Chicago City Wire

Jaime M. Andrade, Jr. introduced HB2857 in the Illinois House on Feb. 5, 2025, during the general assembly session 104, according to the Illinois General Assembly.

According to the Illinois General Assembly site, the legislature summarized the bill's official text as follows: "Creates the Highway Work Zone Safety Act. Requires the Department of Transportation, in coordination with the Illinois State Police, to establish the Highway Work Zone Speed Control Program for the purposes of enforcing the speed limits established for construction or maintenance speed zones. Requires the Illinois State Police, in conjunction with the Department of Transportation and the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, to set up and operate automated traffic control systems in highway construction and maintenance speed zones to detect violations of posted work zone speed limits. Allows the Department of Transportation or the Illinois State Police to employ automated traffic control system operators to operate automated traffic control systems in construction or maintenance speed zones. Provides, with exceptions, that information and photographs or recorded images collected under the Program are not discoverable by court order as evidence in a proceeding. Requires information and photographs or recorded images collected under the Program to be destroyed not later than 2 years after the date the information and photographs or recorded images are collected. Provides that information and photographs or recorded images collected under the Program are the exclusive property of the State and not the property of the manufacturer or vendor of the automated traffic control system. Prohibits the use of a photograph or recorded image obtained through the use of an automated traffic control system for the purpose of enforcing a traffic offense. Provides that a person who owns a motor vehicle that is identified by an automated traffic control system as operating in a construction or maintenance speed zone at a speed in excess of the posted speed limit commits a civil law violation that is punishable by a minimum fine of $100 and a maximum fine of $200. Grants rulemaking authority to the Department of Transportation to implement and administer the Act. Makes other changes. Makes corresponding changes in the Freedom of Information Act and the Illinois Vehicle Code. Repeals the Automated Traffic Control Systems in Highway Construction or Maintenance Zones Act. Effective January 1, 2027, except provisions regarding procurement and rulemaking are effective immediately."

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill establishes the Highway Work Zone Safety Act, aimed at enhancing speed limit enforcement in construction zones. It directs the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and Illinois State Police to create a Highway Work Zone Safety Speed Control Program, utilizing speed safety cameras to monitor and capture speed violations. The program permits third-party vendor involvement and public information campaigns about camera usage. Operators of these camera systems are employed by IDOT or police, with specific rules governing their operation. Photos or images collected are confidential, meant primarily for enforcing penalties and not to be disclosed beyond specified parties. Vehicle owners, including rental companies, may be issued civil penalties for speed violations. Subsequent fines for unpaid penalties can range from $100 to $200, supporting transportation safety funds. Rental companies can transfer liability to renters if they provide appropriate documentation. The act exempts information collected from Freedom of Information Act requests and will replace previous automated traffic control regulations starting Jan. 1, 2027.

Jaime M. Andrade, Jr. has proposed another 11 bills since the beginning of the 104th session.

Andrade graduated from DePaul University in 2014 with a BS and again in 2021 from DePaul University.

Jaime M. Andrade Jr. is currently serving in the Illinois State House, representing the state's 40th House District. He replaced previous state representative Deb Mell in 2013.

Bills in Illinois follow a multi-step legislative process, beginning with introduction in either the House or Senate, followed by committee review, floor debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching the governor for approval or veto. The General Assembly operates on a biennial schedule, and while typically thousands of bills are introduced each session, only a fraction successfully pass through the process to become law.

You can read more about bills and other measures here.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
HB2857	02/05/2025	Creates the Highway Work Zone Safety Act. Requires the Department of Transportation, in coordination with the Illinois State Police, to establish the Highway Work Zone Speed Control Program for the purposes of enforcing the speed limits established for construction or maintenance speed zones. Requires the Illinois State Police, in conjunction with the Department of Transportation and the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, to set up and operate automated traffic control systems in highway construction and maintenance speed zones to detect violations of posted work zone speed limits. Allows the Department of Transportation or the Illinois State Police to employ automated traffic control system operators to operate automated traffic control systems in construction or maintenance speed zones. Provides, with exceptions, that information and photographs or recorded images collected under the Program are not discoverable by court order as evidence in a proceeding. Requires information and photographs or recorded images collected under the Program to be destroyed not later than 2 years after the date the information and photographs or recorded images are collected. Provides that information and photographs or recorded images collected under the Program are the exclusive property of the State and not the property of the manufacturer or vendor of the automated traffic control system. Prohibits the use of a photograph or recorded image obtained through the use of an automated traffic control system for the purpose of enforcing a traffic offense. Provides that a person who owns a motor vehicle that is identified by an automated traffic control system as operating in a construction or maintenance speed zone at a speed in excess of the posted speed limit commits a civil law violation that is punishable by a minimum fine of $100 and a maximum fine of $200. Grants rulemaking authority to the Department of Transportation to implement and administer the Act. Makes other changes. Makes corresponding changes in the Freedom of Information Act and the Illinois Vehicle Code. Repeals the Automated Traffic Control Systems in Highway Construction or Maintenance Zones Act. Effective January 1, 2027, except provisions regarding procurement and rulemaking are effective immediately.
HB2825	02/05/2025	Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the Secretary of State, in conjunction with the State Board of Education, shall develop a separate classroom course and refresher course for operation of vehicles of the first division being operated as school buses. Requires all applicants to operate a first division vehicle to: (1) meet specified requirements; and (2) complete the classroom course or refresher course or complete a training course administered by the service provider in which the applicant will be employed by that covers safe driving practices with a first division vehicle, special considerations for transporting students with disabilities, emergency preparedness, and safe pick-up and drop-off procedures. Provides that an applicant to operate a first division vehicle is exempt from the requirement of demonstrating physical fitness to operate a school bus by submitting the results of a medical examination if the applicant will be providing transportation services with a provider that uses a telematics system that sends, receives, and stores telemetry data. Provides that a vehicle subject to a safety test prior to an application for a license shall be subject to tests, in the case of first division vehicles, at least every 12 months, or 10,000 miles, whichever occurs first. Makes other changes. Effective July 1, 2025.
HB2527	02/04/2025	Amends the Illinois Funeral or Burial Funds Act. Defines "transportation protection agreement". Provides that the Illinois Insurance Code does not apply to any transportation protection agreement sold by any seller. Provides that nothing in the Act shall be deemed to apply to (1) merchandise that is delivered within 30 days of purchase, (2) a transportation protection agreement, or (3) pre-need cemetery sales (rather than only pre-need cemetery sales) under the Illinois Pre-Need Cemetery Sales Act.
HB2432	02/03/2025	Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the Illinois Commerce Commission shall allow commercial relocators to recover towing permit fees or vehicle release fees that are lawfully adopted by a unit of local government and imposed by a law enforcement agency as a necessary administrative fee in order to effectuate an existing relocator program in the unit of local government where the law enforcement agency and relocator operate. Allows the Commission to set the maximum amount of towing permit fees or vehicle release fees that a commercial relocator may recover.
HB2461	02/03/2025	Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Establishes that a municipality that operates an automated speed enforcement system shall set aside 10% of the net proceeds from each system that generates more than $500,000 in revenue for the respective school district or park district in the safety zone in which the automated speed enforcement system is located. Provides that the set aside proceeds may be allocated for any purpose designated by the school district or park district. Set forth home rule provisions.
HB2523	02/03/2025	Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. By June 1, 2026, requires the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, to establish, by rule, a Montessori education endorsement to be added to a Professional Educator License. Requires the rules adopted by the State Board of Education to outline the requirements for obtaining the endorsement. Provides that these provisions are inoperative on and after January 1, 2027.
HB2333	01/30/2025	Amends the Statute on Statutes. Provides that any reference to the term "electronic data processing" in any statute of the State, any rule adopted by an administrative agency of the State, or any appropriations Act of the State includes information technology as defined in a specified provision of the State Finance Act. Amends the State Finance Act. Replaces the term "electronic data processing" with "information technology". Provides that, upon written approval by the Office of the Comptroller, a State agency may submit electronic travel vouchers under procedures and controls prescribed by the Comptroller. Effective immediately.
HB1617	01/23/2025	Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that the offense of possession of burglary tools includes possessing a vehicle security circumvention device and not being a: (1) mechanic; (2) licensed new or used vehicle dealer; (3) licensed locksmith; (4) repossession agent; or (5) State or local law enforcement officer. Provides that a violation is a Class C misdemeanor. Provides that the offense of unlawful sale of burglary tools includes knowingly selling or transferring a vehicle security circumvention device with knowledge that the device will be used by the person or another to commit a violation of law. Provides that a violation is a petty offense. Defines "vehicle security circumvention device".
HB1618	01/23/2025	Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Defines "relay box". Provides that no person may possess a relay box in this State except for: (1) a mechanic; (2) a new vehicle dealer or used vehicle dealer licensed under the Code; (3) a locksmith licensed under the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, Fingerprint Vendor, and Locksmith Act of 2004; (4) a repossession agent; or (5) a State or local law enforcement officer. Provides that a person who commits a violation of the new provisions is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor. Effective immediately.
HB1619	01/23/2025	Amends the Cemetery Care Act. Defines "average fair market value", "total return percentage", and "net income". Provides that a trustee may apply to the Comptroller to establish a master trust fund in which deposits are made. Allows a cemetery authority to take distributions from its fund either by distributing ordinary income or total return distribution. Requires an application for the implementation of the total return distribution method to be submitted to the Comptroller at least 120 days before the effective date of the election to receive total return distribution. Allows, where no receiver is available, a circuit court to order a willing local municipality, township, county, or city to take over the cemetery. Repeals a provision regarding the use of care funds. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2027.
HB1565	01/21/2025	Creates the Anti-Click Gambling Data Analytics Collection Act. Provides that no entity that operates a remote gambling platform or a subsidiary of the entity shall collect data from a participant with the intent to predict how the participant will gamble in a particular gambling or betting scenario. Effective immediately.
HB1566	01/21/2025	Amends the Uniform Crime Reporting Act. Provides that a law enforcement agency shall report all shootings connected with the subject of an incident report when the shooting resulted in any property damage or bodily injury. Provides that each incident report that reports a shooting shall, at a minimum, state whether a firearm has been identified and if a magazine, round of ammunition, expended bullet, or shell casing was found at the scene of the crime.