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92_SB1657gms
State of Illinois
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
Springfield, Illinois 62706
George H. Ryan
GOVERNOR
August 22, 2002
To the Honorable Members of
The Illinois Senate
92nd General Assembly
Pursuant to the authority vested in the Governor by
Article IV, Section 9(e) of the Illinois Constitution of
1970, and re-affirmed by the People of the State of Illinois
by popular referendum in 1974, and conforming to the standard
articulated by the Illinois Supreme Court in People ex rel.
Klinger v. Howlett, 50 Ill.2d 242 (1972), Continental
Illinois National Bank and Trust Co. v. Zagel, 78 Ill.2d 387
(1979), People ex rel. City of Canton v. Crouch, 79 Ill.2d
356 (1980) and County of Kane v. Carlson, 116 Ill.2d 186
(1987), that gubernatorial action be consistent with the
fundamental purposes and the intent of the bill, I hereby
return Senate Bill 1657 entitled "AN ACT in relation to
vehicles," with my specific recommendations for change.
Senate Bill 1657 requires drivers, when in a road
construction or maintenance zone, to move over to the traffic
lane farthest from construction or maintenance workers, if it
is safe to do so. The bill requires a mandatory court
appearance for failing to change lanes when approaching a
stationary emergency vehicle with flashing lights. It also
allows union representatives to use emergency oscillating
lights on their motor vehicle within the limits of a
construction project and when parked alongside any roadway.
I have received several bills this year expanding the
types of vehicles allowed to have oscillating emergency
lights. We must take care to limit the expansion of
emergency light usage by non-emergency entities. In granting
union representatives the authority to use emergency
oscillating lights on their vehicles when parked alongside
any roadway, the bill moves outside the specific objective of
increasing safety within construction and maintenance zones.
I believe that use of the oscillating lights by union
representatives should be limited to construction zones.
For these reasons, I hereby return Senate Bill 1657 with
the following recommendations for change:
On page 8, by replacing lines 7 and 8 with "within the
limits of a construction project."; and
On page 9, by replacing lines 33 and 34 with "are within
the limits of a construction project.".
With these changes, Senate Bill 1657 will have my
approval. I respectfully request your concurrence.
Sincerely,
George H. Ryan
GOVERNOR
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