PARKING AND STANDING VIOLATIONS
As part of the services provided by MSI, we do our best to inform our client base of any changes to state statutes under which they may operate. MSI has become aware that the state statute governing adjudicating parking and standing violations (625 ILCS 5/11 208.3) has been amended. Section (a) which previously gave municipalities the “authority to adjudicate civil offenses carrying fines not in excess of $250” has been changed to $500. (see below):

(a) Any municipality may provide by ordinance for a system of administrative adjudication of vehicular standing and parking violations and vehicle compliance violations as defined in this subsection and automated traffic law violations as defined in Section 11-208.6. The administrative system shall have as its purpose the fair and efficient enforcement of municipal regulations through the administrative adjudication of automated traffic law violations and violations of municipal ordinances regulating the standing and parking of vehicles, the condition and use of vehicle equipment, and the display of municipal wheel tax licenses within the municipality's borders. The administrative system shall only have authority to adjudicate civil offenses carrying fines not in excess of $500 or requiring the completion of a traffic education program, or both, that occur after the effective date of the ordinance adopting such a system under this Section. For purposes of this Section, "compliance violation" means a violation of a municipal regulation governing the condition or use of equipment on a vehicle or governing the display of a municipal wheel tax license.

With this said, I would like to draw you attention to section (b)(10) of the same statute that appears to contradict or fail to address this change:

b) Any ordinance establishing a system of administrative adjudication under this Section shall provide for:

(10) A schedule of civil fines for violations of vehicular standing, parking, compliance, or automated traffic law regulations enacted by ordinance pursuant to this Section, and a schedule of penalties for late payment of the fines or failure to complete required traffic education programs, provided, however, that the total amount of the fine and penalty for any one violation shall not exceed $250, except as provided in subsection (c) of Section 11-1301.3 of this Code.

We believe this was either an oversight, or a typo. We recommend that you consult your city/village attorney if you choose to take advantage of this statute change (the ability to issue fines up to $500). If you have any questions, you can email me at mregan@violations.com or call 708-448-6934.