What's This?

Did something change?

• Don't get yourself jammed up big time by doing movers anymore. The law changed yesterday and it states that we no longer take a persons license as bond. They sign the ticket and go on their way. But no one told us, not the law department, not the CO book in roll call. Take someone's license and you're fucked. Remember ignorance is not a defense when you get sued.
  
  Senate bill 2583 went into effect 10Aug14 and it states "Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Repeals the Section concerning license as bail. Provides that residents of this State and residents of any other state which is a member of the Nonresident Violator Compact of 1977 who are cited by a police officer for violating a traffic law or ordinance shall have the option of (1) being taken without unnecessary delay before a court of jurisdiction or (2) executing a written promise to comply with the terms of the citation by signing at least one copy of a Uniform Traffic Ticket prepared by the police officer. Provides that the Secretary of State shall suspend the driving privileges of a resident who fails to comply with the executed written promise to comply with the original terms of the citation until the Secretary receives notification by the court of jurisdiction that the person has appeared or otherwise executed the written promise to comply with the terms of the original citation. Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Removes a provision allowing the Supreme Court to include deposit of a chauffeur's or operator's license in the bail schedule for traffic cases. Makes corresponding changes in other portions of the Code."

Is this some sort of joke to get everyone to stop writing movers? If so, well played. If true however, once again, a massive breakdown in keeping the troops informed of a major legislative shift.

UPDATE: Something did change:

• Motorists who are pulled over in Illinois will no longer need to hand over their driver's license in exchange for a citation under a bill signed into law on Saturday.
  
  Senate Bill 2583, sponsored by Sen. Michael Noland, D-Elgin, and State Rep. John D'Amico, D-Chicago, eliminates the requirement that drivers post their license as bail for certain traffic offenses. The new law allows the motorist's signature on the citation to suffice as a guarantee that they will either appear in court or pay the required fines.
  
  The law goes into effect Jan. 1, 2015. (An earlier version of this story contained incorrect information on the law's effective date; the incorrect information came in an e-mailed release from the governor's press office.)

Our e-mailer must have had the first printing of the story. So this is interesting - everyone rolls on a signature. We guess that will save them the trouble of actually having to go out and acquire a legal license in the first place.