85)